#Sebastian Nothwell

[nothwell]

Do you want to narrate a queer romance audiobook?

OAK KING HOLLY KING is a gay Victorian fantasy romance between a fae warrior and a mortal clerk. It has high heat and high adventure to the tune of 150k words.

Ever since its release, readers have demanded an audiobook version. To that end I'm now seeking…

male narrator

well-hydrated

capable of British accents beyond RP (Northern accents particularly sought!)

Auditions are open now through November 30th.

Please email nothwellsebastian@gmail dot com for the audition script.

Thank you!

[noahhawthorneauthor]

I'm not ashamed to say that audiobooks saved me this past month. August was long and weird, but every story was a hit so that's a plus.

[aurorawest]

Summer Reading Update (part 1)

Teach the Torches to Burn by Caleb Roehrig - 4.75/5 stars

This was a really well done retelling of Romeo and Juliet. I read another book from the Remixed Classics series, Dear Henry, and while that one was also good, it felt like it adhered too slavishly to The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, so sometimes things seemed to be happening only because they happened in the original. And I haven't actually read the original book, it was just...easy to tell. Teach the Torches to Burn never felt like that, and I loved how it fleshed out so many of the characters from the play.

You Should Be So Lucky by Cat Sebastian - 5/5 stars

I feel like tumblr sings this one's praises enough that I don't really have to, but—everyone should read this. Everyone should read all of Cat Sebastian's books. I think I liked this one better than We Could Be So Good, but that could just be because I've found myself becoming more and more of a sucker for sports romances.

Unhallowed by Jordan L Hawk - 4.75/5 stars

Sad to say goodbye to the Whyborne and Griffin series, but I already love this spinoff!

Soul of Ash by HL Moore - 3.75/5 stars

Crow's Fate by Kim Fielding - 3.75/5 stars

The Sleeping Soldier by Aster Glenn Gray - 5/5 stars

I sound like a broken record re: Aster Glenn Gray, but please read her books. If you like Cat Sebastian's mid-century romances (like You Should Be So Lucky!) you like Aster Glenn Gray. This one is ostensibly a Sleeping Beauty retelling, but one where the sleeper actually sleeps for 100 years. In this case, it's a Union soldier who is put in an enchanted sleep in 1865 and wakes up in 1965 and oh my god, it's so good. It examines racism, it examines toxic masculinity, it examines homophobia, and how same-sex platonic affection became taboo. I'm pretty sure this woman has never written a bad book, but this may be her best.

Alec by Kaje Harper - 3.75/5 stars

Artemis by Andy Weir - 3.75/5 stars

Oak King Holly King by Sebastian Nothwell - 4.75/5 stars

I loved this one! There are so many books about Faerie and they can be pretty hit or miss for me, but this one struck just the right balance of otherworldly, inhuman creatures and characters I could root for. Shrike and Wren were lovely.

Imperfect Illusions by Vanora Lawless - DNF at pg 56

Orchestrated Love by AJ Buchanan - DNF at pg 1

Razorblade Tears by SA Cosby - 4.25/5 stars

The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern - 5/5 stars (reread)

The Only Light Left Burning by Erik J Brown - 5/5 stars

Excellent sequel about what happens after you make it to the last bastion of civilization after the apocalypse.

Unwieldy Creatures by Addie Tsai - DNF at pg 12

A Nobleman's Guide to Seducing a Scoundrel by KJ Charles - 5/5 stars

Oh man. This may have displaced the Will Darling Adventures as my favorite KJ Charles book. Wonderful MCs, A+ side character arcs, and villains you really loved to hate. I rambled on a lot about this book to my wife after I finished it.

Stars in Your Eyes by Kacen Callender - DNF at pg 156

His Lordship's Secret by Samantha SoRelle - 3.75/5 stars

Us, Et Cetera by Kit Vincent - 5/5 stars

Cinderella retelling with androids but Christ on a bike was this a painful read. Really, really well done. Highly recommended.

Charming Young Man by Eliot Schrefer - 5/5 stars

My 5 star rating diverges pretty sharply from the average Storygraph rating for this book, and I'm not sure why, other than maybe people thinks it's PrObLeMaTic. It was definitely not a super happy book, though it ends on a good note (that's a pun btw!). I thought it was a great book about a period that isn't often written about (1890s Paris) with a fascinating protagonist (who was a real person).

