#f/f historical and contemporary

[earl-grey-love]

Every time I think I'm over the L.A. No!re madness I end up thinking about it for more than 10 seconds and I fall to my knees once more.

[darlingofdots]

Hello lovely people, I come before you humbly requesting recommendations for very specific flavours of romance novels! I don't much care about trad/indie/self-pub, but I am equally humbly requesting that self-pub recs should be of similar quality standards re: grammar and punctuation as trad books, I know this makes me a snob but in this particular instance I really don't care.

I am particularly looking for:

paranormal romance featuring m/m or f/f protagonists

historical romance with f/f protagonists that is not Olivia Waite

contemporary romance with m/m protagonists, bonus points if it's in a specific subgenre of contemporary like sports romance

Some stipulations:

published after 2010

preferably written by an American author for reasons of My Degree Is In American Studies, but PLEASE recommend me BIPOC authors if you can!

currently in print or available electronically

needs to be an actual romance novel, which means the romance is the main plot and there's a Happily Ever After

high heat level is fine but should not be crossing the line into erotica, that's just not what I'm looking for in this context

for bonus points, I'd also love to discover some non-contemporary romances with trans protagonists, the funkier the better!

I am trying to fill in some gaps in the corpus of novels I am assembling for academic purposes, which is where these very specific descriptions come from, and I don't trust Goodreads review scores at all, so I come to you, lovely tumblrites, instead.

Thank you all, I am looking forward to your suggestions!

[batmanisagatewaydrug]

You seem like an incredibly well read person, plus someone with a lot of insight into intimacy because of your work. So, in light of your romance book reviews, which are an absolute highlight on your patreon, do you have any insight into what is needed/suggested for a good romance novel?

g o d this is so fucking hard and also really fun to chew on. I want to preface this by saying this is ENTIRELY subjective and based completely on what I *PERSONALLY* find that I enjoy in a romance. this isn't, like, an objective guide on how to write a romance that doesn't suck. that doesn't exist because people like different things, and I'm speaking from one perspective.

also I should say that my preferred flavor of romance novel is solidly contemporary. I haven't read many historicals, certainly not enough to opine well on them, I don't do those mafia dark romances or whatever the fuck, and I've barely dabbled at all in any kind of fantasy romance, whether they're full high fantasy or witchy urban fantasy stories. (although I'm about to do one of the latter next month, you can vote for a book on my patreon rn!)

having gotten all of those caveats out of the way, here's some shit I like and dislike:

there are exceptions to this but broadly, I prefer a POV for everyone involved in the relationship. to me a romance where we're only seeing events from the POV of one member of the relationship automatically makes it seem like one person matters more in a dynamic where everyone should be of equal importance. also, god, if the plot's really going to hinge on not knowing what's going on in one partner's head suggests that miscommunication is going to be a pretty critical part of the plot, and I hate that shit. TALK TO EACH OTHER. I'LL KILL YOU.

on that note, there needs to be an actual compelling reason why the characters can't be together, okay? the #1 driving tension of every romance is "why the fuck can't they be together yet" and you BETTER have a good answer. whether it's interpersonal or external forces, if there's a very easy solution to what's keeping them apart then your characters look dumb and I'm bored. one of the most frustrating romances I've ever read involved two characters who were mutually attracted to each from the JUMP, who refused to act on it because they were coworkers (neither of them in any position of authority of the other, nothing unprofessional or inappropriate about it) and they were "only" living in the same state for A YEAR. A FULL YEAR !!! shut up. get a grip and kiss each other.

now, having said that: whatever your bullshit reason is for these two characters to be interacting with each other, you need to COMMIT to that shit so hard that I, the reader, will feel silly for even questioning the logic. the worst offender I've ever seen on this front is D'Vaughn and Kris Plan a Wedding, which pulls its protagonists together via a reality TV competition and then just... promptly loses any interest in really dealing with the actual realities of being filmed 24/7? it's insanely distracting how little the book engages with its central hook, and was a huge point deduction for me. whereas you have, like, The Bride Test, a book with a premise that skirts dangerously close to a little bit of human trafficking but embraces the whole premise so wholeheartedly that you completely forget about the potentially horrific elements in there. who cares that Esme was bribed here with the promise of a green card if she seduces a man she's never met? there's whimsy happening! we've moved on! it's literally fine and she's in no danger except the danger of a BROKEN HEART.

this one is going to seem SO obvious but like. I need them to be actually like each other. I'm not saying they can't be mutually bitchy while they grow to like each other or anything, they don't have to always be NICE to each other, but there are so many M/F romances where the dude is just flat out fucking MEAN and condescending to the girl until he decides he wants to fuck her. and sometimes even after that! stop it! after a certain point I don't want her to fuck him I want her to run him over a car!!!! there's suuuuch a line between "guy I butt heads and exchange banter with but could fuck if we just got to know each other" and "man who hates me and is for real fucking bullying me."

"kisses only," "doors closed," whatever term they use for a romance novel without any sex scenes on page, I don't like it. listen: I know that they're not everybody's cup of tea, and I FULLY recognize that a lot of romance novel sex scenes are unfathomably cringe. and yet, I need them. partly because they're funny, but also because if this book wants me to be invested in the developing relationship between two adults who are supposed to be WILDLY sexually attracted to each other, then I want to see the damn sex. no matter how many bad similes or unfortunate adjectives it entails. and if you're not going to show me the sex, don't you dare have the characters gushing about how great it is. I'll be the judge of that, thank you very much. (I'm looking at you, Sorry, Bro.)

related: there's this thing that I call "Horny Wolf Syndrome," which is derived from this tweet:

initially I used it to refer to when previously sweet-tempered male romance protags inexplicably started talking like horny wovles during sex scenes - "LET ME SEE YOUR PRETTY CUNT ON MY COCK" and the like - but now I more generally use it to refer to scenarios in which characters of any gender completely dispense with their established personality while they fuck in order to fulfill a more broadly appealing, one-size-fits-all sexual fantasy. I hate that shit; if your characters act like completely unrecognizable people during sex, you didn't write very strong characters. one of my favorite things about writing sex scenes is that it's so SO interesting to see how their the characters' personal quirks translate into a setting that's very different from most other contexts, and it's deeply disappointing when authors take the easy route in favor of some pornhub dialogue.

one of the things that actually won my most recent read, Raiders of the Lost Heart, a HUGE amount of points with me was how frank the female lead was about initiating sex for the first time. it was completely in character for her and felt really different than any other book I've read, and honestly? it was a breath of fresh air.

