#Justine Pucella Winans

[lgbtqreads]

Happy Bi Visibility Day 2024!

Happy Bi Visibility Day! We’re celebrating as we do, with great books helmed by bisexual main characters! With absolutely no consistency, I’ve bolded the names of some of the bi MCs who aren’t called out as such in the copy. For even more recs, check out past years’ posts! Middle Grade Lulu Sinagtala and the City of Noble Warriors by Gail D. Villanueva Lulu Sinagtala can’t wait for a fun…

[the-final-sentence]

Because I'm a fucking Final Girl.

Justine Pucella Winans, from How to Survive a Slasher

[transbookoftheday]

The Otherwoods by Justine Pucella Winans

The Otherwoods is calling. And it won't be ignored.

Some would call River Rydell a 'chosen one': born with the ability to see monsters and travel to a terrifying spirit world called The Otherwoods, they have all the makings of a hero. But River just calls themself unlucky. After all, it's not like anyone actually believes River can see these things-or that anyone even believes monsters exist in the first place. So the way River sees it, it's better to keep their head down and ignore anything Otherwoods related.

But The Otherwoods won't be ignored any longer.

When River's only friend (and crush) Avery is kidnapped and dragged into The Otherwoods by monsters, River has no choice but to confront the world they've seen only in their nightmares-but reality turns out be more horrifying than they could have ever imagined. With only their cat for protection and a wayward teen spirit as their guide, River must face the monsters of The Otherwoods and their own fears to save Avery and become the hero they were (unfortunately) destined to be.

[libraryleopard]

Young adult murder mystery

When a teenager birder witnesses their neighbor murdered, they embark on attempt to track down his killer with the help of their friends and end up uncovering a larger conspiracy

Absurdist & entertaining

Nonbinary lesbian main character with anxiety

[livingfictionsystem]

[ilikereadingactually]

The Otherwoods

The Otherwoods by Justine Pucella Winans

i think this one will be a satisfying read for the middle grade age group! it struck me as neither transcendent nor unpleasant, but somewhere in the middle. it's got many of the usual components of a scary fantasy adventure: reluctant magical protagonist, someone who needs rescuing, an animal companion, monsters and a frightening other world to traverse, and guides along the way whose motives are uncertain, and a few twists toward the end that are not mind-blowing to an adult, but definitely less predictable to younger readers with less experience of narrative structure. and the ending satisfies, so all in all it does what it needs to do!

the big highlight for me is the protagonist, River, who's nonbinary. it still feels pretty rare to get trans and nonbinary main characters in middle grade books, and i think the clarity with which River's identity is presented and explored is just about right for the target age--validating for the trans kids reading, and encouraging empathy and understanding in cis readers. this is definitely a good one for school libraries and middle grade rec lists trying to get more nonbinary representation!

the deets

how i read it: an e-galley from NetGalley. sadly the actual file was physically a little hard to read, it kept giving me trouble, so it took me longer than usual, but i powered through!

try this if you: dig spoopy books, have a lot of feelings about cats (the cat makes it through just fine dw), like a straightforward adventure and a sweet chaste crush, loved Monsters, Inc. but wanted it to be scarier, or know a kid who is into any of the above and/or would like a queer story!

a line i really liked: regarding my fave character, Charles, the monster under River's bed

Charles kept looking into River's eyes for a while, probably too long. It made River's skin crawl, but they managed not to tear away from his gaze. Finally, Charles pointed one sharp limb in the direction of Pancakes. "I should take Pancakes?" River asked. It was possible the monster was asking permission to eat Pancakes, but River thought they could be an optimist this once.

pub date: September 12, 2023!

[the-bi-library]

Happy trans awareness week! Allow me to make you aware of these trans bisexuals

Books listed:

Hugged by Verity Ritchie

Make Room for Love by Darcy Liao

Minuet by A.M. Leibowitz

The Anonymous Letters of C Forestier by Felicia Davin

Foxhunt (Foxhunt, #1) by Rem Wigmore

The Flowered Blade by Taylor Hubbard

Homegrown Magic by Jamie Pacton and Becca Podos

How to Survive a Slasher by Justine Pucella Winans

[battyaboutbooksreviews]

💙💜🩷 Upcoming Bisexual Book Releases of 2025

💜 My little bisexual heart is SO excited for this upcoming bisexual book releases of 2025. Which ones are you adding to your TBR?

