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teenslib · 3 years

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IT’S FINALLY DONE! Every year, the Rainbow Book List Committee has more books to review, because literature is slowing getting queerer, and children’s and YA lit are at the forefront of that change. This year, our committee of 13 people had to review nearly 500 eligible titles, and 130 (well, 129) were good enough and queer enough to make the list. There were so many terrific books that we got a special dispensation to create TWO Top Ten lists--the first time the committee has done so! The Top Tens are below, and please visit the link above for the full list.

I’m proud of our committee’s focus on diversity--along lines of race, ethnicity, queer identity, and even genre. At least half of the Top Ten Books for Young Readers and seven of the Top Ten for Teen Readers are about characters of color, and most of those were written by authors of color. We also tried to feature as many different letters of the alphabet soup as possible. I’ve noted the racial and LGBTQIA+ rep for the books that I’ve read.

Here are the Top Ten Books for Young Readers:

Ana on the Edge by Sass, A.J. Ages 8 to 12. Sports Fiction/Figure Skating. MC is nonbinary and Jewish-Chinese-American. Ana is a champion figure-skater. She hates her new princess-themed program, but how can she tell her mother that, when it cost so much money? And why does it bother her so much, anyway? When she finds the word ‘nonbinary,’ she realizes why the program doesn’t fit, but she still has a lot of work to do repairing relationships that have suffered in the meantime.

The Deep & Dark Blue by Smith, Niki. Ages 8 to 12. Fantasy. One of 2 MCs is a trans girl, all characters appear to be Southeast Asian. A pair of twins flee after a political coup that puts their lives at risk. They decide to disguise themselves as Hanna and Grayce, two girls living in the Communion of the Blue, an order of weaving women who spin magic like wool. What one twin doesn’t know is that, for the other, being Grayce isn’t a disguise. This is a beautiful story about self-discovery, acceptance, and affirmation.

Drawing on Walls: A Story of Keith Haring by Burgess, Matthew and Josh Cochran (Illustrator). Ages 6 to 14. Biography. MC is a white gay man. This colorful picture-book biography traces the life and art of Keith Haring.

The Every Body Book: LGBTQ+ Inclusive Guide for Kids about Sex, Gender, Bodies, and Families by Simon, Rachel E. and Noah Grigni (Illustrator). Ages 8 to 12. Nonfiction/Health. Various identities and races included. Filled with self-affirming information, The Every Body Book uses inclusive language, illustrations, and facts to cover a number of important topics for young people including consent, relationships, gender, sex, puberty, and hormones.

King and the Dragonflies by Callender, Kacen. Ages 8 to 12. Realistic Fiction. MC is a gay black boy, his best friend is a gay white boy. King’s family–especially his father–have strong opinions about what it means to be a Black man, and they don’t allow for being gay. But King admires his friend Sandy for escaping an abusive home and living his truth no matter what. If King comes out, too, can his father learn to change?

Magic Fish by Nguyen, Trung Le. Ages 12 and up. Realistic Fiction/Fantasy. MC is a gay Vietnamese-American boy. A young Vietnamese-American boy literally can’t find the words to tell his parents that he’s gay, but cross-cultural fairytales help bridge the language barrier in this beautifully-illustrated graphic novel.

My Maddy by Pitman, Gayle E. and Violet Tobacco (Illustrator). Ages 4-8. Realistic Fiction. MC’s parent is nonbinary, MC and her parent are white. My Maddy is a heartwarming story about a young girl and her parent. Readers learn that not all parents are boys or girls; some parents are just themselves. In this young girl’s case, that parent is her Maddy, a loving, caring parent who lives outside the gender binary.

My Rainbow by Neal, DeShanna, Trinity Neal, and Art Twink (Illustrator). Ages 4-8. Realistic Fiction. MC is an autistic black trans girl. Autistic trans girl Trinity wants to have long hair, but growing it out is too itchy! None of the wigs in the store are quite right, so Mom makes Trinity a special rainbow wig.

Our Subway Baby by Mercurio, Peter and Leo Espinosa (Illustrator). Ages 4 to 8. Adoption Non-fiction. MCs are white gay men, the baby they adopt is Black. Loving illustrations help tell the story of how an infant abandoned in a NYC subway station was adopted by the man who found him and his partner.

Snapdragon by Leyh, Kat. Snapdragon. Ages 10 to 14. Fantasy. Haven’t read this one yet, so I can’t comment on its representation. Snap gets to know the town witch and discovers that she may in fact have real magic and a secret connection to Snap’s family’s past.

And here are the Top Ten Books for Teen Readers:

All Boys Aren’t Blue: A Memoir-Manifesto by Johnson, George M. Ages 14 to 18. Memoir. Author/MC is a gay Black man. “Memoir-manifesto” is a well-chosen label for this book, which relates stories from the author’s childhood and young adulthood and contextualizes them within a queer Black experience. Although the author’s family is loving and supportive, pervasive heteronormativity, queerphobia, and anti-Black racism threaten his mental, emotional, and physical safety.

Camp by Rosen, L.C. Ages 14 and up. Realistic Fiction. MC and his love interest are gay Jewish boys. For Randy, going away to Camp Outland is a breath of fresh air, a time to be exactly who Randy can’t always be at school. But this year will be different. This year, Randy won’t be the flamboyant theater kid, this year Randy will be exactly the type of bro Hudson would want to date. Changing a thing or too will be necessary for Randy to succeed, even if that means leaving some friends behind.

Cemetery Boys by Thomas, Aiden. Ages 13 and up. Paranormal/Romance. MC is a trans Latino, his love interest is a gay Latino. Yadriel accidentally summons the wrong ghost in an attempt to prove himself a real brujo to his family who struggle to accept his gender identity. Though he thinks he is summoning the ghost of his cousin, he actually summons the ghost of Julian Diaz, and finds himself with not one, but two, mysterious deaths to investigate.

Circus Rose by Cornwell, Betsy. Ages 12 and up. Fantasy. One MC is white and one is mixed-race, one is a lesbian and one is questioning. Ivory and Rosie are twins and half-sisters, born to a bearded woman who refused to choose between her lovers, and raised in their mother’s circus. After a long foreign tour, they come home to find themselves under attack by religious zealots. As tragedy follows tragedy, will Ivory be able to save her circus family?

Elatsoe by Little Badger, Darcie and Rovina Cai (Illustrator). Ages 12 and up. Mystery. MC is an aro/ace Lipan Apache girl. In this OwnVoices novel, Elatsoe is on a mission to discover who killed her beloved cousin, and why. If not for her cousin, then she is doing this for her people, the Indigenous Lipan Apache tribe. Elatsoe has the ability to raise ghosts from the dead, a tradition that has been passed down through generations. On this journey it will take vulnerability, wit, and the legends of her people for Elatsoe to understand all that is hidden in the small town of Willowbee.

I’ll Be the One by Lee, Lyla. Ages 13 and up. Realistic Fiction. MC is a bi Korean-American girl, her love interest is a bi Korean boy. Skye Shin dreams of becoming the world’s first plus-sized K-pop star, and a reality TV competition may just be her chance. To win, she’ll have to deal with fatphobic beauty standards, fierce competition, and intense media scrutiny–as well as unexpected attraction to one of her competitors.

Miss Meteor by Mejia, Tehlor Kay and Anna-Marie McLemore. Ages 14 and up. Magical Realism. (I haven’t read this one, but I think both MCs are WLW Latinas.) Lita is a star – literally. After falling to earth several years ago, she’s now living life as a teenage girl. When the annual Miss Meteor pageant rolls around, Lita decides to enter – but will her ex-best friend Chicky be willing to help her? Will the pageant help her forget about the past and imagine a new future? Lita learns that winning isn’t about being perfect, it’s about showing your true self to the world – even the parts that no one else understands.

You Should See Me in a Crown by Johnson, Leah. Ages 12 and up. Realistic Fiction. MC is a black WLW (woman-loving-woman). In this affectionate rom-com, Liz Lighty finds herself an unlikely candidate for prom queen at her affluent suburban school. Shy, awkward, Black, and low-income, Liz has never felt like she belonged, and she can’t wait to leave for her dream college. But when her scholarship falls through, it seems her last resort is to win prom queen, and the scholarship money that comes with it. Liz’s plan is complicated when new girl Mack decides to run for prom queen also…and ends up running away with Liz’s heart.

War Girls by Onyebuchi, Tochi. Ages 12 and up. Science Fiction/Afro-Futurism. Both MCs are Nigerian, one is a WLW. In a not-so-distant future, climate change and nuclear disasters have made much of the earth unlivable. In the midst of war in Nigeria, two sisters, Onyii and Ify, are torn apart and face two very different futures. As their lives progress through years of untold violence and political unrest, battles with deadly mechs and cyborg soldiers outfitted with artificial limbs and organs, they are brought together again and again and must come to terms with how the war has impacted their lives.