Dark Heir by CS Pacat - 5/5 stars

It's a CS Pacat book; it's the sequel to Dark Rise; obvs I loved it. I don't understand why this series is shelved under YA except that Pacat's publisher thinks more people will buy them. This series is the gay Lord of the Rings you always wanted and somehow is an even slower burn than Captive Prince.

Of Knights and Books and Falling in Love by Rita A Rubin - DNF at pg 50

Cover Story by Valerie Gomez - DNF at pg 176

Letters to Half Moon Street by Sarah Wallace - 4/5 stars

[the-parted-glass]

I finished reading Oak King Holly King by @nothwell and I had to try my hand at drawing the favorite bird man, so here is Shrike, the Butcher of Blackthorn! It's also my first digital attempt at an oil paint style so it was a fun experiment!

[mollymagician]

This was going to be my project during Yule but I needed something to keep me sane this past week. So here’s Shrike and Wren from @nothwell ‘s delightful Oak King Holly King

I just like to imagine, if Wren hangs out with the fae long enough, he’ll get to go flying with Shrike eventually somehow

These boys don’t take the world’s bullshit lying down and neither will we.

[fourthleafluckart]

gothic horror + sapphic romance??? yes please???

Alexandra from The Haunting of Heatherhurst Hall by the fabulous @nothwell . This is the first side of a reversible keychain. Kit coming soon!

[wearethekat]

December Book Reviews: Hold Fast by Sebastian Nothwell

Recommended by @profiterole-reads on tumblr. A decade ago, Evelyn Winthrop fled his aristocratic family to become a harpooner on a whaling ship. Now, after the death of his rather, he's heir to the baronetcy—and his father's estate manager is tasked with tracking him down and making him a somewhat less scandalous man for the role.

This historical romance set in the late nineteenth century reminded me a bit of KJ Charles' earlier novels. While not central to the plot, which takes place entirely on land, it's clear Nothwell has done some research into historical whaling and is probably also a fan of Moby Dick. At over 400 pages, Hold Fast runs significantly longer than most romance novels, due to both protagonists' Tragic Backstories causing trouble in the plot. (Evelyn was disinherited after being caught in flagrante delicto and Morgan is an illegitimate child who fled his father's household due to abuse.) Although the final resolution was a bit pat, this was an engaging novel with a well-researched background.

Recommended for fans of KJ Charles and queer historical romance enjoyers.

[fafalcon]

something quick bc I reread The haunting of heatherhurst hall by @nothwell

[stealthwitch]

Uh oh another Nothwell character gets an appendectomy

*Morgan, clutching to the multiple page appendix attached to his instructions for running the household in his and Evalyn’s absence*

*Evalyn desperately trying to fling it into the fire for the sake of everyone left behind during their sea voyage*

[rowan-blood]

Book Recommendations

Kellen Graves

Prince of the Sorrows (Rowan Blood, #1) Lord of Silver Ashes (Rowan Blood, #2) Herald of the Witch’s Mark (Rowan Blood #3) The Fox and the Dryad

