#Rebecca Lukens

[lgbtqreads]

Fave Five: Books for Fans of Our Flag Means Death

In Deeper Waters by F.T. Lukens (YA) The Mermaid, the Witch, and the Sea by Maggie Tokuda-Hall (YA) The Wicked Bargain by Gabe Cole Novoa (YA, audiobook narrated by Vico Ortiz) A Pirate’s Life for Tea by Rebecca Thorne Peter Darling by Austin Chant Bonus: Coming in June and July 2024, respectively, check out Running Close to the Wind by Alexandra Rowland and Peregrine Seas by R.C. Ballad

[melanielocke]

Book recommendations: Retellings part 2

As I said in my previous book recommendations about retellings, there were far too many to put into one post, so I made a second also featuring retelling. Remember how the first one featured a sapphic Sleeping Beauty retelling? This post features two sapphic sleeping beauty retellings. And yet the three different sapphic sleeping beauty retellings are all very different and unique stories.

I'll start with Briar girls, the first of the sleeping beauty retellings

This one is not well known, I think, but I did enjoy it and it's sapphic. I'm honestly not sure if the characters are people of color but the author is.

Lena was cursed before she was born, and her touch is deadly. Interestingly, there's another book on his list that starts with the same premise. Lena has lived in fear and isolation her entire life and because of a mistake she recently moved to a new village. In the village, people are disappearing into the forest called the Silence and sometimes go back having gone mad. One night, Miranda appears from the forest, a girl from Gather, a city in the Silence where magic exists. She's on a quest to defeat the tyrannical rulers of the city, and offers to help Lena break her curse in exchange for help against the tyrannical rulers. To defeat these rulers, they'd need to wake the sleeping princess, which is where the sleeping beauty part comes in. This is a less traditional retelling, the major characters don't really follow the sleeping beauty characters, but the sleeping princess is a pretty major plot line.

Also by this author: Shatter the Sky duology

The Bone Spindle is the second sleeping beauty retelling, and follows two main characters in the first book.

Fi is a treasure hunter who loves books, ancient ruins, and mysteries. She goes on adventures alongside her sometimes partner Shane, a tough warrior axe lesbian.

During their explorations of old ruins, Fi pricks her finger on the bone spindle, which connects her to the ancient sleeping prince Briar Rose. Now she has no choice but to go on a quest to find and wake the prince, with magic, witch hunters and bad exes trying to stop her. And there's a mysterious witch that shows up sometimes, but they can't trust, and Shane might just end up falling in love with her.

This is the first in a trilogy, with book 2 coming out in February, and I'll have to reread book 1 before book 2 comes out because I don't remember enough. I think there's a cw for past abusive relationship for Fi, with the ex playing a big role in one section of the book.

Now for something completely different, Pride by Ibi Zoboi

This is a contemporary retelling of Pride and Prejudice set in a modern day afro latine community.

Zuri Benitez lives in "the hood", but the neighborhood she knows is rapidly gentrifying. The newest inhabitants are the Darcy family, a wealthy Black family with two teenage sons. Darius Darcy is this book's version of mr. Darcy, whereas his brother Ainsley is based on Mr. Bingley. Zuri instantly hates the Darcies, even as her older sister Janae is falling for Ainsley, but she and Darius are forced to find common ground.

This book is a hate to lovers romance, especially Zuri really hates Darius at first, but also deals with themes like gentrification and cultural identity. I loved how all the different P&P characters appear in this one and how many plot points are adapted to fit a modern day afro latine story.

Next up is Dark and Deepest Red by Anna Marie McLemore

In the Netherlands we have a big theme park called the Efteling which is based around stories and primarily fairytales. The oldest part is the fairytale forest, which has buildings and talking and moving statues and puppets depicting various fairytales. As a child, I loved the dancing red shoes, which is based on a fairytale that I didn't know at the time, but is about a girl who puts on red shoes and then can't take them off and is forced to keep dancing.

This book is a retelling of that fairytale. It is split up in two parts, one set in modern US and one set in Strasbourg in 1518.