When We Were Magic by Gailey, Sarah. Ages 14 and up. Contemporary Fantasy. MC is a white bi/questioning girl with gay dads, her friends are racially, ethnically, and queerily diverse. This firecracker of a novel follows a group of friends who attempt to correct the accidental murder of a classmate. When We Were Magic combines magic, friendship, and awkward moments to create a captivating story. Each character brings their own uniqueness to the strong group of friends, but despite their differences, their loyalty remains. Author Sarah Gailey has written another page turning novel, with the quirky strange content to boot.

#Rainbow Book List #LGBT literature #queer books #queer YA #queer children's books #Book Recommendations #we need diverse books

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nothingisliteral · 4 years

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Literary Agents Accepting Queries 2020

A note; these agents are according to my research as of June 12, 2020. To find more information on these agents, just look up their name and agency. How to query to these agents differ, so it would be wise to look into them more. Bolded is the categories, genres, and/or tropes that said agent is interested in. This list was put together by me, and it was only the agents who’s name start with A. Even though this is labeled as YA, many of these agents are interested in other genres.

* Adria Goetz (Martin Literary Management), Mill Creek, WA General fiction Suspense/thriller Fantasy/science fiction Juvenile fiction Religious

* Adriann Ranta Zurhellen (Foundry Literary + Media), New York, NY all genres and for all age groups, but has a penchant for edgy, dark, unusual voices, unique settings, and everyman stories told with a new spin. She loves gritty, realistic, true-to-life narratives with conflicts based in the real world; women’s fiction and nonfiction; accessible, pop nonfiction in science, history, and craft; and smart, fresh, genre-bending works for children.

* Adrienne Rosado (Stonesong Literary Agency), New York, NY adult and children’s fiction, as well as select non-fiction in the areas of pop-science, business, memoir, and humor. In both adult and children’s fiction, she is looking for contemporary, mystery, historical, thriller, fantasy, and anything with a wickedly dark sense of humor. She’s especially drawn to multicultural fiction, lgbtq+ works, and stories about people from atypical walks of life. She is not currently looking for poetry or children’s picture books.

* Agnes Carlowicz (Carol Mann Agency), New York, NY both fiction and non-fiction, with a special passion for literature that amplifies underrepresented voices and subverts the status quo. Among others, she enjoys: intersectional feminism, millennial self-care, female-driven memoir, true-crime, and humorous pop culture.

* Aimee Ashcraft (Brower Literary & Management), New York, NY busy seeking out stories that feature all-encompassing worlds and compelling female characters. She loves books that are told from an original point of view and are more addictive than a good Netflix binge

* Albert Longden (Albert T. Longden Agency), Bloomfield, NJ (AAR Member) General fiction, Mystery, Romance, Suspense/thriller, Fantasy/science fiction, Biography, Business/investing/finance, Sports, Paranormal (want writers that are preferably experienced and are willing to listen to productive critiques of their work)

* Albert Zuckerman (Writers House), New York, NY books in all adult categories, fiction and non-fiction. And lately I’ve been enjoying working with some YA and Middle Grade authors. I'm interested in working with a few more novelists, literary and commercial

* Alec Shane (Writers House), New York, NY mystery, thrillers (though he’s experiencing terrorist fatigue at the moment), suspense, horror, historical fiction, literary fiction, and middle grade and young adult fiction. He DOESNT want Romance, straight sci-fi, high fantasy, picture books, self-help, women’s fiction, food, or travel memoir.

* Alex Glass (Glass Literary Management), New York, NY General fiction, Mystery, Suspense/thriller, Juvenile fiction, Biography, History, Mind/body/spirit, Health, Lifestyle, Cookbooks, Sports, Literary fiction, Memoir, Narrative nonfiction, Pop culture

* Alexa Stark (Trident Media Group), New York, NY drawn to literary debuts with a unique voice and perspective, stories about dysfunctional friendships and families, edgy coming-of-age tales, character-driven suspense and thrillers, and fiction that delves into the surreal

* Alexandra Levick (Writers House), New York, NY Picture book author-illustrators, a wide range of middle grade and YA, and more speculative-leaning or genre-bent upmarket adult works. I’m committed to working with writers from diverse backgrounds and am looking to put forth a list of outstanding creators who will be able to provide windows, mirrors, and sliding glass doors (thank you, Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop) into all kinds of experiences. I’m particularly looking for own-voices stories about historically underrepresented characters, identities, and cultures.

* Alexandra Machinist (International Creative Management), New York, NY Commercial fiction Literary fiction Upmarket women's fiction Historical fiction Suspense Fantasy Young adult Middle grade

* Alexandra Penfold (Upstart Crow Literary), New York, NY specializes in young picture books, middle-grade fiction, and young adult

* Alexandra Weiss (Jennifer DeChiara Literary Agency), New York, NY contemporary, magical realism, and light SFF. I’d also like to see more rom-coms that make my heart feel warm. dedicated to representing marginalized creators and diverse books, including #ownvoices. I’m actively seeking LGBTQIA+, POC, gender fluid, neurodiverse, and disabled voices for all age ranges and across all genres.

* Alexis Hurley (InkWell Management), New York, NY domestic works in the areas of literary and commercial fiction, memoir, narrative non-fiction and more

* Ali Herring (Spencerhill Associates), Lakewood Ranch, FL I’m open to all YA: Contemporary, fantasy, sci-fi, speculative, horror, romance, issue books (though I have a few already on my list so not my top choice), etc. All the contemporary fantasy right now. Contemporary with a speculative element YA suspense/thrillers All the horror right now, or horror-bordering Anything with an edge Fun teen romance like To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before Vibrant Teen rom-coms Dystopian or failing Utopia/Utopian worlds (fresh government or control system in place or none at all) Near-future dystopian where the world is not cleaned up and pretty. I want a sense of the horror but without tons of gore. Bold unexplored settings

* Alice Martell (The Martell Agency), New York, NY Open to all/most Genres Excluding: Fantasy, Science Fiction.

* Alice Speilburg (Speilburg Literary Agency), Louisville, KY In YA Fiction, I'm looking for diverse retellings of classic stories, stories rooted in mythology, contemporary fantasy with magical/supernatural worlds alongside our own (but not necessarily "urban," rural & suburban magical systems could be nice). Across the board, I'm looking for an inclusive cast of characters, across gender, sexual orientation, race, religion, and mental health spectrums.

* Alice Tasman (Jean Naggar Literary Agency), New York, NY Alice's fiction tastes, for young adult and adult books, ranging from commercial, literary fiction and history to thrillers and suspense, and women's fiction.

* Alicia Brooks (Jean Naggar Literary Agency), New York, NY she is looking for Memoir, Narrative Nonfiction, Self-Help, Pop Culture, Literary Fiction, Commercial Fiction, YA Fiction, Mystery/Crime, and Historical Fiction

* Alison Picard (Alison J. Picard Agency), Cotuit, MA Adult fiction and non-fiction, children's and young adult NO: short stories, poetry, plays, screenplays or sci-fi/fantasy.

* Allison Hunter (Janklow & Nesbit Associates), New York, NY literary and commercial fiction, especially women's fiction, as well as memoir, narrative nonfiction, cultural studies and pop culture. She is always looking for funny female writers, great love stories, campus novels, family epics, smart beach reads and for non-fiction projects that speak to the current cultural climate

* Alyssa Jennette (Stonesong Literary Agency), New York, NY children’s and adult fiction and picture books, graphic novels, and select pop culture nonfiction. She values diversity and inclusion; in fiction she enjoys ensemble casts with distinct voices, stories about poor characters and communities, and formats that are specific to a story and give it its own context. Alyssa is particularly interested in art/art history/art conservation, archaeology, mythology, language/translation, and criminal justice reform

* Alyssa Reuben (Paradigm Literary and Talent Agency), New York, NY adult, young adult, and the occasional middle grade fiction as well as smart, platform driven, nonfiction ranging from pop-culture, lifestyle, cookbooks, and narrative to memoir. She gravitates toward voice-driven non-fiction presenting a fresh point of view and particularly loves novels with an edge or a great romance arc.

* Amanda Leuck (Spencerhill Associates), Lakewood Ranch, FL contemporary and speculative fiction that explore social issues, YA fantasy based in mythology across cultures, historical novels that spark my need to know more, characters with disability, chronic illness or mental illness - that doesn't necessarily drive the plot, #ownvoices, women and girls in STEM, romantic plots and subplots that surprise me, LGBTQIA+ characters, the intersection of science and religion, or magic and convention, where what is real is not clear, animal and ecological themes

* Amanda Rutter (Red Sofa Literary), St. Paul, MN Open to a broad Audience, including: Adults, Middle grades, Young adults. Fantasy. Science fiction.

