#wlw book review

[smallcandlejar]

review: imogen, obviously

imogen, obviously- becky albertalli

summary: painfully straight imogen spends a few days visiting a friend at college only to meet tessa and find that maybe she isn't as straight as she thought...

genre: ya, romance

review:

this. this is my favourite book i've read probably like ever. i know, i know its a lot of hype for another plain old ya romance book but just like, hear me out?

imogen, obviously as a novel covers so many topics that young queer people face today, from sexuality to discourse to keeping and leaving friendships.

firstly, imogen's questioning of her sexuality felt so genuine, real and relatable. as the designated "straight friend" its clear that imogen has always just decided that was her role. so when she starts to think that maybe she isn't what everyone thought she was it brings up some major internal conflicts. as someone who has, and still is, going on this journey its so comforting to be with imogen. you really feel what she feels, understand what she's thinking and eventually come to terms with sexuality as a concept.

my absolute favourite aspect of this book is how it deals with toxic friendship and queer discourse. in the age of online media people always always need to have an opinion on someone else- and for some reason in the queer community some people do have to have trouble with something someone else is doing. at the beginning of th book we see a lot of discourse coming a queer friend- however at this point its framed less as discourse and more as fact. i'm straight so i shouldn't argue, i'm straight and what if i'm appropriating queer culture by being in these spaces? but as we go though and battle the beast that is bisexuality these comments begin to feel weighted, directed and painful.

becky albertalli does a wonderful job at highlighting how everyones journey to queerness is different and criticising another person for when and how they discover that can be really harmful. if you've undergone any questioning of your identity imogen's story hits hard. i felt all her highs and lows physically- like pull that heart rate monitor out and i'd have run a marathon fr.

the friendships (and mayyybbeee a something more) imogen makes throughout the story are wonderful. they are the queer friend group i've always wanted, dreamed of, prayed for (god please please). imogen has some especially heartfelt moments with her best friend who she came to visit that you really feel for.

tessa also, like i fell in love with her with you imogen. damn.

in the end, i love this book not purely because of the way i relate to it- but theres also probably a lot of that. its so validating to hear someone else go through this story and come out (ha!) happy with themselves. the feeling of oh. these takes really are bad, and i shouldn't feel guilty just hit home so hard. i could go on about this book forever, obviously.

rating: 5/5 (biased i knowwww)

TLDR; are you questioning your sexuality? do you feel really guilty about it sometimes? well ive found the book for you! its imogen, obviously.

[randomgirl005]

[jessreadswithpride]

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Dancing Barefoot is about a young girl named Patch who doesn't fit in at school. She is often bullied, is socially awkward and is totally crushing on the most popular girl at school, Evie. Thanks to the actions of her number one nemesis, Abigail, things are set in motion for Patch and Evie to get closer. Patch is a Lesbian. Patch's best friend, Edwin, is a Aisan Trans boy who is going through HRT. Evie is Australian-Mexican Sapphic girl. There is also bisexual and more POC rep. This book is cute, heartwarming, amazing, AND JUST EVERYTHING. SO GO BUY THIS BOOK NOW.

[moonwoods]

my favourite thing about being a reader is looking up fanart of the books after and seeing that another individual human being perfectly replicated what I saw in my head, and created a drawing of it. that’s probably one of my favourite things on earth. when I finished Gideon The Ninth and looked up fanart it was like people took my thoughts and visions and perfectly displayed it in a drawing or a painting. are you kidding me??? that’s so fucking cool. god bless artists

[apolline-lucy]

hey i did a little redesign of my book cover because i didn’t like the way the blurb was written before… how do you like it now?

check out my book, THE SILVER BIRDS, if you’re into sapphic dark fantasy with witches, monsters, spooky deaths, and a whole cast of grey characters!

[tha-star]

In a modern au of fem bingqiu, a social media influencers, I see Luo Binghe having a food channel or a gamer one (games of violence, because her OP energy would radiate, and I think this contrast in Binghe is funny), maybe both. Luo Binghe being very soft cooking, and rough cleaning battlefields like it was nothing in games.

While Shen Yuan reviews books, she also reviews other pop culture things, but more about books. Soft masc is more her style, while Binghe has the cute and baddie style.