[seraphinitegames]

in light of bridgerton s3 being out (at least part 1) im curious if any of the vampires would indulge the detective and watch it with them if they asked 👀 the confession scenes get me every time!! <3

I mean, I totally want to say they would all say yes to watching it just because I'm a massive fan of Bridgerton, lol! 

But more likely only F and N would really say yes, and likely only N would pay actual attention to it and get invested. 

F would enjoy it, but historical romances, even more contemporary ones, aren't really their thing. A might watch it, but wouldn't be able to stop from pointing out all the reasons it was historically inaccurate, lol!

At this stage in the romance, M would sit with the MC while the MC watched it, but probably wouldn't pay much attention.

Thank you so much for the ask!

[maddie-grove]

What do you think are some legitimate things (trends, author problems, etc) to criticize about in romance novels?

So, romance novels can be offensive in all the ways that fiction in general can be offensive, but, if I had to pick one thing that's pervasive yet fairly specific to the genre, it's the rigidity of gender roles in m/f romance. The hero is more often than not physically bigger, older, richer, and (especially in historical romance) higher-class than the heroine, and, when he doesn't have the advantage in every category, the narrative frequently (a) makes him even more powerful in the areas where he does have the advantage (i.e., she may be more aristocratic but he's very, very rich and he's friends with aristocrats now and he's big and strong and blah blah blah) or (b) is super-self-conscious about the dude being less powerful in some ways (i.e., over-explaining why he's still worthy as a partner and/or isn't put off by the heroine being taller or older or richer). I think this is sometimes a trend that comes from the top (I remember Courtney Milan saying something about getting flak for not making a hero a duke back in the early 2010s, even though he was still a confident, good-looking gentleman with money) and sometimes one that comes from readers (there was a romance review blog that I lost patience with because the reviewer couldn't relate to tall heroines). Plus, when the heroine does have more power in some way, it's usually not by a lot; like, it would be totally unremarkable if the genders were reversed. I remember reading a romance novella anthology specifically about older women/younger men, and I think only one novella had an age gap of ten or more years. (In one novella he was literally a day younger.) Meanwhile, how many historical romance novels have a twenty-year-old heroine and a thirty-year-old hero and it's treated like nothing?

On the more meta side: I think it's generally bad when authors have to spend a lot of time doing self-promotion on social media. That means less time to actually write and sometimes more self-consciousness because the book is kind of being written for people the author knows online. That's not exclusive to romance, but it is a genre largely written and read by women, and I think that results in a lot of pressure to be Nice (which includes not giving a negative opinion about a book).

I'm not a fan of the move towards "rom-com" contemporary romance, but that's largely because that's not my thing inherently. However, I do feel like many authors simultaneously want the hijinks of a romantic comedy and a romance that would be Healthy in Real Life. Which isn't impossible, but it takes more finesse than they usually have.

[fahye]

your book reccomendations are always excellent, do you have any favorite queer romance authors? looking for the standard “trashy” romance vibes but with queer people if possible, thank you so much!

let's see! romance vibes but make it queer.

Delilah Green Doesn't Care by Ashley Herring Blake (f/f contemp small town romance)

One Night in Hartswood by Emma Denny (m/m medieval historical, fluff and identity shenanigans in a forest)

Mistakes Were Made by Meryl Wilsner (f/f contemp 'oh shit I banged my roommate's hot mum')

basically anything by Alexis Hall but start with Boyfriend Material (m/m contemp romcom) or A Lady For A Duke (m/f regency with a trans heroine) for classic romance vibes

Teacher of the Year by M.A. Wardell (m/m contemp about a teacher and a student's dad) is extremely sweet

I can't imagine you've spent any time around my tumblr without hearing me yell READ EVERYTHING BY KJ CHARLES!! but today I will rec Any Old Diamonds (m/m historical, thief/aristocrat with HEIST SHENANIGANS)

For the Love of April French by Penny Aimes (m/f contemp with trans heroine and lots of kink) is scorching hot and heaps of fun

I have heard great things about An Island Princess Starts a Scandal by Adriana Herrera (f/f historical, SEX PACT WITH A DUCHESS) but my ordered copy hasn't arrived yet

ditto The Fiancée Farce by Alexandria Bellefleur (contemporary f/f celebrity marriage of convenience/fake dating), which I JUST got my paws on today and am excited to read

fuck it, Gaywyck by Vincent Virga was the first m/m gothic romance (1980!) and it's Truly The Most Gothic so if you like oldschool romances where the vibes are problematic but extremely delicious, check it out.

...and then read this great article by chels about Problematic Queer Books and why we need them

[aroaessidhe]

aro & ace book lists masterpost

#aspec books / aro & ace books database (tinyurl.com/aspecbooks)

A couple notes:

These are books I have read, with the occasional exception. I always state when I have not read a book I’m including in a post. May add to and edit posts when I read more relevant books.

I mostly include books I recommend, but to varying levels (and sometimes I'll include some I dislike but they might be worthwhile for someone else) There will of course be some of my personal bias to what I prefer (SFF, YA contemporary)

I prioritise books with aspec main characters. Will include the occasional side character if I have a gap to fill and it’s reasonably significant and/or the author is aspec. Like, would it be worth it to read the book just for this character?

however, when it's a main POV character, that doesn't necessarily mean it's extensively explored within the story, sometimes it's just a brief mention

The things I am choosing to group by are based on commonalities I’ve noticed. If I group by one thing but not something similar it's because there's not enough I've read to make a worthwhile post!

