#Tehlor Mejia

[sapphic-book-tournament]

We Set The Dark On Fire by Tehlor Kay Mejia-

At the Medio School for Girls, distinguished young women are trained for one of two roles in their polarized society. Depending on her specialization, a graduate will one day run a husband’s household or raise his children, but both are promised a life of comfort and luxury, far from the frequent political uprisings of the lower class. Daniela Vargas is the school’s top student, but her bright future depends upon no one discovering her darkest secret—that her pedigree is a lie. Her parents sacrificed everything to obtain forged identification papers so Dani could rise above her station. Now that her marriage to an important politico’s son is fast approaching, she must keep the truth hidden or be sent back to the fringes of society, where famine and poverty rule supreme.

On her graduation night, Dani seems to be in the clear, despite the surprises that unfold. But nothing prepares her for all the difficult choices she must make, especially when she is asked to spy for a resistance group desperately fighting to bring equality to Medio. Will Dani cling to the privilege her parents fought to win for her, or to give up everything she’s strived for in pursuit of a free Medio—and a chance at a forbidden love?

Crier’s War by Nina Varela-

After the War of Kinds ravaged the kingdom of Rabu, the Automae, Designed to be the playthings of royals, took over the estates of their owners and bent the human race to their will.

Now, Ayla, a human servant rising the ranks at the House of the Sovereign, dreams of avenging the death of her family… by killing the Sovereign’s daughter, Lady Crier. Crier, who was Made to be beautiful, to be flawless. And to take over the work of her father.

Crier had been preparing to do just that—to inherit her father’s rule over the land. But that was before she was betrothed to Scyre Kinok, who seems to have a thousand secrets. That was before she discovered her father isn’t as benevolent as she thought. That was before she met Ayla.

Set in a richly-imagined fantasy world, Nina Varela’s debut novel is a sweepingly romantic tale of love, loss and revenge, that challenges what it really means to be human.

[green-loaf]

Just so everyone knows, the author does indeed use they/them pronouns

[read-alert]

Another crosspost from my bookstagram! Full titles under the cut!

This is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone -> The Space Between Worlds by Micaiah Johnson

Finna by Nino Cipri -> Several People Are Typing by Calvin Kasulke

Legendborn by Tracy Deon -> Raybearer by Jordan Ifueko

Fierce Femmes and Notorious Liars by Kai Cheng Thom -> Bad Girls by Camila Sosa Villada translated to English by Kit Maude

We Set the Dark on Fire by Tehlor Kay Mejia -> Girls of Paper and Fire by Natasha Ngan

The Ghosts of Rose Hill by RM Romero -> Funeral Songs for Dying Girls by Cherie Dimaline

Sorrowland by Rivers Solomon -> Lakewood by Megan Giddings

The Unbroken by CL Clark -> The Jasmine Throne by Tasha Suri

Stone Butch Blues by Leslie Feinberg -> The Gods of Tango by Caro De Robertis

[layaart]

Here's some fanart of Lucha of the Night Forest that I've been working on for a while! I am not immune to creepy mushrooms in fantasy

[kayleerowena]

THE WITCH'S WINGS & OTHER TERRIFYING TALES, an 'are you afraid of the dark?' graphic novel with three stories based on hispanic urban legends, comes out october 3rd 2023!!!

kick off the halloween season & ✨ preorder it now ✨ if fun, spooky middle-grade horror is your jam!

i'm so excited for people to get to read this book; everyone involved put so much love into it, and i can't wait to hear what people think once it's out in the world. to celebrate how close the release date is, here are a few preview pages from my segment of the book, the tale of the haunting of bus #13!

[hislittleraincloud]

Y'all too busy creaming over this fic to be angry over this, so lemme do it for you:

WHAT

the

FUCK.

I'm...what?

[lgbtqreads]

Happy Pan Visibility Day 2024!