* Amelia Appel (Triada U.S. Literary Agency), Sewickley, PA For YA, she is particularly interested in stories with a savvy protagonist and a slightly dark tone that deal with serious coming-of-age issues well.

* Amy Elizabeth Bishop (Dystel, Goderich & Bourret, LLC), New York, NY Fiction-wise, I'm interested in both upmarket and literary women’s fiction, mysteries, and fiction from diverse and underrepresented authors. I'd love more literary fiction from women of color. I'm choosy about my historical fiction, preferring it voice-driven and female-centric, focusing on the stories of those that history has largely chosen to not tell. [[A bit tuckered out from American Revolution, Civil War, WWII, and Vietnam War, so I'm not really looking in that space.]] I'm always interested in stories that are not set in Western Europe or the East/West Coast. I'd love to see more speculative fiction/light horror, though I'm not as interested in science fiction or fantasy in the adult space at this time. I'm also looking for a literary thriller/literary suspense a la THE TWELVE LIVES OF SAMUEL HAWLEY or BARBED WIRE HEART. In YA: would love a smart contemporary rom-com that isn't just boy meets girl in high school (or if it is, it has to be a seriously new story), a fascinating, creepy retelling in the vein of Carmen Maria Machado, and light horror. I'd love to find a multi-generational story and am particularly interested in the intricacies of family (and sister!!) relationships. I'm a sucker for stories that take place in closed environments (like boarding schools) and though I appreciate romantic elements, I'm also eager to see narratives where a happy ending for women isn't necessarily a relationship. #ownvoices, always, please. Anything with some serious creep to it!

* Amy Brewer (Metamorphosis Literary Agency), Kansas City, MO She’s seeking: Romances of all kinds; if your plot revolves around love or angst or both, send it to her. She is also looking for general fiction, LGBTQ+, women’s fiction, book club reads, and quirky humor.

* Amy Jameson (A+B Works), New York, NY loves children’s literature, and is actively seeking Middle Grade and Young Adult projects.

* Amy Rennert (The Amy Rennert Agency), Tiburon, CA General fiction Mystery Biography Business/investing/finance History Mind/body/spirit Health Lifestyle Sports Literary fiction Narrative non-fiction especially memoir and reportage

* Amy Stapp (Wolfson Literary Agency), New York, NY Mystery/suspense Contemporary romance Contemporary coming-of-age Historical fiction Southern Gothic

* Amy Stern (Sheldon Fogelman Agency), New York, NY Summer camps, boarding schools, reality television, kids who are in some way extraordinary, puzzles, puns. I really love stories that involve close family relationships that both enhance and complicate the protagonists' lives. I want to see more mental illness stories that aren't just about diagnosis and LGBTQIA+ stories that aren't just about coming out.

* Andrea Barzvi (Empire Literary), New York, NY General fiction Romance Suspense/thriller Juvenile fiction Biography Business/investing/finance Mind/body/spirit

* Andrea Somberg (Harvey Klinger), New York, NY Upmarket fiction (i.e., bookclub fiction) that has a twist or sheds light on an intriguing issue Novels that explore cultural heritage YA or Adult novels that are based on a true story from the 20th century YA contemporary love stories/romantic comedies Epic fantasy, especially ones set in a non-Western culture, military sf or space opera Magical realism for the adult, YA or MG market. YA and MG novels that feature diverse protagonists YA psychological thrillers MG mystery novels MG novels that are funny and are illustrated MG or YA novels that'll make me cry Nonfiction for MG or YA audiences Any novel with great characters and a compelling storyline Unique nonfiction

* Andy Ross (Andy Ross Literary Agency), Oakland, CA (AAR Member) narrative non-fiction, history, politics and current events, science, journalism, cultural subjects. We also work with literary and young adult fiction

* Angela Rinaldi (The Angela Rinaldi Literary Agency), Los Angeles, CA (AAR Member) I am actively looking for fiction commercial, literary, mainstream women’s fiction, multicultural, suspense, book club fiction – novels where the story lends itself to discussion.

* Anjali Singh (Ayesha Pande Literary), New York, NY Her interests are wide-ranging and include literary as well as popular fiction, young adult, women’s, African-American and international fiction. She is also seeking authors of nonfiction, including biography, history, popular culture, cultural commentary, and memoir. She is particularly drawn to distinctive, original voices.

* Ann Behar (Scovil Galen Ghosh Literary Agency), New York, NY searching for wonderful children's books, from picture books to YA, ever since. I am looking for anything that is beautifully written, with a strong, distinct voice and characters that come alive on the page. Ideally, a book should grab my attention from the very beginning and hold it there, and leave me thinking about it for a few days after I am finished.

* Ann Rose (Prospect Agency), Upper Montclair, NJ YA of all genres: But especially stories that have heart and humor. I want you to transport me to new worlds--even if those "worlds" are in the middle of Iowa. But especially if its fantasy, I really want you to take me there and show me something I haven't seen before. I'd love some fantasy that's based on something other than western cultures. I'm always looking for strong character who are willing to stand up for their convictions--whether it be with their brains or their brawn. Give me fabulous friendship stories (and some no so fabulous ones). LGBTQIA+ stories!!! I'd still really love a story where two girls are running against each other for class president and then they fall in love. In both YA and MG I don't shy away from stories that deal with issues kids are dealing with today. I will say, if you are going to discuss topics like suicide make sure you've done your homework--proper language matters. I'd love to see more YA thriller--not necessarily gore but a story that keeps me on the edge of my seat, guessing until the very end. I'm still looking for my YA version of CLUE (and if it has three different endings, even better.) Which means mystery is a go for me, too. I'd love some YA that deals with toxic masculinity. A funny how to survive high school book with tips and tricks how to make the most out of your four years would be good. Show me characters who are beautifully flawed doing the wrong things for all the right reasons. Give me body positive MC's. Unique sports books--crossfit, ultimate Frisbee, rock climbing, mountain biking, roller derby, and even speed walkers. Oh, and twins - good twins, evil twins, twins that get along, twins that don't, rom-coms where twins switch places and hijinks happen... anything goes. Historicals that tackle things other than WW2--bonus points if there are badass women in in history.

* Anne Bohner (Pen and Ink Literary), New York, NY commercial women's fiction, romance, YA and popular nonfiction.

* Anne Hawkins (John Hawkins & Associates), New York, NY (AAR Member) Fiction of all sorts, non-fiction (contemporary journalism, history, biography, etc.), juveniles (although primarily young adult and middle grades, since we don´t specialize in illustrators, but having said that I should add that we represent several of the best), science-fiction and fantasy.

* Anne Tibbets (Red Sofa Literary), St. Paul, MN Right now, she's acquiring YA and Adult: Thrillers, Mysteries, Horror, Romance, Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Historicals.

* Annelise Robey (Jane Rotrosen Agency), New York, NY women’s fiction, romance, historical fiction, YA, fantasy, mystery, and suspense, and is always looking for exciting new voices in fiction

* Arielle Datz (Dunow, Carlson & Lerner Literary Agency), New York, NY (AAR Member) She is looking for literary and commercial fiction (mostly adult, some YA), featuring unusual stories and voices.

* Ashley Lopez (Waxman Literary Agency), New York, NY Ashley is looking for literary and young adult fiction, narrative nonfiction, memoir, and cultural criticism. Most importantly she seeks authors with a strong point of view and an eye for language.

This is the end of my fist alphabetical list of agents accepting queries in 2020. I hope this list was helpful to you, and wish you good luck in your querying!

#writeblr #writblr #writing advice #writing tips #query #queries #querying #writing resources #publishing #isabellaspeaks

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richincolor · 4 years

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Title: Dark and Deepest Red Author: Anna-Marie McLemore Genres: Fantasy, Historical, Romance, LGBTQIA Pages: 309 Publisher: Feiwel & Friends Review Copy: Purchased Availability: Available now

Summary: Summer, 1518. A strange sickness sweeps through Strasbourg: women dance in the streets, some until they fall down dead. As rumors of witchcraft spread, suspicion turns toward Lavinia and her family, and Lavinia may have to do the unimaginable to save herself and everyone she loves. Five centuries later, a pair of red shoes seal to Rosella Oliva’s feet, making her dance uncontrollably. They draw her toward a boy who knows the dancing fever’s history better than anyone: Emil, whose family was blamed for the fever five hundred years ago. But there’s more to what happened in 1518 than even Emil knows, and discovering the truth may decide whether Rosella survives the red shoes.

With McLemore's signature lush prose, Dark and Deepest Red pairs the forbidding magic of a fairy tale with a modern story of passion and betrayal.

Review: [Note: This book contains discussions of violence against racial/ethnic minorities and queer people, including the threat of rape and mob violence/public execution.]

