#sapphic sci fi they told me

[sprainedankle15]

to everybody that told me i was gonna "have so much fun reading htn"- why the fuck did i just read about god having an orgy? why did the light bounce off the book into my cornea and allow my occipital lobe to convert what i just read into a mental image? god almighty just got bent the fuck over by his two saints undying. i'm sick of you all. you will feel my wrath

[idiopathicsmile]

so, my sci-fi mystery novel, Stars, Hide Your Fires tells the story of a cynical thief who gets backed into investigating the emperor's murder, along with a mysterious, beautiful stranger—in space.

it has humor and intrigue and queer disaster characters and fun worldbuilding and sing-alongs and social commentary and—i have been told—the correct amount of spiders. it is a young adult novel with some cussing, suitable for anyone 13 and up.

it came out July 2023, but Quirk Books has decided go out on a limb for me and issue a paperback. the paperback comes out tomorrow (July 2)! you can preorder it right now!

why you might want to buy a copy of Stars, Hide Your Fires

it got great reviews, including a starred review from Publishers Weekly, as well as a nomination for a Foreword INDIES Young Adult award, and it got selected for the 2024 Hal Clement Notable Young Adult Books List!

Author Dahlia Adler says, “A delightfully mischievous adventure full of intrigue, betrayal, and a touch of romance. Get ready to join your new favorite rebel crew.”

you'd be supporting a struggling queer creative making queer content, if that interests you

experience laughter! thrills! sapphic romance! mystery! a running joke about how weird the octopus is, as a creature!

the gorgeous cover, illustrated by @christinaillos, is just as dazzling in paperback

now it can all be yours for under $11.

order or preorder here, or wherever books are sold!

[nellasbookplanet]

Book recs: robots and artificial intelligences

A note: I'm differentiating here between artificial intelligence and transhumanism (such as uploaded consciousnesses and cyborgs), which I intend to make a separate rec post for at a later date.

(Titles marked with * are my personal favorites)

Other book rec posts:

Really cool fantasy worldbuilding, really cool sci-fi worldbuilding, dark sapphic romances, mermaid books, vampire books, portal fantasies

Continue beneath the cut for details on the books!

The Outside by Ada Hoffman*

AKA the book the put me in an existenial crisis. Souls are real, and they are used to feed AI gods in this lovecraftian inspired scifi where reality is warped and artifical gods stand against real, unfathomable ones. Autistic scientist Yasira is accused of heresy and, to save her eternal soul, is recruited by post-human cybernetic 'angels’ to help hunt down her own former mentor, who is threatening to tear reality itself apart.

The Prey of Gods by Nicky Drayden

South African-set scifi featuring gods ancient and new, robots finding sentience, dik-diks, and a gay teen with mind control abilities. An ancient goddess seeks to return to her true power no matter how many humans she has to sacrifice to get there. A little bit all over the place but very creative and fresh.

17776: What Football Will Look Like in the Future by Jon Bois*

A multi-media web novel available to read freely online (which you should do!!). I don't want to give too much away as the initial punch of finding things out is part of the journey, but it's both hilarious and profound as it questions the meaning of humanity and life.

Illuminae (Illuminae Files) by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff*

Young adult told through the medium of transcripts, text messages and the like (this is one of few books where I highly recommend reading a physical copy over a digital as the visual aspect is much more enjoyable like that). After their colony is attacked, the surviving inhabitants flee on space ships, attempting to avoid the pursuing killers while also dealing with a deadly madening plague on board and a ruthless ship AI seemingly losing its mind.

A Closed and Common Orbit (Wayfarers series) by Becky Chambers*

Technically part two of a series, but stands well on its own as the installments are only losely connected (though I recommend reading the first book as well, it's very good). A former ship's AI recently moved into an illegal android body tries to make sense of life as she navigates her way through humans and aliens alike.

The Quiet at the End of the World by Lauren James*

Young adult. After the spread of a global virus causing infertility, teenagers Lowrie and Shen are now the youngest humans alive as the adults around them race to find a cure. As they investigate the ruins of the world, the two come across records from the past, of how grief stricken people turned to raising artificial children in apps and how these 'children' developed, and through these records the two learn of their history. Also has a bisexual main character!

A Psalm for the Wild-Built (Monk and Robot series) by Becky Chambers

Novella. Long ago, robots, upon gaining sentience, simply laid down their work and walked into the wilderness. Long after, a tea monk looking for purpose follows after them into the wilds, where they come across one of the robots seeking its own sort of answers. While not plotless, this story focuses more on character and vibes over plot. Also has a nonbinary main character and features conversations on gender between human and robot.

All Systems Red (The Murderbot Diaries) by Martha Wells*

After having hacked its own governor module, SecUnit uses its small amount of new freedom to secretly download and watch as much media as it can between doing its job guarding humans. But when the scientists it’s been charged with keeping safe come under attack, it must make a choice about whether to continue keeping its freedom secret or risk it all to save them. The series features both novellas and full length novels, and balances humor with scathing critique of capitalism.

Machinehood by S.B. Divya

Prudent in the rise of AI and machine learning, Machinehood shows a near future in which humans struggle to find a place on the workforce as more and more jobs are given to AI. Status quo is shaken as a dangerous terrorist group calling itself The Machinehood starts committing attacks. A close look both at the rights of humans in a technologically changing world, and at the rights of AI as their intelligence edges ever closer to full sentience.

The Company of Death by Elisa Hansen*

A wild mix of genres, where a zombie apocalypse has struck and vampires gather up humans to keep their food source from going extinct, a robot travels across America with a young man she's tasked to keep safe, and former-vampire-hunter-recent-zombie Emily teams up with Death himself to stop the apocalypse. Features bi and ace characters! Bonus rec: the author also runs the youtube channel Maven of the Eventide, where she talks about various vampire media. Check it out!

Railhead by Philip Reeve

Young adult. In a future where humanity travel between the stars using not spaceships but a portal-connected system of sentient trains, a young thief and street urchin is hired to steal something off of the Emperor's train.

Being by Kevin Brooks*

Young adult. Cards on the table, I think I was about 14 when I last read this, but it made a strong enough impression that I still think of it as one of my favorite books. After having gone in for a routine exam, doctors make a stunning discovery about Robert Smith: he isn't human. Suddenly hunted, Robert goes on the run as he tries to cope with the fact of his own existence. While I love this book, it gives very few answers to its many mysteries, so don’t go in expecting full explanations.

Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie*

A space opera in which sentient spaceships can walk the ground in stolen human bodies, so called ancillaries. One of these ancillaries, the sole survivor after the complete destruction of her ship and crew, is one the hunt for revenge. This series also does very cool things with gender!

Crier's War by Nina Varela

Who says sci-fi has monopoly on robots? In sapphic YA fantasy Crier's War, artificially created automae have defeated and subjugated humans, who live as second class citizens. Young Ayla goes undercover as a servant, meaning to assassinate automae girl and Sovereign's daughter Crier. This would be easier if the two weren't quick to develop feelings for each other.

My Heart is Human by Reese Hogan

Nine years ago, all complex technology was made illegal. This complicates life for Joel, young transgender single father, as a bionic just uploaded itself into his brain without consent. Scared of losing his daughter, Joel tries to keep the bionic secret while using it to fix his life, but things quickly get more complicated as the bionic gains more and more control of his body. Makes a lot of cool paralells of bodily autonomy to Joel's experiences as a transman. Bonus rec: if you like the general concept of struggling for physical control over one's body with an AI, may I also suggest the (much grittier and gory) movie Upgrade.

The Archive Undying (The Downworld Sequence) by Emma Mieko Candon

In a world where AI gods sometimes lose their minds and take entire populations down with them, Sunai was the only survivor when his god went down. In the 17 years since, he has wandered on his own, unable to either die or age, drowning his sorrows in drink and men. But his attempts to flee his past comes to a stop as he is forced back into the struggle between man and machine. Featuring some pretty wild world building and narrative techniques, this book will definitely confuse you, but it is worth the experience.