In 1518, a strange sickness starts affecting the women of Strasbourg. A dancing plague that forces women to dance until they drop dead. Lala is a Roma woman hiding her cultural heritage in a time where it was legal to kill Roma. In public, she goes by the name Lavinia and explains her darker features by telling people she has Italian heritage. When the plague worsens and rumors of witchcraft arise, Lala becomes a suspect.

In the modern day story, Rosella comes from a latine family of shoe makers known for their red shoes. When she puts on a pair of red shoes, she can't take them off again. The only person who could help her is Emil, a Roma boy whose ancestors were blamed for dancing the plague in Strasbourg.

I love this author's writing, and have read two other books by them, both of which are magical realism. I think this one might count as magical realism too. Not all the strange events and magical happenings are explained in the end, so that might leave readers unsatisfied, but I think it was a conscious choice here. At its root, this is a story about racism, both in the 1500s and modern day. I also really liked that Lala's love interest Alifair is a trans boy who lives in the 1500s. Alifair is sort of adopted by Lala's aunt, whom Lala also lives with, so if you don't like those kinds of relationships, I wouldn't recommend this one.

Girl, Serpent, Thorn by Melissa Bashardoust starts out a bit similar to Briar Girls

The protagonist, Soraya, was cursed and her touch is deadly. This book has been mentioned as sleeping beauty inspired, which would give us a fourth sapphic sleeping beauty retelling, but very loosely, and I couldn't really see it. It is, however, a retelling of a few stories from the Shahnameh, the Persian book of kings.

Soraya is the princess of Atashar and twin sister of the Shah, but she has spent her life in isolation, scared that she might hurt someone by accident if they came too close.

When her mother was young, she found a girl trapped in a net, and freed the girl. Then she encountered a div, a demon who told her she'd just freed his prisoner and as a punishment he would curse her daughter.

When the Shah's army captures a demon, Soraya sees an opportunity to find out if there's a way to break her curse, and learn more about why she is the way she is.

She makes some decisions that lead her to paths she never could have imagined, discovers the truth behind what really happened to her, and that her curse might really be a gift.

This story is about loneliness, and the early part especially feels heavy with how lonely Soraya is, and how much her curse weighs on her. Her complicated relationship with her mother, who may not have told her the truth about her curse, was very interesting and I loved Parvaneh, the div girl who was captured by army.

Lost in the Never Woods by Aiden Thomas is a retelling of Peter Pan, set in a small coastal town in I think Oregon

Five years ago, Wendy Darling and her brothers disappeared. Several months later, Wendy turned up again with no memory of what happened to her, but her brothers stay gone. Now, children start disappearing and it might be connected to what happened to Wendy.

One night, she almost runs over an unconscious boy who turns out to be Peter Pan, a boy she told stories about but never realized was real. Peter tells her he needs Wendy's help to find the missing children, or they might disappear forever like her brothers.

This was an interesting take on Peter Pan, focusing primarily on Wendy and Peter Pan, with Peter's shadow as an antagonist. Wendy was a soft but strong main character, and I think the trauma of losing her brothers and not knowing what had happened was handled very well with lots of care and compassion.

Also by this author: The Sunbearer Trials, Cemetery Boys, both of which I covered before

The last book on this list is In Deeper Waters by F.T. Lukens

Prince Tal has spent most of his life hiding away in the palace to keep his forbidden magic secret. At sixteen, he finally gets to go out on a coming of age tour across the kingdom. After two days, they discover a burning ship abandoned on the sea, and on it a prisoner.

Tal instantly feels a connection to the boy, Athlen, but not longer after his rescue Athlen jumps into the sea and disappears. But a few days later he runs into Athlen again on land, very much alive. Then Tal is kidnapped by pirates holding him for ransom, and Athlen migh be his best chance of escaping.

This is a romantic fantasy retelling of the little mermaid, with Tal as the prince from the fairytale. It's not very long and the world could have been more developed, but the focus is mostly on the adventure and romance between Tal and Athlen.

