#Desert Witch Novel

[basicallyanotherwitchesthing]

Gustave Flaubert - The Temptation of St. Anthony - Rarity Press (private print) - 1932 (illustrations by Jean De Bosschere)

[queereads-bracket]

Queer Fiction Free-for-All Book Bracket Tournament: Round 2A

Book summaries and submitted endorsements below:

Carmilla by J. Sheridan Le Fanu

In an isolated castle deep in the Austrian forest, Laura leads a solitary life with only her ailing father for company. Until one moonlit night, a horse-drawn carriage crashes into view, carrying an unexpected guest – the beautiful Carmilla. So begins a feverish friendship between Laura and her mysterious, entrancing companion.

But as Carmilla becomes increasingly strange and volatile, prone to eerie nocturnal wanderings, Laura finds herself tormented by nightmares and growing weaker by the day… Pre-dating Dracula by twenty-six years, Carmilla is the original vampire story, steeped in sexual tension and gothic romance.

Classics, horror, gothic, 1870s, novella, adult

The Ruthless Lady's Guide to Wizardry by C.M. Waggoner

Endorsement from submitter: "two of the best fantasy novels [Unnatural Magic and The Ruthless Lady's Guide to Wizardry] I've read in a long time. Unnatural Magic follows a young woman who sets out to get an apprenticeship from the country's head wizard himself after being denied entry to the all boys magic school near her village. Meanwhile, a solitary troll and a deserting soldier develop a relationship that goes against the standards of both their societies and turn gender roles on their head (an m/f relationship that had me saying "oh my god this is gay"). The Ruthless Lady's Guide to Wizardry follows a poor fire witch, stigmatized for her innate magic, as she gets a job guarding a noblewoman on a cross-country trip… and attempting to win the affections of another guardswoman as they avoid assassination attempts. They're set in the same universe and the characters from Unnatural Magic are minor characters in Ruthless. Both are part murder mystery, part Victorian-inspired fantasy, part queer romance, and they deserve more love!"

Hard-drinking petty thief Dellaria Wells is down on her luck in the city of Leiscourt—again. Then she sees a want ad for a female bodyguard, and she fast-talks her way into the high-paying job. Along with a team of other women, she’s meant to protect a rich young lady from mysterious assassins.

At first Delly thinks the danger is exaggerated, but a series of attacks shows there’s much to fear. Then she begins to fall for Winn, one of the other bodyguards, and the women team up against a mysterious, magical foe who seems to have allies everywhere.

Fantasy, romance, mystery, secondary world, queernorm, adult

[letmetellyouaboutmyfeels]

2024 Fic Round Up

I was tagged by @princessfbi and oh lord. This year was supposed to be LESS fanfic. What a mess.

This year I wrote 13 fics (24 if we count the Bermuda entries as separate fics) totaling 728,600 words, shared an original novel, and finished sharing my Google doc fics in the collection Fractals from the Lightning Bolt.

January

Posted the epilogue to my massive vampire/reincarnated lover fic All My Shattered Oaths. This is one of my favorite fics. I don't know what I was cooking in October 2023 but it sure was something and I hope to bring that vibe into my original novels.

February

The lovely amazing @f0x-meets-w0lf posted his art he did for my Hades!Buck fic here!

March

Finished sharing my collection of "ficlets from the vault" in Fractals from the Lightning Bolt and posted Racing with the Brakes Cut, my Buddie F&F AU. That fic was SUCH a fun burst of inspiration and a joy to write and I was delighted by everyone's reactions.

April

Posted the first six entries of my BuddieTommy/Polyfire smut fic collection, Both Bermuda and Golden (Lost but Doing Just Fine).

May

Posted a BuckTommy smut fic coda to 7x06, Want You Like a Desert (Heat is Relentless, Thirst is Quenchless), as well as evidence of my descent into madness, a 77k fic titled Abstraction to Realism that is, of all things, a Winter/Jones fic for Midsomer Murders. But I love it so.

June

I posted the next two Bermuda entries and the 55k fic Descendants of Cyrano AKA "The Gang Plays D&D" which was a lot of fun. I wrote it with the goal that a reader could enjoy it even if they knew nothing about TTRPGs and it seems like I succeeded.

July

Lost my entire fucking mind and after posting a couple chapters in May and June, proceeded to write and post the next 18 chapters of Held Up a Lightning Rod (Wonder Why I'm Struck) in the span of three weeks. This fic is 129k. What HAPPENED TO ME. I also posted my gift fic for the fandom fic exchange, Paint Me in Neon and Make Me Glow, a BuckTommy exhibition kink exploration, along with two more entries in Bermuda.

August

Posted the last two Bermuda fics and started posting Baking is a Science but I Studied the Arts, my poly romcom that only ended up being 62k, bless. It's truly a silly comedy of errors, and it was fun to be more lighthearted in my fics over the summer.

September

Finished writing/posting Baking in two weeks. Goddamn.

October

HALLOWEEEEEEEEEN. Brace yourselves! We started off with my Incubus!Buck fic Take My Oxygen (This Plane is Going Down), inspired by the TV series Lost Girl and my own incubus ideas. Next was my 55k Buzzfeed Unsolved/Ghost Files AU, Connected the Dots in Reverse (But Still Completed the Picture), which was T-rated. I know, right? Then we got my Witch!Buddie AU, With Eyes on the Stars and Hands in the Earth. Inspired by Tamora Pierce, this one was also a lot of fun. Then not one but two werewolf fics, one more humorous and one a lot more serious, and both only around 30k what a goddamn miracle: I'll Eat You Instead of Chocolate (You're Sweeter Anyhow) The Blood Between My Teeth is My Own I honestly wasn't sure I'd finish anything after the Incubus!Buck fic ballooned to 73k and took longer than planned, so I'm grateful the other fics behaved wordcount-wise and I was able to finish strong.

November

Local writer found brain dead.

December

Local writer sloooooowly coming back to life and ready to tackle their original novels in 2025!

This year truly held so much more fic than I planned and all of it was a joy, but it's time to knuckle down and focus on my original stories. I hope to share my one Xedgin fic soon but otherwise, I hope you all will keep an eye out for updates on my author blog @lincolnchristie and come with me on that journey!

[miasky18]

✨ Heaven Official's Blessing ✨ What an exciting and beautiful story! At first, I started watching it because I was drawn to its historical setting, but as I kept watching, I absolutely fell in love with it. The story is set in a world ruled by various gods, and one of them is Crown Prince Xie Lian. He’s such a charming character kind, realistic, and resourceful. I loved how he even built his own temple.