Activation Degradation by Marina J. Lostetter

Unit Four comes to life in the middle of a war. The mine it was created to care for is under attack, and as Unit Four is activated with the memories of its predecessors, it is thrown into the task of protecting it at any cost. When the battle leads to its capture, it is prepared to do anything to stop its captors, even as their very presence causes it to question all that it knows.

Sea of Rust by C. Robert Cargill*

Years after the death of the last human at the hands of a robot uprising, Brittle travels the desert searching for machines on the brink of breaking down whose parts she can scavenge. The world is quickly falling apart as a war between OWIs - One World Intelligences - struggle to absorb every robot, willing or not. Bleak and captivating, Sea of Rust features horrible people who you can’t help but root for anyway as they struggle for their lives while questioning the very nature of said lives.

Bonus AKA I haven't read these yet but they seem really cool

Hybrid Child by Mariko Ōhara

Japanese 1990s classic. Follows an escaped AI who can take on the form of the people it has consumed.

World Running Down by Al Hess

Follows a powerful AI that has been forced into an android body against its will.

The Thousand Year Beach by Hirotaka Tobi

Set in a virtual world populated by AIs, meant as a resort for human guests who stopped showing up over a thousand years ago, leaving the AIs on their own.

And Shall Machines Surrender by Benjanun Sriduangkaew

Novella. Machines are the gods and rulers of the Dyson sphere Shenzhen, where humans live in luxury and strive to become host bodies for future AIs.

After On by Rob Reid

Phluttr is a social media and a person, potential hero and potential villain, holder of the secrets of all her users.

Annie Bot by Sierra Greer

Annie Bot was designed to be a perfect girlfriend, but as she learns all the more about being human, perfection becomes all the more distant.

Honorary mentions AKA these didn't really work for me but maybe you guys will like them:

The Lives of Puppets by T.J. Klune, Machines Like Me by Ian McEwan, Barbary Station by R.E. Stearns, The A.I. Who Loved Me by Alyssa Cole, Medusa Uploaded by Emily Devenport

[blakebow]

For me, what bugs me about the tragedy of Arkos, the darkness of rwby, and Bumbleby over BlackSun is the Self-Righteous Martyr/God-Complex of toxic contingent within these fandoms, to me they seem to ultimately not care the message these stories are trying to convey, but rather enjoy them and flaunt them for their own self-righteous megalomania

With the deaths of Pyrrha, and Penny respectively.

As soon as that happened, many among the fandom would come out and theatrically proclaim the necessity of these tragic deaths, how it is so realistic an shows “thats life”, and brag how ultimately hopeful the stories still are and how it taught them how to be oh-so hopeful despite the odds.

In any these cases, these people act as if they themselves were righteous martyrs, prophets of God,Life,Reality, usually the latter two because they claim "that's life" or "that's reality" all in a tone that reeks of holier-than-thou arrogance and vanity

Same with the Wasps over Bumbleby because “BEST SAPPHIC REPRESENTATION EVAR!!!” and taunting BlackSun fans for being “heteronormative”

They’re like Claude Frollo in a sense

"Of my virtue, I am justly proud..."

Or worse, they speak with ghoulish glee and bragging about it gives them a feeling of power over these fictional characters as if they themselves are God almighty and it bleeds into how they treat real people who didn't like it by passive aggressively or belligerently belittling, judging, shaming, gaslighting, and sneering at them, implying the worse reasons of their distaste, and tell them to go watch a sitcom or slice-of-life anime or something

Then they brag about what story was told with these ideas and concepts to be the end-all-be-all of these concepts in any fantasy/sci-fi epics that have even the slightest tinge of darkness and conflict and Representation and, lock them down into little theories, formulas, dogmas, and rule out everything else as a corruption, heresy, or a worthless little parasite, because they themselves are the infallible, all-knowing, and all-seeing “literary experts” who got everything all figured out and everyone else, wether the majority or minority, as peon reprobates.

Forgive my Catholicism talking, but it reminds me of the Pharisees

“They tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on other people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.”-Matthew 23:4

These self righteous people seem to only enjoy these stories not because of the message the tragedy and suffering is trying to convey, thats just a shield for them, but rather for their moral superiority and the thrill of power over others and being the measure of all things, for they know how life exactly works for specific individuals in specific genres and they know how to carry it out exactly.

Or with Bumbleby, how they are righteous champions of queer culture against eeeeevilllll heteronormative culture which reeks of resentiment

And that's why I am so irritable about Tragedy in these kinds of stories, it feels like they are no longer enjoyed out of humility, compassion, truth, goodness, and beauty.

But rather out of pride, vanity, power, cruelty, and moral superiority

While Bumbleby over BlackSun and the whole Adam fight enrages me because it feels like some sick power fantasy of LGBTQ+ Revenge against “Heterosexuality” while Sun is supposed to be kind of humble cuck

and sometimes it tempts me want to write my rwby au fanfic and original stuff inspired by it in a way that gives them all the finger rather than for what I saw these ideas and concepts could have been, just so I can give them a taste of their own medicine

I know that's wrong, but these people test my patience, especially when they keep invading other people's spaces, bypass other people's "curations" because "there's nothing subjective about this, I need to correct and educate you", and getting away with this kind of nasty behavior

you totally lost me on all the religious stuff, i don't subscribe to that by-weekly at all, fam.

on that note though, i do agree for the most part with the idea that the wasps have taken advantage of the canonization of bees to appoint themselves to some kind of sainthood, like they're holier-than-though over the rest of the fandom. and frankly, i can't stand those insufferable type of people.

they over project themselves onto terrible ships and even though people tell them how toxic and dysfunctional it is, it goes in one ear and out the other. they don't listen. they live in a detached bubble in a separate reality.

sad to say, that's not the first time that i've encountered fans like this in a fandom. some people really should be on a no fly list because they're clearly mentally unstable and a danger to others, but i don't get to make that call, unfortunately...

i want someone from crwby to come out and tell them that bees was never planned, because i think it would utterly shatter their delusional reality if they felt so betrayed by the hand that fed them. they should be soundly slapped several dozen times until they lose all coherrence.

[bi-focal12]

here's a list of books I've read and would recommend as well as books from my to-read list for Pride Month!

A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers: a solarpunk novella that discusses existential purpose from the perspective of a nonbinary narrator who meets a sentient robot years after robots decided to stop working and disappear into the wilderness. A great read that I found very soothing!

We Are The Ants by Shaun David Hutchinson: a YA sci-fi novel that follows a grieving high-schooler who gets routinely abducted by aliens. I read this one in the eight grade and as a kid who was unknowingly struggling with depression and had just learned that the word 'bisexual' existed, this was a pretty important read for me so even though I haven't read it in years it deserves an honorary place. CW: past suicide of the narrator's bf

Burning Roses by S.L Huang: a novella that combines European fairytales and Chinese mythology. It follows two middle-aged queer women as they reflect on their lives and chase down a deadly threat together. Told largely in flashback, I found this story very hopeful.

Blue Period (manga & anime) by Tsubasa Yamaguchi: had to toss this one in here as I adore BP. While not a romantic story, BP is about the discovery of artistic passion and the highs and lows of pursuing what makes you feel alive (and I find it to be relatable, refreshing, and inspiring tbh). In volumes 1-6 (and the anime), a secondary, genderqueer character has a fairly prominent storyline, told largely via the main character's changing perceptions of them. If you do give it a watch, I personally feel that the sub version hits harder.

In the Lives of Puppets by TJ Klune: I'm very excited to read this one (i love me some sentient robots lol) and have high hopes for the emotional depth. Here's the first bit of the synopsis. "Deep in the heart of a peculiar forest, in a strange little home built into the branches of trees, is a family assembled from spare parts: three robots- fatherly inventor android Giovanni Lawson, a pleasantly sadistic nurse machine, a small vacuum desperate for love and attention- and a human, Victor Lawson."

The Dark Tide by Alicia Jasinska: Google says it's a gripping, dark sapphic YA fantasy about two girls who must choose between saving themselves, each other, or their sinking island home. I love to see sapphic rep and truly hope this book delivers!

Feel free to drop more recs in the comments or share your thoughts about the books on this list!