Also by this author: So this is Ever After, which I covered in retellings part 1

Upcoming: Spell Bound, which will be about rival magicians with an m/nb romance, coming april 2023

@alastaircarstairsdefenselawyer @life-through-the-eyes-of @astriefer @justanormaldemon @ipromiseiwillwrite @a-dream-dirty-and-bruised @amchara @all-for-the-fanfiction @imsoftforthomastair @ddepressedbookworm @queenlilith43 @wagner-fell @cant-think-of-anything @laylax13s @tessherongraystairs @boredfangirl16 @artist-in-soul @bottomdelioncourt @ikissedsmithparker

[betterbooksandthings]

"You might be in a YA low fantasy book if you turn the corner to get to your locker and come upon a daemon. They contain everything odd about high school and literalize it with fantasy. Here is a must-read list of YA low fantasy books for genre lovers and novices alike.

Fantasy has a lot of sub-genres. Some are more well-defined than others, but on the broadest scale, there are high fantasy books and low fantasy books. Low fantasy books have fantastical elements in an otherwise normal world. You might be a witch working in a Starbucks who serves a cappuccino to a werewolf. The fact that you have magic may be well known. It could be a secret from others around you. As long as there is magic, abnormal beings, or paranormal somethings in the normal setting, it’s low fantasy."

[englishsub]

book rec by me

so you want to get back into reading books but have no idea where to start and disdain booktok (if you get me started on this however i will become an unskippable cutscene so that's for another day). understandable. there is so much out there and it is all so overwhelming and you don't even know what you like now that you've been a decade out of the game. again, understandable. it does not have to be scary. i will help you. below i have created some categories that can get you started.

i want to read Literature

literary fiction, with crossover from historical fiction and magical realism

PEACH BLOSSOM SPRING by melissa fu

THE VASTER WILDS by lauren groff

THE FAMILY CHAO by lan samantha chang

OUTER DARK by cormac mccarthy

SEVERANCE by ling ma

LIGHT FROM UNCOMMON STARS by ryka aoki

IDENTITTI by mithu m. sanyal

PIRANESI by susanna clarke

i want to read sci-fi/fantasy that won't break my brain

sci-fi and fantasy that is gentler on the brain cells. easier to grasp magic systems with multiple but not an overwhelming number of overlapping plotlines

EMILY WILDE'S ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF FAERIES by heather fawcett

KINGS OF THE WYLD by nicholas eames

THE JASMINE THRONE by tasha suri

THE CITY OF BRASS by s.a. chakraborty

A RIVER ENCHANTED by rebecca ross

JUNIPER AND THORN by ava reid

BLACK SUN by rebecca roanhorse

THE FINAL STRIFE by saara el-arifi

THE BONE SHARD DAUGHTER by andrea stewart

i want to read sci-fi/fantasy that forces me to lock the fuck in

i would not recommend picking these up as your first foray back into books after many years of not reading recreationally, but i'm not your mom.

THE SPEAR CUTS THROUGH WATER by simon jimenez

JADE CITY by fonda lee

THE FIFTH SEASON by n.k. jemisin

THE RAGE OF DRAGONS by evan winter

A MEMORY CALLED EMPIRE by arkady martine

GIDEON THE NINTH by tamsyn muir

THE ART OF PROPHECY by wesley chu

THE GRACE OF KINGS by ken liu

horrify me!

there is far more to the horror literary canon than stephen king and dean koontz, i promise. consider looking up warnings for these.

TENDER IS THE FLESH by agustina bazterrica

THE RUINS by scott smith

CONFESSIONS by kanae minato

EPISODE THIRTEEN by craig dilouie

REPRIEVE by james han mattson

MARY by nat cassidy

DEAD SILENCE by s.a. barnes

AUDITION by ryu murakami

THE SALT GROWS HEAVY by cassandra khaw

don't care, i want romance

some of these feature crossover genres, like fantasy and horror.

VAMPIRES OF EL NORTE by isabel cañas

DAUGHTER OF THE MOON GODDESS by sue lynn tan

SEVEN DAYS IN JUNE by tia williams

HAPPY PLACE by emily henry

ONE DARK WINDOW by rachel gillig

i want QUEER romance

again, a mix of historical, fantasy, and contemporary crossover genres.