🩷 Say a Little Prayer - Jenna Voris 🩷 Love in Focus - Lyla Lee 🩷 We Are the Match - Mary E. Roach 🩷 Roll for Love - M.K. England 🩷 Solo Stan - Talia Tucker 🩷 Dream On, Ramona Riley - Ashley Herring Blake 🩷 Hopelessly Teavoted - Audrey Goldberg Ruoff 🩷 My Lady Hiraya - Steven Sy 🩷 The Gryphon King - Sara Omer 🩷 We Are the Match - Mary E. Roach

💙 Daughters of the Blue Moon - Millie Abecassis 💙 A Gentleman's Gentleman - T.J. Alexander 💙 Last Hellos and First Goodbyes - Elba Luz 💙 Tenderly, I Am Devoured - Lyndall Clipstone 💙 If I Dig You - Colby Wilkens 💙 Tenderly, I Am Devoured - Lyndall Clipstone 💙 Modern Divination - Isabel Agajanian 💙 Don't Drag This Out - Emery Lee 💙 For One Night Only - Jessica James

💜 Death Card - Jasmine Smith 💜 The Cuffing Game - Lyla Lee 💜 Lovely Dark and Deep - Elisa A. Bonnin 💜 A Ballad for Slayers & Monsters - Rita A. Rubin 💜 The Transition - Logan-Ashley Kisner 💜 A Vow of Wrath and Ruin - K.W. Foster 💜 A Fix of Light - Kel Menton 💜 No Body No Crime - Tess Sharpe 💜 The Trial Period - Auburn Morrow

💟 A Traitorous Heart - Erin Cotter 💟 Tarnished - Erica Rose Eberhart 💟 This Raging Sea - De Elizabeth 💟 An Arcane Inheritance - Kamilah Cole 💟 Nobody in Particular - Sophie Gonzales 💟 Better Catch Up, Krishna Kumar - Anahita Karthik 💟 The Afterdark - E. Latimer 💟 A Murderous Business - Cathy Pegau 💟 Her Dark Grace - Rae Valtera

🩷 The Broposal - Sonora Reyes 🩷 It's a Love/Skate Relationship - Carli J. Corson 🩷 Futbolista - Jonny Garza Villa 🩷 Holly Jolly July - Lindsay Maple 🩷 Homegrown Magic - Jamie Pacton & Rebecca Podos 🩷 Murder Land - Carlyn Greenwald 🩷 Iron Tongue of Midnight - Brittany N. Williams 🩷 Behooved - M. Stevenson 🩷 A Legionnaire's Guide to Love and Peace - Emily Skrutskie

💙 The Coven Tendency - Zoe Hana Mikuta 💙 Serial Killer Support Group - Saratoga Schaefer 💙 How to Survive a Slasher - Justine Pucella Winans 💙 Well, Actually - Mazey Eddings 💙 Unromance - Erin Connor 💙 Medievally Blonde - Cait Jacobs 💙 Hazelthorn - C.G. Drews 💙 Savage Blooms - S.T. Gibson 💙 The Incandescent - Emily Tesh

💜 Backhanded Compliments - Katie Chandler 💜 Build a Girlfriend - Elba Luz 💜 Virulence - Toni Duarte 💜 This Feast of a Life - Cynthia So 💜 On Her Terms - Amy Spalding 💜 Wooing the Witch Queen - Stephanie Burgis 💜 Love Points to You - Alice Lin 💜 The Sun and the Moon - Rebekah Faubion 💜 Thrill of the Chase - Kathryn Nolan

💟 Exquisite Ruin - AdriAnne May & A.M. Strickland 💟 Alice Rue Evades the Truth - Emily Zipps 💟 Lucky Day - Chuck Tingle 💟 Dawn of the Obsidian Sun - R.N. Barbosa 💟 The Billion Dollar Dynasty - Dominique Davis 💟 Cyrus - A.E. Cosby 💟 Now She's Dead - Roselyn Clarke 💟 Voidwalker - S.A. MacLean 💟 Of Abrasion - S.J. Lee

