🌈 Queer Books Coming Out in May 2024 🌈
🌈 Good morning, my bookish bats! Struggling to keep up with all the amazing queer books coming out this month? Here are a FEW of the stunning, diverse queer books you can add to your TBR before the year is over. Remember to #readqueerallyear! Happy reading!
[ Release dates may have changed. ]
❤️ Farzana's Spite - Felix Graves
🧡 Archangels of Funk - Andrea Hairston
💛 How It Works Out - Myriam Lacroix
💚 Queer History A to Z - Robin Stevenson, Vivian Rosas
💙 Queerceañera - Alex Crespo
💜 Second Night Stand - Karelia Stetz-Waters, Fay Stetz-Waters
❤️ You Can Call Me Cooper - Cali Kitsu
🧡 Gooseberry - Robin Gow
💛 Grand Slam Romance - Ollie Hicks, Emma Oosterhous
💙The Witches of Silverlake - Simon Curtis, Stephanie Son
💜 Drawn to the Enemy - Barbara Winkes
🌈 The Truth of Our Past - Heather Leighson
❤️ Infaust - T.D. Cloud, Ambi Sun
🧡 Garner for Gold - Catherine Labadie
💛 The Z Word - Lindsay King-Miller
💚 Snake Charming - Genevieve McCluer
💙 The 7-10 Split - Karmen Lee
💜 Loving Jemima - Sienna Waters
❤️ The Potion Gardener - Arden Powell
🧡 A Swift and Sudden Exit - Nico Vincenty
💛 The Worst Ronin - Maggie Tokuda-Hall, Faith Schaffer
💙 Murray Out of Water -Taylor Tracy
💜 The Guncle Abroad - Steven Rowley
🌈 The Weight of What Was - Pip Landers-Letts
❤️ The Amazing Alpha Tau Pledge Project - Lisa Henry, Sarah Honey
🧡 I Met Death & Sex Through My Friend, Tom Meuley - Thom Vernon
💛 Malicia - Steven dos Santos
💚 The Sins on Their Bones - Laura R. Samotin
💙 SLUTS: Anthology - Michelle Tea
💜 You Should Be So Lucky - Cat Sebastian
❤️ Death's Country - R.M. Romero
🧡 Cinema Love - Jiaming Tang
💛 The Brides of High Hill - Nghi Vo
💙 Emma - Jenna Kent
💜 Wish We Were There - Lionel Hart
🌈 A Troublemaker in Her Eyes - Genta Sebastian
❤️ I Make Envy on Your Disco - Eric Schnall
🧡 Lavash at First Sight - Taleen Voskuni
💛 Queer Power Couples - Hannah Murphy Winter, Billie Winter
💚 In Repair - A.L. Graziadei
💙 A Heart Divided - Angie Williams
💜 Long After We Are Gone - Terah Shelton Harris
❤️ The Queen of Steeplechase Park - David Ciminello
🧡 Lunar Boy - Jes Wibowo, Cin Wibowo
💛 Hot Boy Summer - Joe Jiménez
💙 Sunhead - Alex Assan
💜 The Summer Love Strategy - Ray Stoeve
🌈 Into the Mouth of the Wolf - Erin Gough
❤️ The Girl in Question - Tess Sharpe
🧡 The Lost Erwain - Mariah Stillbrook
💛 Starfire - Naomi Hughes
💚 Adrift - Sam Ledel
💙 Shanghai Murder - Jessie Chandler
💜 April May June July - Alison B. Hart
❤️ A Bone in His Teeth - Kellen Graves
🧡 Cabin Fever - Tagan Shepard
💛 Don't Be a Drag - Skye Quinlan
💙 The Ride of Her Life - Jennifer Dugan
💜 The Redemption of Daya Keane - Gia Gordon
🌈 Nearlywed - Nicolas DiDomizio
❤️ The Sunforge - Sascha Stronach
🧡 The End of Time - Trudie Skies
💛 Silent Ones - Melissa Polk
💚 Prime Time Travelers - Neil Laird
💙 My Darling Dreadful Thing - Johanna van Veen
💜 The Honey Witch - Sydney J. Shields
❤️ Spitting Gold - Carmella Lowkis
🧡 Last Chance - Claire Highton-Stevenson
💛 Road Home - Rex Ogle
💙 Only for Convenience - Shannon O'Connor
💜 Linus and Etta Could Use a Win - Caroline Huntoon
🌈 Finding Molly Parsons - Alyson Root
❤️ Breathe: Journeys to Healthy Binding - Maia Kobabe, Dr. Sarah Peitzmeier
🧡 See You Next Month - Jamey Moody
💛 Until You Say My Name - Tatum Schroeder
💚 Disembark - Jen Currin
💙 True Love and Other Impossible Odds - Christina Li
💜 Flyboy - Kasey LeBlanc
❤️ Thirsty - Jas Hammonds
🧡 Hands Off - N. Slater
💛 Flooded Secrets - Claudie Arseneault
💙 The Deer and the Dragon - Piper C.J.