WE COULD BE SO GOOD by cat sebastian

IN MEMORIAM by alice winn

MOST ARDENTLY by gabe cole novoa

A STRANGE AND STUBBORN ENDURANCE by foz meadows

A MARVELLOUS LIGHT by freya marske

THE EMPEROR AND THE ENDLESS PALACE by justinian huang

SPELL BOUND by f.t. lukens

SORRY, BRO by taleen voskuni

ONE LAST STOP by casey mcquiston

DELILAH GREEN DOESN'T CARE by ashley herring blake

i haven't felt anything since i read percy jackson/the hunger games in middle school/high school

adventure is still out there.

SCYTHE by neil shusterman

WE HUNT THE FLAME by hafsah faizal

SIX OF CROWS by leigh bardugo

GEARBREAKERS by zoe hana mikuta

i'll read anything that's not straight or white

many books in the above categories fit this, but here's even more, across a variety of genres.

LAST NIGHT AT THE TELEGRAPH CLUB by malinda lo

BABEL by r.f. kuang

WHEN THE RECKONING COMES by latanya mcqueen

THE UNBROKEN by c.l. clark

IF YOU'LL HAVE ME (graphic novel) by eunnie

LEGEND OF THE WHITE SNAKE by sher lee

THIS IS HOW YOU LOSE THE TIME WAR by amal el-mohtar and max gladstone

SHE WHO BECAME THE SUN by shelley parker-chan

"all ya books suck"

like any other genre or book age group, there are duds and there are standouts. ya is not special in this regard. try some of these!

DIVINE RIVALS by rebecca ross

STRIKE THE ZITHER by joan he

THE RED PALACE by june hur

A STUDY IN DROWNING by ava reid

EMPIRE OF SAND by tasha suri

LEGENDBORN by tracy deonn

i check out and read a lot of these books for free via my local library by using the libby app (you can even add your friends' library cards to gain access to libraries in places you don't live). when i'm feeling like reading via audiobook, i use libro fm!

look, no one HAS TO read diversely. no one is going to be reverse fahrenheit 451'd and locked in a room with no fanfic and only books and not let out until they work their way through the entire literary canon. but reading, and reading widely, and reading diversely, is what teaches people to form their own opinions and question the things they are told. it's why they hang up stuff like "READ READ READ!!" in grade school classrooms.

we live under systems that increasingly benefit from going unquestioned. no, of course reading ASSASSIN'S APPRENTICE by robin hobb is not going to dismantle these systems tomorrow, nor probably even in our lifetimes. but doing it will help set up a world capable of doing it in the future. and until further notice, we are all part of this wretched world. might as well read a good story while we're here.

anyway, i'm reading THE WEST PASSAGE by jared pechaček and the new cmq book this week.

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

Queer Pirate Books

In Deeper Waters; by F.T. Lukens

Running Close to the Wind; by Alexandra Rowland, coming out June 11th!

The Mermaid, the Witch, and the Sea; by Maggie Tokuda-Hall

A Clash of Steel; by C.B. Lee

Compass Rose; Anna Burke (sci-fi)

The Abyss Surrounds Us; by Emily Skrutskie (sci-fi)

The Forever Sea; by Joshua Phillip Johnson

The Black God's Drums; by P. Djèlí Clark (scif-fi)

Peter Darling; by Austin Chant

A Song of Silver and Gold; by Mel Karibian

The Wicked Bargain; Gabe Cole Novoa

Escape to Pirate Island; by Niamh Murphy

A Pirate's Life for Tea (Tomes and Tea, Book 2); by Rebecca Thorne

The Unbinding of Mary Reade; by Miriam McNamara

[beautifulmakkaris]

If you're missing Lockwood and Co, don't despair! Here are some recommendations from fans of the show and books to help fill the void while we fight for season 2 - please share far and wide <3

All recs are from responses to this post, myself and things I've seen floating around the internet (ie, Goodreads suggestions/lists). Recs may be based on specific characters, ships, tropes, genres, worldbuilding or just general ~vibes.