🩷 Tavern Tale - Kristina W. Kelly 🩷 An Honored Vow - Melissa Blair 🩷 Love on the Sunny Side - Cozy DuBois 🩷 Advocate - Daniel M. Ford 🩷 TSWR: Love At First Flight - S Sidney 🩷 Vessel of Shadows - Rowan Redfield 🩷 Flirting Lessons - Jasmine Guillory 🩷 Love At First Fright - Nadia El-Fassi 🩷 French Pressed Love - M.C. Hutson

[thedisabilitybookarchive]

Disability in Books: Disabled Lesbian MCs

[ID: A poster. Large black text reading "Disabled Lesbian MCs" is in the centre. Above it, to the left, smaller black text reading "Disability in Books". The background is a straight diagonal version of the Disability Pride flag. In the upper right corner, the logo for the Disability Book Archive. In the lower left corner, the Lesbian Pride flag. /end]

[ID: The same poster. The flag and logo have shrunken slightly in size. The title has been removed, replaced with three book covers and some text. The first cover is "10 Things I Can See From Here" by Carrie Mac down the left hand side. Black text listed next to it reads "Anxiety", "Addiction (SC)", "Contemporary", "Romance", "Canada", "Bisexual SCs" and "Young Adult". The second cover is "Bianca Torre is Afraid of Everything" by Justine Pucella Winans and is in the upper right corner. Black text listed next to it reads "Anxiety", "Contemporary", "Myster", "Transgender SCs", "Non-Binary SCs", and "Young Adult". The third cover is "The Degenerates" by J. Albert Mann and is in the lower left corner. Black text listed next to it reads "Club Foot", "Down Syndrome", "Historical", "1920s USA", "Young Adult" and "Multiple POV". /end]

[ID: The same poster. The book covers and text have changed. The first cover is "The Faithless" by C. L. Clark. Black text listed next to it reads "Adult", "Cane User", "Chronic Pain", "PTSD", "High Fantasy", "Series" and "2nd Bisexual MC". The second cover is "Harrow the Ninth" by Tamsyn Muir. Black text listed next to it reads "Adult", "Schizophrenia", "Science Fiction Fantasy", "Horror", "Series" and "Necromancy". The third cover is "Honey Girl" by Morgan Rogers. Black text listed next to it reads "Adult", "Anxiety", "Depression", "Biracial MC", "Japanese-American LI" and "Romance". /end]

[ID: The same poster. The book covers and text have changed. The first cover is "The No-Girlfriend Rule" by Christen Randall. Black text listed next to it reads "Young Adult", "Anxiety", "ADHD (SC)", "Romance", "Contemporary", "Comedy" and "Fat MC". The second cover is "Margo Zimmerman Gets the Girl" by Brianna R. Shrum. Black text listed next to it reads "Young Adult", "Autism", "ADHD", "Romance", "Contemporary" and "Jewish Characters". The third cover is "The Second Mango" by Shira Glassman. Black text listed next to it reads "Young Adult", "Severe Food Intolerances", "Fantasy", "Romance", "Series", "POC MC" and "Magic". /end]

[ID: The same poster. The book covers and text have changed. The first cover is "The Outside" by Ada Hoffman. Black text listed next to it reads "Adult", "Autism", "ADHD (SC)", "Science Fiction", "Horror", "Space Opera", "Series", "Asexual SC" and "Genderfluid SC". The second cover is "Everyone in this Room Will Some Day Be Dead" by Emily Augustin. Black text listed next to it reads "Anxiety", "Addiction (SC), "Depression", "Contemporary", "Canada" and "Transgender SC". The third cover is "How to Become A Planet" by Nicole Melleby. Black text listed next to it reads "Middle-Grade/Young Adult", "Anxiety", "Depression", "OCD (SC)", "Non-Binary Questioning LI", "Contemporary", and "Astronomy". /end]

❤️🤍🩷❤️🤍🩷❤️🤍🩷❤️🤍🩷❤️🤍🩷❤️🤍🩷❤️🤍🩷 ❤️

[22 heart emojis, alternating between red, white and pink]

A short collection of books featuring disabled lesbian MCs!