The tale of the Ghost Bride was heartbreaking. At first, I thought she was a vengeful spirit, but in truth, she was just a woman who fell in love and never forgot. Then there was the Desert Witch, who only wanted peace between the two warring nations. This part also revealed that Xie Lian disguised himself as a general. He was such a capable leader even in that role, though I’m still unsure if he’s lived multiple lives or if he’s always been the same person across different timelines—but I’m enjoying figuring it out! 😂

And then there’s San Lang, who suddenly accompanies Xie Lian on his journey. He eventually reveals himself as Hua Cheng, though we still don’t fully understand why he’s helping Xie Lian. Their dynamic is fascinating!

I also loved Fu Yao and Nan Feng; they were always so protective of Xie Lian. But my absolute favorite was Shi Qingxuan, the Wind Master. I adored how supportive and friendly he was, never hesitating to stand by Xie Lian. Later, we also get a glimpse of Xie Lian’s past, where he was the mentor of Quan Yizhen. Despite the sacrifices he had to make, including giving up lives for peace and even sacrificing himself, Xie Lian was still a wonderful mentor.

I’m completely hooked! I know there are novels, but I’m more excited to see how it all unfolds in animation. Can’t wait for Season 3!

[so-many-ocs]

user so many ocs, my beloved, fellow Locked Tomb enjoyer, I am about to finish Nona and I am losing my mind because nothing will fill the Gideon Nav sized hole in my heart (lol). do you perchance have any recommendations of what I can read next that's similar to TLT?

ok i wanna preface this by saying i've only read GtN (i needed time to recover after the first one and left HtN at my parents' house for the semester lol but by virtue of Existing On Tumblr i know most of what happens in the series + i plan to read HtN asap)

BUT LET'S GO!! (storygraph summaries linked)

if you liked gideon the ninth, try:

This is How You Lose the Time War by Max Gladstone & Amal El-Mohtar - maybe i just read these 2 really close together but Time War has time travel, space fuckery, gut-wrenching sapphic yearning, and a drily humorous tone all packed into the span of less than 200 pages.

She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan - historical fantasy, rich worldbuilding, one of my All-Time Favorite Books (right alongside Time War and Gideon the Ninth lol)

Babel: An Arcane History by R.F. Kuang - historical fantasy, political intrigue, silver possesses the ability to manifest any meaning lost in translation between languages.

Cosmoknights by Hannah Templer - graphic novel (2 books out now); princesses, politics, and gladiator-style fights, but in space!

now for books i haven't read (on my tbr) that others have recommended for fans of TLT:

The Unbroken by C.L. Clark - fantasy, desert empire, a soldier and a princess "haggling" over the price of a nation.

The Jasmine Throne by Tasha Suri - fantasy/romance, one seeking revenge, one seeking family.

The Ones We Burn by Rebecca Mix - fantasy, girl who is a monster (favorite trope of Ever btw), witches, kingdoms, and assassinations.

Crier's War by Nina Valera - fantasy with some sci-fi elements(?), humans vs. robots but with a twist! i want to read this so bad but have not found it anywhere

this list has some of the books i've recommended here, as well as a couple others i haven't! most of the books i've recommended are sapphic or at least lgbtq as well if that's something you're specifically interested in :)

lastly, storygraph does have a "browse similar books" feature, though i'm not sure how accurate it is as i've yet to really try it out!

i hope that was helpful !!!

[torchwood-99]

Eowyn "The Deserter"

The thing about this debate is that it's not rooted in anything Tolkien included in the novel. It has absolutely no narrative weight or relevance.

Post Eowyn's charge to the Pelennor, there is zero indication that she was condemned, or should be condemned, as a deserter.

She was assisted by Elfhelm and the men in his Eored, who turned a blind eye to her presence.

Her presence was vindicated by the narrative through her defeat of the Witch King.

Her actions on the battlefield were praised by everybody, with Eomer declaring she should be laid to rest beside Theoden in full honour, before he even knew of the Witch King's defeat.

Aragorn and Faramir both declared that her deeds had earned her great renown and has put her on equal standing with legendary queens of old.

Eowyn had to overcome her despair and her desirre for death in battle, but at no point does she have to accept any blame or regret for her actions.

Eowyn declares the shadow has passed directly after Faramir tells her that she is a "lady high and valiant" with deeds that will not be forgotten. Eowyn's path to healing is aided by her hearing and accepting that she is wonderful and deserves all the good stuff.

Back in Edoras, she is "in bliss", and her betrothal to Faramir is toasted and celebrated by all. No indication anyone has a problem with her.

The appendices noted that in Rohan, her deeds were celebrated, and she was forever remembered as "the Lady of the Shield-Arm".

Eowyn the Deserter is something the fandom made up.

Look at her actions factually. She stood by her uncle at the expense of her own ambitions, in the defiance of her own nature, while withstanding sexual harassment, mental abuse and the threat of force marriage and rape, in order to tend to her uncle. A charge she alone had foisted on her, at the age of nineteen, according the year Theoden's illness began, because she was a woman.

After Theoden's recovery, she received zero credit from her uncle, but was instead once more relegated to the task that no one else wanted, a task that all others had the choice to refuse, after her uncle outright forgot she was part of her family.

At this point, she would have had every right to turn around and say "fuck you all", but instead she rounded up the civilians, lead them from their homes, something many of them were reluctant to do, and took them to a place of refuge and safety. She then organised the refuge camp and saw that all was organised and the people were settled.

When she rode to the Pelennor, (with the assist of Elfhelm and his riders) Erkenbrand remained behind, with troops to defend the people. A protector and a leader was provided, and considering his military support, one significantly more crucial and powerful than Eowyn.

She then managed to take down an extremely deadly and dangerous enemy, one that, had he lived, would have made an already improbable victory even more difficult to attain, and would most certainly have resulted in an greater loss of life. This at great risk and cost to herself.

This accomplished, she finally, finally gets some bloody credit, and it is so telling that a not too small part of the fandom, instead of looking at the sacrifices she made, instead of looking at the skills she used, instead of looking at the years of steadfast service she provided to Theoden, sacrifices asked of no one else, instead of looking at the many, many lives she saved because of her decisions and because of her choices, they quibble and go "oooh but she was told to stay behind, and the people left in Dunharrow didn't have her to lead them, leaving them as helpless and vulnerable as sheep, even though Erkenbrand has charge of the troops and these are grown men and women".

Some outright make up stuff that goes completely against the text of the book, insisting her sex had nothing to do with the orders given to her, and that she was left behind because Theoden meant to have her as an heir, even Theoden specifically said that if he and Eomer were to die, the people of Rohan were to choose another leader from amongst themselves.

I've even seen people try to put her actions on a par with Grima's, because "both were selfish", as though there is any sort of equivalency between a woman who sacrificed her own sanity tending to her uncle, before leading her people to a place of refuge and then risking her neck defeating a deadly enemy, to the man who worked to de-stabalise his country and bring about untold death and suffering for the promised reward of riches and a chance to rape someone.

