#LGBTQ reads

[xiaq]

If you’re looking for a book that’s enemies-to-lovers except they’ve been sleeping together for years and also only one of them thinks they’re enemies and the other has been quietly waiting for the former to get his head out of his ass (while engaging in some of the snarkiest yet simultaneously wholesome banter imaginable), Yield Under Great Persuasion is the book for you.

Also if you’re looking for a book where the primary conflict is internal (personal growth! Self care! Healthy mechanisms for dealing with loss!) rather than external, this is the book for you.

Bonus points for a very neat and subtle take on small country gods/folklore. And for being explicit about the sex in a way that felt not at all contrived and very relatable in that “ah, damn, your body is magnificent but it seems I’ve developed feelings as well” sort of way. Double bonus points for the author including their Tumblr and AO3 username in the “about me” section because yes, I would like to read any fic you’ve written, thanks @ariaste

10/10. No notes. Rowland doesn’t miss.

[lakecountylibrary]

If you liked Camp Damascus, try Hell Followed With Us

and vice versa!

There's a lot to love in both Camp Damascus by @drchucktingle and Hell Followed With Us by Andrew Joseph White. As horror novels about queer youth with, shall we say, complicated relationships with religion, they have a lot in common - if you liked one you very well may like the other. Let's take a closer look.

Characters:

Both books feature queer, autistic youth fighting back. The characters are trying to survive in a world created for them by abusive adults and religious institutions that hold power over them.

In Camp Damascus we follow Rose (autistic, lesbian). In Hell Followed With Us we follow Benji (neurodivergent, trans) and Nick (autistic, gay).

Genre:

Both books are horror, but with two distinct flavors. Camp Damascus has more of a creepy factor, while Hell Followed With Us leans more toward gore. In Camp there is some mystery to the evil, but in Hell the evil has a name, a face, an address - and a to-do list.

Both books deal with Christian cults and the horrors of indoctrination. They deal with the characters' complicated relationships to Christianity as an institution and God as a concept. They also both quote Christian scripture heavily.

Vibes:

While both books are horror, they do feel very different, largely because the primary emotion that drives each story is different. In Camp Damascus, it's love. In Hell Followed With Us, it's rage. You'll certainly find both emotions in certain quantities in either novel, but what they primarily put forward distinctly changes the vibe of both books.

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So there you have it! Two fantastic reads in close thematic conversation with each other - but still quite distinct. If either sounds good to you, do yourself a favor and check out both today!

See more of Robin's recs

[embooks]

Ok marauders tumblr i need ur help. Im aching to read a long ass (100k word or more) wolfstar-centric hogwarts era fic in which NO ONE DIES and THERE IS NO WAR. I just want to read two dumb boys falling in love in a deep heart melting and frustrating slow burn inside an aesthetic castle surrounded by the beauty of magic.

Any recs?

[lenialenient]

AMBROSIA - pseudo-dystopian girlgroup novel - COMING FEBRUARY 2025

At fourteen, Katya signs her life over to entertainment monopolist W-Media to be broken down and reshaped into the perfect superstar. At twenty-one, now under the name Ambrosia, she is the centerpiece of wildly popular girl-group Moxxy, female lead in hit-block-buster S.L.Y., and firmly cemented as one of W-Media’s most lucrative creations ever. She, also, hides a mental-breakdown-induced shaved head under her wig, keeps bleeding out of her nose due to experimental performance-enhancing drugs, and is about to turn the most prestigious award ceremony of the year into a whirlwind of shattered glass and bloodshed. 

AMBROSIA is a non-chronological story with a frame narrative that spans only a single day, while the story-within draws from anywhere within the past seven years of management-dictated shower times, content-factory dorms, and a life made for consumption that slowly but surely turns the pleasure of being looked at by everybody into the overwhelming urge to claw out eyes.

It’s also quite very gay. Significantly gay. This is lesbians. Thank you.

Holy shit, lads. AMBROSIA will be out in February and go on pre-order somewhere within the next 2-3 months.

The INCREDIBLE cover has been made by the equally incredible @shalida ! Charlie has been an absolute delight to work with and I've been chomping at the bit to finally show their creation to everybody for the past couple months!!