Today is Pan Visibility Day, and as usual, we’re celebrating with a bunch of books that have pansexual leads! Today is Pan Visibility Day, and as usual, we’re celebrating with a bunch of books that have pansexual leads! Please note that this post only includes books that weren’t featured in full in previous posts; you can find more pansexual books in posts from past years! Court of the Undying…

[psychic-refugee]

I don’t want to claim that Wenclair as a ship doesn’t exist. Again, I’ve always been a big proponent that fandom is a) supposed to be fun and b) it’s up to interpretation and opinion. The latter makes your ship valid because that’s how you feel. Perhaps it doesn’t make your reasons rational or anchored in canon, but again we go back to a) where it’s supposed to be fun.

I don’t have a problem with Wenclair the ship. I have a problem with Wenclairs the people who have a well-documented history of harassment on non-fandom sites such as Instagram and Twitter of the celebrities in question.

Here are some of the reasons why I don’t specifically see Wenclair/I see a platonic relationship.

Gough and Millar framed Enid and Wednesday as a “sisterhood” and “friendship.” (NME, 24 Dec 2023) This is in DIRECT reaction to being asked about Wenclair. They are the authority of canon as they are the authors of Wednesday and Enid as we know them from this iteration of the Addams Family.

The fact they said its “possible” in the future means Wenclair is not currently true. I also think they were simply being polite and did not want to offend the Wenclairs. Given how badly some react to the possibility of Wenclair not being canon, I don’t blame Gough and Millar for trying to remain neutral about it.

Again, this is Millar and Gough, the true writers and authority of Wednesday.

Secondly, Jenna herself proclaimed no romance. She made an effort in an interview to stress Wednesday had no SO and would have no SO. This is right after joking about Wenclair being a possibility. I believe this is a direct consequence of Wenclairs harassment when they took her words too far and harassed anyone who disagreed with them or threatened the possibility of the ship. (Digital Spy, 8 June 2023)

Emma also wants Wednesday to be single. (Variety, 30 Jan 2023)

There has been no talk, joking or otherwise, of Wenclair being a possibility in almost two years. They in fact seem to be making an effort to not a) talk about it and b) distance themselves from it.

As of this post, none of the cast or writers have done promo for the novel nor have acknowledged it in any way. They also do not follow Meija on socials.

I don’t think it’s a coincidence that a) they completely avoid mentioning it anymore in interviews, b) stressing no romance, c) Jenna quit Twitter because of what I suspect a Wenclair sending her AI porn. (Entertainment Weekly, 25 Aug 2024), and d) Jenna won’t ever come out with who she’s dating. (Vanity Fair, 6 August 2024)

I think all of this ties into Wenclair harassment. (Tumblr, 29 August 2024)

Thirdly, one of my litmus tests of whether something could be platonic is if you switch out person A with a known family member of Person B.

This would be pretty gross, right? To have a “fizzy” feeling for your father? Not to mention the addition of kissing full on the mouth in such a way, TWICE. To me this is a clear sexual reaction on Wednesday’s part and could not be construed as platonic.

Here, if Morticia had saved Wednesday and had this moment, it could still work. It wouldn’t be weird, so this scene is not necessarily romantic.

I think pretty much every interaction with Enid could be replaced by Morticia or Pugsly, and it wouldn’t make it as off putting as the Tyler example.

Meija could have at any point described Wednesday’s feelings while in Enid’s presence as “fizzy” or anything remotely romantic and they chose not to.

If they meant for it to be romantic regardless, they don’t have the confidence to stand by their work and say it outright.

So, unless it’s Game of Thrones where sibling/family incest is the norm, then seeing Enid and Wednesday as platonic is a fair interpretation.

[queer-book-character-tournament]

Character, book, and author names under the cut

Daniela- We Set the Dark on Fire by Tehlor Kay Mejia

Nathaniel Thorn- Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson

Laurent- Captive Prince by C.S. Pacat

Gwen (Princess Gwendoline)- Gwen and Art Are Not in Love by Lex Croucher

[myclutteredbookshelf]

I've been inspired by @ofliterarynature to ask Bookblr for help with unhauling some of my TBRs. If you reblog this poll, feel free to explain your choice. I'd even be happy to hear your reasoning for why I shouldn't toss a certain book, as it might encourage me to get around to reading it.