[system-network]

Papyrus and Sans (AU) headcanons

I made sure that they all were in character, it's been forever since I wrote for anything Undertale related

Undertale

🦴Sans

-Aroace king right here

-I want to say that they are Transfem but I don't think he would care too much about how others perceive his gender

-He has ADHD and OCD

-He'll clean out his trumpet multiple times a day because of it

-It's like, the one thing he'll do

-One time Frisk wanted to help Papyrus clean, so they moved Sans sock from the living room and he kinda just stood there

-He wasn't upset at Frisk or Papyrus, of course not- but he liked the sock being there for some reason

-I don't have much for OG Sans, my apologies

🦴Papyrus

-Cis male and demi sexual

-He's just happy to be there, trust

-He has so much love to pass around, and I think that's obvious

-He has autism, and maybe ADD??

-Again, maybe on the ADD part

-He's never told anyone, but he can read Wingdings as well as sign language

-He wanted to learn, so he taught himself

-He was thrilled that he did, because when Frisk tried signing to monsters Papyrus was the one who could fully understand

-He taught other humans and monsters when the barrier broke

-He was so happy to help

-He's very unaware of his voice volume

-He tries so hard to not get too loud when excited, but he can only keep it in for sooo long

Underfell

🦴Sans (Red)

-Cis dude

-Doesn't really care about pronouns tbh

-He's also definitely Omni

-People always give him a brooklyn accent for some reason?

-I mean, I get it, but I don't think they were alive when monsters were on the surface so he wouldn't be around those kinds of accents?

-Unless other monsters have one, then I guess it makes sense

-Gold tooth is just because it makes him seem tougher

-Plus, when he was a baby Edge threw her bottle at him a little too hard and now he has a missing tooth

-It's just something he pops into his mouth, there isn't really a dentist under ground LOL

-He also has a lisp because of this

-He's so dumb omg

-Red can't pretend to fall asleep, he just can't

-He has to help kids whenever he sees one needing help

-He can't help it, he has big brother instincts!!

🦴Papyrus (Edge)

-Transfem queen

-I don't make the rules

-She is Transfem and sapphic!!!

-She's a good cook, if her food isn't up to her standers she will throw it out

-She likes fashion

-Look at her BOOTS, you just know she likes looking good

-Isn't as tall as the other Papyrus’, so the boots help

-No matter how hard she is on Red, she loves her brother dearly

-She just doesn't know how to fully show that without being on the verge of tears

-She's strong physically, but emotionally.. she'll need help in that department

-She has PTSD

-That much is obvious

Underswap

🦴Sans (Blue)

-He is my genderqueer aroace king

-I'm sorry, but dude isn't actively looking for romance

-He's energetic, but only when it's things he likes

-Like, he'll be sooo unenthusiastic but then he'll see a show he likes and gets so hyped

-Talks with his hands

-I tried to refrain from the “echo bodies”, but I have to mention that Blue is chubby

-This is a man, he has a stomach and no one can fight me on this

-He's also a little shit

-I DON'T MAKE THE RULES

-He's a smug bastard, just trust me

-He has OCD

🦴Papyrus (Stretch)

-I like to say trans masc

-Trans Masc or Bigender

-Bro is fluid in his gender regardless

-He also doesn't care for labels tbh, he just likes what he likes

-He's also energetic, but he gets burned out fast

-He forgets what he puts in his pockets often

-Bro is wearing cargo pants, too many pockets for him to keep track

-He definitely writes

-Horror stories? Yes. Sci-fi? Of course! Romance? Perchance…

-Annoying younger brother energy

-He likes annoying others, but I a like “oh you-” kinda way

-Also autistic!!!

-I love him so much don't get me started

[lilareviewsbooks]

More Short SFF Books!

Guys! Thank you so much for the love on my post on short SFF books! It was a lot for a tiny little blog like me lmao, and it made me feel very appreciated - thank you, again! 

I thought that because of all that love, this deserved a second edition. So, since short SFF is definitely my specialty, and I won't stop reading these novellas any time soon, here's some other SFF short books I think might be worth your time!

Also, check out part one of this list if you’d like some more books in this vein :)

The Monk and Robot Duology, starting with A Psalm For The Wild-Built, by Becky Chambers

152 to 160 pages

duology (so far!! I'm hoping and praying, Ms. Chambers!)

queer rep of all kinds, but our protagonist is non-binary! 

If you know me, then it's a surprise this didn't make it into the first edition of this list. I love Monk and Robot! They're My Favorite Books, so rest assured that they come very highly recommended!

This one follows Sibling Dex, a disciple of Allae, the god of small comforts, as they decide to change the course of their professional life and become a travelling tea monk. Along the way, they meet Mosscap, a very friendly robot, with one question - "what do humans need?" There's just one problem: robots have been living in the wild for generations, and they haven't interacted with humans since they gained consciousness. Can Sibling Dex handle this responsibility?

I hardly have the words to describe this one. This is a sci-fi, I guess, but it feels like a fantasy -- it's just so atmospheric and draws you into this utopian and equitable world full of nature and community. Monk and Robot really emphasizes the best parts of life, the best parts of humanity. It will warm your heart because you will see your life in it - in all it's smallness and its gorgeousness. It's perfect if you want something that's short, sweet, and with a conflict that doesn't span the whole entire world, but is focused instead on two people - or, I guess, on one person and a robot. 

Mandatory reading for everyone! Get your hands on a copy, you won't regret it!

Our Lady of Endless Worlds Duology, starting with Sisters of the Vast Black, by Lina Rather

176 to 192 pages

duology

sapphic rep

We're staying on theme here, with another religious-y pick. I give you: Sisters of the Vast Black! This one is about nuns! In space!

Some time into the future, the Catholic Church is alive and well. The sisters of the Order of Saint Rita live on their (get this) living ship, a gigantic animal they use to navigate between space stations and planets. I think this one is worth it just for that concept, I fell in love with it!

This book follows the Sisters as they receive a distress call from a colony, and find out that the Church's means might be more nefarious than they seem. But, mostly, it's about the sisters themselves, as they grapple with their faith, the ever-changing universe and the questionable morality of the Church. 

I loved this one! Not only are the characters very compelling, the setting is just so cool. This concept of the living space ship is so fucking neat, and the duology gets down to the nitty-gritty of it. Not to mention, the idea of religion, and contemporary religion in particular, surviving mostly unchanged into the future is so interesting! I don't know if it's me being nerdy, but I just found the concept here so, so compelling, I couldn't resist bringing these books home with me!

The Seventh Perfection, by Daniel Polansky

176 pages

standalone

I don't remember it being queer, but I could be wrong??

I guess this is also kind of religious in a way lmao. The Seventh Perfection follows Manet as she searches for someone for the God-King, who runs the kingdom she lives in, using her perfect dominion over the seven perfections to help her.

The unique thing about this book, though, is how the story is told. Instead of following Manet's perspective as she goes through her city, interviewing people, we only see one side of her dialogue. As Manet speaks to a shopkeeper, for example, we are only treated to his answers. In this manner, its up to the reader to put some pieces together.

Although it is nothing too complicated, - especially for veterans of books such as The Locked Tomb or fantasy behemoths like A Song of Ice and Fire, with their crazy amount of characters - the structure is pretty unique. Like Esme N pointed out in her Good Reads review of this one, it kind of reads as if you're a POV character in a videogame, going NPC to NPC. I'd say this one is for the anyone who likes different approaches to stories in SFF, and enjoys being a little bit confused!

Elder Race, by Adrian Tchaikovsky 

201 pages

standalone

no queer rep that I remember, either

Elder Race is an interesting one, as well. This one is definitely for fans of books with almost anthropological approaches to culture, such as The Left Hand of Darkness and A Memory Called Empire. Elder Nyr is a scientist, sent to another planet in order to explore it, who lives in his space ship. Except that, for the locals, that space ship is a giant tower, and Nyr is its mysterious sorceror of legend. Now, Lynesse comes to search for him so that he can help her deal with the threat of demon.

The result of the interaction between Lynesse and Nyr, and the fact that each of them have POV chapters, means that this reads as almost two separate books. One of them is a sci-fi, and that's Nyr's perspective, who is from a society with very high-end technology, and sees all problems as matters of science. Meanwhile, Lynesse sees everything as magical, so hers reads almost like a fantasy. It makes for such an interesting experience!