💜 To Be Loved - Frank G. Anderson
🌈 Snowblooded - Emma Sterner-Radley
❤️ Blood Remains - Cathy Pegau
🧡 Blood on the Tide - Katee Robert
💛 We Were the Universe - Kimberly King Parsons
💚 Loyalty - E.J. Noyes
💙 Spirits and Sirens - Kelly Fireside
💜 Clean Kill - Anne Laughlin
❤️ The Worst Perfect Moment - Shivaun Plozza
🧡 Oye - Melissa Mogollon
💛 Here for the Wrong Reasons - Annabel Paulsen, Lydia Wang
💙 Exhibit - R.O. Kwon
💜 Experienced - Kate Young
🌈 Parenting with Pride - Heather Hester
❤️ Road to Ruin - Hana Lee
🧡 Meet Me in Berlin - Samantha L. Valentine
💛 The Advice Columnist - Cade Haddock Strong
💚 where lost & hopeless things go - Bryony Rosehurst
💙 Pit Stop - Ellis Mae
💜 The Switchboard - Christina K. Glover
❤️ In the Shallows - Tanya Byrne
🧡 Have You Seen This Girl - Nita Tyndall
💛 Another First Chance - Robbie Couch
💙 The Only Light Left Burning - Erik J. Brown
💜 Keepers of the Stones and Stars - Michael Barakiva
🌈 A Little Kissing Between Friends - Chencia C. Higgins
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Just in Case There's a Phantom: Part 6 of That Familiar Feeling
Author's note: Y'all are fabulous. Thanks for sticking with me. See if you can find my Easter Egg.
Fanfiction_TMNT Bayverse/ 2003 crossover
“Sooooooooo,” Mikey drawled, glancing back and forth between Leonardo and Sean. “This is awkward.” Both were glaring at the other, arms crossed over their chests, and Mikey swore he saw Leo flex enough to make his biceps bulge. Sean, to his credit, seemed unmoved.
Splinter sighed deeply. Clearly there wasn’t going to be any conversation tonight. “I’m going to bed,” he announced.
“Yeah, me too,” Mikey agreed. “Raph’ll probably have her out all night anyway.” Two pairs of blue eyes turned on him with blazing intensity, and he shrugged. “He’ll bring her back home safely,” he assured Sean before turning to his older brother. “Be nicer next time, Leo. She’s a nice girl, and I’m not gonna let you scare her off.” He turned towards his bed then stopped to toss in, “Besides, she likes me.”
Leo rolled his eyes, turning back to Sean. The human hadn’t moved. “I’m curious,” Leo began, and Sean arched an eyebrow. “Raph said he’d watched Annabelle for a week before he grabbed her. If you really are her brother why didn’t he see you, too?”
A slow, satisfied smile slid over Sean’s face. “You really think we didn’t know we were being watched?”
Leo’s brow furrowed. “What do you mean?”
Sean took a step forward. “I mean,” he said coolly, “I knew how to get past all of your booby traps. Belle knew something was coming. We’ve been doing this for awhile. We’ve been trained by others. We’ve been hunted, and we’ve been stalked. We know when we’re being watched, and your brother was not subtle.”
Leo’s frown deepened as he tried to connect the dots Sean was laying out for him. “The star,” he said softly. “Raph’s ninja star.” Sean nodded, and Leo thought he saw a flicker of approval in the man’s eyes.
Leo had forgotten all about that night, but now the memories can flooding back. They’d heard the laughter from the rooftops above, and the delicious smell of mozzarella, tomato sauce, and garlic lured them closer. He saw her first; hair in a high ponytail, dress swirling around her ankles, and her laughter tinkling like music. He had stared, and Raph had noticed. It didn’t help he’d just lectured Raph for an hour on staying in the shadows, accepting their life apart from the humans, blah blah blah. His hot-headed brother swung down into the alley behind the restaurant, and caused enough commotion for her to investigate.