I've copied the book blurbs below the cut for your consideration.

Ink by Alice Broadway

From the second you're born, every achievement, every failing, every significant moment are all immortalized on your skin. There are honorable marks that let people know you're trustworthy. And shameful tattoos that announce you as a traitor. After her father dies, Leora finds solace in the fact that his skin tells a wonderful story. That is, until she glimpses a mark on the back of his neck . . . the symbol of the worst crime a person can commit in Saintstone. Leora knows it has to be a mistake, but before she can do anything about it, the horrifying secret gets out, jeopardizing her father's legacy . . . and Leora's life.

We Set the Dark on Fire by Tehlor Kay Mejia

At the Medio School for Girls, distinguished young women are trained for one of two roles in their polarized society. Depending on her specialization, a graduate will one day run her husband's household or raise his children, but both wives are promised a life of comfort and luxury, far from the frequent political uprisings of the lower class. Daniela Vargas is the school's top student, but her bright future depends upon no one discovering her darkest secret—that her pedigree is a lie. Her parents sacrificed everything to obtain forged identification papers so Dani could rise above her station. Now that her marriage to an important politico's son is fast approaching, she must keep the truth hidden or be sent back to the fringes of society, where famine and poverty rule supreme. On her graduation night, Dani seems to be in the clear, despite the surprises that unfold. But nothing prepares her for all the difficult choices she must make, especially when she is asked to spy for a resistance group desperately fighting to bring equality to Medio. Will Dani give up everything she's strived for in pursuit of a free Medio—and a chance at forbidden love?

Bride of Clay by Markus Zusak

The breathtaking story of five brothers who bring each other up in a world run by their own rules. As the Dunbar boys love and fight and learn to reckon with the adult world, they discover the moving secret behind their father's disappearance. At the center of the Dunbar family is Clay, a boy who will build a bridge—for his family, for his past, for greatness, for his sins, for a miracle. The question is, how far is Clay willing to go? And how much can he overcome?

[libraryleopard]

Standalone young adult fantasy novel

In a world filled with harsh class divisions and addiction, a teenage girl who makes a living as a monster hunter makes a bargain with a nightmarish forest monster for survival and finds herself entangled in an age-old feud between gods

Exploration/subversion of the Chosen One archetype

Latin American-inspired world-building; lesbian main character; F/F romance

[sapphic-book-tournament]

[bookishfreedom]

this book felt like a love letter to the PNW ⛰️🌲

[the-lady-writes-what]

A very long time ago, I received a lovely DM from @marziemoo when they asked about what are some recommendations for wlw/sapphic books about or written by authors of color. I apologize that it has taken me so long.

Allow me first to give some caveats:

I am very, very, very white. I am NOT a person of color. Please take my opinion with a grain of salt.

I take FOREVER to read books so, the ones I have read is small list but I have included ones that I researched and ones that have been on my To Read List for a while.

I tend to read mostly fantasy, so this list will comprise mostly of fantasy because that is what I read. I'll try to diversify with other genres. Everything except "The Jasmine Throne" I have not yet read.

Tasha Suri is a South Asian author whose work "The Jasmine Throne" depicts the story of an imprisoned princess and a priestess who hides from her past. It's passionate and powerful.

Warning: this book does depict or implicate harsher subjects and themes such as sexism, human sacrifice, and contains violence.

Kalynn Bayron, a black author. "Cinderella is Dead" tells the story of Sophia, who is forced with other girls to be forced into marriage two hundred years after Cinderella and her tale died. Sophia is joined with Constance, the last descendent of Cinderella and her step-sisters, to bring down the king. I haven't read this one yet, but it sits on my giant pile of To Read stack

This book by Leah Johnson tells the story of Liz Lighty, a midwest black girl. She's hoping to find financial aid so she can attend the college of her dreams. In order to do that, she has to become prom queen. Along comes Mack, the new girl, who is also vying for the prom queen crown. Sounds like rivals-to-lovers to me? I don't really read contemporary fiction, but the story premise is cute.