You want to know if Eowyn is a heroine or a deserter? Ask someone from Rohan, they'll either laugh at the prospect she's anything but a heroine, or outright clobber you for daring to suggest she's a deserter.

[velvetvexations]

Memoirs to Prove the Existence of the Devil

Nursed With Kerosene

Zoe Grail is best friends with the Righteous, a group of 'scoobies' who deal with supernatural threats that no one wants to discuss in public. A mysterious man offers to tear off the veil and show her what the Righteous get up to.

In-progress serial novel. 01

Six Underground

Anh Coleman and their husband spend some much needed quality time together while trapped underground, and Anh doesn't think they're alone.

Published in Beyond the Bounds of Infinity.

New Coke

Paul Conrad is the yuppie son of a billionaire who's gone through a streak of bad, bad luck, and hasn't felt like himself in awhile. When he's sent to Mexico to check in on some financial irregularities, he meets a woman of uniquely terrifying beauty.

Finished novella, unpublished.

Witch Hunt

Gerald Oakman barely remembers Gerhard Eichmann. A strange visitor drops in to remind him of a few key facts.

Finished short story, unpublished.

The Fool's Hike

Azariah and Lizard take their son hiking.

Finished flash fiction, unpublished.

Lips Cold as Ice

Tragedy Syn suffers for his art.

Finished flash fiction, unpublished.

The Feral .454 of Lizard Donner

Other barbarians have savage swords. Lizard Donner walks into fights with an oversized six-shooter, an ax, and a cloak that flows like a flaming shadow.

In-progress short story.

The Black Goat of the Desert

Holly Goodwich and Paris Conrad are two early 20th century lesbians whose relationship has stagnated lately. Hoping to spice things up, they chase a rumor through the desert.

In-progress short story.

The Wendigo?

Dr. John Silence is an arrogant man, albeit not without good reason. He may have to reconsider his conclusions and beg for help if he wants to survive the night.

Planned short story.

Lighthouse, Lighthouse

A paranormal investigator snoops around the simple lighthouse of a small town in Mexico.

Planned short story.

Swimming in a Bottle

A young boy sneaks a bottle away from the party his parents are throwing on their yacht and ends up falling into the water, only to surface in a strange lake under a sky full of black stars.

Planned short story.

Scared

A man is hounded by an entity of unfathomable horror that's out for his blood.

Planned flash fiction.

The History of the Principality of Averoigne

A short history of Averoigne, from it's de facto independence during the French Revolution to the principality that continues to exist in the modern day.

Planned short story.

Zachary Read Something He Shouldn't

It's the 1930s and Zachary Conrad's older brother tasks him with proving beyond the shadow of a doubt that their grandmother, wife of the famous cowboy hero Blue Conrad, was not Native American. As he digs into the family history, however, Zachary learns that their mother kept her own secrets.

Planned short story.

Wow!

An heiress wants nothing more than to use her family's aerospace business to drag humanity into space and meet aliens. This is the story of the worst day of her life.

Planned short story.

Time is the Final Gaol

Calamity wishes the Righteous made more of a difference. But sometimes the big picture doesn't tell the whole story.

Planned short story.

Street Heat

To reward their good behavior, Fenris, Plantagenet, Random, and Elixir are allowed to leave Blackchapel unsupervised so Plantagenet can take them to his hometown of New Orleans for Mardi Gras, but a woman who wears the head of a fursuit 24/7 ends up leading them to uncover a dangerous plot, and with the Righteous out of action, they have to take things into their own hands.

Planned short story.

Circumstances of Birth

Hera is assisted by the rest of the Bacchanalia in a quest for revenge.

Planned short story.

[darklordazalin]

Azalin Reviews: Darklord Diederic de Wyndt

Domain: Malosia Power Level:💀💀 ⚫⚫⚫ (2/5 skulls) Domain Formation: Unknown Source: The Black Crusade – unpublished novel by Ari Marmell

Dierderic de Wyndt’s history is not easily obtained. One had to have acquired the tale decades ago when the self-named Wizards of the Coast published it as a free novel on a server that has been lost and forgotten. The Wizard King of Darkon, however, always plans for these contingencies and had a copy on hand to refresh his memories of this wayward Knight and how his twisted obsession with justice and vengeance against a signal individual doomed him to become the Darklord of Malosia.

De Wyndt is from what scholars in the Mists refer to as ‘Gothic Earth’. From my understanding, ‘Gothic Earth’ is similar to a planet known as ‘Earth’. Where Earth’s monsters are of the mundane persuasion, Gothic Earth’s monsters have literal claws and fangs. I personally prefer the latter; such obvious monsters are easier to deal with or manipulate to one’s own purposes...

De Wyndt was a land-holding Knight of France, which he likes to remind you of as often as possible, and was one of the many soldiers lured to Jerusalem to carry out Pope Urban the Second’s war to ‘reclaim the Holy Land’. The Knight’s story starts after Jerusalem was nearly taken. De Wyndt was battle worn and wary after partaking in the slaughtering of the citizens of Jerusalem once the walls were breached.  

While contemplating desertion, Diederic came across the corpse of a comrade in arms – Joris van den Felle. Upon inspecting his fallen ally, Diederic was convinced the man had been murdered. A rather…interesting…conclusion to make when one is on the field of battle, but he wasn’t entirely wrong. Joris had wounds akin to a dagger that were obvious administered from an assailant who attacked him from behind.

His reaction to this speaks to Diederic’s obsession and rather unique sense of justice. He was determined to find Joris’s killer so he could kill them himself. Following a trail of fallen soldiers, he soon discovered that the city was infected with some sort of plague that was causing everyone within to succumb to fits of gibbering, giggling, violent madness.

Dodging the infected while still searching for Joris’s killer, Diederic encountered Father Lambrecht Raes praying over some of the recently fallen soldiers. After escaping together from a mod of the infected, Father Lambrecht enlisted Diederic to help him root out the source of the plague in the city. However, once they reached the apparent location of its source, the Priest abandoned Diederic to succumb to the plague itself or be taken by those already inflicted.

The Knight resisted the lure of the maddening plague and confronted Lambrecht. Lambrecht confessed he used Diederic to safely arrive at the location where the Laginate Grimoire was hidden beneath Jerusalem. He claimed that the Grimoire was the source of the plague and they awoke the dark magics within with their violence. Despite this proclamation, the Priest wished to use the knowledge contained within the Grimoire to defend the church against pagan witches. He reasoned that in order to fight the dark magics they wielded, one had to understand them and even wield them. A rather logical argument for one of faith to make…Though believing one had to fight against and destroy those that have gained mastery over the arcane is foolishness.