“Raph!” Leo hissed in his brother’s direction, but the red clad turtle ignored him. He was watching the brunette peer around the corner of the building.
“Leave it, Belle,” Sean cautioned, shifting his tray of dirty dishes to the closest outside table. “Loretta left us dinner. Let’s finish up out here and close up. I’m starved.” She’d waved him off, taking a cautious step towards the darkness and away from the light. “Belle!” Another step. “Annabelle, c’mon!”
“Hello?” She’d called out. Raph smirked up at Leo before expertly tossing a ninja star out of the shadows. It landed where he’d intended – inches from her feet. Leo didn’t know what Raph was expecting, but curiosity wasn’t it. She narrowed her eyes, crouching down to pluck the star from the spot it was currently embedded. She fingered the weapon carefully, examining it slowly, before her eyes flickered up to the darkness.
…and precisely to where Raph was currently crouched on top of a dumpster.
“Leo?” She whispered. Another step forward. “Leo?” She said a bit louder this time. Raph hissed in a breath, and shot Leo a withering glare. She opened her mouth to say more, but another star flew out in her direction, this one much more aggressively. She cried out, jumping back as it stabbed the street where she’d been previously standing.
“Time to go,” Sean had told her, grabbing her arm and jerking her towards the restaurant’s back door.
“Wait,” she’d cried, thrusting an arm out towards the shadows.
“Nope.”
“Wait!” Sean wrapped an arm around her waist, scooping her up, and slamming the door behind them. Leo had performed a similar exit with his own brother, but his was less… thoughtful.
Leo rubbed his brow as the memory faded into angry accusations and name calling from his brother, and he looked up to see Sean watching him. “She knew.”
“She hoped,” he said. “She’s been trying to get back to them for a very long time.”
“I’ve been thinking about that,” Donnie said, piping in. “And if you’re up for it I would love to pick your brain about a few of my theories on time and inter-dimensional travel.” He paused. “And I definitely want to know how you got past all my defenses.”
Sean blinked, his eyes shifting from Leo to Donnie. “That was you?” Donatello nodded. Sean’s face split into a huge grin. “Those were amazing! I was really impressed by the engineering.”
Donnie grinned, rubbing the back of his neck bashfully. “I mean, it’s no time machine.”
“Hey, don’t do that, man,” Sean said, walking over to him and patting him on the shell like they were old friends. “Those were some really ingenious works of art out there. The only reason I knew how to avoid them was….” Leo tuned them out as the two men went into a lengthy spiel full of technical terms and jargon no one in their family could comprehend. Donnie didn’t have many people who could understand him on an intellectual level, and it was clear he was loving every moment of this conversation.
Sean’s demeanor had shifted, as well. The blonde visibly perked up as Donatello spoke, his eyes brightened, and soon he was grinning like a kid on Christmas morning. It was obvious he understood everything Donnie was saying, and even more so, he was delighted by this unexpected meeting of the minds. Leo admittedly didn’t understand Sean’s reply, but it was hard to continue hating the man who was currently engaging in brainy geek speak with his genius brother. Leo watched as Donnie waved Sean over to his work station to continue the conversation with visual aids, the two men forgetting about the turtle in blue.
Leo cast his eyes to the exit Annabelle and Raphael had used not too long ago. It wasn’t too late; he could still follow them, and keep a watchful eye from a safe distance. But no. Leo was many things, but desperate wasn’t one of them. He was logical, and logic told him Raph would keep her safe, and bring her home to them. Logic also told him Mikey was right – he’d been acting like a jerk. To her, to Raph, to everyone. Yesterday he had no idea who this woman was, and now suddenly he was acting like a possessive boyfriend because some other turtle had passed on his own emotions and memories? To what end? What was the point of these turtles calling out to him and his brothers? Leo frowned, and tried to think about it logically.
Safety. They wanted to keep her safe. Endearing her to others would certainly do just that.
Home. They wanted her back, and she didn’t seem able to get back to them on her own. Donnie was a genius. Perhaps they were counting on his genius to be a staple in other dimensions, as well. If anyone could get her back to them it would be Donnie.
Leo thought those were excellent reasons on their own, but there was something else tickling the back of his brain. He’d felt the same earlier this evening, and it was gnawing at him. There was something else...something so close he could taste it.