In Chinelo Okparanta's book, Ijeoma grows up as her nation gains independence and by the time she's 11, civil war breaks out. Ijeoma is sent away to safety where she comes across another displaced child. Friendship blooms and becomes a star-crossed romance. Again, I don't read a lot of contemporary fiction, but I might had this one to my reading list myself.

With the world's survival at stake, two teenagers are selected to journey to the Fairy Queen to fix it. Kaede and Taisin are drawn together during the mission. As members of their party succumb to unearthly attacks and fairy tricks, the two come to rely on each other and even begin to fall in love. This is a prequel to Malinda Lo's series, Ash.

Originally published in 1995, LarissaLai weaves a story in and out of medieval China to contemporary Vancouver. The book follows a thousand year old fox spirit, a 9th century Taoist poet and nun, and a young Asian-American named Artemis.

Makeda Hicks just lost her job and girlfriend in one fell swoop. She doesn't want to hear stories from her grandmother about her whirlwind affairs with royals and agents. So when Beznaria Chetchevaliere crashes into her life, Makeda can't resist. Only one bed and fake marriage hijinks insues!

Lei, in Natasha Ngan's book, Girls of Paper and Fire, lives with her father years after her mother is taken by the royal guards and disappeared. Now, they've come for Lei, whose rumored beauty has intrigued the king. Lei enters the opulent yet oppressive palace to train with eight other young women to please the king. A forbidden romance begins with Lei and she begins to question how far she would go for revenge.

In Tehlor Kay Mejia's premiere novel, 'We Set the Dark on Fire,' writes a compelling story that mirrors real world issues of immigration and equality. Daniela Vargas is the top student at Medio School for Girls. As a top student, upon graduation her paths are limited, run a husband's household or raise his children. Will Daniela chose the life of privilege her parents fought for or will she join the resistance to bring true freedom to Medio, and perhaps forbidden love?

Seventeen year old Lil and her twin sister, Kizzy are captured and taken away from their traveler community. Forced to work in the kitchens, Lil is drawn to another slave, Mira. Lil and the others discover and fight for a fate of their own making. (Through some research, I discovered that the author, Kiran Millwood Hargrave, is of Indian descent through her mother and lives in Oxford.)

Yetu remembers everything. She remembers the people who came before her, the pregnant African women thrown overboard by their enslavers. In order to escape this burden and the memories, Yetu travels to the surface to discover her past and a future for her people.

Manuela Azul lives a confined life in a small Florida apartment hiding from both her father's crime family in Argentina and ICE. On the run, she discovers a world within our own and one which Manuela discovers something about herself that could rock her world.

This Hugo award-winning novel by S.L. Huang, is a retelling of the Western fairy tale classic, Little Red Riding Hood. Only this time, Red Riding Hood is done with wolves and forests. Combing fairy tale nostalgia and Chinese folklore, the main characters, Rosa, Red Riding Hood, and Hou Yi the Archer join forces and set forth on a quest to stop the deadly sunbirds from destroying everything they hold dear.

[layaart]

I realised after the fact that the composition of my Lucha of the Night Forest fanart lent itself well to a cover design. So I did that. I think this skews a bit more MG than the YA that it is - if I were actually redesigning the cover I'd probably go in a different direction - but I think it looks pretty good!

[kayleerowena]

hey! did you know i have a book coming out in less than 2 months? THE WITCH'S WINGS & OTHER TERRIFYING TALES, an 'are you afraid of the dark?' graphic novel with three middle-grade horror stories based on hispanic urban legends, comes out october 3rd, and you can preorder it right now!

i'm super proud of the work i put into this book, and the other stories are also absolutely amazing. i hope you all love it as much as i do! i'd appreciate people spreading the word on this, since preorders are super important to a book's success!