I think about this book constantly, and have been wanting to reread it for ages. I quite liked this particular approach, not to mention the concept! Plus, I love books that go deep into culture like this one. And, of course, it's from prolific and famous author Adrian Tchaikovsky, who wrote the Children of Time series, and although I haven't read the rest of his work, I've heard this is a good starting off point in case you want to get into his other books.

Princess Floralinda And The Forty-Flight Tower, by Tasmyn Muir

146 pages

standalone

non-binary rep

I'm always singing Ms. Muir praise, and that's for a reason! This one follows Princess Floralinda, who is locked up in a (guess!) forty-flight tower by an evil witch. She has placed one monster at every floor, and no prince has managed to get through the first one, let alone trudge up the stairs to rescue Floralinda.

With impeccable sense of humor, which is a trademark of Ms. Muir's fiction, we follow Floralinda's plight as she waits for someone to come rescue her - and then eventually notices no-one might be coming, after all. Her character development is astounding, and it's so satisfying to follow her. It's also just so impressive that so much can be packed into so little pages when it comes to her arc. 

And I forgot to mention - there's a fun fairy character who will help Floralinda on her way! I think it's worth reading just for that!

[lobotomydaughter]

also, uno reverse, book rec ask game questions 9, 22, 25, 48, 85, 89, 124, 131! feel free to pick and choose <3

<3333

9. your favorite book of 2020

i can't remember what year i read most of my books, let alone years back, but upon some googling my dark vanessa by kate elizabeth russell was originally published that year and since i love that book, let's just say it was that one.

will say though for anyone considering reading it that as a warning, the ending isn't what most would find satisfying but it did make sense to me.

22. your favorite thriller

i don't read thriller as often as i would like to, to be honest. i usually get distracted by books from different genres (namely historical fiction). always open for recs though!

in the future for this genre i am looking forward to reading the paris apartment by lucy foley. i've been told that it's good.

25. a book by your favorite author

perhaps the easiest question i've ever been asked in my 20+ years of life. without a doubt this would be in the dream house by carmen maria machado. i've recommended this book + author countless times on my blog and irl for good reason; carmen is a master of her craft, and this was such a raw and intensely honest memoir.

there's a long list of content warnings as it dives deep into domestic abuse in a sapphic relationship so for anyone who would like to read it, please take care to check that ahead of time.

i think it's the most important thing i have ever, and will ever, read.

48. your favorite sci-fi novel

without a doubt this would be into the drowning deep by mira grant. this is about terrifying mermaids and sisterhood and is soooo atmospheric. it's a follow-up to the author's novella rolling in the deep, and i do think it needs to be read in order. lots of horror elements too. overall it's just a really enjoyable book.

i think i actually have a pdf of into the drowning deep saved somewhere on my laptop and can send it to anyone who would be interested.

85. your favorite book about magical realism

it's been a while but i want to say that the gilded wolves by roshani chokshi was magical realism??? possibly??? it was found family + heist + paris, 1889 + magic with a beautiful and diverse set of characters and touched on issues like ableism, anti-semitism and racism.

honestly just talking about it makes me want to reread it. i still need to get the sequel dkfj

really upped my standards for ya.

89. a book that disappointed you

...i don't like holly black's the cruel prince at all. i wanted to, but i couldn't get into it. i think she's a talented author though! this one was just a miss for me.

124. the book you're currently reading

house of hunger by alexis henderson.

this is a sapphic retelling of the blood countess; it's been described as kinda vampires, but not really and... yeah that's really what it is. it has the vampire aesthetic; one of the main characters has her teeth fashioned into a vampires' fangs and she drinks blood. but she's not a vampire. you know how in the past some ppl thought drinking or washing yourself with someone's blood was thought to be a cure for ailments or like. a fountain of youth type of situation?? that's what's happening here. very gothic and atmospheric and i am already planning on buying henderson's other book, the year of the witching.

131. tag somebody with whom you would want to buddy read a book

apologies in advance if any of you don't like being tagged! feel free to just lmk and i can remove your @. but oh my so many people on here would be fun to read with! i know @hexgh0ul and i seem to have very similar tastes in media (yellowjackets, interview with the vampire, dracula to name a few) so i feel like we could definitely find smth we'd both enjoy and have a good discussion on.

@waffleinator-inator is another one!!! maya has great taste and i already do really enjoy talking literature with her so buddy reading smth new to both of us would be fun <3

@ladytauria is someone i have exchanged recs with as well and another one with excellent taste in fiction so hmu sometime /hj

and ofc you as well, it turns out, since i'm learning today that we both really enjoy some of the same books, at least for ya which you're never too old for imo

i'd be happy with buddy reading with anyone though tbh i read a pretty wide variety and each mutual could be matched with something different :)

bookish asks

[nona-gay-simus]

My pipeline to a TLT/griddlehark obsession was:

1. Ugh why is everyone obsessing over this book looks like boring old-fashioned sci -fi *has no idea it was published in 2019*

2. *hears a BookTube review* wait, it has lesbians? I thought the mc was a guy *had never looked at the cover beyond a cursory glance, knows nothing about the author*

3. I'm in the mood for sapphic witches. Hmmm, Scribd doesn't the audiobook I wanted to check out but it does have Gideon (and necromancers are just goth witches, right?) I guess I can check it out...

4. Are you telling me the main ship is a bitchy smart goth girl and a rambunctious sword butch??? And they hate each other??? Why has no one TOLD me about this???

5. ... This series is my entire personality now.

[out-of-the-forest-i-come]

January Reading Wrap-up

1. I'm Glad My Mom Died, by Jennette McCurdy. This memoir is a punch in the chest, full of raw, unapologetic honesty, and listening to the audiobook, narrated by Jennette McCurdy herself, made it all the more poignant.

2. The Empress of Salt and Fortune, by Nghi Vo. A really original novella told in fragments decades after the story happened. Between captivating characters and poetic writing, the novella was a great read.

3. The Atlas Six, by Olivie Blake. This one is a reread, but I'm happy to note that it was just as good, if not better, the second time as it was the first. Perfect for dark academia and slow-paced fantasy lovers, especially if you like an emphasis on characters.

4. When The Tigers Came Down the Mountain, by Nghi Vo. This is the novella that comes after The Empress of Salt and Fortune, though the two stories aren't really related. The story was very interesting, but the characters felt more distant, and though it was a very good read, I liked it less than the first book in the series.

5. Even Though I Knew The End, by C.L. Polk. I almost DNF'd it at the start, because it was a bit slow to get started and I didn't really feel anything for the characters, but then the story kicked in and I found myself drawn in. A very enjoyable read, full of suspense and with characters who proved to be greatly loveable and super cute sapphic representation in a historical setting. A good first-time reading C.L. Polk.

6. The Atlas Paradox, by Olivie Blake. Again, a reread, and it was amazing. It is as focused on characters as the first book, but the overarching plot of the trilogy really unfurls, and new relationships form. I had an amazing time rereading it.

7. Gearbreakers, by Zoe Hana Mikuta. A truly impressive sci-fi work. The worldbuilding is astonishing, the characters compelling even when you don't appreciate them, and the plot extremely engaging. I fell into the story effortlessly and loved listening to it. A bit disappointed by the ending, though that's really a personal issue because the ending does make sense. I just wanted something else, and I'm kinda sad I didn't get it. Still, it's an amazing book, with robots that lowkey reminded me of Iron Widow.

[ladytauria]

i think i reblogged it from you but never sent you questions, so for the book rec asks: 1, 13, 23, 44, 50, 54, 79, 92, 116, 130, 131 please!! thats A Lot, so feel free to pick and choose haha

ahhh thank u bean! i love talking books uwu

coming back up after answering to edit... um. bean, i'm so sorry for my answer on the last one xD i should have picked a different book. (i ranted. a little.)