Imagine both of them ending up on these horrible misogynistic podcasters, 'cause they heard that the other one would be there, and they are already fans of each other, the first time they will see each other in person is in this horrible situation.

I feel like they could constantly pit one against the other, like "Shen Yuan is the intellectual kind of woman, Luo Binghe is superficial, play games for the simps", "Luo Binghe has many talents of a housewife, Shen Yuan is not feminine, has no vanity."

But they constantly defend each other with passion.

Weeks later, Shen Yuan on live and Luo Binghe appears behind with cookies, kiss the top of her head and leaves. And the internet discovers that they are dating. (Or married, it would be even funnier that way)

[franticvampirereads]

This was a sweet and soft read, perfect for summer! I loved getting to see Morgan figuring out who she was outside of her friend group. Especially when she finally just let herself be in the moment with Keltie and not let what other people might think get to her. I loved seeing her and Keltie falling in love over the course of the summer, it was so sweet (even if they did hide it from everyone). Also! Getting to see Morgan’s conversation with her mom after being outed by her brother was really nice. All in all, The Girl From The Sea is getting a solid four out of five stars!

[maggiegrace]

#books #self publishing #authors of Tumblr

derramei meu coração nas páginas, depois de três longos anos, de amor, desgosto e cura. Este livro de poemas está completo e pronto para ser compartilhado. do meu coração para o seu, aproveite.💜🐝📖

Obrigado pela ajuda

mulher levanta mulheres 💕

Você pode encontrá-lo aqui

[incorrect-off-with-their-heads]

are you a fan of sapphic romance, love-hate relationships, but tired of enemies to lovers? Order your copy of Off With Their Heads by Zoe Hana Mikuta today!

We have:

alice in wonderland themed body horror

crows

wlw couple that hates each other but “the only one that gets to kill you is me”

bisexual, lesbian, AND aroace rep including alterous attraction !

not one but TWO fucked up throuple situations (for very different reasons)

[fyrix]

“…Do you remember when we were small?”

Oh my god, do yourself a favor and stick it through the slow beginning. This book shattered me in the best way possible. I have not read a more morbidly beautiful book this entire year, and the way it’s written is so different and interesting. No part of the book is hard to read per se, but for those who don’t like a slow start, this is the one to give a chance, you won’t regret it.

5/5 💫

And of course, thank you August Clarke!

[httpschrys]

“Are you like the girls in the book too? Because I think I am.”

[smallcandlejar]

review: cleat cute

cleat cute- meryl wilsner

summary: two professional soccer players, grace and phoebe, move from team-mates to friends with benefits, to maybe something a little more.

genre: adult (18+), romance, sports

review:

god do i love women's sports. i know absolutely nothing about soccer and don't think i know anything more after reading this book! what i do know, however, is that this shit slapped.

in terms of characters i loved both grace and phoebe's point of views. it is clear right from the beginning of the book that the two are polar opposites, only connect (at first) by their love of soccer. grace is the veteran, world class player, who's been pro since high school. shes private, serious and obsessed with routine #sudokuqueen. phoebe on the other hand is the definition of an extrovert with a chronic lateness problem solved with 50 different alarms. shes also a redhead so slay!

something i want to comment on right off the bat is the distinct allusion to both characters being neurodivergent. its not even an allusion its like confirmed. as i am not autistic or adhd myself (but, like, lets not get into that...), i wont comment on its accuracy and how good the representation was. i will say that i found grace's character relatable to my own experiences, and understood a lot of her internal monologue.

meryl wilsner does a fantastic job of writing both of these characters. the different p.o.v's were full of each character's personality. they really did a great job of helping you to relate to both characters and understand their lines of thinking. their dialogue was hilarious- who doesn't love a good bit of banter- and their friendship development was really nice to read.

i don't think you can talk about this book without mentioning the smut. (it begins in chapter 12 just as as fyi) but personally i really enjoyed it! did it feel maybe a little fast? sure, but it really did do a good job of further characterisation of grace and phoebe and how they viewed relationships. a lot of smut in books these days is there just because- if i wanted that i'd go to ao3. this, however, felt intentional and full of purpose. also hot af meryl, you do a fantastic job of writing that shit holyyyyyyy.