Most posts encompass ace & aro & the spectrums (because there's a lot of overlap in the books) but some are one or the other, and I've generally marked them as such here

under the cut, as I will be frequently updating as I post more

asterix* & smalltext means the same post is being linked for a second time (for example if it's gender and genre specific, it might be under both sections)

identity

gender/sexuality

trans part 1 / part 2

nonbinary (YA/MG)

nonbinary (adult/NA)

aroallo books

aroace girls (contemporary YA)

ace girls (contemporary YA)

ace girls (YA low sff)

ace boys (YA contemporary/real world)

aroace men/boys

demisexual (YA contemporary)

relationship

queerplatonic

ace/ace

f/nb

f/f (ace, YA)

f/f (adult)

m/nb

m/m (ace, YA)

other

autistic aspecs

aro books by authors of colour

aro books by Black authors

genre

broad

Graphic novels

YA contemporary (aro)

YA contemporary (ace girls)*

YA contemporary (aroace girls)*

YA low sff (girls)*

YA speculative fiction (aro)

YA dark high fantasy

middle grade (aro)

adult: high fantasy (aro)

adult: historical/contemporary fantasy/etc (aro)

historical (1900-1990)

space (opera, or general space setting)

specific

assassins

dragons

fairytales

fey

ghosts

multiverse/portals

parents & parent/mentor figures

pirates

robots/cyborgs

TTRPG/DND inspired

university setting

vampires

other/misc

some no-romance books centering a friendship

a few fav aro books

[thedisabilitybookarchive]

Disability in Books: Bisexual MCs

[ID: A poster. Large black text in the centre reads "Books with Disabled Bi MCs". In the upper left corner, smaller black text that reads "Disability in Books". The background is a straight diagonal version of the disability pride flag. In the lower-left corner, the bisexual pride flag shaped like a heart. In the upper right corner, the logo for the Disability Book Archive, and the rainbow pride flag in the shape of a small heart. /end]

[ID: The same poster. The hearts and logo have shrunken slightly in size. The title has been removed, and replaced with two book covers and some black text listed in between them. The cover on the left side is for "Six of Crows", and the cover on the lower right side is for "Crooked Kingdom", both by Leigh Bardugo. The text listed in the centre reads "Young Adult", "Gambling Addiction, ADHD", "Additional cane user MC with touch aversion and chronic pain", "Dyslexic MC/LI", "M/M, F/M", "Multiple POV", "Fantasy", and "Series". /end]

[ID: The same poster. The book covers and text have been replaced. The cover at the top of the poster is "Forever is Now" by Mariama J. Lockington. Black text listed to the left of it reads "Young Adult", "Anxiety", "Agoraphobia", "Novel in Verse", "Black MC", "Contemporary Fiction" and "Coming of Age". The cover at the bottom of the poster is for "Fortune Favors the Dead" by Stephen Spotswood. Black text listed to the right of reads "Adult", "MC with Multiple Sclerosis", "Detective Fiction", "Historical", "Murder Mystery", "Series" and "1940s USA". /end]

[ID: The same poster. The book covers and text have been replaced. The cover at the top is for "Fresh" by Margot Wood. Black text listed to the left of it reads "Young/New Adult", "ADHD", "Retelling of 'Emma'", "Contemporary", "Romance", "Comedy", "College" and "F/F". The cover at the bottom is for "Hench" by Natalie Zina Walschots. Black text listed to the right of it reads "Adult", "Cane User, PTSD, Improperly Healed Bone, Chronic Pain", "Urban Fantasy", "Superheroes and Supervillains", "Science-Fiction", "Canada" and "Series". /end]

[ID: The same poster. The book covers and text have been replaced. The cover at the top is for "How to Bite Your Neighbor and Win a Wager" by D. N. Bryn. Black text listed to the left of it reads "Adult", "Anxiety", "Depression", "Chronic Fatigue", "M/M", "Vampires", "Latin MC", "Romance, Urban Fantasy" and "Series". The cover at the bottom is for "The Immeasurable Depth of You" by Maria Ingrande Mora. Black text listed to the right of it reads "Young Adult", "Anxiety, OCD, Seasonal Affective Disorder, ADHD", "Magical Realism", "Contemporary", "Mystery" and "Coming of Age". /end]

[ID: The same poster. The book covers and text have been replaced. The book cover at the top is for "In the Ring" by Sierra Isley. Black text listed to the left of it reads "Young Adult", "Anxiety", "Contemporary", "Romance", "Sports", "Boxing", "F/M" and "Jewish Characters". The book cover at the bottom is for "Let's Call it a Doomsday" by Katie Henry. Black text listed to the right of it reads "Young Adult", "Anxiety", "Contemporary", "Realistic" and "Mormon Characters". /end]

🩷💜💙🩷💜💙🩷💜💙🩷💜💙🩷💜💙🩷💜💙🩷💜💙🩷 [22 heart emojis, alternating between pink, purple and blue]

A short list of books featuring disabled, bisexual, and disabled bisexual MCs!

This list was specifically requested by @bisexual-coala.

Books on this list:

🩷 'Six of Crows'- Bardugo, Leigh

💜 'Crooked Kingdom'- Bardugo, Leigh

💙 'Forever is Now'- Lockington, Mariama J.

🩷 'Fortune Favors the Dead'- Spotswood, Stephen

💜 'Fresh'- Wood, Margot

💙 'Hench'- Walschots, Natalie Zina

🩷 'How to Bite Your Neighbor and Win a Wager'- Bryn, D. N.

💜 'The Immeasurable Depth of You'- Mora, Maria Ingrande

💙 'In the Ring'- Isley, Sierra

🩷 'Let's Call It a Doomsday'- Henry, Katie

All of these books and more can be found on the Disability Book Archive

🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈 Happy Pride Month! 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈

[salixsociety]

Germanic Paganism Resource Masterlist

Notes: - Updates will be beyond infrequent. - Feel free to pop into my ask box requesting resource recommendations at any moment. - Resources do not reflect my personal beliefs or practice. I may include otherwise great resources that include theories and ideologies I do not support (such as the 'sign of the Hammer'), because I make extensive use of cross-referencing, reflection, etc to determine everything I incorporate into my craft. - I will never consciously add resources written by (Neo-)Nazis and the like. If you spot them, feel free to let me know. - You may notice there is a seemingly disproportionate amount of sources also or primarily talking about Scandinavia and Iceland, and even some primarily covering England. This is because continental Germanic paganism has only barely survived the ravages of time, and one can only learn about it if they supplement their knowledge with the more complete pictures of Anglo-Saxon paganism and Norse paganism.

Legend: [No language identifier means the source is English.] [D] - The resource is written (primarily) in Dutch. [G] - The resource is written (primarily) in German. [ON] - The resource is written (primarily) in Old Norse. [OD] - The resource is written (primarily) in Old Dutch. [OG] - The resource is written (primarily) in Old High German. [L] - The resource is written (primarily) in Latin. [F] - The resource is written (primarily) in French. * - I have not read the resource in its entirety. ** - Read with caution. !! - There is more of the resource available/this is one part of multiple.