Please make sure to check all content warnings before reading/watching any recommendations on this list.

Books (standalone)

Spellbound by F. T. Lukens

The Agency for Scandal by Laura Wood

The Dead Romantics by Ashley Poston

The Cheat Sheet by Sarah Adams

This May End Badly by Samantha Markum

Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas

The Ex Hex by Erin Sterling

A Sky Painted Gold by Laura Wood

The Hidden Dragon by Melissa Marr

Trouble by Lex Croucher

Books (series - *ongoing)

Shades of Magic by V. E. Schwab

Skulduggery Pleasant by Derek Landy

A Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson

The Locked Tomb by Tamsyn Muir*

Virals by Kathy Reichs

The Shades of London by Maureen Johnson

The Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater

Jackaby by William Ritter

Charlotte Holmes by Brittany Cavallaro

The Checquy Files by Daniel O'Malley

Alex Stern by Leigh Bardugo*

Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerry Maniscalco

Scarlet by A. C. Gaughen

Renegades by Marissa Meyer

The Diviners by Libba Bray

City of Ghosts by Victoria Schwab

Percy Jackson & the Olympians by Rick Riordan

Mokee Joe by Peter J. Murray

Mortal Engines by Philip Reeve

Murder Most Unladylike by Robin Stevens*

Letters of Enchantment by Rebecca Ross*

The Left-Handed Booksellers of London by Garth Nix

Dreadwood by Jennifer Killick

The Empyrean by Rebecca Yarros*

The Bartimaeus Sequence by Jonathan Stroud

Ankh-Morpork City Watch (Discworld) by Terry Pratchett

The Mistborn Trilogy by Brandon Sanderson

Scarlett & Browne by Jonathan Stroud

His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman

Books (graphic novels)

Locke & Key by Joe Hill

Television series (*-ongoing)

School Spirits*

Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Shadow & Bone

Wednesday*

Stranger Things*

CW's Nancy Drew

Shadowhunters

Locke & Key

The Bastard Son and the Devil Himself

Spooksville

The Midnight Club

Teen Wolf

Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency

Grimm

Please feel free to keep sending recommendations my way and I'll update this list as often as I can! Also let me know if you enjoy anything you found from this list, I'd love to know if you found it helpful :)

[wondereads]

Genderqueer Book Recs for Pride 2024

Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire (trans)

New Adult, low fantasy, 3.89 star average (my rating: 5 stars)

Dragonfall by L. R. Lam (genderfluid)

Adult, fantasy romance, 3.68 star average (my rating: 4.5 stars)

The Prince and the Dressmaker by Jen Wang (trans)

Young Adult GN, historical fiction, 4.37 star average (my rating: 5 stars)

The Spirit Bares Its Teeth by Andrew Joseph White (trans)

Young Adult, historical horror, 4.58 star average (my rating: 4.5 stars)

Spell Bound by F. T. Lukens (nonbinary)

Young Adult, contemporary fantasy, 4.2 star average (my rating: 3.5 stars)

Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas (trans)

Young Adult, contemporary fantasy, 4.34 star average (my rating: 4.5 stars)

Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse (genderfluid)

Adult, high fantasy, 4.25 star average

She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker Chan (nonbinary)

Adult, historical fantasy, 4 star average

The Sunbearer Trials by Aiden Thomas (trans)

Young Adult, high fantasy, 4.4 star average

The Goddess of Nothing at All by Cat Rector (genderfluid)

Adult, high fantasy, 4.23 star average

The First Sister by Linden A. Lewis (nonbinary)

Adult, space opera, 3.93 star average

Seven Devils by L. R. Lam and Elizabeth May (trans/nonbinary)

Adult, space opera, 4.03 star average

Hell Followed With Us by Andrew Joseph White (trans)

Young Adult, postapocalyptic horror, 4.2 star average

[battyaboutbooksreviews]

April 2024 Young Adult Book Releases

🦇 Good morning, my bookish bats. I hope you have a good book, delicious latte, and sweet snack within reach! No TBR is complete without a few young adult novels, and plenty were released in April! Here are a few YA releases to consider adding to your shelves.