[yelenaa-romanova]

Fellow aces, you know of Loveless, so here's a new gem 💜

[annelisreadingroom]

Hello everyone, how is your weekend going? I'm spending a long weekend in a historical town called Zlotoryja in Western Poland. I have done a lot of hiking. I also visited and old gold mine as well as some museums and historical buildings.

[stardustandrockets]

Who is your favorite anti-hero?

I’m not 100% sure you can call him an anti-hero, but Damien is one of my favorite misunderstood characters. He wants so badly to belong, but his power of suggestion leaves a lot to be desired when it comes to doing the right thing. I don’t want to spoil anything, but after reading A Neon Darkness by @laurenshippen I totally understand where Damien is coming from in the Bright Sessions podcast and why he does the things that he does. My heart really goes out to him and I’m so glad Lauren gave us a little more of his story.

If you’re into fiction podcasts and audio dramas at all, I highly recommend giving @thebrightsessions a go. It’s basically like what would happen if the X-Men were in therapy dealing with their trauma instead of saving the world? It’s so good! If you’re not into podcasts, there are three books set in the world: The Infinite Noise (follows Caleb and Adam), A Neon Darkness (follows Damien), and Some Far Away Place (follows Rose). All three books (and the podcast) are incredibly queer and so so SO GOOD! The books are all technically stand-alone and supplemental to the podcast. Except for The Infinite Noise—it’s basically the first season from Caleb and Adam’s perspective. So if you do read it, and you like it, definitely give the podcast a chance.

[elliepassmore]

Sorcery and Small Magics review

5/5 stars Recommended if you like: low-stakes fantasy, LGBTQ+ representation, magic systems, curses

Leo is a walking disaster, so really it's no surprise that he ends up cursed to follow his nemesis/fellow student's every command.

I do have to admit there were times when Leo annoyed me. He was determined to be a lone miser at times, but once we learn more about his background it makes sense. I don't like secondhand embarrassment, so there were a few instances when I was cringing pretty hard at Leo's antics. But given the space to be himself, he's a pretty chill person. He can be oblivious of his own privilege at times, but he reacts well when called on it and (usually) apologizes. Despite his seeming inability to do large magic correctly, he's quite clever with his spells and has an intuitive knowledge of what will or won't work.

Grimm takes things a bit more seriously, though this isn't hard to do when compared to Leo. He's determined to do well and become the kind of sorcerer who can help people. He's pretty straight-laced and isn't one for bucking the system. I was definitely thinking we'd get some of his POV in this book and really wanted to know his perspective on some things. I'm hoping we get it in book 2, but we'll see.

The side characters were pretty interesting as well, and I particularly liked Leo's friend, Agnes, and the sorcerer in the woods, Sybilla. We don't get to see a ton of Agnes, but what we do see is that she and Leo are close friends, and she clearly knows when to push him and when to let things lie. Agnes grew up alongside Leo but unlike him she wants to be a powerful sorcerer. I'm hoping we get to see more of her in the sequel.

Sybilla, the powerful sorcerer Leo and Grimm seek out to break the curse, is another fun one that I hope we see in book 2. She's as powerful as the rumors claim and she's got an eccentric personality. She's funny too, which I appreciate. While Sybilla is only in the book for a small part of it, she definitely made an impression.

The plot largely revolves around figuring out the kind of curse Grimm accidentally placed on Leo and then trying to undo said curse. To add additional trouble to the mix, the curse slowly starts becoming more powerful, limiting what Leo can do on his own and for how long. I liked the quest the two go on to try and break the curse. We get to see a good swathe of the country and learn about some of the places outside of the country. It also provides a chance to learn about the politics of the region and how the veneer of normalcy we see at the academy or Leo and Grimm's homes isn't quite the whole picture.

The magic system was pretty cool. Sorcerers are split into two categories: casters and scribers. Scribers are the ones who can write spells, from writing well-known spells to inventing new ones, while casters are the ones who are able to use the spells. Scribers do have a limited ability to cast spells as well but it seems to cause major problems for them, so most stay away. I thought this was a pretty neat division of magic and am definitely interested in seeing more of it in book 2.