K.J. Charles

The Smuggler and the Warlord (A Charm of Magpies, #0.5) The Magpie Lord (A Charm of Magpies, #1) Interlude with Tattoos (A Charm of Magpies, #1.5) A Case of Possession (A Charm of Magpies, #2) A Case of Spirits (A Charm of Magpies, #2.5 Flight of Magpies (A Charm of Magpies, #3) Feast of Stephen (A Charm of Magpies, #3.5) Five For Heaven (A Charm of Magpies, #3.6) Jackdaw (A Charm of Magpies, #4) Rag and Bone (A Charm of Magpies, #5) A Queer Trade (A Charm of Magpies, #5.5) The Secret Casebook of Simon Feximal Butterflies (The Secret Casebook of Simon Feximal, #2) Remnant: A Caldwell & Feximal/Whyborne & Griffin Mystery (The Secret Casebook of Simon Feximal, #3; Whyborne & Griffin, #3.5) Proper English (England World, #1) Think of England (England World, #2) Song for a Viking (England World, #2.1) A Fashionable Indulgence (Society of Gentlemen, #1) A Seditious Affair (Society of Gentlemen, #2) A Gentleman’s Position (Society of Gentlemen, #3) Wanted, A Gentleman An Unseen Attraction (Sins of the Cities, #1) An Unnatural Vice (Sins of the Cities, #2) An Unsuitable Heir (Sins of the Cities, #3) Spectred Isle (Green Men, #1) The Henchmen of Zenda Unfit to Print Band Sinister The Rat-Catcher’s Daughter (Lilywhite Boys, #0.5) Any Old Diamonds (Lilywhite Boys, #1) Gilded Cage (Lilywhite Boys, #2) Masters in This Hall (Lilywhite Boys, #3) Slippery Creatures (The Will Darling Adventures, #1) The Sugared Game (The Will Darling Adventures, #2) Subtle Blood (The Will Darling Adventures, #3) The Gentle Art of Fortune Hunting The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen (The Doomsday Books, #1) A Nobleman’s Guide to Seducing a Scoundrel (The Doomsday Books, #2) A Thief in the Night

A.J. Demas

One Night in Boukos Something Human Sword Dance (Sword Dance, #1) Saffron Alley (Sword Dance, #2) Strong Wine (Sword Dance, #3) Honey and Pepper (When in Pheme, #1)

C.S. Pacat

Captive Prince (Captive Prince, #1) Captive Prince: Volume Two (Captive Prince, #2) Kings Rising (Captive Prince, #3) Dark Rise (Dark Rise, #1) Dark Heir (Dark Rise, #2)

Joanna Chambers

Provoked (Enlightenment, #1) Beguiled (Enlightenment, #2) Enlightened (Enlightenment, #3) Unnatural (Enlightenment, #4) Restored (Enlightenment, #5) Gentleman Wolf (Capital Wolves Duet, #1) Master Wolf (Capital Wolves Duet, #2)

Tamara Allen

Downtime Whistling in the Dark The Only Gold If It Ain’t Love The Road to Silver Plume (Secret Service #1) Playing the Ace (Secret Service #2) Invitation to the Dance

Harper Fox

Brothers of the Wild North Sea Once Upon a Haunted Moor (Tyack & Frayne #1) Tinsel Fish (Tyack & Frayne #2) Don’t Let Go (Tyack & Frayne #3) Kitto (Tyack & Frayne #4) Guardians of the Haunted Moor (Tyack & Frayne #5) Third Solstice (Tyack & Frayne #6) Preacher, Prophet, Beast (Tyack & Frayne #7) Out

Sebastian Nothwell

Mr Warren’s Profession (Aubrey & Lindsey, #1) Throw His Heart Over (Aubrey & Lindsey, #2) Hold Fast Oak King Holly King

Lydia Gastrell

One Indulgence (Indulgence #1) One Glimpse (Indulgence, #2)

Hale Ginn

Lord of the White Hell, Book 1 (Lord of the White Hell, #1) Lord of the White Hell, Book 2 (Lord of the White Hell, #2)

Adella J. Harris

The Marquess of Gorsewall Manor (After the Swan’s Nest, #1) The Earl of Klesamor Hall (After the Swan’s Nest, #2)

Cat Sebastian

The Soldier’s Scoundrel (The Turners, #1) The Lawrence Browne Affair (The Turners, #2) The Ruin of a Rake (The Turners, #3) It Takes Two to Tumble (Seducing the Sedgwicks, #1) A Gentleman Never Keeps Score (Seducing the Sedgwicks, #2) Two Rogues Make a Right (Seducing the Sedgwicks, #3)

Lily Morton

The Mysterious and Amazing Blue Billings (Black and Blue #1) The Quiet House (Black and Blue #2) Something Wicked (Black and Blue #3) Merry Measure The Cuckoo's Call

Freya Marske

A Marvellous Light (The Last Binding #1) A Restless Truth (The Last Binding #2)

Other Authors

The Devil Lancer by Astrid Amara The Reluctant Berserker by Alex Beecroft The Scottish Boy by Alex de Campi Catalina Blues by Marlo York The Rake, the Rogue and the Roué by Eric Alan Westfall The Gladiator’s Master by Fae Sutherland The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller When Skies Have Fallen by Debbie McGowan Nova Praetorian by N.R. Walker The Reanimator's Heart (The Reanimator Mysteries #1) by Kara Jorgensen One Night in Hartswood by Emma Denny

(last update 2024/06/14)

I would appreciate your recommendations if you enjoy one or more books from this list.