[ List Under the Cut ]

🩷 April 2 🩷 ✨ Your Blood, My Bones - Kelly Andrew ✨ What If... Loki Was Worthy? - Madeleine Roux ✨ Fate Be Changed - Farrah Rochon ✨ No Going Back - Patrick Flores-Scott ✨ The Reappearance of Rachel Price - Holly Jackson ✨ Darker by Four - June C.L. Tan ✨ Draw Down the Moon - P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast ✨ The Black Girl Survives in This One ✨ Wrath of the Talon - Sophie Kim ✨ Every Time You Hear That Song - Jenna Voris ✨ Otherworldly - F.T. Lukens ✨ Misdirection of Fault Lines - Anna Gracia ✨ Something Kindred - Ciera Burch ✨ Hearts Still Beating - Brooke Archer ✨ Call Forth a Fox - Markelle Grabo

🩷 April 9 🩷 ✨ Teenage Dirtbags - James Acker ✨ Canto Contigo - Jonny Garza Villa ✨ Dragonfruit - Makiia Lucier ✨ The Final Curse of Ophelia Cray - Christine Calella ✨ Fog & Fireflies - T.H. Lehnen ✨ Against the Darkness - Kendare Blake ✨ The Darkness Rises - Stacy Stokes ✨ Right Here, Right Now - Shannon Dunlap ✨ The Last Love Song - Kalie Holford

🩷 April 16 🩷 ✨ To Gaze Upon Wicked Gods - Molly X. Chang ✨ Merciless Saviors - H.E. Edgmon ✨ Deep Is the Fen - Lili Wilkinson ✨ This Is Me Trying - Racquel Marie ✨ Calling of Light - Lori M. Lee ✨ Pretty Furious - E.K. Johnston ✨ Dear Wendy - Ann Zhao ✨ The Lady of Rapture - Sarah Raughley ✨ The End of Always - Rebecca Phillips ✨ The Kill Factor - Ben Oliver ✨ The Breakup Lists - Adib Khorram ✨ We're Never Getting Home - Tracy Badua ✨ The Harrowing - Kristen Kiesling & Rye Hickman ✨ King of Dead Things - Nevin Holness ✨ Sheine Lende - Darcie Little Badger & Rovina Cai ✨ The One That Got Away with Murder - Trish Lundy

🩷 April 23 🩷 ✨ Song of the Six Realms - Judy I. Lin ✨ Off With Their Heads - Zoe Hana Mikuta ✨ Blood Justice - Terry J. Benton-Walker ✨ Kill Her Twice - Stacey Lee ✨ Dark Parts of the Universe - Samuel Mille ✨ Finally Fitz - Marisa Kanter ✨ The Merciless King of Moore High - Lily Sparks ✨ Out of Blue Comes Green - M.E. Corey ✨ A Whisper in the Walls - Scott Reintgen ✨ Homebody - Theo Parish ✨ Punk Rock Karaoke - Bianca Xunise

🩷 April 30 🩷 ✨ To a Darker Shore - Leanne Schwartz ✨ The Vanishing Station - Ana Ellickson ✨ The Last Boyfriends Rules for Revenge - Matthew Hubbar ✨ What's Eating Jackie Oh? - Patricia Park ✨ Sound the Gong - Joan He ✨ Playing for Keeps - Jennifer Dugan ✨ Not Like Other Girls - Meredith Adamo ✨ The Notes - Catherine Con Morse ✨ I'll Be Waiting for You - Mariko Turk ✨ Pillow Talk - Stephanie Cooke & Mel Valentine ✨ Saint-Seducing Gold - Brittany N. Williams ✨ Where Was Goodbye? - Janice Lynn Mather ✨ The Lilies - Quinn Diacon-Furtado

[aurorawest]

Reading update

Baker Thief by Claudie Arseneault - DNF

I have to admit I didn't give this one much of a chance. I got it in a Rainbow Crate so I felt compelled to at least try to read it, but it's just not my kind of thing, and I DNFed at page 4. Really didn't like the writing style.