Lambrecht attempted to use the power contained within the Laginate Grimoire to defeat Diederic. Though it was difficult for the holier-than-thou Knight to accomplish, his will eventually broke free from the Grimoire’s influence and subdued Lambrecht. Once subdued, he found a knife on Lambrecht that could have been the same weapon that was used to kill Joris. That would have been enough for the vengeful Knight, but the Priest also confessed to the crime.

For a long moment, Diederic considered ending the Priest’s life, but decided a worst punishment was to ensure the church excommunicated him then sentenced him to death, so the Knight captured Lambrecht. Here, again, we see how petty Diederic is when it comes to justice. He wanted the Priest to suffer, not for the crimes he committed against the church or his fellow soldiers, but because Lambrecht had abandoned Diederic to die.

The resulting trial was not what Diederic was expecting. In the end, despite the ‘evidence’ of the Laginate Grimoire, the trial came down to his word versus the word of the Priest and Lambrecht was a silvered tongued serpent, easily explaining away why he had the Grimoire. The Knight decided to take matters into his own hands and bribed a drunkard ex-soldier to give witness against Lambrecht at the trial. This was all the church needed and Lambrecht was excommunicated and sentenced to death by hanging.

On the fated day of the hanging, the church decided to burn the Laginate Grimoire in front of the priest as a final form of rather petty torment. However, the Grimoire did not burn and instead the smoke that rose from it turned to Mist and carried Lambrecht away just as he was hung. Enraged, Diederic pushed through throngs of people to get to Lambrecht and ensure his sentence was carried out. Instead, he was pulled into the mists as well.

The two were now pulled into the Domains of Dread into a land known as Malosia. At that time, the land was not complete, for it had not claimed a Darklord. According to the young Vistana Seer, Violca, who was tasked with witnessing the final formation of the land itself, the land was formed without a soul. Us Darklords are the soul’s of our Domains…that is true, in a sense. The land often mirrors our personalities…the parts we’d rather not face…

Shortly after arriving in Malosia, Diederic was detained and imprisoned for witchcraft as he appeared out of the mists and straight into a group of ‘Redbreasts’ or Inquisitors of the Empyrean Church. The church was similar to Diederic’s own, expect instead of one son, the god of this church had six. The Redbreasts were tasked with routing out witchcraft through Inquisitions. It was also thoroughly devoted to ending the practice of witchcraft in the land.

While imprisoned, de Wyndt befriended the Vistana Violca and the peasant woman Leonara (Leona) Talliers. The prison itself makes the Black Hole of Karg seem like a pleasant vacation spot. The prisoners were worked to their bones and tortured for the most minor inflictions.

The three eventually escaped after a plan which involved sabotaging a holding cell, setting fire to another, and fleeing through the sewage in the chaos. Beneath the prison were seemingly endless tunnels and they eventually discovered an old temple, the ceiling decorated with a realistic depiction of the night sky and…more disturbingly was an altar stained with blood as well as a blood stain beneath it that seemed to indicate that something crawled away after a sacrificed was performed.

The three, through some combination of exhaustion and stupidity, rested within the confines of the temple and were attacked by a ghost…The ghost appeared to have her belly torn open and a manacle on one of her writs. Clearly, this individual had been sacrificed on the aforementioned altar. In defending himself against the apparition, the ghost grasped Diederic’s wrist and infected the area. It never did heal properly.  

Soon after discovering the underground church, the three escaped into the wilderness. Violca left them to return to her people and Diederic and Leona made their way through the Cineris Forest. Leona informed the Knight that the forest was inhabited by the ‘fair folk’ and they must respect their laws – no shedding blood, no cutting branches, and leaving offerings of food and drink each evening.

The Redbreasts followed them into the forest and hunted them with hounds. When Diederic cut one of them down, he broke one the fair folks rules and awakened their hunt. Similar to the legend of the Wild Hunt, the fey hunted the mortals in their woods and only when Diederic proposed an alliance with the Redbreasts to fight against the Fair Folk, only to instantly betray the Redbreasts and slay them as an offering to the fey, did they let him and Leona go.

Once through the woods, they found themselves in Leona’s hometown of Birne. Diederic soon discovered the Birne’s founding families all practiced witchcraft, including Leona. They crafted, over countless years, a rune-engraved pentagram out of the root systems of the town’s apple orchard and within that orchard was a small shack, its basement riddled in corpses. The witches have been sacrificing people to appease the fey so their land and people would prosper. Recently, however, the land was suffering and more and more sacrifices were required, yet the fey were still not appeased, though none of the villagers knew why.

Though all of this knowledge enraged the Knight, nothing enraged him more than when he discovered that the oldest tradition of witches in Malosia were known as the Laginate Cabal. Instantly, Diederic believed that Lambrecht must have been pulled into Malosia as well. He knew the Priest would be seeking the Laginate Cabal for surly it was tied to the Laginate Grimoire the heretic had sought in their own world and betrayed Diederic for. Once Diederic learned that the Cabal likely resided near Caercaelum, he left Leona and Birne behind to seek his vengeance against Lambrecht.

Diederic was correctly, the Mists pulled Lambrecht into Malosia at the shortly before the Knight, though not in the same location. Lambrecht found himself in a snowdrift with nothing more than the prisoner garments he was entitled to on the day of his execution. The priest was saved by a young shepherd who also happened upon the Laginate Grimoire nearby. Once safely within a warm cave with the shepherd, Lambrecht killed the man, then took his warm clothing and the Grimoire for himself. The next day, Lambrecht traveled to the nearest town and wasted no time in establishing himself within the Empyrean Church as the chief advisor to the Pontiff Cornelis. Cornelis accepted Lambrecht’s wisdom in studying and practicing sorcery to defeat it.

While traveling, Diederic encountered Violca again and she insisted on accompanying him so she could witness the final formation of the land. Together they located the part of the Grimoire that was held by the Laginate Cabal. With it, Violca told Diederic it might be possible to send him home. Given such an opportunity, he would have been wise to at least make the attempt, but the vengeance obsessed fool refused to return without Lambrecht. He needed to see the Priest face justice. That, Violca said, could only be done if the two halves of the Grimoire were combined and even then, she was uncertain of the result.

As they approached the city of Caercaelum, Violca warned Diederic that bringing the two Grimoire halves close to one another would only cause the same plague of violence and madness he had witnessed in Jerusalem. This, however, had no effect on the single-minded Knight. Nothing mattered to him but his vengeance.

Predictably, madness and violence broke out wherever Diederic went and Lambrecht was not easily reached. The Priest, time and time again, used the power of the Grimoire to summon zombies to aid him and flee in the resulting chaos.