Leo was many things, and proactive was one of them. The itching grew stronger as his resolution grew. He wasn’t going to wait on this other Leonardo to come to him this time. This time he was going to reach out and mind-dominate this turtle until he had all the answers he wanted.
……………….
“He really mentioned my singing?” Annabelle asked as Raph led the way deeper into the sewers. “I wouldn’t have expected that from him.”
“Here we are.” Raph stopped in front of her, and shifted out of the way so she could see their final destination. The sewer tunnel opened up in a dome-like shape with golden orbs clustered together in the middle of the ceiling. The masonry surrounding the globes was far more sophisticated than anything Annabelle had seen on their walk so far with depictions of curling vines, detailed feathers, and stone busts that looked more angelic than gargoyle.
“What… what is this place?” She asked, stepping further into the room, and turning around slowly to take in her surroundings.
“Honestly, we’re not a hundred percent sure. Donnie has some theories about bootleggers.” He paused. “Or vampires,” he said, shrugging. Annabelle shot him a glance, and realized yes, the vampire comment was serious. Then again, if there were mutant ninja turtles and time travelers in these sewers were vampires really that hard to swallow?
“Vampires, huh?” She spun again, slower this time. “Maybe the sewers have a Phantom instead?” She shot him a smirk over her shoulder.
“Freakin’ love that show,” Raph muttered, moving to the far left wall. He leaned back, crossed his arms over his broad chest, and tilted his head back a touch. “Think this will do for an impromptu concert?”
Annabelle cocked her head to the side. “You were serious?” He arched a brow, and she shrugged. “M’kay. I don’t really get it, but why not?” She pursed her lips for a moment, and then nodded as if she’d made a decision. “Just in case there is a Phantom… .” She shot him a grin, closed her eyes, and began to sing.
“Think of me, think of me fondly when we've said goodbye. Remember me, once in a while, please promise me you'll try. When you find that once again you long to take your heart back and be free, if you ever find a moment spare a thought for me.
“We never said our love was evergreen or as unchanging as the sea, but if you can still remember stop and think of me. Think of all the things we've shared and seen. Don't think about the way things might have been.
“Think of me, think of me waking silent and resigned. Imagine me trying too hard to put you from my mind. Recall those days, look back on all those times, think of the things we'll never do. There will never be a day when I won't think of you.”
Raph had been right – this was the perfect place to sing. The acoustics were phenomenal, and any nerves Annabelle might’ve had in the beginning disappeared as she marveled in the way her voice carried.
“I think you should do it.”
“Do what?”
“Sing professionally. I know you’d make a great doctor, but it’s obvious this is what you’re passionate about.”
Leo’s words of encouragement floated to the forefront of her mind as she finished the song. How many times had she caught him silently listening to her play the piano late at night when she couldn’t sleep or singing to herself to calm her anxiety? He’d made her feel so safe, so secure, and so confident with just a nod of his head or a simple smile. It seemed inevitable she would develop feelings for him, even if she didn’t quite know how to define them. Her chest hurt and her throat ached. Why had she chosen that song? The emotional baggage it dredged up was painful to relive.
Raphael’s slow clap jolted her from her thoughts. “Holy shit.” Her eyes flashed open to see Raph staring at her. “He wasn’t kidding. You really do have a set of pipes on you.” An almost feral smile split over his face as he began to walk towards her. “Do you have any idea what this means?”
“Ummmm.” Her nerves skyrocketed as the behemoth in red strode towards her. “No?”
“It means,” he declared once he stood in front of her, “that I am finally gonna beat Donnie and Leo at karaoke night!”
…………..
Master Splinter stressed meditation. It helped calm the warrior spirit, cleared the mind, and provided clarity and reflection. In hindsight, Leo wished his father had done more mental exercises instead of physical ones. Finding the right Leonardo and combing through his memories were proving to be harder than he anticipated.
Pizza, pizza, pizza, Shredder, robot Foot ninjas… wait… no. Wrong Leo.
Rain forests, stone statues brought to life… whoa! Big monster. Wrong Leo.
Leonardo sighed in frustration. Just how many alternate versions of himself were there? He could probably ask Donnie, but he didn’t want the explanation that would definitely follow. He closed his eyes again, took a deep breath, and tried a different approach.
Annabelle. Annabelle. Dark eyes, darker hair, pale skin. Feisty, sassy, thoughtful. Scared, angry, traumatized. Hopeful, gentle, caring. He focused on her image, cleared his mind of all other thoughts, and pushed.
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