1. a book that is close to your heart

there are a few books i could name, but i'm going to do the one i thought of first.

a girl of the limberlost. i only remember reading it once, but my mother is the one who gave it to me, and told me that it was a book she loved at my age at the time. (same with the secret garden.) so i can't think of that book without thinking of her, which makes it a little bit more special to me <3

13. your favorite romance novel

immediate impulse is to say legends and lattes by travis baldree bc. it's so good. however, while there is a romance i don't know if i would count it as a romance novel.

so.

the lady's guide to celestial mechanics. historical, sapphic, featuring both women in STEM (or, yknow, historical equiv) but also an appreciation for domestic arts / crafts normally looked down on. also there's an acknowledgement that homophobia existed, but there's none on page.

the prose is also gorgeous.

i don't actually read a ton of romance novels, but i've been trying to pick up more!

23. a book that is currently on your TBR

mmm, too many

but Our Wives Under the Sea - Julia Armfield went on sale on kindle the other day so! it's mine now <3 and one i've been eying for a while. the kindle cover isn't the one i wanted, but that's okay.

44. your favourite fantasy novel

a very large chunk of what i read is fantasy. this is HARD 😂

uhhh.

the locked tomb is technically sci-fi, isn't it?

fuck.

i'm gonna go with The Last Unicorn - Peter S. Beagle bc it is the only book i purposefully own more than one copy of! would love to get my hands on the graphic novel <3

honorary mention to the Inheritence Cycle bc reading Eragon was what got me to start writing my first novel.

which absolutely wasn't just. Eragon but with griffin riders instead.

(okay, legitimately, there were differences, but there was also definitely heavy inspiration.)

50. a book that made you cry a LOT

i don't actually cry at much? the last time i remember actually crying was when i was reading an abridged version of little women and beth died xD

i'm trying to think of another book which really grabbed me emotionally recently that also isn't. already on this list. and i'm coming up empty?

54. a book with the best opening line

i don't have a good memory for opening lines ^^; however for some reason i want to say The Lightning Thief, so. that's what i'm going with.

79. a book that reminds you of your favorite song

my favorite song changes by the moment, so i don't have answer for this one ^^;

92. a book about a redeemable villain

kay, so i almost answered this question with the book i gave for the next question, but i realized i don't? read a lot of multi pov books?? or at least not that i remember being such. i did remember one but it was the second in a duology, so.

so.

anyway!

the closest i can think of atm would be Empress of Forever by Max Gladstone. (highly rec this one, though i was a little disappointed when the pairing i wanted didn't happen xD)

116. a book with multiple povs

The Stars Are Legion by Kameron Hurley.

this book.

i.

woof.

okay, so. if you are. remotely squeamish, like. at all? you might wanna give this one a pass. (def check storygraph / other places for trigger warnings. im also happy to elaborate myself, lol.) i am. very squeamish, and made it through only because the story grabbed me tight and wouldn't let go. the worldbuilding is extremely interesting. the characters are all very different and both likeable and unlikeable in a million different ways. but.

oh boy, it was a tough one.

if you're NOT squeamish, though--

it was a 4 or 5 star read for me, iirc, so, y'know. recommended. not sure i'll ever pick it up again, but like. do not regret reading.

130. a book featuring flashbacks and/or intersecting storylines

i know i've read others like this, but the book that comes to mind is--and i had to google this bc it's been so long since i read it---Thirst by Christopher Pike. It was also published under "The Last Vampire." i don't actually recommend them; i read them during my middle school vampire phase and even i remembered being a little mindboggled. mainly bc i think there was an alien abduction in... the second or third book? idk, i had an omnibus.

131. recommend any book you like!

there's only one answer i can give to this, tbh. the locked tomb series brainrot is real and deep and i am. both highly anticipating and dreading the release of alecto so.

i gotta recommend Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir.

that SAID, i am well aware that this book has a reputation on tumblr esp for being poorly summarized, as the most oft-used pitch is "lesbian necromancers in space."

this is not an inaccurate summary.

BUT.

it is also not complete.

so first, some expectations: it's sci-fi, definitely, but also there are a lot of fantasy vibes? probably because of the swords and the necromancy and the sworn knights-esque plot. uh. basically, it's sci-fi like star wars is sci-fi, but also it's. it's not star wars.

second thing: this series is unreliable narrator central. tamsyn picks the least qualified person in the group for you to follow the story with, and it works. so well. like, firstly bc ofc things get explained (some; it does drop you in and expect you to pick up a lot through context clues) but ALSO because you WILL pick up things you didn't on re-reads. i did a reread before Nona and spent half of it screaming. i'm not much of an annotator beyond highlighting some lines on kindle but i was commenting all over the place.

uh.

i still haven't talked about the plot, my bad.

Gideon the Ninth follows the titular Gideon, after her childhood nemesis and heir to the Ninth House, is invited to the First House by the God Emperor of the Nine Houses to seek quasi-immortality and join him in fighting a war as old as the Houses themselves. When they get there, though, they soon find their fellow heir-and-cavalier pairs being picked off one by one.

this book also features a lot of gay... not pining, not really, but like. Gideon likes women and her pov spends a lot of time appreciating the other women with them xD (this is also part of what makes her unreliable as a narrator. plot? what plot? gideon is here for thirsting, and a little bit of pining.)

also mild enemies to lovers vibes.

ALSO there are memes. there's a none pizza left beef joke in book 2, i'm still not over it.

does get a little squicky at times with loving descriptions of bones and viscera, though.

if i keep talking about this book i won't ever stop <3

[ book recs ask game ]

[pridepages]

Living Under Fire: Gearbreakers

I just finished Gearbreakers by Zoe Hana Mikuta. I have thoughts...

Here there be spoilers!

YA Dystopian Sci-Fi had its heyday in the early 2000s. Having grown up on The Hunger Games and Divergent, I thought I didn’t need another warrior-girls-toppling-oppressive-government epic. I could not have been more wrong.

Suzanne Collins gets a lot of credit for writing a popular story that showcases the sort of real horror that growing up in a war zone inflicts upon young psyches. But in Gearbreakers, Zoe Hana Mikuta delivers a debut with even more depth--one that can be read both literally and figuratively. 

It is no secret that LGBTQ+ people are living under attack. Even in places that tout themselves as “free” or “liberal.” As someone trapped in a deeply conservative US State--one that has been passing law after law attacking our community--I am left routinely feeling trapped, enraged, and helpless. I want to leave, but without connections, job security, or certainty of where I should run to, I can’t begin to make it happen. Too many times, I’ve been told how I should feel about my situation. How it’s brave to stay and fight bigotry by just existing in a place that wants me gone or dead (and is not all that choosy about which).

Enter Gearbreakers, a sapphic story all about how there is nothing bold or beautiful or brave about living your life under fire. “Would you prefer I sugarcoat it?” 

To anyone who ever shrugged their shoulder and said that what we are experiencing is just a bump on the road to longterm progress, Erin says “We’re here to dismantle the fuckers who thought we’d just sit back and take it.”

To every bigot who’s ever held up a ‘holy book’ at us, Sona says: “there are no Gods here, good or bad...There are only brutal people...preying on those lacking in their own brutality.”

And to anyone else who’s fucking tired of having to go on like this? They’re here to remind us that “we do it for the people who can’t and who couldn’t.”

Mikuta is a talented writer whose gorgeous prose never feels forced. She never has to compromise poetry for movement or wit for wisdom. It’s just a plain good story full of misfit characters who find each other in a family. But it’s also about swimming through the trauma. It’s here to make the queer girls feel seen in their struggle.

Don’t let anyone tell you how to feel about living through the war. As Sona says, “You choose sides in war...choose the one that makes me feel human, and this I will not apologize for.”

[nellasbookplanet]

Book recs: many worlds, portal fantasy edition

A typical portal fantasy follows a human from our world who steps through a portal into a magical land (think of narnia). But there are many fun variations of this trope! Sometimes it's the magical people who come to our world; sometimes we get to follow people who have returned from their adventures and are seeking for new meaning; sometimes our world isn't involved at all. As might be assumed, most portal fantasies are fantasy stories, but some lean more toward magical realism, others toward sci-fi. It's a fun spectrum!

I'm separating portal fantasies from alternate timelines/parallel worlds type stories (which will get their own rec post soon-ish). I also generally do not include stories where the character travels to fairyland/land of the dead/etc as those feel like a genre of their own to me, but the lines between them sometimes blur and this is, obviously, a subjective list.