Alongside this kind of magic, which seems to be the 'normal' kind, Leo can use his violin to create music magic. As a scriber he does face a toll for casting using his violin, but it was an interesting but of innovation. I'll be interested to see if it ends up becoming more important in book 2 or if it remains a 'novelty' in this world.

[princey-poetry]

Id like to read more queer books does anyone have any recommendations for for queer books? I'm not really picky about genres or types of books I'll kind of just read anything

[nyxxhexx]

Then Read This Book:

Our Wives Under the Sea by Julia Armfield

5/5 Stars

I don't even know where to start with how incredible this book was. It was gorgeously atmospheric, filled with dread and sadness and longing in the most beautiful way; the writing was incredible, some of the best I've read in a novel in ages. I found myself gasping, notating, and reading aloud on more than one occasion. The turns of phrase Julia Armfield uses should truly be studied.

I should mention that I am absolutely terrified by the deep sea; I knew going into this book that I'd be horrified, that the deep-seated dread between the pages would stick with me.

I couldn't have predicted how true that was.

Despite coming back wrong, despite their relationship being thrown out of whack, despite everything the two main characters have been through, they have more love and longing between them than even the characters your average romance book. The relationship Armfield constructs through a series of flashbacks contrasted with the present tense atmosphere (in both ways) is palpable, and though you've never seen Miri and Leah while things were good, you are inserted so thoroughly into their love story that you reflect on their memories like you were part of them.

And, below it all, the horror; the strained desperation to know both what's happening to Leah and what already happened to her. I cannot express to you how masterfully this story is written and constructed.

I encourage you to pick up the book and find out for yourself.

[brennabaileybooks]

Embrace the charm of small-town life and the beauty of love in every season with the Juniper Creek Golden Years novels!⁠

Follow the heartwarming journeys of adventurous septuagenarians and vibrant retirees as they navigate love, loss, and new beginnings in this charming queer contemporary romance series.⁠

The series spans from summer to spring, all within one year, but you can read each book as a standalone if you want!⁠

Main tropes:⁠

🌻 A Tale of Two Florists: rivals to lovers⁠

🍂 Of Love and Libraries: second chance romance⁠

❄️ Wishing on Winter: fake dating⁠

🌷 Forever in Flowers: grumpy sunshine⁠

Available wherever books are sold, including on my website!

[lakecountylibrary]

HAPPY PRIDE and may I say, I am so happy you're here reading this 💖

Welcome to my yearly 5 Fav LGBTQ+ Reads post, where I tell you about the top 5 books with queer characters that I've read in the past 12 months. These aren't necessarily recently published, they're just what I personally liked and happened to read - and maybe you'll like them too.

It's been such a delight to see the number of books I have to choose from grow and grow since I first started writing these posts in 2017. It's now difficult to pick just 5! But I did it. For you. Here we go:

Legends & Lattes/Bookshops and Bonedust by Travis Baldree (lesbian rep)

Cozy fantasy that lives up to the hype. Curl up under a blanket with a comforting beverage and read about the retired orc adventurer who finds her people through the power of coffee and baked goods.

Swordheart by @tkingfisher (nonbinary rep)

One woman (in her 30s!!! Not A Teen!) fights for her inheritance and her life with the help of a possessed sword and a nonbinary lawyer. Takes place in the same world as Kingfisher's Clocktaur War, but you don't have to read that first. Swordheart leans more toward the cozy side of fantasy. (There's, you know, some murders. But the stakes are lower than the fate-of-nations plot of Clocktaur.)

Hell Followed With Us by Andrew Joseph White (gay, trans rep)

Hard left out of cozy fantasy and straight (lol jk) into horror! Hell Followed With Us pulls no punches. It takes place in the aftermath of a viral apocalypse caused by a fanatical religious group. It follows trans boy Benji, the cult's escaped chosen one who has found shelter with a group of queer teens. Content warnings for body horror, religious trauma, transphobia, gore, and misogyny.

Camp Damascus by @drchucktingle (gay, lesbian rep)

Another horror entry, this one about a conversion camp survivor in Montana. Rose grew up in the shadow of Camp Damascus and knows that their success rate is considered near-miraculous. However, when Rose starts asking questions about a few things in her life that don't add up, she discovers "miraculous" isn't quite the right word. Content warnings for gaslighting, indoctrination, emotional manipulation, child abuse, brainwashing, and body horror.

