#LGBTQ reads

[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.

-

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

[hlmoorewrites]

Death's Embrace ~ a slow-burn M/M/F fantasy series

Doran Ó Seanáin, former miner and leader of the Black Lung Gang, and his best friend, Lien, are almost at a breaking point in their ongoing conflict with the city of Arajon's tyrannical ruler. Just when things are getting out of control, Doran crosses paths with Nathaniel Morgenstern, an apotheker with a mysterious past. As their relationship develops against the backdrop of the ongoing social turmoil, the secrets Nathaniel is keeping might threaten to destroy them all.

Slow-burn M/M/F

Friends to lovers

Enemies to lovers

Themes of addiction and death

HEA guaranteed

Grab Books 1 and 2 now for FREE ON KOBO and USD$2.99 on Kindle! Book 3 is out now, and Book 4 is available for pre-order.

Want to know more? Check out the reviews on Goodreads!

[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 💜

[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.

[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.

[gay-art-vibes]

SAPPHICS / WLW

Rebecca Thorne has made Can’t Spell Treason Without Tea free to get on Amazon ebook until the end of the month.

It’s cosy, cute, gay as heck and low angst. For fans of legends and lattes & d&d. Sharing this as it’s great for anyone who often can’t afford or struggles to safely access physical books in ban areas.

The author is also awesome, and speaks a lot about queer access to literature. Can’t recommend Thorne enough.

*edit, this is now no longer available *

[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.

[ash-and-books]

Rating: 4/5

Book Blurb:

Bridgerton meets The Bachelor in this queer regency romance of a vampire competing for the heart of a duke.

After being run out of his castle by vampire hunters, Count Lucian encounters the god of vampires, Vrykolakas, while in hiding. Unhappy with how many vampires have been bested by hunters, Vrykolakas gives Lucian a test: Infiltrate the future duke’s marriage games as a suitor and uncover the clandestine vampire hunters Vrykolakas suspects lurk in their midst. The god strips Lucian of his immortality so he can walk amongst mortals-making him human for the first time in centuries. If Lucian succeeds, Vrykolakas will make him the most powerful vampire in existence, but if he fails, the god of vampires will torture him for the rest of his life.

Unfortunately, Lucian isn’t prepared for the emotions that come with humanity, nor the treacheries of courting season with fellow nobles posing as friends, enemies, and wholly unsuitable romantic.

Review:

Regency vampires meets The Bachelor in this queer story about a vampire turned human who must court a count in order to be turned back into a vampire... except he is falling for the wrong duke. Count Lucian loves being a vampire but when his sire tells him that he has to court a Duke and win said Duke’s hand in marriage in order to thwart a group of vampire hunters... while being turned back into a human, Lucian knows his hands are going to be full. Lucian will do anything to get turned back into a human but when he begins to live amongst them he begins to feel very human feelings... something he has not felt in so long. He also finds himself embroiled in a mystery to uncover a missing heir with a very handsome and charming duke... that he absolutely should not be falling for. All the while fellow vampires who have had it out for him are also coming for him now that he is vulnerable. Lucian will now have to decide how far he is willing to go to become a vampire again and if he is willing to give up the love that he has begun to feel. To stay a human or to become a vampire again? To stay with the man he’s fallen in love with or give it all up for a chance at immortality?

This was a really fun queer romance! I am always excited to read more queer vampire romances and one with a backdrop of regency era was a really fun read. I loved the dynamic between Lucian and his own familiar, as well as how he adjusts from feeling nothing to feeling everything. We get to see him grow into his feelings and his heart begin to open again. It’s a fun read if you want a vampire romance and with a touch of drama!

Release Date: October 22,2024

Purchase link: Amazon Tour link: tour Author Info: instagram

Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)

*Thanks Netgalley, Page Street YA, and TBR Beyond Tours for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

[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.

-

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

[hlmoorewrites]

Throne of Lies has been out for four days, and I'm rounding up the initial reviews!

As a general rule, I hold a no-response policy to reviews except to thank the reviewer - so consider this my heartfelt thanks and appreciation to Joyfully Jay, Marie Reads Books, and On Top Down Under Reviews for reading the ARCs and for taking the time to review. I love all of these blogs and I can't recommend them highly enough to follow along for fantastic book reviews. Check them out and give them some love!

[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 🫵

[ifwewere-stories]

[stardustandrockets]

Happy International Asexuality Day! 🖤🩶🤍💜

Much like last year, here's a recommendation list of aspec books I've read and a few on my tbr. I've also added some aspec authors, too. It's obviously not an exhaustive list, but it'll get you started.