Anna-Marie McLemore is one of my favorite authors in young adult fiction right now. Their books are always filled with magic, fairytales, danger, beautiful prose, and queer and Latinx characters. DARK AND DEEPEST RED, inspired by the fairytale The Red Shoes and the dancing plague of 1518, has all of that again, plus a narrative that swings back and forth from 1518 to the present.

McLemore figured out they were nonbinary during the production of DARK AND DEEPEST RED, a novel that focuses heavily on how the world perceives people and how people claim themselves. The different journeys that Lala, Rosella, and Emil go on as they sort out their own identities are well-written callbacks to one another as the narrative jumps back and forth between the past and the present. Lala and her aunt have to hide that they are Romani as it is illegal for them to be in Strasbourg, and Alifair is a trans boy who they took in. Emil also hides and disconnects from his Romani heritage after an incident at school, and Rosella keeps running up against white beauty standards.

I found the book slightly uneven; I was more interested in what was going on with Lala and Alifair in 1518 than the other couple. I wish the book were longer so we had more time to explore the relationship developing between Rosella and Emil. Their relationship didn’t feel as strong to me as Lala and Alifair’s relationship, and I wish I’d had more of it. Lala’s relationship with her aunt was also a standout for me. (Overall, I just really love Lala, okay?)

Recommendation: Get it soon. If you’ve enjoyed McLemore’s previous books and their brand of blending magical realism and fairytales, you’ll likely have fun with DARK AND DEEPEST RED as well. While I felt the contemporary romance was weaker than the historical, both timelines boasted interesting characters and beautiful moments.

#anna-marie mclemore #dark and deepest red #LGBTQIA #romance #historical #WeNeedDiverseBooks

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thoughtfulfangirling · 4 years

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I keep seeing these posts going around about queer books, but my problem is that nowadays, I struggle to sit down with books and primarily consume them via audibooks. A lot of the recs are ones I haven’t found in audiobook format using my usual routes. For this reason, let me start a post that I hope y’all will add onto that has LGBTQ+ folks in them that I know exist in audiobook format. For reference, I’ve used for my audiobook consumption Audible, Libro, Overdrive, and Scribd, so each of these will have been found by myself in one of those places.

Nemesis Series by April Daniels trans wlw MC | Superhero | coming of age | YA The First book is Dreadnought followed by Sovereign and follows Danny, a trans girl whose body is transformed to the one that matches her vision of herself after a superhero falls and passes his powers on to her. All at once, she has to face the coming out this forces on her and new powers all at once. The books are intense and doesn’t pull its punches on the things Danny goes through, but her journey is beautiful and I love her so much.

Beauty Queens by Libba Bray Various MCs | Drama | Humor | YA This is an ensemble cast and includes a wlw couple and a trans girl, all of whom are pretty damn cool. On their flight to their next competition, the plane these beauty queens are on crashes, and those who survive get stranded on a totally-supposedly-deserted island. This is a fun novel that had, to me, a very Hitchhiker’s Guide sort of humor to it. It was a really fun read, and the author narrates herself and is really fun.

Annie on my Mind by Nancy Garden wlw mc | contemporary | coming of age | YA The good kid becomes good friends with a girl she met outside of school, but she begins to realize she has more than just friendly feelings for the girl. Being in the 90s, she finds it’s not so easy to be the good kid and pursue this interest.

Her Royal Highness by Rachel Hawkins bi MC | Contemporary | Romance | Class Romance | YA MC leaves Texas, USA to finish her last year of high school in a prestigious Scottish school where she ends up being roommates with an actual princess with whom she doesn’t start the year out on good terms with.

Ash by Malinda Lo wlw MC | Fantasy | Coming of Age | YA Cinderella retelling where the fairies aren’t guaranteed to help and the prince just might not be who Cinderella wants after all. A very internal journey, quite enchanting. I really need to go back and revisit this soon.

Juliet Takes a Breath by Gabby Rivera Lesbian MC | Coming of Age | YA Juliet leaves home for the summer to spend in Oregon with a writer who inspired Juliet’s journey into feminism and helped her embrace her lesbianism. She learns along the way though that adults are not infallible, and that this writer has a large blind spot when it comes to Juliet’s culture and the intersection of race and feminism. All this after having come out to her family and dealing with the fallout of that far from home.

Carry On by Rainbow Rowell mlm MC | Fantasy | Romance | YA This story feels like a sort of ‘What if the Harry Potter books were more inclusive and also had some parody in its magical world’ story. But it jumps right to the last book and the good stuff. This felt like fanfiction in the best way (and is appropriate given that it was written after the book Fangirl wherein the MC is writing fanfiction of this universe kinda. It’s complicated but good!)

Kushiel Phedre Series by Jacqueline Carey bi MC | Fantasy | Epic Fantasy | Kink | Political Intrique A woman born with a flaw that set her on the path of being indentured as a child to a man who sees love and sex as another means to gather political intel. Down this road lies intrigue, betrayal, and love.

Nevernight Chronicles by Jay Kristoff bi MC | Fantasy | Revenge Worth mentioning is that the author does not ID as any kind of LGBTQIA+ and in my opinion, that especially shows in the last installment of the series. I would suggest trigger warnings for the entire series if you have any as there is sex and violence. In a world with three suns and almost never night, a girl with a kinship for shadows seeks out the skills to kill those who destroyed her family.

Her Body and Other Parties by Maria Carmen Machado Various | Short Stories | Surreal | Contemporary Don’t know how to summarize well given they are a series of short stories, but they are haunting and telling and beautiful, and even though I rarely do short stories, I absolutely fell in love with these.

The Night’s Watch by Sarah Waters Various | Ensemble Cast | Period Drama English WWII Unfortunately, I read this in 2017 and it follows the stories of four different characters, two of whom are lesbians. I don’t remember their archs well enough to provide a proper summary. This story tends to be a more internal character study of each of the characters and what it might have been like living at the time they did. It was really good though if you like that sort of thing!

Tipping the Velvet by Sarah Waters Lesbian MC | Period Drama | Romance | Coming of Age Taking place in the Victorian era, Nan leaves her coastal, oyster fishing home after becoming infatuated with Kitty, performer who sings dressed as a man. She discovers herself in the big city as she works as Kitty’s attendant, but nothing ever stays the same, and when she finds her and Kitty’s desires on how to handle their feelings differ errevocably, Nan is suddenly left adrift.

The above are all focused in one way or another on the LGBTQ+ character in a prominent way where the character’s queerness is made explicit in the text. Below is going to be the audiobooks I’ve read/listened to where I have felt there is strong evidence that a character is portrayed as LGBT+. Some will have been made canon by the author after the fact, others have been widely regarded as portrayed that way, and a couple are just how I interpreted them.

Trouble with Kings by Sherwood Smith Fantasy | Romance | Slow Burn | YA A princess of fortune who has been courted for her wealth all her life, Flian is quite done with dalliance. But that doesn’t mean others are done with her. Caught in the middle of a political intrigue between two... maybe three... possibly four??? rivaling kingdoms, she finds her wealth pursued in less than ethical manners and ends up a player herself on the field of political import. Is it even possible in the chaos of all this to find love along the way? Flian herself repeatedly shows no interest in romance and while able to remark upon attraction, never seems to have any herself until she realizes she has fallen for someone, someone she realizes a bit late she’s had a coming together of the minds for. For this reason, my personal interpretation of this character is demi-sexual.

The Protector of the Small Series by Tamora Pierce Fantasy | Coming of Age | YA Keladry of Mindelan wants to become the second lady knight in history. The trainer at the castle doesn’t believe girls are cut out for it, and the boys don’t seem the most ready for a lady knight in training either. But Kel is determined to make her place in the world. Throughout the course of the series, while she engages in some light dalliances, she finds herself disinterested in relationships and has been confirmed by the author since the series was published to be asexual.

The Deed of Paksenarrion by Elizabeth Moon Fantasy | D&D-esque | Epic Fantasy | Coming of Age Paksennarrion, a sheep farmer’s daughter, rebels against her father upon hearing of the engagement he made for her and runs away to a local contract militia company to start her career as a warrior. Strength and strategy aren’t the only things she’ll need on this life’s path, but also a faith she didn’t know she was capable of. I don’t know that the author has ever said anything on the matter, but in most circles you will find that Paks is generally regarded as aro/ace and is pretty explicitly stated several times throughout the series that she simply has never had the compulsion.

A Beautiful Poison by Lydia Kang Period Drama/Mystery (early 1900s) | Coming of Age | Mystery Three people on the cusp of adulthood, with a complicated history of friendship from different stations in life, come together to try to unravel the mystery of strange deaths happening around them while trying to navigate what shapes the rest of their lives will take. Of the two man lady characters, one repeatedly struck me as bisexual, and the other as asexual. This is one where I’m brining my own lens to the story, and I don’t know that the author did this with intent.