Historic Texts and References

Tacitus' Agricola and Germania

Tacitus' Annals

The Prose Edda

The Poetic Edda

The First Nine Books of the Danish History of Saxo Grammaticus

Contemporary Books, Essays, Other Media

Myths and symbols in pagan Europe : early Scandinavian and Celtic religions - H.R. Ellis Davidson

Kleinere Altniederdeutsche Denkmälen - Heyne [G]*

Religion and Philosophy in Germany : a Fragment - Heine *

Deutsche Volkskunde - Adolf Bach [G]*

Teutonic Mythology - Grimm

Swedish Legends and Folk Tales - John Lindow

Scandinavian Mythology : an Annotated Bibliography - John Lindow *

Trolls : an Unnatural History - John Lindow

Myths of the Norsemen from the Eddas and Sagas - H.A. Guerber

Northern mythology : comprising the principal popular traditions and superstitions of Scandinavia, North Germany, and The Netherlands - Benjamin Thorpe | VOL 1, VOL 2, VOL 3

From Myth to Fiction : the Saga of Hadingus - Georges Dumézil *

The Stakes of the Warrior - Georges Dumézil **

Gods of the Ancient Norsemen - Georges Dumézil **

Zum Tamfana-Rätsel - Edmund Weber [G]*

De Tijdstippen van de Cultische Jaarfeesten - Boppo Grimmsma [D]**

Nederlansche Volksoverleveringen en Godenleer - Van den Bergh [D, OD]*

Tales and Legends of Tyrol *

Germanic Spirituality - Bil Linzie

Handwörterbuch des Deutschen Auberglaubens - Baechtold-Staubl, Hoffman-Krayer

Goden van de Lage Landen - Gunivortus Goos [D]**

Runic and Heroic Poems of the Old Teutonic Peoples - Dickins *

Gods and Myths of Northern Europe - H.R. Ellis Davidson

Old Norse - Icelandic Literature : a Critical Guide - John Lindow

Vikings : a Very Short Introduction - Richards *

Norse Mythology : a Guide to the Gods, Heroes, Rituals and Beliefs - John Lindow

Antwoord op de Vraag, door het Zeeuwse Genootschap de Wetenschappen - te Water [D]*

Verhandelingen over het Westland, ter opheldering der Loo-en, Woerden en Hoven, benevens de natuurdienst der Batavieren en Friezen - Buddingh [D]*

De Goden der Germanen - de Vries [D]*

Norse Revival: Transformations of Germanic Neopaganism - Stefanie von Schnurbein (in the series Studies in Critical Research on Religion which I highly recommend)

Digital Libraries, Dictionaries and the Like

Digitale Bibliotheek voor Nederlandse Letteren [D]*

Digitised Collection of Historic Sources of the WWU in Münster [G, D, OD, OG]*

Oudnederlands Woordenboek [D, OD]*

Ons volksleven : tijdschrift voor taal-, volks- en oudheidkunde. Jaargang 2-12 [D]*

Het Rad - Digitale Bibliotheek voor Germaans Heidendom, Runen, Seidr [D]*

Volkskunde (search results on Delpher) [D]*

Goden van Eigen Bodem - Digitale bibliotheek voor heidens erfgoed van de lage landen [D]*

Godinnen van Nederland en België [D]**!!

Forgotten Gods - Reginheim **

The Rune Poems *

Kronieken van de Westhoek (Flemish Folk History) [D]*

Brabantse Folklore, bulletin van de provinciale dienst voor geschiedkundige en folkloristische opzoekingen [D]*

Project Gutenberg has a wealth of resources about pre-christian Germanic religion*

Mimisbrunnr.info has a wealth of information including starter guides.

Author Recommendations

J.R.W. Sinninghe [D]

John Lindow

Benjamin Thorpe

H.R. Ellis Davidson

The Grimm Brothers

J. Haver [D]

To be continued.

[lgbtqreads]

Hi! I would love to hear some of your all time favourties :)

Okay, but as long as we acknowledge it’s just some. I always accidentally leave out huge favorites! (All links are to Bookshop, except where they don’t carry said book, because may as well treat yourself and support LGBTQReads and independent bookstores at the same time, right?)

YA Thriller: 

Female protag: Sadie by Courtney Summers

Male protag: Last Seen Leaving by Caleb Roehrig

Contemporary YA Romance

m/m: Beating Heart Baby by Lio Min 

f/f: She Gets the Girl by Alyson Derrick and Rachael Lippincott

m/f: Hot Dog Girl by Jennifer Dugan

Heavier contemporary YA, all of which totally coincidentally have bi protags:

Full Disclosure by Camryn Garrett

The Last True Poets of the Sea by Julia Drake

Girl Made of Stars by Ashley Herring Blake 

Every Time You Hear That Song by Jenna Voris

History is All You Left Me by Adam Silvera 

It Goes Like This by Miel Moreland (Please read it if you’re a fan of stuff like Daisy Jones and the Six, pleeeease)

Paranormal YA:  Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas

YA Sci-fi: The Disasters by MK England

YA Fantasy:

Standalone: Girl, Serpent, Thorn by Melissa Bashardoust

Duology: The Midnight Lie by Marie Rutkoski

Trilogy: Black Wings Beating by Alex London

YA Horror: The City Beautiful by Aden Polydoros

YA Magical Realism: Wild Beauty by Anna-Marie McLemore

YA Fabulism: This Rebel Heart by Katherine Locke

Historical YA: The above two titles and Self-Made Boys by Anna-Marie McLemore

YA Graphic Novels:

Male protag: Flamer by Mike Curato

Female protag: Mooncakes by Suzanne Walker and Wendy Xu (but truly, The Princess and the Grilled Cheese Sandwich by Deya Muniz is right behind it)

New Adult Romance:

m/m: Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston

f/f: Treasure by Rebekah Weatherspoon

m/f: Hold Me by Courtney Milan

Adult Contemporary Romance:

m/m: The Charm Offensive by Alison Cochrun

f/f:  Mistakes Were Made by Meryl Wilsner

m/f: The Intimacy Experiment by Rosie Danan

polyam: Triple Sec by TJ Alexander (f/f/gq)