They chased the Priest through the city and the under tunnels of the city. This chase eventually lead Diederic and Violca to discover that the religion of the Empyrean Church was built on lies, for beneath the city of Caercaelum was another temple built on sacrifices and here Violca spoke in the voices of some great power, revealing the darkness and cruelty of the six scions worshiped by the church.

Eventually, Diederic and Violca encounter Lambrecht in a church gifted to him by the Pontiff. Here, they fought against Lambrecht and his undead minions with the Redbreasts by their side. The church began to burn as they battled and Lambrecht called upon all the power of the Grimoire. Diederic was able to break out of its influence once more by drinking holy water. Once freed, he attacked the Priest from behind then lifted him off the ground by his neck so his sentence would be carried out – death by hanging. Naturally, the priest came back as a zombie, but died a second time once Diederic burnt the Grimoire.

The city of Caercaelum saw Diederic as their hero, ending the plague of violence that infected the city by destroying the unholy priest and his grimoire, not knowing that it was the Knight who brought the plague upon them in the first place. In that moment, Violca saw that Diederic was finally claimed by the Mists and was now the Darklord of Malosia. He would never return home…but he found his vengeance.

There are no further accounts of this Knight’s Tale, but I suspect Lambrecht comes back every few years to harass him. Or someone similar to Lambrecht, which given the nature of Malosia’s citizens to practice witchcraft in secret at night while pretending to care about the Empyrean Church during the day, the land is full of potential Lambrechts to torment Diederic.

[akajustmerry]

hey merry! i noticed you just started the show, so how're you liking dark winds so far?

I started and finished it in less than a week. suffice to say, I really enjoyed it! here's some quickfire thoughts (note: I'm Aboriginal/First Nations "Australian" so I'm speaking as a non-Native to the so called US) <3

Something I loved about it as an Indigenous person is that every character has a different relationship to their ceremony and cultural beliefs. You have Bern who's totally immersed, Joe who wants to but struggles because of his grief, and Jim who's skeptical af. I liked that so much because it's very real. at least in my family and community. Everyone's degree of belief is different for different reasons!!

Bern and Jim oh my FUCKING God. I was GIGGLING and KICKING MY FEET. a+ culturally specific slowburn. when he asked her about her tribe?? when she gave him the protection medicine? when he says there's nothing on the rez for him and she says "I'm here"? WHEN SHE LEAVES AND HE RETURNS THE PROTECTIVE JEWELLERY??? 🥹🥰🥹🥰

I preferred the first season to the second. I think it was shot better and had a better executed mystery. The cinematography in season one was so gorgeous. It had a very distinctive almost sunny yet gothic feel, but the second season was shot more conventionally. I hated the colour splash sequences.

Emma's sub-plot of helping other women avoid forced sterilisation was so awesome. Deserves its own show to be honest. That sequence where she tells the patient in Dineʼ (under the guise of translating for the white doc) that she should not have her baby in hospital because the white doctors will sterilise her? One of the best character intros I've ever seen, and I love how it tails off in season 2 with her agreeing to go public with what's happening.

I love Bern so MUCH. Jess Mattern is so GOOD. her encounters with the witch are CHILLING. Her pure dedication to her cultural beliefs is so inspiring. She's also one of the most beautiful women I've ever seen and I'm so gay. My only thing is......in WHAT universe is becoming a BORDER PATROL officer gonna mean you encounter LESS injustice. smh!!!

Kiowa Gordon as a 1970s suave FBI deserter turned hire out of a highway hotel private eye full of love for his community?? That's my dream gender!!!!!!! Also......it must be said....i need him.

Finally, even though I could tell Graham Roland and the writers made HUGE efforts to shift the white gaze of the novels Dark Winds was based on, there was just some moments/attitudes in the series that felt Off. maybe I'm over sensitive to copaganda idk but yeah there was just a little too much.......rampant individual American heroism and pro-cop/military stuff at times that made me roll my eyes as a non-usAmerican viewer

anyways, looking forward to having a reason to stay alive until 2025 (when season 3 comes out!)

[choiceofgames]

Pon Para and the Unconquerable Scorpion

"Pon Para and the Unconquerable Scorpion." Chosen by the gods, betrayed by your king, you must stop the Scorpion!

https://www.choiceofgames.com/pon-para-2/

The philosopher witch Teijia has unleashed a new weapon: a scorpion-god whose venom poisons the very foundations of reality! As the edges of the world disintegrate, the nomadic Stormraiders make one final, desperate push to defeat the Three Nations and carve out their own kingdom.

This time you'll need more than the sign of your god and a few friends: to end the war and save the world from destruction, you'll need an army! Establish yourself as a warlord, crime boss, or divine leader and cross oceans and deserts to find a weapon that can stop the Unconquerable Scorpion!

Old Friends and Enemies Return. Once again find friendship, enmity, or romance with Melaxu the nymph philosopher and Tamur the Desert Empire spy. But beware: the Stormraiders Galimar and Gisla are back too. And what will your own rulers, King Hyras and the Desert Empress, demand of you this time?

New Heroes, New Threats. Recruit Col the satyr general and his young ward Clannath, a crow-woman cursed by the God of Rage. Claim territory across two nations and scheme to protect your followers. But beware the ambitions of the dark priests…and of the priests of Heaven, who still consider you a heretic and enemy of the gods!

The End of Philosophy? Even as King Hyras and Lord Vankred square off to end the Stormraider War, the witch Teijia unleashes her ultimate weapon: the Emissary Beast Magdala, the Unconquerable Scorpion, whose venom can destroy the engines that maintain the World That Remains. What can stop a creature forged by the gods to be unstoppable? Return to the World That Remains. Make yourself at home!

"Pon Para and the Unconquerable Scorpion" is an interactive fantasy novel by Kyle Marquis, where your choices control the story. It's entirely text-based—742,000 words and hundreds of choices long, without graphics or sound effects—and fueled by the vast, unstoppable power of your imagination.

[terastalungrad]

Himitsu Sentai Gorenger: An Inaccurate Summary

I've experienced so much formulaic children's entertainment in my time - The Famous Five, Doctor Who novels, Power Rangers, Marvel comics, Sweet Valley Twins, Popeye, Rupert the Bear.

I love this stuff. But you've got to do your part to make them enjoyable.

As a kid, I would instinctively and unintentionally extrapolate and add stuff to these stories. I would make assumptions about characters' motives and feelings, without realising I was just seeing shapes in the clouds.

As an adult, I don't automatically do this - but I really must when I consume a load of shallow kids' entertainment.

With that in mind, I've watched 24 episodes of Himitsu Sentai Gorenger - the first series in the Super Sentai series, which would later be adapted as Power Rangers. And I've got a lot of thoughts, not all of which are explicit or indeed remotely present in the show. Indeed, there are some things I strongly believe really happened which are, technically, outright contradicted on-screen.