There’s a fair chance that I am forgetting some audiobooks and haven’t included all I’ve read. I would also say that anything not marked with a YA may have want of some trigger warnings. If someone wants to know, just let me know which warnings you have need of and I’ll try to do my best to remember if that content is included in the book. I of course cannot remember everything and don’t know everyone’s limits, but I can try. But for certain the non young adult stories have content that can be heavy or dark or twisted.

#And if any mutuals want more of a summary lemme know #tf reads #books #audiobooks #I love the lists that have been going around #But I've been struggling to find them on any of my audiobook services #and ofc not all books have been turned into audiobooks #So maybe this will help someone else who felt similar?#tfgoc #long post #sorry for the length

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melaniem54 · 2 years

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Review: Head Games (Wages of Sin #3) by Onley James and Neve Wilder

Rating: 4.5🌈 Head Games ends the Wages of Sins trilogy by Onley James and Neve Wilder about a group of professional assassins who end up finding a relationship and a partner to love and kill with. I’ve enjoyed each book and found they’ve gotten better and more interesting with each couple. From the age gap first story of the first book, to the dueling assassins of Playing Dirty, each couple’s…

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#@OnleyJames1 #A MelanieM Review #author Onley James #dark fiction #LGBTQIA dark contemporary romance #murder #opposites attract #psychopaths #Review: Head Games (Wages of Sin 3) by Onley James and Neve Wilder #Scattered Thoughts Highly Recommended #triggers

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lettersandinkstains · 5 years

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(i won’t be adding my tag list to this post as it’s long already and i do not want to randomly ping people and bother them! however, i will add instructions on how to be added or removed from any of my tag lists! i apologize for mobile users if this does not appear under a read more tag for you guys -- and will tag it as ‘long post’ for your needs)

so said the king

genres ; dark fantasy, new adult, coming of age features ; diverse cast and protagonists, LGBT+ main characters, wlw endgame pair status ; in progress warnings ; violence, swearing, sociopolitical issues, mentions of child abuse, political corruption summary ; when the king says everyone shall die for him, so they shall -- as he sits upon his throne of ivory and the crown of thorns break his skin for every sin committed, he is nothing more than a mere puppet for something bigger. when the queen says to stay out of the library, so shall you obey for her secrets are her own -- and her sins much bigger than the kings.

and when the gods command one to kill, so shall you obey or face their wrath. yet, when it comes between the choices of spilling even more blood or trying to find a way around the command when she is shown much more kindness from her target than most have given her. a life for a life -- but should one’s blood be spilled to save millions? nyx is forced to turn her eyes towards the one who is truly the cause of the hell brought upon her beautiful Ilmarya. and she has to wonder:

can you kill a god?

links: spotify | main tag | wattpad | pinterest (tag list is open for this!)

blood upon the altar

genres ; dark fantasy, urban fantasy, vampire fiction, new adult status ; worldbuilding features ; diverse cast and protagonists, LGBT+ main characters, wlw and mlm endgame pairings warnings ; religious themes & commentary, cult behavior, corruption, violence, adult themes

summary ; when sariel died, the world went dark. slowly but surely, elionde had dug itself out of the darkness and rebuilt without their goddess. from this darkness rose a new order, the church of sariel, sometimes called the soldiers of sariel, or the church. they were founded in the belief that a group of magical beings, vampires, had been the cause of sariel’s death and that they can bring her back to life.

when aleksandra, a member of the church, is saved by a sworn enemy, a vampire, within the free lands of aeonia, does the world start to see odd changes. the warm south begins to cool down, and the cold north begins to warm up and sightings of a silver tree is found within unreachable mountains.

links ; main tag - pinterest (tag list is open for this!)

ichor

genre: urban fantasy, light fantasy, deconstruction of the chosen one trope, young adult, dark status ; worldbuilding - outlining features ; diverse cast, LGBTQIA characters, established queer relationships, wlw endgame and continuous pair warnings ; violence, off screen & mentioned child abuse and csa, mental illness, political commentary, real world setting with magic, fairly dark plot

summary ; their lives were not supposed to intersect -- this was not planned by any higher being.

bailee was not supposed to survive the childhood fire that ravaged her home, nor was an archangel supposed to save her. and older now, she tries to pretend that there was no archangel, her survival was just a fluke. but when the stars begin to call out her lover, lucija, she is forced to follow through with the promise she made on the eve of her 11th birthday.

ariana was supposed to listen and obey The Watchers, angels who have weaved her life so intricately that choice was never a thing. but ariana met a pretty eyed boy whose mere presence made her heart flutter, and her days better.

but she survived the fire and ariana tried to escape the intricately weaved clutches of The Waters all because she loved a boy. and at the end of it all, ichor ran poison through their veins and with it, a monster predicted in texts rose to power and they must choose their paths carefully.

links ; pinterest • main tag • spotify (tag list is open for this WIP!)

the three steps of romance

genre ; LGBTQIA fiction, romance, LGBTQIA romance, contemporary, urban status ; in purgatory -- planning / developing features ; diverse cast, LGBTQIA+ centric, WLW centric, pure fluff and self indulgent warnings ; none

summary ; ember has always looked at the world through the lens of a camera, she has always preferred it to living her actual life. she’s always searching for something but she’s not really quite sure what. it has always felt at the tip of fingers but she could never quite reach.

one fateful night, she meets the newcomer in her little warm town by the lake. for the brief night, ember is swept off her feet and she feels as though she has fallen deeply in love with this women.

and one fateful morning, she finds out this woman is her new veterinarian.

links ; pinterest ♥ main tag (tag list is open for this!)

glass walls

genre ; dystopia, future without robots / aliens but with advanced technology status ; planning ; outlining ; worldbuilding features ; diverse cast & LGBTQIA main cast warnings ; political commentary, dark plotline, violence, police violence, political corruption

summary ; she leads the Revolutionaries, as they call themselves. A group of people who live in the shadows and online. Nobody knows their names, they do not even know each others – only calling each other by pseudonyms. Her name is Lilith, and she was always told she asks too many questions, she’s too inquisitive for her own good and it will get her in trouble one day.

That trouble came in the name of a girl who calls herself Charlotte, or Charlie, who had found Lilith trying to hack into the hidden glass walls, to place in a virus.

A stranger who had panicked, a stranger who was going to call the cops and forced Lilith’s hand to break one of the tenants: to harm nobody.

With kidnapping under her belt, Lilith and her friends are forced to push their plans for a large scale fight closer than what they had wanted.And when the soldiers come, armed with their guns, Lilith knows that she will be ready to face them.

links ; main tag (tag list is open for this!)

so the instructions are simple:

Comment on this post (or any post I make for any of the WIP’s above), send a DM, or an ask, or comment in the tags if you wish to be added or removed. If you do it on this post, please specify which WIP you’d like to be added to! Please be sure that you’ve read the warnings!

alternatively, i also have a general tag list for all of my WIPs + my short stories & prompt fills if you wish to be added to that. if you would only like to be tagged in my short stories let me know for that too !

be sure your blog is taggable -- so this means that you must be searchable on tumblr’s system!

stuff ; writing tag - character page - wip page

(created ; 8-20-19 updated ; 8-20-19)

#writeblr #wip masterlist #wip #writing #writers of tumblr #writers on tumblr #writing community #long post #long post for mobile #original writing #wips #masterlist post

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youngneemleaves · 4 years

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Journal: 2019

A list of my creative activity and all the media I have experienced throughout the year. I did a version of this eight months ago, but I wasn’t entirely satisfied with it. So I tooled about a little; and in the meantime, the activity has remained as inconsistent as my energy levels, but eventful, nonetheless. Here’s a more thorough list drawn up at the end of the year - after all, the end of 2019 is also the end of the 2010s.

The list has become rather long, so I’ve excluded online essays, stories, fanfiction, or poems that I’ve read this year. I ended up resorting to the usual 5-star rating system; because if I had to add a footnote explaining my personal 7-star rating system, the list would’ve been even longer and weirder!