I'm spending this rainy day celebrating (i.e. reading) instead of educating. I've got some posts already on my page with my experience being ace. I'm tired of constantly educating and defending my sexuality to people. Google is a good starting point. Search out ace bookstagrammers and content creators. We aren't a monolith and all of our experiences are different.

I hope you enjoy the recs! Have you read any of these or have any favorites I should put on my radar?

[elliepassmore]

The Afterdark review

5/5 stars Recommended if you like: dual POV, dark academia, sapphic reads, fantasy horror

Big thanks to Netgalley, Tundra Books, and the author for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This book was immediately intriguing and I flew through it wanting to figure out how things would play out. I was especially intrigued by Evie, who is more complex than the summary makes it appear.

There are a lot of creepy things going on at Northcroft, from the bizarrely strict curfew to the secret society. The curfew is related to the woods, which we get a hint of almost immediately. As soon as the curfew bell tolls, the windows across campus get shuttered to prevent students from seeing the change from the normal woods to the Afterdark, an alternate, monstrous version of the woods. When the Afterdark descends, the woods stretch and become strange, with unnatural creatures walking among the trees.

Related, the secret society, the Gravesmen, is comprised of founding families, i.e., descendants of the people who created the school and first discovered the Afterdark. The Gravesmen are notorious for letting people rise to positions of power and giving them untold influence. Naturally, things get weird with them and there's a lot of rituals and secrets they keep surrounding the woods and the Afterdark, not all of them benign.

Evie has lived her whole life tormented by her twin, Ada. Ada is cruel and does monstrous things for fun, seeming to give into every dark impulse that Evie does her best to ignore. After Ada dies and Evie is sent to Northcroft in her steed, Evie finds those dark impulses waking up more and more, drawn to the school's mystery and especially to the woods surrounding the campus. Evie really grapples with trying to figure out what's really going on at the school, which at first boils down to puzzling out the weird goings-on, but later becomes about her identity and connection to the school and woods. I liked Evie and definitely sympathized with her throughout the book.

Holland is used to Northcroft and it's weird creepiness. Despite her best friend vanishing in the woods for a few days and coming back different, she's never been particularly interested in finding out why the school is so weird, and so particular. But Holland feels a thread connecting her and Evie, and as Evie dives deeper into things, Holland does as well. While Evie looks into the woods for answers, Holland looks to Northcroft's secret society. Holland definitely makes some questionable decisions over the course of this book. Evie might be the one with the dark impulses, but Holland has her own ways of manipulating things that never really gets addressed.

Evie and Holland are interested in each other from the get-go. It's an odd kind of interest from both sides and the two are quick to light each other's fires. The romance is a little weird though considering there are multiple forces (both internal to them and external) conspiring to keep them apart, so there are gaps where they're separated and/or mad at each other, but then they get back together like nothing happened.

Holland's best friend, Beth, dislikes Evie from the get-go. She's antagonistic toward her, and at first it appears related to her anxieties about the woods, but as the book progresses it becomes clear there's more to the story. Beth is protective of Holland to the point of obsessiveness, and her bizarreness adds to the creepy atmosphere of Northcroft. Of course, it doesn't help that Beth's previous best friend went missing in the woods and then Beth herself vanished into them for a couple of days. She was catatonic for the first week after coming back and, according to Holland, was never the same afterward.

Leta is Evie's roommate and ends up being the more normal of the bunch. She's aware of Northcroft's weirdness (it's impossible not to be), but isn't particularly interested in learning more about it. She goes to classes, has her friends, and that's that. I liked Leta and definitely wish I saw more of her in the book, especially since she and Evie seemed to become close.

As the plot progresses, things get more dangerous for everyone, and the whole group gets roped into a situation that goes from bad to worse. The layers to the mystery converge and overlap in interesting ways and I enjoyed trying to figure out where things would lead. There were definitely some surprises in there, but there were also parts that I found a bit predictable.

Overall I enjoyed this dark, sapphic read and think it would be a perfect October read or a good read if you're in the mood for something spooky.

[noahhawthorneauthor]

Are cozy vampire books a thing yet?

Because this series is it.

Cozy, immersive, healing. You can tell the author spent a lot of time building this world, and characters. It's vampire and queer normative, and the character arcs are phenomenal.

Okay, now that the official review stuff is out of the way:

Nino is baby girl. I said what I said.

Haruka = panther = yes

The slow burn and love scenes (because they are 100% love scenes, not smut scenes) are so beautiful I want to cry. THIS is romance.

I still think the third will be my favorite but we'll see after I'm through with my reread 💪