(Titles marked with * are my personal favorites)

Other book rec posts:

Really cool fantasy worldbuilding, really cool sci-fi worldbuilding, dark sapphic romances, mermaid books, vampire books

For more detailed info on the books, continue under the cut.

The Magicians (Magicians trilogy) by Lev Grossman*

You may not have heard of this book, but you have probably heard of the scyfy series of the same name that crashed and burned a few years ago. This is the book it’s based on (pros: it doesn’t end in the same way; cons: it doesn’t feature the juggernaut ship of the show in any major way). For the uninitiated: features what is essentially a (secret) magic university for tormented geniuses. When he finds magic isn't enough to grant him happiness, main character Quentin goes digging into the truth surrounding his favorite childhood books searching for meaning, and finds out that the magical other world they describe might not be so fictional after all.

Stray (Touchstone trilogy) by Andrea K. Höst*

Young adult told through diary entries. Including this as a portal fantasy is a bit of a stretch, but essentially: Cassandra unkowingly walks through a wormhole and lands herself on another planet, where she has to survive on her own until she is rescued. Soon she finds herself embroiled in a war between creatures from dreamlike other dimensions and the people who saved her. Skirts the line between scifi and fantasy (it has psychic space ninjas!), but generally feels mostly like sci-fi. Absolutely fantastic worldbuilding.

In Other Lands by Sarah Rees Brennan*

Young adult. Kids who can walk between our world and a magical one get recruited into a magical school that trains them either to be fighters or sort-of diplomats. Our lead decides that fighting is stupid and that he’s going to peacefully solve every conflict ever, all while being the most delightfully obnoxious little brat possible and getting incolved in the most bisexual love triangle imaginable. Very good, funny, and heart-felt coming of age story.

NPCs (Spells, Swords, & Stealth series) by Drew Hayes*

This one only counts as a portal fantasy on a technicality and on the fact that I love it and this is my list. Follows a group of DnD players whose characters immediately die, forcing them to make new characters, and, parallel to their adventures, a group of NPCs from the fantasy world who find themselves forced to take the place of a party of recently deceased adventurers. The two parties do cross path on occasion, but there aren't actually any portals involved as all characters (mostly) stay in their respective world. A fun and light-hearted adventure that turns a lot of the expected tropes of the genre and of character archetypes on their heads.

The Time of the Dark (The Darwath series) by Barbara Hambly

1982 classic. Medieval history student Gil and biker Rudy are complete strangers, but when they get mixed up with a wizard from another world the two must work together to survive and get back home. Fairly traditional fantasy with its fair share of issues, but! It has cool swordswomen, creepy lovecraftian monsters and also mammoths!

The Twelve Kingdoms by Fuyumi Ono*

Young adult, light novel. Yoko Nakajima is a regular high school student, or at least she was one until a strange man showed up in her school, swore allegiance to her and whisked her away to another world. As the two get separated, Yoko is stuck on her own in a strange world, hunted by humans and demons alike as she travels in search of a way home. Absolute high point of isekai literature, with an incredible main character and really cool and unique worldbuilding (also available as an anime, however I have yet to watch it and can't speak to its quality just yet).

Peter Darling by Austin Chant*

Novella. An older Peter Pan returns to Neverland after years spent in our world, only to find that everything is different. Before he knows it, he finds himself working with his lifelong enemy, Captain Hook. Very gay and very trans, with interesting takes on toxic masculinity. Made my heart ache in the best of ways.

A Curse so Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer

Young adult. A retelling of beauty and the beast, where 'beauty' is a girl brought in from our world to a fantastical one and the narrative focuses a lot on what actually happens to the kingdom when the royal family suddenly disappears, and whether it’s even possible to fall in love with someone you know is deliberately trying to seduce you to break a curse. This is part one of a trilogy, however I'm only really recommending the first book as the second did not work for me at all.

The Golden Compass (His Dark Materials trilogy) by Philip Pullman

Young adult/middle grade, fantasy but has a lot of sci-fi aspects as well. Already well-known and for good reason, the His Dark Materials trilogy starts as what seems a pretty typical fantasy with some cool unique aspects (everyone has a soul-bound animal only they can speak to as their best friend!), and soon veers into a truly one of a kind story. It has magical portals, it has strange worlds with equally strange inhuman creatures, it has physics, it has god murder, it has gay angels, it has tragedy, and it’s very much worth your time.

Every Heart a Doorway (Wayward Children series) by Seanan McGuire*

A tumblr favorite, the Wayward Children novellas feature a school open to children who have returned from adventures in other realms and now have trouble adapting back to regular life. Some installments are set in our world, others follow children as they have their otherworldly adventures. The main characters vary between books, but are generally pretty diverse with among others asexual, trans, intersexual and sapphic leads. Both funny and dark, it takes a closer look at the trauma many endure growing up different.

Otherside Picnic (Otherside Picnic series) by Iori Miyazawa

Sapphic light novel with a surreal and episodic horror vibe. Following the directions of an urban legend, university student Sorawo finds her way to a reality populated by horrifying creatures from ghost stories and modern urban legends (of which I'm sure you'll recognize many). Here she teams up with fellow explorer Toriko, both to both find out more about this strange world and to help Toriko find a missing loved one. Also available as a manga and (one season of) an anime.

Last Bus to Everland by Sophie Cameron

Young adult. Brody is dealing with a lot, but it all gets a little easier when he meets Nico, who shows him how to access Everland, a magical land where he feels less out of place. But when the doors to Everland start disappearing, Brody must choose which world is really home. I'd categorize this less as fantasy and more as coming of age with a fantasy slant. It's also very gay.

The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern

Surreal and fairy tale-esque, The Starless Sea is stories within a story, following graduate student Zachary as he finds a strange book which, in-between other tales, tells a story from his own childhood. Trying to find out how this came to be, Zachary gets involved with a pink-haired woman and a handsome man who are doing their utmost to protect a strange, otherworldly library available only through magical doors. It's a book hard to put in words, but which I once described as "romantic without being a romance while stile having a love story at it's core", and which can be summed up only as "an Experience". It's also quite gay!

The Memory Theater by Karin Tidbeck

Listen, there’s a whole bunch of Swedish portal fantasies I read growing up that I'm dying to include here, but I'm not because they’re not available in English. The Memory Theater however is available, and is very good. Two children who were stolen into an otherworldly realm that wants them dead fight return to earth, and are followed by one of their captors across universes. The story has the feel of a dark fairy tale, and their captors, while not fey, are very reminiscent of them.

The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow*

Historical young adult, more magical realism than fantasy. In the early 20th century, January is living under the care of her father's employer while he travels the world searching for valuables and secrets. But both her father and her caretaker are keeping something from her, something about her own family's history. When she one day stumbles upon a strange book, one that speaks of other worlds, she finally sets out to find the truth. However, there are those seeking to stop her and destroy the doors between worlds, no matter what.

The Hollow Places by T. Kingfisher*

Horror rather than fantasy. After having divorced, Kara moves to stay with her uncle and help him run his museum of curiosities, until one day she discovers a hole in the wall of his house. The hole leads to a strange bunker, and beyond that, a dark and dangerous world beyond her understanding. In the company of a friend, she goes to explore this world, but quickly comes to regret her decision to do so.

The Unspoken Name by A.K. Larkwood*

The sort of portal fantasy you get when all the worlds connected by portals are fantasy worlds, and none of them are ours. The portals themselves become simply a part of the worldbuilding that the characters use to travel between fascinating places, and it's all really cool. It follows Csorwe (lesbian orc assassin whom I love), who grew up in a cult, indoctrinated as a child sacrifice to a god. But on the day she was meant to die, she instead chose to follow a powerful wizard and train to become his loyal servant and sword. Aside from being an excellent fantasy, it's also a close look at the hard path of unlearning indoctrination and the search for love and validation where you'll never find it, and learning to live for yourself.