+ Creative Writing

(Obviously, no ratings for this section; that’s up to you all ;)

Beloved - a short story for Holi

Lady Aesculapius: a new short story serial -> episode 6, Sixty Thousand Bedtime Stories

Clara Oswald: The Untold Adventures (coming on April 25, 2020) -> episode 4, As You Like It

+ Books and Audio Drama

Dave Rudden, Twelve Angels Weeping: twelve stories of the villains of Doctor Who (2018) | SFF, short stories [read the review on Downtime] - ⭐⭐⭐

Emily St. John Mandel, Station Eleven (2014) | literary fiction, SFF [review] - ⭐⭐⭐

Amitav Ghosh, Dancing in Cambodia and Other Essays (2008, first published 1998) | memoir, nonfiction, travel [review] - ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Ellen Oh and Elsie Chapman (ed.), A Thousand Beginnings and Endings (2018) | SFF, short stories [did not review] - ⭐⭐⭐

Lidia Yuknavitch, The Chronology of Water (2011) | LGBTQIA, nonfiction, memoir [did not finish] - ⭐⭐⭐

Hsiu-Chuang Deppman, Adapted for the Screen: The Cultural Politics of Modern Chinese Fiction and Film (University of Hawai’i Press, 2010) | nonfiction (academics) [did not finish] - ⭐⭐⭐

Cecilia Sjöholm, The Antigone Complex: Ethics and the Invention of Feminine Desire (Stanford University Press, 2004) | nonfiction, philosophy, psychoanalysis [reread] [did not review] - ⭐⭐⭐⭐

D.N. Bryn, Our Bloody Pearl (2018) | LGBTQIA, romance, SFF [did not finish] - ⭐⭐⭐

Catherynne M. Valente, Palimpsest (2009) | LGBTQIA, SFF [did not finish] - ⭐⭐⭐

Rey Chow, Sentimental Fabulations, Contemporary Chinese Films: Attachment in the Age of Global Visibility (Columbia University Press, 2007) | nonfiction (academics) [did not finish] - ⭐⭐⭐

Shirley Jackson, The Lottery and Other Stories (1982, first published in 1949) | horror, literary fiction, short stories [currently reading] - ⭐⭐⭐

Jeanette Winterson, Weight: The Myth of Atlas and Heracles (2005) | literary fiction, SFF [did not review] - ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Lauren Berlant, Desire/Love (2012) | nonfiction, philosophy, psychoanalysis [brief review] - ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Melissa Broder, The Pisces (2018) | contemporary fiction, romance, SFF [currently reading] - ⭐⭐

Amitav Ghosh, The Shadow Lines (2007) | literary fiction, historical fiction, travel [currently reading] - ⭐⭐⭐

+ Doctor Who: The Twelfth Doctor Adventures - a fan-made audio drama on the further adventures of the Twelfth Doctor: series 1 [re-listen], plus this year’s specials:

Unlikely Thieves [review] - ⭐⭐⭐ 1/2

Blue Hour [review] - ⭐⭐⭐ 1/2

** UNDER THE CUT: list of TV and films watched **

+ TV Round-up

Killing Eve (BBC America, 2016 - ) ⭐⭐⭐

Dark (Netflix, 2017 - ) ⭐⭐ 1/2

Good Omens (Amazon Studios and BBC, 2019) ⭐⭐⭐

The OA (Netflix, 2016 - 2019) ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Star Wars: The Mandalorian (Disney+, 2019 - ) ⭐⭐⭐

His Dark Materials (BBC and HBO, 2019 - ) ⭐⭐⭐

The Witcher (Netflix, 2019 - ) ⭐⭐⭐⭐

+ Films Watched

Disobedience (2017), dir. Sebastián Lelio ⭐⭐⭐ 1/2

The Favourite (2018), dir. Yorgos Lanthimos ⭐⭐⭐

First They Killed My Father (2017), dir. Angelina Jolie ⭐⭐⭐

Badla (2019), dir. Sujoy Ghosh ⭐⭐ 1/2

Roma (2018), dir. Alfonso Cuarón ⭐⭐⭐

Us (2019), dir. Jordan Peele ⭐⭐⭐⭐

In the Mood for Love (2000), dir. Wong Kar Wai ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Lady Macbeth (2016), dir. William Oldroyd ⭐⭐⭐

Chungking Express (1994), dir. Wong Kar Wai ⭐⭐⭐ 1/2

Stoker (2013), dir. Park Chan Wook ⭐⭐⭐

Widows (2018), dir. Steve McQueen ⭐⭐⭐ 1/2

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016), dir. Gareth Edwards ⭐⭐⭐ 1/2

High Life (2018), dir. Claire Denis ⭐⭐

The Cloverfield Paradox (2018), dir. Julius Onah ⭐ 1/2

Little Forest (2018), dir. Yim Soon-rye ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Jennifer’s Body (2009), dir. Karyn Kusama ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Fallen Angels (1995), dir. Wong Kar Wai ⭐⭐⭐

The Phantom of the Opera (2004), dir. Joel Schumacher ⭐⭐

Midsommar (2019), dir. Ari Aster ⭐⭐⭐ 1/2

Star Wars: episode I: The Phantom Menace (1999), dir. George Lucas ⭐⭐ 1/2

Byzantium (2012), dir. Neil Jordan ⭐⭐⭐ 1/2

Star Wars: episode II: Attack of the Clones (2002), dir. George Lucas ⭐⭐ 1/2

Star Wars: episode III: Revenge of the Sith (2005), dir. George Lucas ⭐⭐⭐ *

Madeline’s Madeline (2018), dir. Josephine Decker ⭐⭐⭐

+ Studio Ghibli films:

Kiki’s Delivery Service (1989) ⭐⭐⭐ 1/2

Nausicaa in the Valley of the Wind (1984) ⭐⭐⭐

Spirited Away (2000) ⭐⭐⭐

Howl’s Moving Castle (2004) ⭐⭐⭐

The Tale of the Princess Kaguya (2013) ⭐⭐⭐

* I would’ve rated it a solid 4 if not for the fridging at the end of the film.

** HEADER IMAGES CREDIT: (from top) 1. Joanna Kosinska; 2. Brazil Topno; 3. Kelly Sikkema; 4. chuttersnap [edits: mine] **

#booklr #adult booklr #writeblr #2019 #end of the year lists #personal #my reads #my reads: 2019 #mine: books #2010s

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ciphertext-x · 5 years

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LGBTQIA+ books!

Pride month is coming up, and my eyes are peeled for more LGBTQIA+ books! In the meantime, here’s my current list. I haven’t read all of these, in fact I’ve only read a small portion of them, but all of them are either queer-centric, or have side characters representing. For the ones I’ve not read myself, my info comes only from what I’ve heard other people say! Also, I’m not necessarily saying that all of these books are good, but they have that representation we so crave!

If you know of any more, feel free to add them!

Long post, so rest is below the cut. Links go to Goodreads so you can read more info, but I’ll put some keywords along with them along with any trigger warnings I know of.

Adrift by Isabelle Adler The main character is gay OR bisexual, OR it may be that someone is gay and someone is bi. I haven’t read this one. Sci-fi, action, adventure, aliens, pirates

And I Darken by Kiersten White One of the main siblings is gay. YA, historical fantasy, romance, royalty, war, diverse

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz (most of Sáenz’s stuff is queer) Both main characters are gay. YA, romance, 80′s, Mexican-American, homophobia, hate crime, injury

Ash by Malinda Lo Main character is bisexual. YA, romance, fantasy, Cinderella retelling, fairy, hunter, royalty

The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon A side character and the temporary object of the main character’s affections is gay. YA, urban fantasy, sci-fi, dystopia, London, clairvoyants, gangs, supernatural race, enslavement, violence, abuse

Boy Meets Boy by David Levithan Main character is gay. A side character is a transgender female. YA, contemporary, romance, high school

Boy Meets Hamster by Birdie Milano Main character is gay. His best friend is a bisexual mixed race chubby girl. One of his love interests is black. Teen fiction/middle-grade, contemporary, romance, summer, disaster gay, homophobia, ableism, holiday park

Breaking His Spell by Foster Bridget Cassidy The main character and the prince are both gay. Fantasy, romance, Sleeping Beauty retelling, immortality, royalty, fake relationship, dragons

Captive Prince by C S Pacat The main character is a pleasure slave to another man. Historical fantasy, dark romance, adult, slavery, sexual assault and non-con, royalty, war

Carry On by Rainbow Rowell Main character is bisexual. His male love interest is gay. YA, humour, fantasy, romance, Harry Potter, vampire, wizard, enemies-to-lovers

The Cruel Prince by Holly Black Main character’s sister is bisexual. YA, fantasy, royalty, politics, fairies, murder

A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer Main character’s brother is gay and in a relationship with a black boy. YA, contemporary & fantasy, Beauty & the Beast retelling, royalty, politics, disabled main character

A Darker Shade of Magic by V E Schwab One of the side characters is genderfluid. The prince is bisexual. Fantasy, parallel worlds, war, smuggler

The Deadly Nightshade by Justine Ashford One of the main characters is asexual. Sci-fi, futuristic, dystopia, war, gangs, humanity, violence, friendship

Dragonoak by Sam Farren Main character is a lesbian. Fantasy, adventure, knights, dark magic, secrets

Draw the Line by Laurent Linn Main character is gay. YA, contemporary, illustrated, homophobia, hate crime, Texas

Enemies Like These by P K Gardner Not sure about this one, there’s not a lot of information out there about it, but it’s tagged LGBT everywhere. Sci-fi, superheroes

Every Heart A Doorway by Seanan McGuire One of the main characters is asexual. One of the main character’s is transgender. YA, fantasy, mystery, murder, boarding school