I missed lesbian visibility week, and I wanted to post this on Saturday but my internet decided to die a fiery death over the weekend so I am very very late on everything. Hopefully this begins to makes up for it!

Books on this list:

❤️ "10 Things I Can See From Here"- Mac, Carrie

🤍 "Bianca Torre is Afraid of Everything"- Winans, Justine Pucella

🩷 "The Degenerates"- Mann, J. Albert

❤️ "The Faithless"- Clark, C. L.

🤍 "Harrow the Ninth"- Muir, Tamsyn

🩷 "Honey Girl"- Rogers, Morgan

❤️ "The No-Girlfriend Rule"- Randall, Christen

🤍 "Margo Zimmerman Gets the Girl"- Shrum, Brianna R.

🩷 "The Second Mango"- Glassman, Shira

❤️ "The Outside"- Hoffman, Ada

🤍 "Everyone in this Room Will Some Day Be Dead"- Augstin, Emily

🩷 "How to Become A Planet"- Melleby, Nicole

Every book on this list and more can be found in the disability book archive!

Happy Browsing!

[bookaddict24-7]

NEW YOUNG ADULT RELEASES! (JUNE 4TH, 2024)

___

HAVE I MISSED ANY NEW YOUNG ADULT RELEASES? HAVE YOU ADDED ANY OF THESE BOOKS TO YOUR TBR? LET ME KNOW!

___

NEW STANDALONES/FIRST IN A SERIES:

Annie LeBlanc is Not Dead Yet by Molly Morris

Four Eids and a Funeral by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé & Adiba Jaigirdar

Heiress Takes All by Emily Wibberley & Austin Siegemund-Broka

Moonstorm by Yoon Ha Lee

Wish You Weren't Here by Erin Baldwin

Two Sides to Every Murder by Danielle Valentine

One Killer Problem by Justine Pucella Winans

The Breakup Artists by Adriana Mather

Take All of Us by Natalie Leif

Louder Than Words by Ashley Woodfolk & Lexi Underwood

Tristan and Lancelot: A Tale of Two Knights by James Persichetti & L.S. Biehler (Illustrator)

Markless by C.G. Malburi

Furious by Jamie Pacton & Rebecca Podos

An Outbreak of Witchcraft by Deborah Noyes & Melissa Duffy (Contributor)

Storm: Dawn of a Goddess by Tiffany D. Jackson

Now, Conjurers by Freddie Kölsch

Looking for Smoke by K.A. Cobell

Lady of Steel and Straw by Erica Ivy Rodgers

Spilled Ink by Nadia Hashimi

If You Can't Take the Heat by Michael Ruhlman

Lockjaw by Matteo L. Cerilli

London on My Mind by Clara Alves & Nina Perrotta (Translator)

What's Murder Between Friends by Meg Gatland-Veness

NEW SEQUELS:

Past Present Future (Rowan & Neil #2) by Rachel Lynn Solomon

___

Happy reading!

[disabled-dragoon]

Disability in Books: Spooky Edition! #1

[ID: A poster reading "Disability in Books: Spooky Edition" in black writing in the centre. A small, circular logo is in the top right corner. It is red with an open book in the middle, white leaves around the book, and the word "The Disability Archive" across the bottom. In the lower left corner, cartoonish clipart of a smiling Jack O Lantern, wearing a large pointy hat with a buckle. All of this is overlayed onto the disability pride flag. /end]

[ID: The same poster, edited. The writing has been removed and replaced by three book covers, with bulleted lists next to each. The images in both corners have been shrunken slightly. The book covers, from top to bottom, are:

"Bath Haus" by P. J. Vernon

The phrases "Addiction", "Adult", "Thriller, Mystery, Contemporary, Horror" and "LGBTQ+" are listed next to it in black writing.

"Bianca Torre is Afraid of Everything" by Justine Pucella Winans

The phrases "Anxiety", "Young Adult", "Thriller, Mystery, Contemporary" and "LGBTQ+" are listed next to it in black.

"Deathless Divide" by Justina Ireland

The phrases "Amputee", "Young Adult", "Horror, Historical", "Zombies" and "LGBTQ+" are listed next to it in black. /end]

[ID: The same poster, with three different book covers. The book covers, from top to bottom, are:

"Defying Doomsday" edited by Tsana Dolichva and Holly Kench

The phrases "Numerous Disabilities", "Young Adult", "Science Fiction, Apocalyptic" and "Short Story Anthology" are listed next to it in black.