But I won't let that stop me. Let me tell you the story.

The Black Cross Army is a fascist terrorist group, with a hierarchy of members:

The Führer - the army's leader, dressed in an outfit inspired by the Ku Klux Klan;

Masked Generals - at least some of these seem to be supernatural beings;

Masked Monsters - some are robots, some are augmented human;

Zolders - brainwashed footsoldiers.

The army begins a series of attacks worldwide. The UN responds by establishing EAGLE, a military defense organisation based in Japan.

(I like to think of Doctor Who's UNIT as a UK-based sister organisation.)

Our story begins when the Black Cross Army slaughter EAGLE's top five Japanese bases. In each base, there is exactly one survivor.

These survivors are the Five Rangers - a secret squadron of superheroes. They each react differently to witnessing the murder of everyone in their respective bases.

Red Ranger Tsuyoshi Kaijo is devastated and filled with survivor guilt. He's driven forward only by a need to bring down the Black Cross Army. His grief won't lead to mistakes; he's able to compartmentalise, and put the mission before anything else.

Blue Ranger Akira Shinmei - a loner by nature - is energised by the fight, perversely excited by the simplicity of knowing his enemy. He'll need to learn to rely on his fellow rangers, however.

Yellow Ranger Daita Oiwa, always the clown, retreats into absurdity to overcome his trauma. He limits his hedonistic desires to food.

Pink Ranger Peggy Matsuyama is utterly horrified by her experience, and uses this to fuel a passionate resistance. Her self-control is second only to Tsyoshi's, and her drive is second to none.

Green Ranger Kenji Asuka is only 17 years old, the most reckless and proud of the rangers. With a fragile ego and intense need for revenge, Kenji has a lot to learn.

The rangers set up a secret base, fronted by a curry house. Their commander, Gonpachi Edogawa, works there as a chef to maintain cover. Three women serve as spies - 007, 008 and 009.

007 is Yoko Kato, the most experienced and talented of the three. She sometimes doubles for the Pink Ranger. Her younger brother Taro is particularly close with Daita, helping the Yellow Ranger overcome his trauma through his relationship to this child.

The rangers start hunting down the masked monsters who destroyed their bases, taking each of them down and preventing their latest plans, as follows:

Gold Mask - bombing a busload of children;

Warrior Mask - turning the world into a desert;

Bronze Mask - acquiring a nuclear bomb;

Jade Mask - wiping out humanity with mould;

Poison Gas Mask - poisoning earth's atmosphere.

Next, they take down nine further monsters to hurt Black Cross's operations:

Iron Ring Mask - locating every EAGLE secret base;

Crescent Moon Mask - creating an army of werewolves;

Poison Fang Mask - assassinating an eminent pacifist;

Witch Mask - freezing Tokyo;

Wing Mask - creating an enormous hurricane;

Boat Ear Mask - learning how to create an antimatter bomb;

Silver Heat Mask - burning Tokyo;

Horn Mask - destroying EAGLE bases;

Skull Mask - kidnapping and impersonating eminent scientists.

The Black Cross Army start concentrating their efforts on taking down the Five Rangers. The Führer assigns Sun Halo Mask to this task. Sun Halo Mask is a ruthless tyrant, known for countless atrocities across Africa.

Sun Halo Masks provides five masked monsters with tasks:

Rainbow Mask - capturing the Five Rangers' flying vehicle, the Variblune;

Mirror Mask - destorying five EAGLE power plants;

Black Hair Mask - turning Japan into a desert;

Cyclops Mask - turning children into Zolders;

Sword Mask - buying plans for a nuclear weapon.

The rangers manage to take down all five, and finally destroy Sun Halo Mask himself.

To Be Continued!

[casey-nova-12]

Mass project post: The witches of Oz

[Note: this is concept art and subject to change]

Look below the cut for more lore

Using the McGuire version of Oz and parts of the books as inspo, I designed the witches and their respective countries and mixed them with modern ideas of fae

The Northern Witch: She was the first, and I didn’t have a clear idea until the antlers and veil. She is the most intelligent and watches over the forests and mountain regions in the purple country. The architecture may change, but I wanted a traditional fantasy forest vibe. That influenced her staff and attire, also being traditionally fantasy. Her familiar is kind of an opossum rat who hangs on her staff.

The Eastern Witch: The sweetest witch, her design is most inspired by blue hydrangeas and illustrations where flowers form their anatomy. She lives in a cottage with her familiar, an enormous cat bee hybrid, who acts as a mode of transport, as she is not always able to walk. Otherwise she uses her cane, which is also her magic infused item.

The Southern Witch: When coming up with the environment, McGuire spoke about it having swamps and marshes. But in the original novel, the witch was Glinda. So I tried to combine swamp aesthetics but keep Glinda’s glamour. I achieved this with spiderwebs coated in water droplets, which are on her bracers and cutouts. I also found modern fae inspo the most helpful with this. She is known as the most beautiful witch, and her gothic castle is admired by many. I forgot to design her a familiar, but I imagine they’d be moth-like, and often follow the light of her lantern.

The Western Witch: The last and most difficult to design, she is the odd one out. Seen as the most mysterious and strongest witch, she takes inspiration from sphinxes and desert visuals. Her home is in the middle of the secret city, and is closest to her people. She keeps her snakes by her side and she is the only witch to have a magical weapon. Like her book counterpart, she is seen as a wicked witch, but is genuinely protective and kind. (Her favorite activity: helping with the town’s babies and young children.) The western country is rocky and dry, but beautiful with its details and gold. In fact, the witch is known for her golden feathers that connect her arms and shoulder blades.

[queereads-bracket]

Queer Fiction Free-for-All Book Bracket Tournament: Round 1B

Book summaries and submitted endorsements below:

The Girls I've Been by Tess Sharpe

Nora O’Malley’s been a lot of girls. As the daughter of a con-artist who targets criminal men, she grew up as her mother’s protégé. But when mom fell for the mark instead of conning him, Nora pulled the ultimate con: escape.

For five years Nora’s been playing at normal. But she needs to dust off the skills she ditched because she has three problems:

1: Her ex walked in on her with her girlfriend. Even though they’re all friends, Wes didn’t know about her and Iris.

2: The morning after Wes finds them kissing, they all have to meet to deposit the fundraiser money they raised at the bank. It’s a nightmare that goes from awkward to deadly, because:

3: Right after they enter bank, two guys start robbing it.