Fourth World by Lyssa Chiavari Both main characters are asexual. One is demisexual. YA, sci-fi, dystopia, space, planet is dying, aliens

The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee Main character is bisexual. YA, historical, romance, Europe, roguish passions, responsibilities

Girls of Paper and Fire by Natasha Ngan Main character is a lesbian and gets into a romance with another girl. YA, historical fantasy, romance, politics, rebellion, demons, concubines, sexual assault, abuse, Asian-inspired

The Gloaming by Kirsty Logan Main character develops romantic feelings towards another girl. Fantasy, magical realism, mermaids, romance, Scotland

Good Angel by A M Blaushild Main character is AroAce (and there’s a host of other queer rep). YA, fantasy, university, heaven and hell, angels and demons

Gracefully Grayson by Ami Polonsky Main character is a very young transgender girl. Middle-grade/teen fiction, contemporary, identity, school

The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert A lesbian couple appear in the second half of the book to assist the main characters. YA, urban fantasy, horror, fairytale, mystery

Heels Over Head by Elyse Springer Main character is closeted gay. His love interest is gay. Contemporary, new adult, sports, diving, water, opposites attract

Hello World by Tiffany Rose & Alexandra Tauber Main character is asexual. Sci-fi, thriller, hacker, human data chips, human trafficking, corrupt corporation

History Is All You Left Me by Adam Silvera Main character is gay. YA, contemporary, mental illness, sad, death, grief, romance

I’ll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson One of the main characters is gay. YA, contemporary, romance, siblings, drifting apart

The Inexplicable Logic of My Life by Benjamin Alire Sáenz One of the main characters lives with his adoptive gay father. YA, contemporary, Mexican-American main characters, loss, grief, identity

Just Juliet by Charlotte Reagan Main character is bisexual. Her love interest is a lesbian. YA, contemporary, romance, high school

The Last Chronomancer by Reilyn J Hardy Main character is AroAce. One of the side characters is genderfluid. Fantasy, adventure, curses, supernatural creatures

Let’s Talk About Love by Claire Kann Main character is asexual and biromantic (and black). YA, contemporary, romance, college, Japanese love interest

The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet by Becky Chambers One of the main characters winds up in a lesbian relationship with an alien who is pansexual. One character uses they/them pronouns, but is not explicitly non-binary. YA, sci-fi, space opera, adventure, running from the past, aliens, war, racism, found family, Dwarfism, Artificial Intelligence, romance

The Miseducation of Cameron Post by Emily M Danforth Main character is a lesbian. YA, contemporary, conservative character, religion, conversion therapy?

More Happy Than Not by Adam Silvera Main character is either bisexual or gay. YA, contemporary, romance, sad, suicide, homophobia, depression

More Than This by Patrick Ness Main character is gay. YA, sci-fi, death, afterlife, mystery, dystopia

Noah Can’t Even by Simon James Green The main character and his best friend kiss and end up together in the end only after a lot of soul-searching. Teen fiction/middle-grade, contemporary, romance, comedy, high school

Nocturna by Maya Motayne At least one queer side character (this book is very new, so I can’t find details) YA, fantasy, dark magic, Latinx-inspired, loss, abuse

Of Fire and Stars by Audrey Coulthurst Main character is either a lesbian or is bisexual. YA, fantasy, royalty, arranged marriage, assassination

Once & Future by Amy Rose Capetta & Cori McCarthy Main character is pansexual, she has two mothers. One side character is genderfluid. One side character is gay. YA, fantasy, sci-fi, King Arthur retelling, racially diverse, disabled side character, space, interdimensional travel, war, politics

Our Bloody Pearl by D N Bryn The siren character is non-binary (they/them) however it’s noted that humans can be non-binary too. One character is asexual. One character is a lesbian. Fantasy, pirates, romance, mermaids, steampunk, sci-fi, New Adult, found family

The Pardoner’s Tale by Morgan Ferdinand Main character is asexual. Urban fantasy, paranormal, vampires, werewolves, exorcist, monster-slayer

Peter Darling by Austin Chant Main character is a transgender male and gay. His love interest is gay. Fantasy, romance, historical, Peter Pan retelling, pirates, NeverLand, fairies, merpeople

Picture Us in the Light by Kelly Loy Gilbert Main character is gay. YA, contemporary, adoption, anxiety, mental illness, grief, suicide, Asian-American characters

Radio Silence by Alice Oseman Bisexual (and biracial) main character. Her best friend is gay and demisexual. I’m told that MOST characters in this book are LGBTQIA+ and that includes asexual! YA, contemporary, identity, diversity, friendship, mental illness

Release by Patrick Ness Main character is gay. YA, paranormal, thriller, mystery, contemporary, sexual assault, drugs, murder

The Rest of Us Just Live Here by Patrick Ness Honestly don’t know about this one, but I hear it does have something. YA, fantasy/sci-fi, superheroes, Chosen One

Showers Flowers and Fangs by Aidan Wayne Main character is a gay transgender male. His love interest is gay. YA, urban fantasy, romance, mythical/supernatural creatures (mainly fairy, vampire, and witch), menstruation, abuse

Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli Main character is gay. YA, contemporary, romance, high school, Love Simon, blackmail, Tumblr, secret identity

The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller Main character is in a relationship with another man. Historical, Iliad retelling, Greek mythology, war, Gods and Goddesses

Stake Sauce by RoAnna Sylver Main character is grey-aro-ace, transgender, and gay. One of the side characters is AroAce. A few are in a polyamorous relationship. Literally all side characters are queer. YA, urban fantasy, vampires, mental health, disabled main character, PTSD, chubby vampire, chronic pain

The Storm Crow by Kalyn Josephson Main character’s female best friend spends the book crushing heavily on another girl. One of the minor side villains is gay and has a boyfriend. The main character’s mother (a queen) reportedly courted another girl in her youth. YA, fantasy, romance, royalty/politics, arranged marriage, depression, PTSD

Teeth by Zaya Feli There is an MLM romance. Someone is asexual. YA, historical, fantasy, Vikings

These Rebel Waves by Sara Raasch One of the three main characters is gay and in a relationship. YA, fantasy, politics, religion, royalty, botanical magic, pirates, steampunk, PTSD, secrets and lies, trust, racism, ignorance

They Both Die At the End by Adam Silvera One of the main characters is described as queer. The other is bisexual, and Cuban-American. YA, contemporary, romance, sad, death, speculative fiction

The Upside of Unrequited by Becky Albertalli Main character’s sister is a lesbian. YA, contemporary, romance, chubby protagonist, high school, crushes

We Are the Ants by Shaun David Hutchinson The main character is gay. YA, sci-fi, aliens and abductions, the world is ending, suicide

We Set the Dark on Fire by Tehlor Kay Mejia The main character is in a lesbian relationship. YA, politics, spies, school, Latina, dystopia

What If It’s Us by Becky Albertalli & Adam Silvera Both main characters are gay (one of them is Puerto Rican). A side character is bioromantic asexual (her exact words). YA, romance, contemporary, humour, summer, disaster gay, first time

Wicked Like a Wildfire by Lana Popovic One of the sisters is in a lesbian relationship. YA, fantasy, forbidden love, secrets

Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green & David Levithan One of the Wills is gay. YA, contemporary, humour, coming of age, friendship

#lgbt #lgbtqia #queerfiction #pride month #books #representation #ownvoices

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lgbtqiahistoricalromance · 6 years

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LGBTQIA+ Historical Romance Novels with...Favorite Authors

If you’ve followed the blog any length of time at all, you know I make lists based on themes, the one unifying factor being LGBTQIA+ representation that happens in historical romances. I started reading historicals when I was in middle school, because my grandmother and great-aunt would trade them with one another, and back then they were usually low on heat level. I went on to collect them myself, and still have most of those in storage, but left off for various reasons over time.

By the time I came back to it all, I’d reached well into adulthood, and had gone from thinking of myself as a female with tomboy issues to realizing I was non-binary and graysexual. I didn’t feel represented by any of the main characters in those romances I’d once read so avidly, but I still wanted history with a romantic twist. So, I started exploring.

What fits me, won’t of course fit everyone, but I’d like to recommend some of my favorite LGBTQIA+ historical romance authors that I haven’t seen on similar lists in the past, and authors I’m hoping to see more from soon...Maybe it will add to readers’ TBR lists...

Alex Beecroft - I honestly have no idea why Beecroft doesn’t make more Best Of lists. The broad range of her novel settings (from ancient Crete to 18th century Transylvania to Regency ships), the amount of research, character development, and evocative language, makes her one of my favorites. I don’t think there is anything she couldn’t write about, and do it well. For those interested, she also writes contemporaries, and fantasy. My favorites are The Reluctant Berserker (role reversals from the typical warrior and bard combo), and Labyrinth (non-binary MC and a twist on an old myth).