Odin's Child (the Raven Rings trilogy) by Siri Pettersen

Norwegian (vaguely Norse mythology inspired) young adult. Fifteen-year-old Hirka grew up thinking she simply lost her tail to a wolf attack, but one day she finds out she never had one: she's an Odin's child, a human, sent from another world and rumored to spread rot and ruin wherever she goes. To keep her secret safe, she goes on the run, but there are forces hunting for her, wanting to use her in their war. This reads mostly as a fairly typical epic fantasy, with the portal aspect not playing a major role until the second book.

The Barbed Coil by J.V. Jones

1997 classic. Tessa is a young woman with little going for her, until she stumbles upon a strange ring that transports her to a magical and dangerous other land. Here she meets Ravis, a mercenary who takes it upon himself to protect her, and discover her own special abilities, which she must use against an evil king whose mind has been corrupted and taken over by his crown, the Barbed Coil.

Skeen's Leap (Skeen trilogy) by Jo Clayton

1986 classic. While most portal stories are fantasy, this one has a distinct sci-fi flavour. Skeen is master thief wanted in a myriad solar systems, until her spaceship gets stolen and she's stranded on a backwater planet. Here she hears rumors of ruins leading to a strange other land. Hoping for treasure enough to get her off-planet, Skeen goes in search of this place, but finds herself stuck and unable to get back. This one has a unique, almost stream of consciousness prose that takes a while getting used to, but rewards you with a one of a kind experience.

Inkheart (Inkworld trilogy) by Cornelia Funke

German middle grade/young adult, in which the fantastical other worlds are those told of in books. Young Meggie's father has the ability to, when he reads, bring things and people out of the books, or put other people into said books. However, once having done so, he knows of no way to put anyone back where they belong. Now, years after he accidentally brought the terrible villain Capricorn and his henchmen out of their book, he and his daughter must evade them at all costs or be forced to bring further horrors out of the page and into the world.

Bonus AKA I haven't read these yet but they seem really cool

An Accident of Stars by Foz Meadows

A teenage girl accidentally follows a worldwalker from her world to a magical realm on the brink of civil war. I believe this on has both a major polyamorous relationship and ace/aro characters?

The Sleeping Dragon (Guardians of the Flame series) by Joel Rosenberg

1983 classic. A group of college dnd players find themselves transported to the magical realm they previously thought just a game.

The Wandering Inn by Pirateaba

Webnovel. After having been transported to a magical world, Erin decides to, rather than become a warrior or a mage, start running an inn.

Honorary mentions AKA these didn't really work for me but maybe you guys will like them: The Marked Girl by Lindsey Klingele, The Summer Tree by Guy Gavriel Kay, Child of a Hidden Sea by A.M. Dellamonica, Spellsinger by Alan Dean Foster, The Shattered Gates by Ginn Hale, The Awakening by Nora Roberts, Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor.

[fictionalized-lesbian]

💛, 🌱, 🦚 for the LGBTQ+ asks?

Ooh, these are fun.

💛 Who or what made you realize you were queer?

I would say my gay awakening was Ruthie Henshall playing Fantine in Les Mis the 10th Anniversary Concert (I was a theatre nerd, okay?) I was like 10? 11? Somewhere in there. I was having so many ✨gay feelings✨ I didn’t understand that I made a drawing of her. To be clear, I am not an artist. That confused teen drawing is still in one of my notebooks and it haunts me.

🌱 How would your younger self act if your current self told them they were queer?

My little self (5 and under) would be irritated by how illogical I was being because I had already decided being bi made the most sense (why only choose one gender?) But aside from that, she’d think being a lesbian was pretty cool. Age 7-11ish would probably be uncomfortable.

🦚 Are there any queer books/shows/etc. that you would recommend?

Oh gosh, don’t do this to me. I have so many. I’m going to stick to books just so that this post doesn’t go on forever. One of my favourite books is The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. I also really recommend This Is How To Lose The Time War, it’s sapphic, super intelligent, and sci-fi. The Scapegracers is gay af, witchy, with a wonderful mix of teen movie cliches. Think of Mean Girls, Heathers, Jennifer’s Body, and Practical Magic all combining to make this book. If you want a classic YA book, I suggest I Kissed Shara Wheeler. It’s a mystery, and the love interest is a bitchy popular girl. What’s not to love? Also, enemies to lovers.

Thanks for asking!

[regardstosoulandromance]

hi! I know you’re a big reader and I was wondering if you could recommend some books for someone trying to get back into reading? (me. I’m that someone lol).

it literally could be any genre I’m not really picky, although I do prefer fiction over non-fiction. also since it’s been a while since I’ve read a book and I want to regain my attention span maybe I should start with shorter books like 300ish pages and then work my way up? idk tho. anyway thanks in advance!!

anon i have been compiling a list since you sent the message like two hours ago so I have a lot of options for you. I'm including all their page counts in the parenthesis beside the title- i got the numbers from google so might be a little off but vibes wise felt right from what I remember lol

under the cut because oops it's kinda long

extremely short books (under 300 pages, all adult):

A Spindle Splintered (128) & A Mirror Mended (176) by Alix E. Harrow - Sapphic, feminist, modern retellings of Sleeping Beauty and Snow White respectively. I liked A Mirror Mended a little better but both are good.

Even Though I Knew The End by C. L. Polk (144) - Sapphic historical fiction urban fantasy. A witch detective investigates mysterious deaths targeting people who made a deal with the same demon she did. SO good, ripped my heart out, made me cry.

Murderbot: All Systems Red by Martha Wells (160) - Sci fi!!! Murderbot is a robot who secretly hacked the module that takes commands, making it sentient- and all it wants to do is watch its tv shows but unfortunately it has to help the humans who keep getting into trouble. Very funny, action packed, lowkey very relatable. I will say the first chapter or so it kinda confusion but once you get into the flow of it it's a fun time.

This Is How You Lose The Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone (224) - Sapphic scifi, time travel. Two enemy agents on opposite sides of the time war leave each other letters... and slowly fall in love. It's so so so gorgeously written.

Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn (272) - Super dark mystery/thrill from the same author as Gone Girl. A reporter returns to her hometown- where she has a tumultuous relationship with mother- to investigate the murders of several young girls. Super fucked up.

adult novels, mostly romance:

Something To Talk About by Meryl Wilsner (336) - My favorite sapphic romance novel ever. It follows the assistant to a tv showrunner who's boss takes her to an awards show hoping the story will be "Boss Is Always Working" only for the press to think they're dating. Very slow burn. If you like SuperCat you'll like this.

The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna (336) - Cozy fantasy! A witch who's never had a family of her own accepts a job to tutor three young witch girls and falls for one of their caretakers. Very sweet, very found family, this book is like the perfect cup of tea.

Where'd You Go Bernadette by Maria Semple (330) - The one non romance novel of this section. This is an epistolary about a reclusive architect living in Seattle, fighting her neighbors, and struggling with increasing agoraphobia while her daughter announces a family trip to Antarctica. Despite all that, the book is hilarious and touching.

The Boy Next Door by Meg Cabot (384) - okay you said 300ish pages but hear me out. Like Where'd You Go Bernadette, this book is also an epistolary novel told entirely in emails making it a super fast and easy read. It's about a woman who works at a newspaper who's neighbor is mysteriously injured causing the neighbor's hot nephew to move in to take care of her dog. It's super funny.

ya novels, because I still read ya novels and they're shortish:

anything by Emma Lord but especially When You Get the Chance (330) and The Rival (320) - All of Lord's books are contemporary usually set in NYC (but not always) with a f/m romance and stand out diverse side characters. When You Get the Chance is a reverse Mamma Mia, where a girl is trying to figure out which three women is her mom, based of her dad's old LiveJournal. Lots of musical theater references. The Rival is her newest book about two rivals in high school who are not attending the same college and fighting for the same position on a zine. Except it's clear while to HER he's her worst enemy, to HIM she's his best friend.