Adult Historical Romance:

m/m: We Could Be So Good by Cat Sebastian

f/f: The Lady’s Guide to Celestial Mechanics by Olivia Waite

Adult Contemporary Fiction:

In at the Deep End by Kate Davies

The Guncle by Steven Rowley

Endpapers by Jennifer Savran Kelly

Body Grammar by Jules Ohman

Adult Mystery Series:

Contemporary: Roxane Weary by Kristen Lepionka

Historical: Evander Mills by Lev A.C. Rosen 

Adult Thriller: 

Male protag: Yes, Daddy by Jonathan Parks-Ramage

Female protag: Temper by Layne Fargo

Adult Horror: Tripping Arcadia by Kit Mayquist

Adult Science Fantasy: Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir (adult science fantasy)

Adult Fantasy: 

Standalone: The Book Eaters by Sunyi Dean

Series: The Unspoken Name by AK Larkwood (please for the love of god at least try this if you’re a huge fan of Gideon already)

Adult Sci-Fi: This is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone

[theophan-o]

360th Anniversary of Bohun's Death

17.02.1664 Ivan Bohun was executed in the Polish military camp

Ivan Bohun (Іван Богун) was a real person, an authentic Ukrainian Cossack hero from the mid-17th century and one of the most important Cossack commanders during the uprising of Bohdan Chmielnicki (Bohdan Khmelnytsky, Богдан Хмельницький), which started in 1648 ('Ukrainian Independence War').

As such, he has many diverse appearances in the Ukrainian culture and in the Polish culture (in literature, folklore, visual arts, music, opera, theater, cinema, etc.). Perhaps, the most famous worldwide (or just Tumblr-wide) of them all is the novel "With Fire and Sword" ("Ogniem i mieczem") by the Polish writer, Henryk Sienkiewicz, from 1883/1884. H. Sienkiewicz changed Bohun's name to Jurko, but described some of his authentic deeds, i.a. the role, he played during the battle of Beresteczko, 1651. The novel itself, as a part of the well-known "Trylogia" (which occupies an important place in the Polish culture), has many adaptations in art, theater, radio and cinema. The most famous of them is the Polish film from 1999, directed by Jerzy Hoffman. So...

Bohun's appearance in that film is not everything, in fact, it is only the tip of the iceberg of Bohun's myth. There is much more to explore and admire.

More information about artworks presented in this post you can find here:

It is a fan&didactic account, existing only for the Cossack Heroes glory and promoting Ukrainian heritage worldwide. Copyright belongs to the Artists/Museums.

[battyaboutbooksreviews]

💖 Sapphic Books Coming Out October 2024

🩷 Good afternoon, bookish bats. By now, you know that sweet, sapphic romance books have a special place in my heart. Here are only a few of the amazing sapphic books hitting shelves in October 2024.

💖 Which ones are you adding to your TBR?

Contemporary 💖 Stand Up! - Tori Sharp 💖 I'll Be Gone for Christmas - Georgia K. Boone 💖 Haunt Your Heart Out - Amber Roberts 💖 Most Wonderful - Georgia Clark 💖 Make the Season Bright - Ashley Herring Blake 💖 Make My Wish Come True - Rachael Lippincott & Alyson Derrick 💖 How Does That Make You Feel, Magda Eklund? - Anna Montague 💖 Turning Twelve - Kathryn Ormsbee & Molly Brooks 💖 Sweet Home Alabarden Park - T.J. O'Shea 💖 Lucy, Uncensored - Mel Hammond & Teghan Hammond 💖 New Horizons - Shia Woods 💖 Writ of Love - Cassidy Crane 💖 What It Meant to Survive - Mala Kumar

Fantasy 💖 Metal from Heave - August Clarke 💖 Whispers Most Foul - Emma MacDonald 💖 Fang Fiction - Kate Stayman-London 💖 House of Frank - Kay Synclaire 💖 The Ghostwing's Lie - Rebecca Mix 💖 This Dark Paradise - Erin Luken 💖 Chai Jinxed - Emi Pinto 💖 The Bloodless Princes - Charlotte Bond 💖 Skysong - C.A. Wright 💖 The Forbidden Book - Sacha Lamb 💖 Until We Shatter - Kate Dylan 💖 Witchwood - Kalyn Josephson

Paranormal/Horror 💖 Haunting Melody - Chloe Spencer 💖 All the Hearts You Eat - Hailey Piper 💖 The Bloodred Moon - H. Noah 💖 Strange Beasts - Susan J. Morris 💖 Feast While You Can - Mikaella Clements & Onjuli Datta

Historical 💖 Women's Hotel - Daniel M. Lavery 💖 I Shall Never Fall in Love - Hari Conner 💖 Outlaw Hearts - Lori G. Matthews

Mystery/Thriller 💖 Staying the Course - Rebecca K Jones 💖 Long Time Gone - Hannah Martian 💖 Johnny-Boy - A. F. Carter 💖 This Ends Now - T.M. Payne

Sci-Fi 💖 On Vicious Worlds - Bethany Jacobs 💖 Sargassa - Sophie Burnham 💖 Villain - Natalie Zina Walschots

[darlingofdots]

I usually read historical romances, but I've been branching into contemporaries more recently especially because I want to read more f/f and the offerings in the Regency/Victorian section are kind of grim. But I did pick up The Duke's Sister and I, a Regency-era f/f romance published by Harlequin (!) and while I am having a perfectly good time with it, something stood out to me about this particular book's target audience and who books are for in general.

First of all, I have gotten into the habit of coding romances while I read them because that's what I do for my academic work, and it's interesting to me that the protagonist dynamic in The Duke's Sister and I is clearly still rooted in the more traditional "he's a playboy and she's a virgin" setup that has gotten a bit less popular generally but was part of the submission guidelines for Harlequin/Mills & Boon until fairly recently: Charlotte has had lots of female lovers while Loretta doesn't even know that that's an option, and Charlotte is the one who will have to overcome her #issues to accept that love and happiness are even an option.

Secondly, this adds a bit of a twist to the usual arc of sexual awakening for the "heroine" but still echoes that exact dynamic: one character being the other's first ever sexual relationship, which means they are also the one to teach the "virgin" how sex and pleasure work. I am personally not a huge fan of this simply because I don't find that first unsure and often insecure exploration very interesting, and I much prefer to read about characters who know their own bodies and what they want from a partner. But with The Duke's Sister and I, we have a specifically gay awakening, which I am much more receptive to in the context of a historical setting.