The bank robbers may be trouble, but Nora’s something else entirely. They have no idea who they’re really holding hostage…

Thriller, suspense, young adult

The Ruthless Lady's Guide to Wizardry by C.M. Waggoner

Endorsement from submitter: "two of the best fantasy novels [Unnatural Magic and The Ruthless Lady's Guide to Wizardry] I've read in a long time. Unnatural Magic follows a young woman who sets out to get an apprenticeship from the country's head wizard himself after being denied entry to the all boys magic school near her village. Meanwhile, a solitary troll and a deserting soldier develop a relationship that goes against the standards of both their societies and turn gender roles on their head (an m/f relationship that had me saying "oh my god this is gay"). The Ruthless Lady's Guide to Wizardry follows a poor fire witch, stigmatized for her innate magic, as she gets a job guarding a noblewoman on a cross-country trip… and attempting to win the affections of another guardswoman as they avoid assassination attempts. They're set in the same universe and the characters from Unnatural Magic are minor characters in Ruthless. Both are part murder mystery, part Victorian-inspired fantasy, part queer romance, and they deserve more love!"

Hard-drinking petty thief Dellaria Wells is down on her luck in the city of Leiscourt—again. Then she sees a want ad for a female bodyguard, and she fast-talks her way into the high-paying job. Along with a team of other women, she’s meant to protect a rich young lady from mysterious assassins. At first Delly thinks the danger is exaggerated, but a series of attacks shows there’s much to fear. Then she begins to fall for Winn, one of the other bodyguards, and the women team up against a mysterious, magical foe who seems to have allies everywhere.

Fantasy, romance, mystery, secondary world, queernorm, adult

[frociaggine]

Any fiction recommendations? I’ve repeatedly read Locked Tomb, natch. I’d love something similarly brainwork inducing but maybe a touch lighter. Also not fantasy or sci fi…I need something to listen to while I do a ton of chores, and those can be hard (for me) because the unfamiliar proper nouns get confusing. :/

anon!! I'm terrible at reccing anything based on “if you liked TLT” because TLT is like five different genres in a trench coat, but I TRIED (⭐) Here are some brainworm-y recs that aren't sff — where by brainworm-y I mean that they stayed with me for a while after I finished them, but aren't overly confusing. (most of them are books, but available on audio)

Podcasts: a tumblr pal recced me the deviser based on me liking the eldritch elements of tlt; it's short and horror-y, and I really enjoyed it.

I haven't checked out the new TMA yet but I see many TLT peeps who are enjoying it (or S1 of the original The Magnus Archives could be a good entry point if you haven't ever listened to it)

TV: Unfortunately I hardly ever watch live action stuff BUT if you haven't seen either IWTV (the series not the film) or Yellowjackets, I do rec those! There's a lot of overlap between these fans and TLT fandom on my dash. His Dark Materials also goes hard and you might enjoy it (dysfunctional characters! worldbuilding! religious weirdness!) but it has more sff elements than other stuff I've recced. Oddball out of nowhere but The Great is a fun show if you enjoy the meme moments of TLT + people being gleefully horrible + having feelings despite your best intentions

Animanga: Utena (!!!!!) also Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood, which occupies a very similar space to TLT in my brain

Books!

✧ I went through my “women unhinged” goodreads shelf and found some books that are avaliable in audio format, and might appeal. These are wildly varied in scope and ngl the criterion was just “at least one person (besides myself) who enjoyed tlt also this book” and the similarities stop there. It's all vibes baby! Still, I tried

my heart is a chainsaw by stephen graham jones (horror, slasher), bunny by mona awad (horror, wildly unhinged), the witching hour by anne rice (horror, gothic)

matrix by lauren groff (historical, lesbian nuns), anything by sarah waters (historical fiction + lesbians), rebecca by daphne du maurier (historical, gothic)

the plot by jean hanff korelitz (litfic, thriller), sadie by courtney summers (thriller, coming of age). anything by gillian flynn (thrillers with terrible women).

✧ I really enjoy Tana French thrillers for the strong sense of place, great prose, and the complete emotional turmoil of her character-centric narratives. If anything sounds up your alley, I enjoyed the witch's elm + dublin murder squad series. They're murder mystery procedural but the messy characters really elevate the novels. Available in audiobook also

✧ American Elsewhere, technically scifi but set in New Mexico. Somehow, cosmic horrors who have taken over a quaint little town and worse! They are enforcing HETERONORMATIVITY upon it! They also have tentacles. The main character rocks

✧ Sundial by Catriona Ward: insane, gripping psychological horror. A mother and her unsettling daughter take a trip to the isolate desert ranch where the main chracter grew up. Surrounded by unsettling science experiments

✧ A Touch of Jen by Beth Morgan: when the parasocial relationship is so strong, it accidentally summons a hellmonster from another dimension

✧ SFF adjacent, sorry, but set in the real world (historical, tho) — Cuckoo Song by Frances Hardinge, a middle grade novel with fairytale elements that gave me more brainworms than any kids book ought to, mostly because I LOVED the main character. She occupies a very similar place in my brain as Gideon does. This is actually the only book on the list that I'm not sure is available in audio format, but if you get a chance and it's up your alley, I'd check it out

I hope there's at least ONE thing you'll like in here! lmk (also. lmk if you don't have access to a way to borrow audiobooks but would like to)

[theinquisitxor]

April 2024 Reading Wrap Up

I read 6 books in April, which is honestly more than I thought I would get to at the beginning of this month. April's are historically slow reading months for me, and while this was another slower month, I'm happy with what I read. Audiobooks really saved me this month! I read 2 fantasy books, 3 nonfiction (who am I?) and 1 literary fiction.

1.The Book of Doors by Gareth Brown (3.5/5 stars) This was an anticipated new release for me, and I was very intrigued by the premise. This was enjoyable, but there were some things I didn't really care for. This was engaging and easy to read, and if you liked The Cartographers or The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, I think you'd like this. Adult low fantasy

2.The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny, and Murder by David Grann (4/5 stars) I really enjoy survival stories and seafaring stories, so I knew I was going to like this. The audiobook was great, and I liked how this was a shorter nonfiction. I'm not sure how much I like the narrative nonfiction that Grann writes in. Either way, this was a super engaging and entertaining read. Nonfiction audiobook

3.Atomic Habits by James Clear. I was not planning on reading this book in April, but I randomly go interested in it. Overall enjoyable, and interesting to see how we structure our lives around habits.