Wish You Weren't Here by Erin Baldwin (304) - Sapphic contemporary enemies to lovers at summer camp! Two high school seniors who can't be more different are not happy to be placed in the same cabin at summer camp and forced to tolerate each other.

the one single non fiction recommendation:

The Anthropocene Reviewed by John Green (304) - This is my one nonfic recommendation because it's a book of essays, and when I read it I was in a reading slump and every essay that I read made me feel really accomplished. It also restores a little big of faith in humanity which we all need right now and was super interesting and educational. It's a series of essays detailing and rating uniquely human things- like scratch and sniff stickers, the QWERTY keyboard, and Halley's comet.

this ended up so long oops well I hope this helps and let me know if you read any of these!! good luck!!

[wolfreader]

august 2024 wrap-up - adult fiction

this month i read ten (10) adult novels.

the warm hands of ghosts by katherine arden 📚 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

i absolutely adored this book! i'm very seriously considering getting my own copy once it comes out in paperback.

i didn't have super high expectations, especially considering i'm not normally a magical realism enjoyer, but this book legitimately brought me to tears (which is very rare for me). i've seen other reviews that say that this book is more about the journey than the destination, as the ending leaves a lot open and unanswered, and i definitely agree, but wow is it an amazing journey.

foundryside by robert jackson bennett 📖 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

this is a fantasy series i've heard about for a while, but i avoided because i heard that the magic system is very science-oriented, which i don't typically like. however, now that i've finally given it a try, if the next two books blow me away as much as this first one this might become a favorite series.

the main character was really lovable and endearing from really early on and the talking key that she ends up in possession of (not a spoiler, he shows up not even five chapters in) is so much fun and quickly became a favorite character. i also wasn't aware that this had a sapphic love interest, so that was a pleasant surprise!

sense and sensibility by jane austen 📖 🌟🌟🌟

much like persuasion, which i read at the end of july, this is not my favorite austen novel that i've read thus far. i cared about the relationship between the sisters, but i wasn't invested much in any of the romantic relationships presented. i wasn't interested at all in either of the men marianne becomes entangled with and i only slightly cared about elinor and edward's thing.

i still enjoyed it, just not as much as some of jane austen's other books. going to keep working my way through her work so see if my favorites are dethroned at any point.

sleeping giants by sylvain neuvel 📚 🌟🌟🌟

one of my reading resolutions for the second half of 2024 has been to try some books outside of my comfort zone, and i never read sci-fi, so i picked this up at the library.

this is told as though it's a series of interview transcripts, journal entries, news reports, et cetera which isn't a writing style i adore, but it also made it very quick to read. that being said, i don't think i'm going to continue with the series. i'm not going to give up on finding sci-fi that i enjoy, there are some other books i've been recommended that sound really promising, but i'm just not invested enough to continue with this series in particular. i only really connected to one character and i don't like the direction that character is going in.

to the lighthouse by virginia woolf 📖 🌟🌟🌟

i don't know how to feel about this one? i liked it well enough.

i know that this is one of those books that's supposed to be plotless, but i feel that this was perhaps a little too plotless for my tastes. i did really enjoy the second and third parts, especially the depiction of the contrast in the ramsay's life before and after the first world war.

i plan on coming back to this in a year or so, when i've read more from woolf and am more familiar with her writing style, so maybe i'll feel differently then.

we dream of gods by devin madson 📚 🌟🌟🌟

this is a series that i've been at for a while. i initially bought the first three books, but after months went by without me even thinking of buying the fourth and final one i had to accept that i simply wasn't interested enough to justify spending money on it. my own library system didn't have it, so i put in an inter-library loan request and recieved it!

i was a little underwhelmed. there was only one character of the four main ones that i was really invested in, and she at least got a satisfying, happy ending, but i just didn't feel any strong emotions about any of the other point of view characters and that applied to their endings as well.

i can't believe i'm rooting for a straight couple to end up together, but two characters who intially had romantic and sexual tension ended up in seprate, queer relationships by the end of the series, and both of these relationships came out of left field and had no chemistry. if this series were more popular, i'd say that perhaps reader interest made the author switch directions with these characters, but i don't think it's popular enough for that to have been a factor.

after sappho by selby wynn schwartz 📖 🌟🌟🌟🌟

i adored this book! it's been on my radar for a while, but my work got a couple of copies in and i obviously have an employee discount so i saw it as a sign to finally read it. the format and style of this book is for sure an acquired taste but i, personally, enjoyed it a lot.

i loved the use of "we" throughout the book, framing the author as part of a background collective of queer women that was there throughout the historical events taking place; this was potentially as a deliberate attempt to evoke the image of a greek chorus? either way i really liked it, it really helped to create a sense of kinship with both the "main characters" of the novel as well as with this hypothetical group of sapphic women paying witness to the growing and changing landscape of queer and particularly sapphic culture.

i also really liked the framing of sappho less a person and more an idea, or a spirit that can inhabit anyone. seeing as we know very little about the historical sappho and we knew even less during the time period this book takes place, i found the presentation of sappho as an idea very compelling. i was fascinated with the repeated imagery of "becoming" sappho, of being transformed into sappho for a brief period through art, performance, activism, relationships, et cetera.

mrs. dalloway by virignia woolf 📖 🌟🌟🌟

an apt follow-up to after sappho, as virignia woolf was a major character in that novel. i enjoyed this one more than to the lighthouse, which makes me excited for orlando (which im planning to read soon), as friends who are familiar with woolf's writing have told me they think that's the one i will like the best. also, after sappho put a lot of focus on the woolf's writing of orlando in particular, which excited me.

but for mrs. dalloway, i'm a little mixed. the parts i liked i really liked but the parts i didn't like i really didn't like. there were parts that almost made me cry, and parts that i was incredibly bored with.

the once and future king by t.h. white 📖 🌟🌟

i was really enjoying this book for the half, but in my opinion it took a sharp dip in quality in the second. the first two books included in this edition (the sword in the stone and the queen of air and darkness), which focus on king arthur's childhood and therefore on elements of arthurian legend that aren't as well-trodden in literature, i really enjoyed, but once the focus shifts to lancelot and guinevere and the more classic arthuriana stuff i thought it really dragged. i just felt that not only have i seen this story before, i've seen it done a lot better than this.

as i write this i've already gotten rid of my copy at a book swap and traded it in for something i'll hopefully enjoy a lot more.

the desert spear by peter v. brett 📖 🌟🌟🌟

i have really complicated feelings on this one. consider this a right-in-the-middle 2.5 stars that i've rounded up for simplicities sake.

on the one hand, i think peter v. brett is a talented writer. his writing style is very quick and engaging and readable without feeling dumbed-down or juvenile. when he actually takes the time to give characters a fully realized story instead of just relying on stereotypes, those characters are really compelling and i find myself wanting to continue the series to find out what happens to them. the demons and the mysteries surrounding them are interesting.

however, this book is insanely racist and misogynistic. and not in an (unfortunately very common) "average grimdark fantasy written by a white man" way, in a very noticeable way. while the primary antagonists in this series are the literal demons, the secondary antagonists, the krasians, are very thinly veiled amalgamations of various swana cultures. and the way these fantasy allegories for muslims are written is, as mentioned, insanely racist and islamaphobic! the best non-white man in the series thus far is still depicted as a money-hungry coward willing to sell out his close friends for wealth. most of them are depicted as bloodthirtsy rapists, including one of only two non-white male point of view characters.

most women in the series and every single woman who is a point of view character can be sorted into either "rape surivivor" or "hypersexual manipulator" (or sometimes both!). there's a new female point of view character introduecd in this book that was only briefly mentioned in the last one, and almost immediately she is sexually assaulted. if i had a nickel for every time a female character in a demon cycle book was violently sexually assaulted only to then immediately seek out sex with the next vaguely nice man they interact with, i'd have two nickels. the most prominent non-white female character and the only non-white female point of view character is sorted into "hypersexual manipulator", as are most of the non-white women in general. even when these women are given sympathy as rape survivors, it's in a very racially charged way, to put it mildly. also this man simply does not know how the female body works. the hymen does not work like that, peter, and a woman who has dedicated years of her life to healing and is particularly knowledgable about fertility and women's reproduction would know this.

i've heard from others who have noticed this very obvious issue with the book but who have also read the rest of this series that the desert spear is the absolute worst it gets, that it gets better throughout the series, so i might continue (as i said, when brett actually puts effort into his characters they're very compelling) but i'm very conflicted.