"Even If We Break" by Marieke Nijkamp

The phrases "Autism", "Young Adult", "Thriller, Mystery, Contemporary, Horror" and "LGBTQ+" are listed next to it in black.

"The Final Girl Support Group" by Grady Hendrix

The phrases "Wheelchair User", "Adult", "Horror" and "Horror Movies" are listed next to it in black. /end]

[ID: The same poster, with three different book covers. The book covers, from top to bottom, are:

"Gideon the Ninth" by Tamsyn Muir

The phrases "Terminal Illness", "Adult", "Fantasy, Horror, Science Fiction" and "LGBTQ+" are listed next to it in black.

"Highway Bodies" by Alison Evans

The phrases "Anxiety, Facial Scarring, Amputation", "Young Adult", "Horror, Dystopia", "Zombies" and "LGBTQ+" are listed next to it in black.

"Into the Drowning Deep" by Mira Grant

The phrases "Hearing Impairment, Autism, Physical Disability", "Adult", "Horror, Science Fiction", "Mermaids" and "LGBTQ+" are listed next to it in black. /end]

🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃 [10 Smiling Carved Pumpkin Emojis]

A collection of fiction books featuring disabled characters, across the horror, thriller, mystery and science fiction genres!

As it is Spooky Season, and the build-up to my favourite holiday of the year, I figured I'd do something to get into the spirit of it all.

(Get it? "Spirit". Hehehe)

Also, having read Gideon the Ninth myself, I can see why people might think the representation of terminal illness is a little iffy.

If you want more information on the disabilities in 'Defying Doomsday', check out @cannondisabledcharacters.

Book List:

'Bath Haus' by P. J. Vernon- Addiction

'Bianca Torre is Afraid of Everything' by Justine Pucella Winans- Anxiety

'Deathless Divide' by Justina Ireland- Amputee

'Defying Doomsday' edited by Tsana Dolichva and Holly Kench- Numerous

'Even If We Break' by Marieke Nijkamp- Autism

'The Final Girl Support Group' by Grady Hendrix- Wheelchair User

'Gideon the Ninth' by Tamsyn Muir- Terminal Illness

'Highway Bodies' by Alison Evans- Anxiety, Facial Scarring, Amputation

'Into the Drowning Deep' by Mira Grant- Hearing Impairment, Autism, Physical Disability

🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃 [10 Smiling Carved Pumpkin Emojis]

[lgbtqreads]

Inside an Anthology: The House Where Death Lives ed. by Alex Brown

Today on the site we’re taking a peek inside The House Where Death Lives ed. by Alex Brown, a Speculative YA Fiction anthology that just released yesterday from Page Street! Here’s the gist:  A dance to the death. A girl who’s just as monstrous as H.H. Holmes. A hallway that’s constantly changing―and hungry. All of these stories exist in the same place―within the frame of a particular house that…

[the-final-sentence]

Sometimes, though, we might just surprise you.

Justine Pucella Winans, from One Killer Problem

[transbookoftheday]

Bianca Torre Is Afraid of Everything by Justine Pucella Winans

Sixteen-year-old Bianca Torre is an avid birder undergoing a gender identity crisis and grappling with an ever-growing list of fears. Some, like Fear #6: Initiating Conversation, keep them constrained, forcing them to watch birds from the telescope in their bedroom. And, occasionally, their neighbors. When their gaze wanders to one particular window across the street, Bianca witnesses a creepy plague-masked murderer take their neighbor’s life. Worse, the death is ruled a suicide, forcing Bianca to make a choice—succumb to their long list of fears (including #3 Murder and #55 Breaking into a Dead Guy’s Apartment), or investigate what happened. 

Bianca enlists the help of their friend Anderson Coleman, but the two have more knowledge of anime than true crime. As Bianca and Anderson dig deeper into the murder with a little help from Bianca’s crush and fellow birding aficionado, Elaine Yee (#13 Beautiful People, #11 Parents Discovering They’re a Raging Lesbian), the trio uncover a conspiracy much larger—and weirder—than imagined. And when the killer catches wind of the investigation, suddenly Bianca’s #1 fear of public speaking doesn’t sound so bad compared to the threat of being silenced for good.