Idol Minds by KT Salvo - 2.75/5 stars

Almost DNFed this when I was about 50 pages from the end because it very abruptly lost my attention. I never really liked either of the main characters so I didn't care about their breakup or HEA. Also the sex scenes were weirdly short but also repetitive, somehow?

Fevered Star by Rebecca Roanhorse - 3.75/5 stars

I will be completely honest and admit that I could remember almost nothing of the first book when I started reading this the other day. I remembered that I really liked it, and that was about it. This one was...good?

Ok, so, let me see if I can put this into words. During the pandemic, authors kept writing, right? Especially if they were under contract to produce a series. And for some authors, that was fine. There is no discernible difference in their work. And then other authors, it's like...the anxiety brain fog got baked into their writing. There's nothing technically wrong with it. Things are happening. The characters are still engaging. And yet...sometimes it just feels like...things are happening. Like the author couldn't really process the emotions of the things happening, and thus couldn't really write feeling into the work? So it becomes just Things Happening. And I know how I should feel about it, but I'm not feeling it. Like when the dose of your antidepressant is too high, and you just have no feelings? It's sort of like that.

On the Rooftop by Margaret Wilkerson Sexton - DNF

There's nothing wrong with this book, tbh—it's well written with an interesting setting, characters with depth, and a theme that should, in theory, interest me. That said, I just wasn't feeling it. I won this book from my local bookstore and it's the sort of literary fiction that I read all the time in my teens and early twenties, even though I never really enjoyed it? I'm a genre fiction kid, as it turns out.

My Dear Henry: A Jekyll and Hyde Remix by Kalynn Bayron - 4/5 stars

I really really liked this, and I probably would have rated it higher, except it fell into the trap that a lot of queer retellings of classics do: in being forced to hew to a plot line from a century or more ago, a lot of story and character depth has to be jettisoned. This book did a much better job than The Henchman of Zenda by KJ Charles, but I still found myself wanting a more modern storytelling style. Overall it was really good, though.

Less is Lost by Andrew Sean Greer - 4.75/5 stars

I hated Less for most of the time I was reading it (but it didn't bore me, so that's something). When I got to the end and realized it was a romance, I ended up loving it, but I had to split the difference in my rating, haha. This is the direct sequel and I loved it. It's laugh out loud funny (which I did not find Less to be most of the time) and melancholy, but at its heart is also a love story.

When the Stars Go Dark by Paula McLain - 4/5 stars

A Marvellous Light by Freya Marske - 5/5 stars (reread)

I loved it even more on the reread. I would die for Edwin and Robin. I'm crazy excited for A Power Unbound.

Hoarfrost by Jordan L Hawk - 4.25/5 stars

Such a Quiet Place by Megan Miranda - 3.5/5 stars

I never know how to rate thrillers because honestly, they aren't my genre. This was part of the batch of books I won at trivia from my local bookstore. It was good in that it held my attention and was entertaining (and a bit creepy), but like, I don't know that I'll tell people that they simply must read it. But yeah, I read it in a day, so it's a quick read.

Spell Bound by FT Lukens - DNF

Ugh. Reads like my fantasy epic I was writing when I was 14 (see also: TJ Klune's Verania series). When I'm mentally editing the book as I'm reading, you know that's a bad sign. The first chapter could have been like, 2 pages (instead it was 18). Here's how Chapter 3, which introduces the other main character begins: Summer was such a waste of time and effort. Spring was okay. Autumn was the best. Winter wasn't bad.

Okay???? Great??????? Why do I care? I read for another page after that. Lukens is an author I really, really want to like, but the last two books I've read by them are just obnoxious. I could forgive The Rules and Regulations for Mediating Myths and Magic because it was one of their first books (it might have been their first?), but this...is not their first book, yet that's what it reads like. I suspect this is a manuscript they wrote a while ago, shelved, and brought it back out now that they're having success.