[wordingg]

Is it literally the last day of the year? yes. did i really wait until the absolute last day to make my 'year in reading' post? yes. will anyone care? absolutely not.

THIS YEAR WAS A GOOD YEAR FOR READING! I read exactly 100 books this year (wow such a nice round number). My top genre this year was fantasy (65 books), followed by LGBTQIA (50 books), and coming in third is romance (32 books). Of the books I read 58% were digital, 37% were print, and a measly 5% were audio (sorry audiobooks).

My favorite books that I read this year!!! (in no particular order)

His Secret Illuminations/His Sacred Incantations by Scarlett Gale. It really feels like the author of this duology took all my preferences, kinks, and favorite tropes, threw them in a blender, and hit 'fuck it up'. These books have role reversal, religious guilt/oppression, a high fantasy setting, a plot that revolves around toppling the powers that be and standing up for yourself, plus! PLUS! a muscle mommy. Like, shut. Just shut up okay.

Mr. Warren's Profession by Sebastian Nothwell. I'd like to list every one of Sebastian Nothwell's books, because I think I've read almost all of them this year, but that would be messy so I picked my favorite one. It's a gay regency romance with a wet cat/golden retriever couple, including a former sex worker, love reaching across divisions of class, and discourse on industrial revolution era factories and union busting. Like, just take my money okay? No more words need to be said.

True Love Bites by Joy Demorra. Is it the werewolf/vampire romance? Is it the alternate Victorian England setting? Or is it the triumphant subversion of every tired awful romance trope that I hate? Honestly, any of these would have made this book a big hit with me, but the combination of all three really put it over the top. This is such a lovely book and I am gnawing on the bars of my enclosure waiting for the next one.

Camp Damascus by Chuck Tingle. I'm really sad that I have waited this long to read Mr. Tingle's traditionally published books, because this book slam dunked my ass. After I finished it I just sort of laid on the floor for a bit and let my five year old use my ribs as a trampoline. I love the protagonist of this book so much. She was so rich and vibrant, flawed but also perfect. She felt real to me, you know? And then to layer that with a story about religious guilt and oppression (I really don't want to find out this is a new thing with me), disturbing imagery, and a quest to do the right thing and help strangers? Yeah, I'm in. You got me. You got me good, Mr. Tingle.

Starling House by Alix E. Harrow. I went into this book knowing almost nothing about it, but it absolutely grabbed me by the throat within the first few chapters. It's very hard to describe, but I'm going to give it a try. Imagine that Alice in Wonderland was real and also it happened in the American South. Now, imagine that after Alice came back to reality, she put a curse on her hometown which allowed creatures from Wonderland to come through and just like murder your grandma occasionally. Now, it's modern times, but your small town is under the dark clouds of both a generations old curse and an evil corporate overlord and you're just an angry homeless girl who's more likely to bite than to say thank you and somehow you've got to save your brother from both the curse and the corporation. Oh yeah and there's a hot bisexual guy living in a sentient house who sort of has a thing for you, but in a slouching goth boy way. There. There, I think I did it.

Honorable Mentions (also in no particular order): - The Husky and His White Cat Shizun by Rou Bao Bu Chi Rou (Xianxia version of "if this burn goes any slower, I'm gonna lock you both in a closet, oh wait nevermind we've already tried that multiple times.") - Born of Scourge by S. Jean (WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE SAD? LOOK AT THIS LITTLE GUY! LOOK AT HIM! HE WAS BORN ALREADY TRAUMATIZED!) - Delicious In Dungeon by Ryoko Kui (I only read one manga series this year and this was it. It more than earned it's spot.) - Any Way the Wind Blows by Rainbow Rowell (if you thought this book was bad, you're wrong. I'm sorry. I called Mother Theresa in hell and she agreed with me. yeah, you're wrong.) - All About Lust by Gong Lyong Kim (I believe that this is what art school is like for everyone until it's proven otherwise.)