[tracichee]

ICYMI: I'm part of another anthology! 🏠 A few weeks ago, Page Street YA revealed the cover of THE HOUSE WHERE DEATH LIVES, edited by Alex Brown, and look how gorgeous it is! I love writing short stories, and I think this is one of the best (and most tragic 💔) I've ever written, so I can't wait for you to read it!

Here's the official description:

🏠THE HOUSE WHERE DEATH LIVES ANTHOLOGY (originally titled: This House is Haunted) edited by Alex Brown:

✨New York Times bestselling and award-winning authors weave interconnected haunted house stories to build a unique collection of chilling tales, with stories from Alex Brown, Nova Ren Suma, Gina Chen, Traci Chee, Linsey Miller, Rosiee Thor, Courtney Gould, Kay Costales, Liz Hull, Shelly Page, Justine Pucella Winans, Sandra Proudman, C.L. McCollum, Nora Elghazzawi, Tori Bovalino, G. Haron Davis✨

🏠A dance to the death. A girl who’s just as monstrous as H.H. Holmes. A hallway that’s constantly changing—and hungry. All of these stories exist in the same place—within the frame of a particular house that isn’t bound by the laws of time and space.

🏠Following in the footsteps of dark/horror-filled YA anthologies like His Hideous Heart and Slasher Girls and Monster Boys, and Netflix’s ground-breaking adaptation of The Haunting of Hill House, this YA speculative fiction anthology explores how the permanence of a home can become a space of transition and change for both the inhabitants and the creatures who haunt them.

🏠Each story in the anthology will focus on a different room in the house and feature unique takes on monsters from a wide array of cultural traditions. Whether it’s a demonic Trickster, a water-loving Rusalka, or a horrifying, baby-imitating Tiyanak, there’s bound to be something sinister lurking in the shadows.

THE HOUSE WHERE DEATH LIVES releases August 6, 2024, but pre-orders are available now via Bookshop, Barnes & Noble, and Amazon, or check with your favorite local retailer to see about pre-ordering!

Cover credits: Laura Benton & Rachel Jablonski

[livingfictionsystem]

Get to Know the Alters: Rune Hallows

Origin:

Split from Sparrow after age 15 when Living Fiction met Kirra, one of our worst abusers. Rune was thought to take the brunt of Kirra's demanding nature and abuse to protect Sparrow's more bold and outspoken personality, whereas Rune learned much more restraint, patience, and malicious compliance.

General interests:

Reading, including book clubs. Astrology, Tarot, manifestation, elements, nature, lesbian culture, cats, raccoons, and wolves.

Music taste:

Aurora, Hozier, Lindsey Stirling, Skillet, Within Temptation, Evanescence, Nightwish, Shireen, Ethel Cain, Starset, Halestorm, Lord Huron, Genitorturers, Florence and the Machine, Phildel.

Food taste:

Spaghetti and meatballs, scampi, steak.

Favorite shows:

Hasbin Hotel, Helluva Boss, Good Omens, Wolf's Rain, Code Geass, Shadow and Bone.

Dating:

Only relationship seems to have been with Aria in late teens---expresses attraction to femmes, has a solid crush on a protector in the system.

Aesthetic:

Black, silver, and teal, primarily turtlenecks. Prefers a 'witchy' vibe and loves constellation and moon patterns. Will also lean into dark academia.

Favorite films:

Princess Mononoke, Kiki's Delivery Service, Balto 2, Holes, Zenon, Forget Me Not, Midsommer, Hereditary, I'm Thinking of Ending Things, Synecdoche, Underworld, AeonFlux.

Favorite Books/Writers:

V.E. Schwab (Villains), Leigh Bardugo (Ninth House), Sarah J. Maas (Crescent City), Liar, Dreamer, Thief by Maria Dong, Bianca Torre Is Afraid of Everything by Justine Pucella Winans, If Tomorrow Doesn't Come by Jen St. Jude.

Drink taste:

Coffee, black or green tea. Red wine with the exception of cabernet, white claw, vodka drinks like Cosmopolitans.

Dream Job:

Book critic.