This book also discusses how the patriarchy controls what women know and even how we see ourselves, through the lens of Charlotte as a painter specifically of "realistic" portraits that depict female bodies as they are. There's a lot of messaging about how women don't see representations of normal faces and bodies in art and how it affects their self-image. I am not knocking this book, to be clear, this is a perfectly good theme for a romance novel and I think it pairs with the gay awakening really well! For our baby gay protagonist Loretta, a whole new world is opening up that she didn't even know could exist before, and for the first time she is able to see herself and her life without the filter of what the patriarchy wants her to think, do, and see.

But here is the question of target audience: of course there are romance readers who are just discovering that they're queer and books like this can support the process of re-understanding themselves. HOWEVER for a reader who is not currently having that specific experience, this messaging is unnecessary. I do not need to be reassured that women can be in love with women! I know! So who is this book for? The playboy hero/virgin heroine dynamic this riffs on is deeply rooted in patriarchal conceptions of female sexuality even as it attempts to liberate from them, but the socially-motivated mechanisms behind the trope kind of don't work when you remove the gendered power differential. It's so interesting to me how The Duke's Sister and I is in many ways a really conventional and straighforward historical romance that sets up the protagonists in the well-established roles of heterosexual hero/heroine romances, but also is fundamentally about breaking out of the constraints of heterosexuality.

Queer romance novels constantly have to grapple with wanting to play in the romance novel sandbox, which sits in a firmly cisheteronormative playground, and using similar tropes and telling similar stories because it's fun, while also confronting how much of the genre runs on cisheterosexuality. How do we tell queer stories in this environment? How far can we bend the rules to our purposes until we realise we have either broken the sandbox or left it behind? And some novels very deliberately and thoughtfully engage with these questions and try to queer the romance as much as possible, but others just want to tell familiar stories with queer characters, and both of these are perfectly fine and fun! But that tension is always there and, in my opinion, really draws attention to how the genre is constructed and all the ways it relies on intensely gendered assumptions about love, sex, and happiness.

[vague-mintyboy]

I am rewatching Misfits and Magic in preparation for the new season, and I am determined to figure out the exact date when The wizarding world of Misfits and Magic (WWMM for short) cut off technologically. I mean like Brennan keep saying, everything is technology so at some point the world was contemporary. So I will be keeping track of specific technology that stands out. I will update this post as I watch.

I will not count technologies an individual may have as some wizards are shown to have family etc in the NAMP world. This is a list of the wildly accepted technology.

So far no travel technology canonically described (in no real order)

Notable known technology

- Velocipede bicycles

Invented June 12, 1818.

So far this is the most recent date we can get. This specific type of hike also comes up in episode 2 so it isn’t a one-off from a more open-minded character. Dr. Boodle even implies that the school offers students complementary velocipedes in episode 2, so this technology is not considered out of place in the WWMM

- Tobacco pipe

While pipes in general can be traced back to Ancient Egypt, English Pipes do not become popularized until the late 1500s with the colonization/subsequent genocide of Indigenous Americans. This is when Tobacco in particular gets pairs with Pipes as it is native to the Americas.

- Parchment

Invented in Pergamum, 1500 BC.

However, it is not popular in England until seemingly 1500 CE, so this date keeps coming up.

- Indoor plumbing for water but not toilets

(so far unclear if that includes sinks or a water pump or what)

I knew this was going to give me trouble. Also TW a lot of literal shit talk.

Plumbing in general can be dated back to the Neolithic period but Aabria does say they have water pipes. If we are assuming these pipes are iron, and the typical shape then this would date to 1455

However, we can get more specific as the use of toilets/plumbing integrated gives us a cut off date. While again there are examples of various cultures using water to clean their versions of toilets, the flushing toilet is not invented until 1775.

This creates a problem. As shown Velocipedes were not invented at 1818. However, this could mean than instead of a single cut-off date, the transition to seclusion was slightly more gradual. As the lack of toilets seems to me more systematically in-forced (while velocipedes are easier to integrate) I am confident to say that by 1775 the wizarding world began to close itself off but had not fully done so. It also makes sense for typical public toilets/latrines not to be integrated into wizarding society as those are unhygienic and so a magical solution would be warranted, and that would still fit the contemporary needs. Furthermore the idea of pooping somewhere and then cleaning it matches with the social etiquette of latrines (versus just magicing away the waste pre-actual pooping.) this shows that socially pre-1755 the wizarding board was contemporary with medieval Europe.

- Pushbroom

Evan’s broom is specifically called a pushbroom. The pushbroom’s patent was filed in 1950! However, I could attribute this to the broom shop owner being particularly connected to the outside world? Or maybe it is just an older broom that looks similar to a pushbroom so Evan calls it that.

- Mop

Traditional mops (not just rags) seems to appear by the late 15th century for ships, and the idea is popular in association with more general cleaning by the 1840s.

- toffee

Toffee first becomes a word for candy around 1843. However, this was a general word for taffy-like candy. English toffee seems to be often dated to from around 1890s but that date is unreliable. https://www.etymonline.com/word/toffee

- Tea

Tea does not arrive in Europe until the 1600s from China. At the start, tea was still consumed like Chinese tea (no milk or sugar, etc). England then takes over the industry in 1858 with the government taking over the East India Company / relying on colonized India for tea production instead of China. However, this didn’t really affect popular culture / tea consumption habits until the 1900s and then really boomed in WWII.

I do admit that a handful of savvy more-modern Wizards could have taken tea’s popularity and broke into the untapped Wizard Market. However, even then you’d expect to see some sort of cultural difference (like how McDonald’s in different countries all have different menus, etc).

Notable technology not known about

- Nukes

We know definitively that nukes are not generally known about, so the WWMM is definitely completely closed off by 1945 bc even if there was slight connection people would know. Even if the WWMM closed after because of nukes people would know.

- Radio

Repeatedly radio is confirmed to be foreign. Radios were invented in 1899, and audio transmissions were then added in 1906.

Conclusion so far:

The WWMM was relatively contemporary with NAMP Britain through the 1500s. However, by 1755 WWMM began to close itself off. At least, architecture stopped being updated with modern plumbing which reflects a larger systematic shift. However, there was still a steady exchange of ideas through the 1840s, as tea, velocipedes, toffee, and modern mops all are treated as everyday items. However, by 1906 major technological trends went unnoticed, and certainly by 1945 the WWMM was completely cut off from world-wide news.