A Memory Called Empire/A Desolation Called Peace by Arkady Martine (bi, lesbian rep)

Sci-fi with excellent worldbuilding. Mahit Dzmare is an ambassador from a tiny mining station, tasked with keeping her station independent from the massive Teixcalaanli Empire. She must fully immerse herself in Teixcalaanli culture while still keeping her own culture's secrets - the discovery of which could mean immediate annihilation. Read this one if you prefer character-driven narratives over plot-driven.

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And that's this year's list! Check out my posts from previous years if you're looking for even more: 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023

Happy Pride, and happy reading!

See more of Robin's recs

[embooks]

I need to know is someone here has read ENEMIES CLOSER SNOWBAZ FIC BY MISSBLISS12 its the best shit ive ever read in my fucking life and i desperately need someone to yap abt it.

If you havent its basically a 200k long watford au where baz is tasked in first year to BEFRIEND Simon instead of being his enemy. The prose is gorgeous and the Harry Potter level of world building is even better than Carry On itself. You NEED to read it seriously, it'll change your life.

[lenialenient]

OUT NOW: REAL JOBS

Today's the day - the queer artist flatshare book is finally, officially, released and out in the world!

Julia gives TED-Talks in the shower and is on that 5-to-5 grindset to, step one, become the biggest fantasy author since Tolkien and, step two, quit her job at Subway. Unfortunately, no one actually thinks her writing is any good, and the rejections keep piling up. No problem - she just has to work harder, and if she grinds herself to dust in the process, that just proves that she really cares.

Hayal is an art school drop-out who lives Julia’s dream of making art for a living by spending 12 hours a day drawing away on commissions and the other 12 hours sleeping. When her ex-girlfriend – lost during the same depression episode as her art school spot – drops back into her life with an unofficial intervention, it becomes harder to keep ignoring the fact that art hasn’t been fun in a while.

Kiwi is the lead guitarist of the world’s first and only post-progressive-pseudoglam-queercore band. He’s loud and eccentric in theory – in practice he’s scared of the public, his mother, his own art, and of doubtlessly embarrassing himself with his stupid lyrics should he ever dare to go on stage, which is unfortunate, because his bandmates – neglecting to tell him – have already set up a gig.

In addition to trying to make art under late capitalism, the three of them have to grapple with the almost as troubling reality that they’re all each other’s roommates.  

Real Jobs is the book for you if you

are, have been, or aspire to be a starving artist of any kind

would like to read more books that are set in neither the US nor UK

like books with all-queer casts

like books with all-queer casts that are not about being queer

are in your 20s and stressed about it or fondly remember being in your 20s and stressed about it

are an enthusiast of lesbians in not-romantic-not-platonic-but-a-secret-third-thing relationships

are an enthusiast of distressed bisexual men

would like to give an indie author a crisp 1 buck in royalties

If any of these apply to you, you should consider grabbing this book.

You can go to any of the sites here and pick up an ebook.

You can go to Barnes and Noble, Blackwells, Amazon, or most other online book retailers and pick up a paperback.

You can go to your local book store and ask them to order it for you. (Bonus points)

If you want to read it but can't afford it, you can ask me for a PDF and I will send it to you. (Yes, really)

If you're on the fence, you can read the first six chapters here.

Special thanks to @/0hlee on Twitter for the cover art, @cupidle for the promo art, and you if you get it 🫵

[faetouchedworld]

A reminder that I write books. Some of them are even out there for you to read. Currently on Amazon Kindle, Amazon.com: Pike Martell: books, biography, latest update

[laddersofsweetmisery]

This book was fucking wild.

Are you interested in a tale about a repressed lesbian who goes feral, joins a sexcult, kills her sexcult leader when he wants her and her lesbian lover to engage in a horrendous sexual act, and then runs away with her lover and joins what can be compared to as a lesbian biker gang? Yes? Then this is the book for you!

And if you're thinking that's a spoiler, then, let me assure you, it isn't. So much shit happens before we even get to the lesbian part. Shit hits the fan and never comes down. It's somehow a novella, too. I don't know how Kolesnik fit so much into 114 pages.

Read it and get back to me on your thoughts because holy hell.