i have only a few criticisms for this book. firstly- and this is a general modern book pet peeve- but for the love of god STOP PUTTING TIKTOK IN THERE FUCK OFFFFFF. thank you :) secondly, there is a small amout of miscommunication that i didn't actually hate. i can see why this trope would put people off but i actually think it fit the characters very well here- i think maybe it could have been done a little better as sometimes i was really feeling a sense of dread. but alls well that ends well.

overall, this book was a really enjoyable read from start to finish. both characters were entertaining, realistic and loveable. sex scenes duh fantastic (hot obviously) but were not just thrown in there for nothing, they had genuine purpose and weren't overdone. who doesn't love women's sports?

rating: 4/5

TLDR; neurodivergent sportswomen learn to understand each other though heartfelt, witty, conversation and the endless power of good sex. very enjoyable :)

[randomgirl005]

A Timid Light/ Una Llum Tímida

Both precious and tough at the same time, the same book has the power to make you feel incredibly good at times and, simultaneously, to break you and leave you in pieces at others.

Una Llum Tímida (A Timid Light), an original text written and performed as a theatrical play by Àfrica Alonso, based on real events, takes us to Spain during the last fifteen years of Franco's regime. It tells a love story between two teachers in a small village in Valencia called Manuel.

This 2024, the same author has published the work as a novel, a text written with the same delicacy and dedication as the theatrical play that preceded it. With extensive research behind it, Àfrica Alonso traveled to the small village of Manuel to immerse herself firsthand in the world of the two protagonists. There, she visited the little apartment where the teachers lived and even spoke with people who had the privilege of knowing them during their lifetime.

It is a harrowing story that, thanks to the author’s incredible writing, makes you turn the pages without realizing it, sometimes needing to stop to reflect, or even reread a paragraph, a sentence, or an entire page to process all the emotions these words manage to convey.

From the very beginning, a feeling of tenderness and love toward Isabel and Carmen takes hold of you. Àfrica Alonso has achieved a narrative that makes you feel everything that happens to them as if you were present in that small apartment in Manuel alongside them.

The good moments, the bad ones... You feel it all as if it directly affects you, creating a bond with the protagonists that leads you to reflect and think about how harsh and unfair life was for them. Despite the love they shared, due to the conditions and beliefs—partially imposed—of the time, they broke the societal norms of love; a love as tender and genuine as theirs. This ultimately shattered the happiness and mental integrity of two young women whose only wish was to be happy and love each other freely, without harming or bothering anyone.

The book brilliantly portrays the guilt that plagued the young women because of a love that, according to the closed-minded society of the time, was an abomination. With tears in your eyes and goosebumps, the book shows you, in a fictional yet very realistic way, how the feeling of guilt consumed them, how self-hatred and rejection of who they were became a constant presence in their lives, always clashing with the pure and sincere love they had for each other.

This internal struggle between the ideals you were raised with and what you have become is present throughout the book. The inability to embrace who you are due to incorrect, instilled values that go against everything you truly are—and deep down, you know that nothing you feel could be as wrong as they make you believe. Even though you’re aware that what you’re doing harms no one, a deeply ingrained part of you cannot let go of this sense of what is "right" and "normal." Is it perhaps out of fear of losing those we thought we loved once? Or maybe out of fear of losing who we thought we were? Whatever the case, what do we have to lose if we don’t have love?

[lavellan-the-ninth]

So I'm done with Crier's war!

It was ended so openly i will never recover! I-

*picks up Harrow the Ninth*

[thereadingchallengechallenge]

Review: My Darling Dreadful Thing by Johanna Van Veen Rating: 4/5

A delicious, Gothic sapphic romance that I couldn't stop reading. I really love books set in the Netherlands, I've never figured out why and I find so few of them, but it was so nice to read something set outside the UK or America. I loved the explorations of trauma and how people cope with it and I adored the complex relationships between Roos, Ruth and Agnes. A thoroughly enjoyable read with shades of Crimson Peak.

[apolline-lucy]

POV: you’re on a date in a coffee shop in seoul with your favourite fictional queer character. she’s a liar, but one thing that’s true is that she’s obsessed with you.

THE ANATOMY OF DYING