I feel like it is likely that by 1906 the WWMM stagnated completely and looked relatively the same to season 1’s world.

Currently, my theory is the political strife leading up to WWI, likely before the actual war, lead to the intellectual closure of the WWMM. However I will repost/update this with any new info. Also feel free to add your own insights.

[stesierra]

Writeblr ReIntro!

I'm posting a new intro because now that I've been on Writeblr a little while, I realize how much information I left out! Hi, I'm Stephanie, I live in the desert with my husband and baby and three cats, and I'm an ace, bipolar fantasy writer! When I was a kid, they said I had ADHD but then I got my Masters degree in biology, so they claim I can't have it. Online tests say I'm probably autistic.

I used to write sci fi twelve years ago but only low tech sci fi about weird aliens, which nobody likes. Now I write fantasy novels! Lots of fantasy novels! I am beginning to post them on my website so if you want to read them, please keep an eye on this post.

My books often but not always have some romance (either m/f or f/f because I prefer female protagonists.) Since I'm ace (and demiromantic), my interpretation of romance and attraction is not exactly what you'd expect from, say, a romance novel.

I am not going to tell you about all my books! I've written eighteen! Four of them are shelved forever! Here's some recent ones (written or revised since 2018) that I haven't given up on. Please ask me questions about them! I LOVE talking about my books! Also, if you want to be added to my taglist for writing samples let me know! Please also tell me if you're interested in alpha or beta reading and for which book! Mutuals only, please!

My books are beneath the cut! As I add WIP intros, I'll update this list with links.

Cast Out

YA fantasy! On her sixteenth birthday, Zisha is cast out of the Plenary Cities for the crime of being born deaf, like her grandmother before her. In the wastelands, she meets Thesil, a depressed and bitter young woman. Zisha wants nothing to do with her — until she sees Thesil's face in a vision. But before she can find out what the visions mean or reach her grandmother's holdings in the wastes, the plague returns to the Plenary Cities. If the disabled really caused the plague thirty years ago, and were cast out to stop the spread, how can it be back when all of them are outcast?

Status: Finished. Being serialized.

WIP intro here.

Now being serialized here. First five chapters up, one posted weekly.

The Bone Queen

This is my NA fantasy about the aftermath of freeing an undead queen and her skeleton army. They take over the kingdom, of course! The main character, Elise, is trapped in Bandrum palace by Aubrey, the ghost who tricked her into falling in love and freeing him (plus everyone else.) He's an animated skeleton now with plans to marry Elise and force her to carry his children. The bone queen has promised him she'll make it happen. Too bad no one cares what Elise wants. If only she had magic of her own...

Status: undergoing a rewrite after developmental edit. Was 109k before revisions. Not available for beta reading.

Draft number? Hahahaha. It has two complete sequels (The Spellbound King (106k) and The Matriarch's Daughter (96k)) I must also rewrite. This series is going to kill me but I love it. My mom, who loves everything I write, complained that it was weird. I'm very proud.

WIP intro here.

First chapter here.

School of Souls

This is my YA contemporary fantasy about a boarding school in the Bighorn Mountains! It's supposed to be a place parents can send "bad" teens to have their problems sorted out, but secretly the founder is using it to train the kids as sorcerers. Even more secretly, the school devours the souls of the students sent there, and the teenagers who graduate aren't the same as the ones who arrived... Warning: does include teenage addiction to sleeping pills and ghosts and and parental death. It's going to have sequels but I haven't written them yet.

Status: Complete first draft. 83k. Available for alpha reading.

WIP intro here.

First chapter here.

The Many-faced Princess

This is YA fantasy with a historical vibe but set in a made up world. Vaguely inspired by ancient Phoenicia. It's about Princess Ameryi, who was blessed by the genderless trickster god, Akihel, to be able to change her face. If her father the king ever found out, he'd have to execute her, of course. Akihel is just plain evil. All the other gods say so. A daughter who's their champion? Impossible. An abomination. So Ameryi will just have to make sure her father never finds out. That was easier to do before the Asirtinsa Empire threatened to invade and her father sent her to secure an alliance with a neighboring king. She's supposed to marry him. Not steal his face and frame him for murder. But sometimes plans just don't work out.

This book was supposed to be about two lesbian princesses who frame the king for murder so they can elope, but both princesses decided to be ace and there was nothing I could do.

Status: Complete first draft. 83k. It's going to have sequels but I haven't written them yet. Available for alpha reading.

First chapter here.

Map here.

Court Phoenix

This is my NA fantasy! Kerra is a blacksmith's apprentice. Not because she wants the job, but because her mother sold her future to him when she was still a toddler who crawled into live fires and giggled as the flames consumed her clothes. Now she's a woman, trapped by the expectations of her family and her village. Until one day, a phoenix crash-lands and dies in her arms. When it's reborn, it chooses Kerra as its keeper. Soon, her dreary future is swept away. A princess from Skyfire, the moving city, offers her a job in the royal court. How could Kerra refuse? Her family's claims that she'll die if she ever leaves the village are just manipulative lies. Aren't they?

Status: Complete third draft. 104k. Available for beta reading.

First chapter here.

The Revenant Trilogy

Adult fantasy. Solving a murder should bring good fortune, but all it brings Mindral Thideet is disaster. Her fame and peaceful life as head researcher at the city of knowledge end abruptly. In retaliation for her investigation into his crimes, Payar Cheref, the head of the powerful Cheref family, burns her beloved cousins alive and scars her face. The scar marks her as a revenant, a body possessed by a godkin, one of the gods' evil children. Her life as a researcher is over. All that's left is revenge.

No one believes her when she denies that godkins have any power over her. But godkins, real ones, are far closer than she realizes. Tearing down Payar Cheref could destroy Mindral, her family, and the nation itself.

-The Halfway Revenant (rewriting draft 4) 120k. Not available for beta reading.

-The Soul-Seer (draft 2) - 130k

-The Godkin's Gambit (draft 2) 121k

First chapter here.

As Immortality Fades

Adult fantasy. Five hundred years ago, one of the immortal and unpredictable Valteifur visited the kingdom of Kathild and granted the young queen Nelone immortality. But there was a catch. She'd live forever, youthful and strong, just so long as her subjects were happy. For centuries, she's met her part of the deal. But when the Valteifur returns to check on her progress, he grants her a new gift: the resurrection of every single person in Kathild who's died in the last two hundred years. Then he disappears.