Erastes - One of the first LGBT historical romance authors I found, this author got started by writing Harry Potter slash fiction. Favorite by this author is Muffled Drum, because it’s a lovers-to-friends-to-lovers plotline.

Ainsley Gray - This author normally publishes under other names, but their recently released Unchained came to my attention, and kept it. If you like your Victorian romances with a darker twist, this one is for you. Hoping to see more from Gray, soon.

Eliot Greyson - I know next to nothing about this author, but their Like a Gentleman (Love in Portstmouth #1) put them on my One-to Watch radar. It’s actually a novella, but packs a lot into those few pages, and makes for an adorable read.

Jude Lucens - Lucens is new on the LGBT historical romance scene, but has already managed to give the genre representation in the forms of gay, bisexual, demisexual, and polyamorous MCs. She’s also a WOC author, and has included a biracial MC in her novella/novel pairing of Gutter Roses & Behind Closed Doors: Indecent Proposals Book One.

Katherine Marlowe - I don’t know what happened to Marlowe, but after several lovely novels, she disappeared. Still, her novels are ideal for those that like low dose homophobia in their historical romances, enjoy novels with working class MCs, and she has at least two novels with POC MCs. Favorites: A Wager of Love & The Blue Ribbon.

Farah Mendlesohn - Normally an author of fantasy and science fiction (they’ve won the coveted Hugo Award), this versatile author transported us to the Regency era with some wonderful historical detail, in the delightful and affordable f/f Spring Flowering. They are also the Managing Editor for Manifold Press, which will be returning this January, with a focus on LGBT historical romances.

KA Merikan - The pen name of a duo, their highwayman novel The Black Sheep and the Rotten Apple is one of my favorite bad boy/cinnamon roll novels ever. This pair typically writes contemporary series with motorcycle gangs, but even then they manage to bring historical ghosts and details, with their series Kings of Hell MC. The Art of Mutual Pleasure is another historical, which will amuse and educate, because it deals with the historically accurate notion of illness being brought on by the loss of male essence, and aggravated by self pollution.

Ruby Moone - If Moone writes it, I read it. Moone’s gents tend to reside in the Regency era, and have been adapting in terms of historical elements and diversity. They were some of the first non-titled MCs I read, and some have disabilities and/or cope with mental illnesses. The plots have increased in tension over time, but a mainstay of Moone’s novels is that despite laws against men being together, her MCs are often supported by those around them. There are also sometimes multiple Favorites: The Wrong Kind of Angel, The Mistletoe Kiss, & Thief of Hearts

Niamh Murphy - Looking for lesbian historicals? Murphy has you covered, with loving details, and also high adventure. Her Escape to Pirate Island is a staple of the LGBT pirate genre, and you can read a free sample on her site.

Victoria Sue - Typically Sue is known for contemporary novels and babies. That said, her Regency novels The Innocent Auction and The Innocent Betrayal are two you should try. They’ve a fair dose of angst, but they also come with some good espionage and character development.

Hayden Thorne - If YA and gothic are something you’re into, Thorne’s novels are a staple. An extremely prolific writer, she has created some of the most unique plot lines of any genre, while managing to have intriguing MCs, and representation. Favorites: Ansel of Pryor House

Leandra Vane - Normally a contemporary author and librian, Vane recently published the great historical Cast From the Earth, which takes place in America’s heartland in the 19th century. Vane is another author that uses her novels to explore with MCs that have disabilities, and this novel also delves into polyamorous love.

NR Walker - Walker is actually known for her contemporary m/m romances, and is one of the rare temp authors that I read a lot, because she includes so much research and detail. Recently, she made the leap into historicals though, with the fantastic Nova Praetorian, which takes place in ancient Rome.

Kelley York - In the past, some of you may have read York’s contemporary YA work, but she’s begun publishing about her beloved Victorian era gothic tastes, too. The Dark is the Night series is co-written with her wife, and I’ve been relishing the two novels that have come out so far. It even comes with its own artwork, and playlist.

Of course, there are the mainstays of the genre, authors that have gone above and beyond on bringing LGBTQIA+ representation to the historical romance reader: Keira Andrews, Joanna Chambers, KJ Charles, Charlie Cochrane, Bonnie Dee, Summer Devon, Jordan L Hawk, Ava March, EE Ottoman, and Cat Sebastian.

#lgbt romance #historical romance #m/m romance #f/f romance #poly romance #two men in love #two women in love

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journeyintotheshelves · 5 years

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Tuesday’s Treats is a weekly blog post dedicated to newly released books that I’m most excited for. (Books are in no particular order.)

All books featured this week will be released: FEB. 26th

1. Rayne & Delilah's Midnite Matinee: Jeff Zentner (goodreads) (book depository)

A book about friendship, growing up, and campy scary movies, Zentner’s Rayne & Delilah’s Midnite Matinee is bound to pull on all the heartstrings, while being lighthearted at the same time. I absolutely LOVED Zentner’s last novel Goodbye Days (check out my review here), so I cannot wait to dive into his latest.

YA Contemporary Fiction; Crown Books/Random House, Hardcover (US)

2. Warrior of the Wild: Tricia Levenseller (goodreads) (book depository)

As her father’s heir, Rasmira trained her entire life so she can become a warrior and lead her people. But when her coming-of-age trial results in her failure, Rasmira is banished to the wilderness. In order to return, her father gives her one task: to kill a god.

Honestly, just give me all the viking-inspired books, please and thank you.

YA Fantasy; Feiwel & Friends/Macmillan, Hardcover (US)

3. The Priory of the Orange Tree: Samantha Shannon (goodreads) (book depository)

Court politics, magic, and dragons…need I say more?

(In case I do, The Priory of the Orange Tree follows Queen Sabran who must have a daughter in order to secure the line of succession, Ead Duryan who is an outsider at court but is the only one standing between Queen Sabran and death by using forbidden magic, and Tané a dragonrider trainee. Each woman has different obstacles to conftront, but as their worlds continue to stay apart, a dark force awakens threatening everyone and everything.)

Fantasy; Bloomsbury, Hardcover (US)

4. Four Dead Queens: Astrid Scholte (goodreads) (book depository)

Keralie is a thief, and a pretty good one at that. Under the supervision of her mentor. Mackiel, Keralie steals items that people can’t get in their own quarters to sell on the black market in the Concord, the area that unites the four quarters. The four quarters — Toria, Ludia, Archia, and Eonia — all focus on different aspects of life, and each is divided from the others with four queens ruling over each region.

During a standard job, Keralie intercepts a comm disk from the House of Concord that shows all four queens murdered. In order to find the murderer, Keralie must team up with Varin, the Eonist messenger who she stole the disk from, and finish his original job and see where it leads.

YA Fantasy; Putnam/Penguin, Hardcover (US)

5. The Beauty of the Moment: Tanaz Bhathena (goodreads) (book depository)

A story about the new girl, hoping to live up to her parents expectations, and the “bad” boy, The Beauty of the Moment follows Susan and Malcolm who, even though their home lives are messy and imperfect, find themselves together as they fall for each other.

YA Contemporary Fiction, Romance; Farrar, Straus and Giroux/Macmillan, Hardcover (US)

6. We Set the Dark on Fire (We Set the Dark on Fire: 1): Tehlor Kay Mejia (goodreads) (book depository)

At the Medio School for Girls, young women are trained for one of two roles: to run their husband’s household, or to raise his children. Though far from perfect, at least their lives will be comfortable and separate from the uprisings suffered by the lower class. Daniela is at the top of her class, but her future depends on no one finding out her secret: that her pedigree is a lie. With forged papers, Dani’s parents pushed her to rise above her station and live a better life. As she nears graduation, she seems to have succeeded and is on the verge of marrying an important politico’s son. But, when she is tapped by a resistance group and is asked to spy for them in order to bring equality to Medio, Dani must choose between living a comfortable life, or fighting for equality and a chance at real love.

YA Fantasy, LGBTQIA+; KT Books/HarperCollins, Hardcover (US)

7. Last of Her Name: Jessica Khoury (goodreads) (book depository)

Literally, give me anything even related to the story of Anastasia Romanov and I will read it, and this one is set in space! I cannot wait to finally read this one. (On Goodreads, Khoury notes that this isn’t a direct retelling of Anastasia — the historical one, not the movie — but is inspired by it. Either way, I’m excited.)

YA Science Fiction, Retelling; Scholastic Press, Hardcover (US)

#books #new releases #Tuesday's Treats #rayne & delilah's midnite matinee #jeff zentner #warrior of the wild #tricia levenseller #the priory of the orange tree #samantha shannon #four dead queens #astrid scholte #the beauty of the moment #tanaz bhathena #we set the dark on fire #tehlor kay mejia #last of her name #jessica khoury

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