What books did you guys read this year? Did you guys read any of these books (please shout at me about them I'll shout back)? Got any good recs?

[nothwell]

The Oak King Holly King audiobook is on wicked sale, thanks to Chirp!

The sale runs from November 28th (today!) to December 26th (aka Boxing Day – a date of some significance to Mr. Grigsby, as readers of Tales from Blackthorn Briar know well).

If you or a friend have been waiting for the perfect opportunity to snag the Oak King Holly King audiobook, this is your chance – grab it today!

Oak King Holly King is a queer romantasy wherein a fearsome fae warrior destined for ritual sacrifice seeks a Victorian clerk fated to save him.

Perfect for readers who enjoy…

fae folklore

Victorian shenanigans

big buff guys who just wanna be soft

sharp little guys who are tired of being kicked around

lush fantasy worlds, liminal spaces, cozy cottagecore vibes, and queer community.

Shrike, the Butcher of Blackthorn, is a legendary warrior of the fae realms. When he wins a tournament in the Court of the Silver Wheel, its queen names him her Oak King - a figurehead destined to die in a ritual duel to invoke the change of seasons. Shrike is determined to survive. Even if it means he must put his heart as well as his life into a mere mortal’s hands.

Wren Lofthouse, a London clerk, has long ago resigned himself to a life of tedium and given up his fanciful dreams. When a medieval-looking brute arrives at his office to murmur of destiny, he’s inclined to think his old enemies are playing an elaborate prank. Still, he can’t help feeling intrigued by the bizarre-yet-handsome stranger and his fantastical ramblings, whose presence stirs up emotions Wren has tried to lock away in the withered husk of his heart.

As Shrike whisks Wren away to a world of Wild Hunts and arcane rites, Wren is freed from the repression of Victorian society. But both the fae and mortal realms prove treacherous to their growing bond. Wren and Shrike must fight side-by-side to see who will claim victory - Oak King or Holly King.

[noahhawthorneauthor]

If you're looking to build your TBR, why not try these queer indie books by the hosts of our podcast?

Remember, you can read queer all year, not just for pride month. 🌈🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍🌈📚

Breeze Spells and Bridegrooms (All royalties for June are being donated)

Swords and Seers

Dear Bartleby

Fella Enchanted

The Forgotten Lyric

The Stray Spirit

Phantom and Rook

This Doesn't Mean Anything

Fiorenzo

A Rival Most Vial

Kit & Basie

Right Here, Write Queer Linktree

@nothwell @ashen-crest @tesscarletta @ninawolv3rina

[aurorawest]

Reading update

Light Up the Lamp by Kit Oliver - 5/5 stars

Kit Oliver can do no wrong, I guess. I figured I'd like this one a lot given that I loved her other two novels, but hockey books usually aren't five star reads for me. Along comes this book! Unrelentingly lovely, and even though I knew it was going to have an HEA, I still found myself worried that Gil wasn't going to figure shit out.

The Faerie Hounds of York by Arden Powell - 5/5 stars

Gorgeous book that read like a dreamy, dark fairy tale. The first book by Arden Powell I read was really funny, and this was like the complete opposite. Powell has range! This one is sad, but still has a happy ending. If you like Emily Tesh's Greenhollow Duology, I highly recommend this one. They're definitely in the same vein.

Deosil by Jordan L Hawk - 4.75/5 stars

I was SO SAD to get to the end of this series. Whyborne, Griffin, Christine, Iskander, Persephone, Maggie, Niles...I could go on, I love them all. It's hard to say good-bye but they all got a wonderful ending.

The Inside Edge by Ashlyn Kane - 3/5 stars

The Taste of Desert Green by Kim Fielding - 4.25/5 stars

Your Lonely Nights Are Over by Adam Sass - 1/5 stars

Crushed Ice by Ashlyn Kane and Morgan James - 4/5 stars

Roustabout by Morgan Brice - 3/5 stars

Prince in Disguise by Tavia Lark - 5/5 stars

Loved this one just as much as the first in the series. I expected the Draskorans to be...idk, like stereotype fantasy barbarians, so it was extremely refreshing that they weren't.