There aren't enough houses for them all. There's not enough food. And winter is here.

Status: Complete first draft. 98k. Available for alpha reading.

Bi MC, enemies to lovers.

First chapter here.

Stitches and Memories

This one's adult fantasy. Antea's father ripped her mind apart, left her for dead, and vanished twelve years ago, and she's going to find out why. But when constables try to kill her and strange truth magic grows inside of her, hunting her father starts to look like suicide. Too bad going home isn't an option.

Status: I exchanged this with a critique partner and now it embarrasses me. Fourth draft. 122k. Available for beta reading.

Trigger warning: magic seizures

First chapter here.

WIP intro here.

Triangle Park

Contemporary Fantasy. I have no idea who it's for. An elf exiled to the middle of nowhere ends up stuck with an unexpected child. It's about reluctant parenting and protecting the needy. And elves and faeries slumming it in a mobile home.

Status: Complete first draft. 86k. Available for alpha reading.

First chapter here.

Mud-Child

Adult fantasy. Rebeka has always heard that a woman who goes through menopause loses her spark (the magic that lets her create children). If she's had children, it just makes the neighbors a little more fertile. But Rebeka never wanted a man, and she never wanted to raise a child. Not since her twin sister died and her beloved Suza left her for a man. The problem is, the spark leaves a childless woman differently, everyone says. A bitter hag? She'll curse her neighbors. A sweet dim biddie? She'll give her spark to inanimate objects and create a monster. Rebeka doesn't know which she is, but she believes it's a myth.

That was before the clay in her clay pit woke up and called her mother.

Status: Third draft. 109k. Needs a rewrite! Not available for beta reading.

First chapter here.

WIP intro here.

I GUESS I'M WRITING A NEW BOOK

The Giant's Gamble

First chapter here.

I started writing this on Friday the 13th, 2023. LET'S SEE HOW LONG IT TAKES TO WRITE WITH A BABY.

Short stories

The Unfamous Dead

VERY OLD CRAP

The Scribe and the Sphinx

Adult historical fantasy

Status: second draft. Shelved for good. 85k.

The Adrift series

The River's Drift. 100k.

The Waking Mountain. 106k.

Low-tech alien sci fi. Shelved for good.

My first book whose name I forget. About 50k. Exists only as a hard copy in my parents' house.

Taglist so far (tell me if you want to be added or removed)

Tag list for everything

@harleyacoincidence

@anonymousfoz

@moremysteriesthantragedies

@elizababie

@sm-writes-chaos

@bellascarousel

@the-dragon-chronicler

@teacupsandstarlight

@vorskra

@wrenofthewords

@amostdelectablescribbler

@mysticstarlightduck

@phantommill

@gracewritesbooks

@aziz-reads

@owlsandwich

@symbioticsimplicity

@squarebracket-trick

@koala2all

@rmgrey-author

@atomatowriter

@cheerfulmelancholies

@delusionisaplace

@janec23

@writing-is-a-martial-art

@authortango

Just chapters and snippets

@da-na-hae

For The Many-faced Princess

@deadlyessencewhispers

@serenanymph

The Halfway Revenant

@acertainmoshke

For Stitches and Memories

@space-writes

@acertainmoshke

The Bone Queen

@janec23

@holdmyteaplease

@digital-chance

@thecrookedwriterspath

@tea-and-mercury

@coven-archives

I love you all!

[netherfeildren]

Vic! I must ask - do you have any erotic romance and/or erotica book recommendations?

LITEROTICA!!!!!!!! my favorite! I am finally finally getting to this, apologies for the delay. I'm not doing blurbs or anything and just going to list them, but I'll include a ⭐️ if they're a favorite. This is a mix of erotica and romance, and don't forget to check trigger warnings carefully for all books!

I'll also mark C for contemporary, HR for historical romance and F for fantasy just for ease of perusing.

In no particular order:

The Crossfire Series, Sylvia Day, C, ⭐️

Scounders of St. James series, Lorraine Heath, HR

Travises series, Lisa Kleypas, C

Little Birds, Anaïs Nin, C, ⭐️

Rules for the Reckless series, Meredith Duran, HR

The Duke of Shadows, Meredith Duran, HR

Bellamy Creek series, Melanie Harlow, C

Things We Never Got Over, Lucy Score, C, ⭐️

A Spy in the House of Love, Anaïs Nin, C, ⭐️

Cloverleigh Farms series, Melanie Harlow, C

The Pale Court duology, Liv Zander, F

Master of Salt & Bones, Keri Lake, CF

Of Flesh & Bone series, Harper L. Woods, F

Promises and Pomegranates, Sav R. Miller, C

The Made series, Danielle Lori, C, ⭐️

At Your Pleasure, Meredith Duran, HR

The Dressmakers series, Loretta Chase, HR

Scandal & Scoundrel series, Sarah Maclean, HR

Victorian Rebels series, Kerrigan Byrne, HR

Wicked Becomes You, Meredith Duran

The Ravenels series, Lisa Kleypas, HR, ⭐️

The Hathaways series, Lisa Kleypas, HR, ⭐️

After We Fall series, Melanie Harlow, C

Anti-Heroes in Love duology, Giana Darling, C

Dark Deam Duet duology, Giana Darling, C

Lord of Scoundrels, Loretta Chase, HR, ⭐️

Love By Numbers, Sarah Maclean, HR,

Girl Meets Duke series,Tessa Dare, HR

Castles Ever After series, Tessa Dare, HR

It Happened One Summer, Tessa Bailey, C, ⭐️

A Wicked Kind of Husband, Mia Vincy, HR, ⭐️

Playing with Monsters series, Amelia Hutchins, CF, ⭐️

Legacy of the Nine Realms series, Amelia Hutchins, CF

Aspect and Anchor series, Ruby Dixon

Wallflowers series, Lisa Kleypas, HR, ⭐️

The Gilded Age Heiresses series, Harper St. George

Dark Arts series, Bec McMaster, F, ⭐️

Markham Hall series, Sierra Simone, HR, ⭐️

Priest, Sierra Simone, C

The Villain, L.J. Shen

Delta of Venus, Anaïs Nin, C, ⭐️