4.Who Cooked the Last Supper: The Women's History of the World by Rosalind Miles (4/5 stars) I read this 80s feminist nonfiction on audio, and while this could get pessimistic and difficult, I found it to be an engaging read with flashes of humor throughout. I would be interested to see what this book would be like published in the 2020s vs the 1980s. Nonfiction audiobook

5.The Bloody Throne (Hostage of Empire 3) by SC Emmett (5/5 stars) This was the fantastic conclusion to one of my favorite new series. Everything came together in this book and delivered an ending well worth the series. I wasn't sure how the series would end, but it was satisfying and bittersweet. I'm going to be talking about this series for a while. Adult fantasy

6. The Wall by Marlen Haushofer (4.5/5 stars) This is a translated dystopian fiction book about a women who is stuck behind a wall while the rest of the world as ended. She only has a cat, dog, and cow as her companions. She must learn to survive and cope with loneliness. I deeply enjoyed this novel, and found many passages that really stuck with me. Parts of this book got me very emotional.

That's it for April! I'm hoping for a strong reading month this May and summer!

May TBR:

The Familiar by Lehigh Bardugo

The Winners (Beartown 3) by Fredrik Backman

The Language of Trees: A rewilding of literature and landscape

Desert Solitare by Edward Abby

Brave the Wild River (nonfiction audiobook)

The Hedgewitch of Fox Hall by Ana Bright

Song of the Huntress by Lucy Holland

The Witch Collector by Charissa Weaks (my Random TBR Pick for May)

[ireadyabooks]

Spring into Extraordinary Graphic Novels from I read YA! 🌷🎨

Graphic novels are one of our favorite reading formats here at I read YA! It’s always such a joy seeing an author bring their magnificent storytelling to life with their artwork or another artist adding their unique spin! The possibilities are endless when it comes to graphic novel styles, and that’s what makes them so perfect! There is something for everyone! We have compiled some of our recent favorite graphic novels below that you should absolutely check out as we welcome spring and warmer weather! Whether you’re looking for stories about an adorable daydreamer, a dark secret, or two boys simply falling in love, we have it all! Happy reading!

Rainbow! Volume 1 by Gloom & Sunny

From Tapas Media, the same webtoon platform that brought you Magical Boy, comes Rainbow!, a new LGBTQ+ YA graphic novel series!

Teenager Boo Meadows has pink hair and a very vivid imagination -- she has trouble separating from the real world. In her daydreams, she dances beautifully at balls or fights monsters as a magical girl. In reality, she has a complicated home life, work stress, school stress, and a wicked crush on the girl of her dreams. When a new student, Mimi, arrives at school, Boo starts exploring a side of herself that she never considered before. As she grows closer with Mimi, it may finally be time for Boo to face reality . . . Who is the real Mimi? The one in her dreams? Or the one in real life?

Rainbow! is perfect for fans of Heartstopper and Magical Boy, full of heart, adorable illustrations, and a storyline that any teenager can relate to!

Start reading Rainbow! Volume 1 now!

Escape From St. Hell by Lewis Hancox

In this sequel to the Indie bestseller Welcome to St. Hell, Lewis Hancox tells the hilarious, inspiring story of coming into his own as a trans man.

For Lew, figuring out he was a guy and wanted to live life as a guy was the end of our journey... and the start of a whole other journey. Escape From St. Hell charts all the changes that Lew wanted to be made in order for him to live as a young trans man -- changes not just to his own body and perspective, but to the perspectives of the family, friends, and enemies around him.

As he did in his bestselling graphic memoir Welcome to St. Hell, Lewis Hancox charts his journey with plenty of laughs, a good number of cringes, and an honesty that takes readers along for the ride of Lew's life.

Start reading Escape From St. Hell now!

The Deep Dark by Molly Knox Ostertag

From Molly Knox Ostertag, writer-illustrator of the New York Times and Indie bestselling The Witch Boy trilogy and The Girl from the Sea, comes a darkly beautiful story of identity, family, love, loss, and magic.

Everyone has secrets. Mags’s has teeth.

Magdalena Herrera is about to graduate high school, but she already feels like an adult with serious responsibilities: caring for her ailing grandmother; working a part-time job; clandestine makeouts with a girl who has a boyfriend. And then there’s her secret, which pulls her into the basement each night, drains her of energy, and leaves her bleeding. A secret that could hurt and even kill if it ever got out -- like it did once before.

So Mags keeps her head down, isolated in her small desert community. That is, until her childhood friend Nessa comes back to town, bringing vivid memories of the past, an intoxicating glimpse of the future, and a secret of her own. Mags won’t get attached, of course. She’s always been strong enough to survive without anyone’s help.

But when the darkness starts to close in on them both, Mags will have to drag her secret into the daylight, and choose between risking everything... or having nothing left to lose.

Start reading The Deep Dark now!

Heartstopper 5 by Alice Oseman

Boy meets boy. Boys become friends. Boys fall in love. The bestselling LGBTQ+ graphic novel about life, love, and everything that happens in between: this is the fifth volume of the much-loved HEARTSTOPPER series, featuring gorgeous two-color artwork.

Nick and Charlie are in love. They’ve finally said those three little words, and Charlie has almost persuaded his mum to let him sleep over at Nick’s house. He wants to take their relationship to the next level... but can he find the confidence he needs? And with Nick going off to university next year, is everything about to change?

By Alice Oseman, winner of the YA Book Prize, Heartstopper encompasses all the small moments of Nick and Charlie’s lives that together make up something larger, which speaks to all of us.

Contains discussions around mental health and eating disorders, and sexual references.

Start reading Heartstopper 5 now!

Stars in Their Eyes by Jessica Walton and Aśka

In this lighthearted YA romance, Maisie and Ollie discover that nothing beats the feeling of falling in love for the first time.

Maisie is on her way to Fancon! She's looking forward to meeting her idol, Kara Bufano, the action hero from her favorite TV show, who has a lower-leg amputation, just like Maisie. But when Maisie and her mom arrive at the convention center, she is stopped in her tracks by Ollie, a cute volunteer working the show. They are kind, charming, and geek out about nerd culture just as much as Maisie does. And as the day wears on, Maisie notices feelings for Ollie that she's never had before. Is this what it feels like to fall in love?

Perfect for fans of Heartstopper and Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me, this graphic novel debut is a fresh, one-of-a-kind story that celebrates the excitement of meeting someone special for the first time.

Start reading Stars in Their Eyes now!

The Good Neighbors by Holly Black and Ted Naifeh

From the bestselling author of The Cruel Prince, an astonishing graphic trilogy set in a faerie world, full of mystery, intrigue, and romance.

From the amazing imagination of bestselling author Holly Black and acclaimed illustrator Ted Naifeh, a mysterious and wonderful faerie saga, for the first time in one volume.

Rue Silver's mother has disappeared... and her father has been arrested, suspected of killing her. But it's not as straightforward as that. Because Rue is a faerie, like her mother was. And her father didn't kill her mother -- instead, he broke a promise to Rue's faerie king grandfather, which caused Rue's mother to be flung back to the faerie world. Now Rue must go to save her -- and defeat a dark faerie that threatens our very mortal world.

Start reading The Good Neighbors now!