Old Time Religion by EH Lupton - 5/5 stars

Ahhhhhhhh I love this series!! I really really enjoyed the first book, and I loved this one even more. Really good, really original. I can't recommend this one and Dionysus in Wisconsin enough!

A Thief and a Gentleman by Arden Powell - 3.5/5 stars

The Devil to Pay by Katie Daysh - 4.75/5 stars

If you like Patrick O'Brian but find yourself thinking, surely this could be more gay? Then Katie Daysh's books are for you. This is the second in the series and I was delighted to learn yesterday from her newsletter that she's working on the third, because I definitely am not ready for the series to end! The first book was from Nightingale's POV (there might have been some bits from Courtney's POV? But not many), and this one is entirely from Courtney's. Courtney and Nightingale didn't actually get to spend much time together in this one so I hope they catch more of a break in book 3.

Lord of Eternal Night by Ben Alderson - DNF at pg 6

The Engineer by CS Poe - 4/5 stars

The Larks Still Bravely Singing by Aster Glenn Gray - 5/5 stars

If you're not reading Aster Glenn Gray yet, why not? Why not??? Seriously, if you like Cat Sebastian, PLEASE give Aster Glenn Gray a try. I have yet to read a book by the woman that isn't gorgeous. This book is set right at the tail end of WWI and into the interwar period and is about two young English men who were injured and invalided out of the army. They're both disabled (Robert, the POV character, is missing a leg, and David is missing a hand) and have PTSD.

Also recommended if you like KJ Charles's Will Darling Adventures trilogy. The Larks Still Bravely Singing is just straight historical romance, not romantic suspense, but it deals with similar themes.

Guardians of Dawn: Zhara by S Jae-Jones - DNF at pg 24

Mr Warren's Profession by Sebastian Nothwell - 4.75/5 stars

LOVED this book. I think it's the only historical romance I've read that uses the Industrial Revolution so heavily in the plot, which I really enjoyed. Plus, gorgeous cover.

Honey Mead Murder by Dahlia Donovan - DNF at pg 5

A Market of Dreams and Destiny by Trip Galey - 3.25/5 stars

String Theory by Ashlyn Kane and Morgan James - 3.75/5 stars

One Night in Hartswood by Emma Denny - 5/5 stars

I honestly don't know why, when I received this book in like, November, I didn't immediately put it on the top of my TBR pile. I knew I was going to love it; I was super excited to get my copy. Every time I've shuffled my TBR (like, my actual physical TBR...it's a whole thing...it's actually been mistaken for my full book collection but haha no that's just 200 books I haven't read yet sitting on my stairs...), I've lamented that it's not closer to the top. And then I realized, this is literally my TBR and my own weird fake rules that I've made up about it, so I can actually just pull it from the stack and read it now. So I did!

And yeah, I loved it. So much. Raff and Penn will probably live rent free in my mind forever, not to mention Ash and Lily. I loved the medieval setting (another setting you don't see much in queer historical romance!) and how it really felt like a different world than ours. Plus I'm a sucker for road trip romances. And daddy issues. And horrific scars.

And ugh, the training scenes. The sexual tension. The PINING. Masterfully done. Chef's kiss.

Also we're going to find out who Oliver was, right? RIGHT??? And what happened to Penn's brother?

Out of Touch by Michael Sarais - DNF at pg 7

The Long Call by Ann Cleeves - 4.25/5 stars

Always enjoy a mystery that's well-paced and well-written. I've never actually read anything by Ann Cleeves but I'm going to pick up the rest of this series.

The Death I Gave Him by Em X Liu - DNF at pg 284

[the-novel-approach-reviews]

Review: Fiorenzo by Sebastian Nothwell

Title: Fiorenzo Author: Sebastian Nothwell Publisher: Self-Published Length: 534 Pages (print) Category: Romantasy Rating: 4 Stars At a Glance: Every component of this book—the characters, the attention to detail, the romanticism, and the eroticism—comes together to make for a deeper dive into a lovely read. And the last sentence packed a real wallop. Reviewed By: Lisa Blurb: Fiore has a…

[mollymagician]

Doodle practice today

was the contents of Shrike’s cloak pocket from Oak King Holly King by @nothwell (which has taken over all the brain I have left that’s not Dreamling-addicted)