Heart of Dust by HL Moore - 5/5 stars

You know when you read a book that's so good, and you can't figure out why the hell you had to stumble across it by going down some algorithm recommendation rabbit hole? This is one of those books. Gritty and unique sci-fi setting, a backdrop of labor rights, aching gay mutual pining? Please read this.

[spidertalia]

Name?

Personality?

Appearance?

For Pennsylvania

omg yay ! i actually love my iteration of pennsylvania

her human name is rebecca franklin ! after rebecca lukens, known as 'america's first female ceo of an industrial company', and ofc ben franklin

pennsylvania is hardworking, intelligent, down to earth, patient, loya, calm, level headed and tolerant, but also slightly (unintentionally) curt. she's the kinda quiet, slightly stoic and hardworking type who prefers tinkering and working to being around a lot of people, essentially. she played a huge part in the industrial revolution, producing a lot of steel, iron ore and textiles- as a result, she's very skilled with machinery and engineering and loves it. she'll own cars just to tinker and improve them, she'll remodel parts of her house on occasion and will happily answer any other state's call to help with some mechanical.

she also will take any chance to complain about the weather. outside of the weather, though, she rarely complains about anything. she's delaware's little sister and gets along well with him. she also gets along well with germany and the netherlands, but will fight england on sight. she argues with new jersey a lot as well.

appearance wise, i have actually drawn her, but i'll describe her first. she stands at 5'10 or 178 cm, ironically towering over her big brother. she keeps her hair short since she works with machinery a lot and doesn't want anything happening. she's one of the physically stronger states thanks to all the physical labor she's done, and it reflects in her toned, semi-muscular body. she had at least one scar- a burn scar on one shoulder from the burning of Pennsylvania Hall. (she probably has a few small ones from machinery, but i haven't put much thought to it yet)

and here she is !

[bookaddict24-7]

(New Young Adult Releases Coming Out Today! (April 4th, 2023)

___

Have I missed any new Young Adult releases? Have you added any of these books to your TBR? Let me know!

___

New Standalones/First in a Series:

Promposal by Raechell Garrett

A Whole Song & Dance by Sarvenaz Tash

Never Vacation with Your Ex by Emily Wibberley & Austin Siegemund-Broka

Not Here to Stay Friends by Kaitlyn Hill

Spell Bound by F.T. Lukens

Forget Me Not by Alyson Derrick

Queen Bee by Amalie Howard

Blood Debts by Terry J. Benton-Walker

An Appetite for Miracles by Laekan Zea Kemp

A Fire Among Clouds by Angel De Santiago & Camilo Moncada Lozano

Stars & Smoke by Marie Lu

Silver in the Bone by Alexandra Bracken

¡Ay, Mija! (A Graphic Novel): My Bilingual Summer in Mexico by Christine Suggs

When You Wish Upon A Star by Elizabeth Lim

Tell Me What Really Happened by Chelsea Sedoti

First-Year Orientation by Various

Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross

Selfie by Allayne L. Webster

The Wasn’t in the Script by Sarah Ainslee

Firebird by Sunmi

Into the Churn by Hayley Reese Chow

New Sequels: 

Timeless (Starcrossed #5) by Josephine Angelini

The United Divines (Divine Witches #2) by J.J. Otis

___

Happy reading!

[lgbtqreads]

hi!! i know this has beeb asked before but not for a while and I thought there might be some releases since then, so : any Queer High Fantasy? I've been recommended Priory of the Orange Tree before. Thank you!!

Not sure when the last time was but here’s what’s currently on my radar! (You can also find these here, and an asterisk means it’s not out yet: https://lgbtqreads.com/sff/spec-fic-by-subgenre/) I bolded some of the ones that are newer or coming out in the next few months.

MG

*Splinter & Ash by Marieke Nijkamp – NB

Sir Callie by Esme Symes-Smith – NB

YA

Female Protags

The Winter Duke by Claire Eliza Bartlett

The Never Tilting World by Rin Chupeco – L

Queen of Coin and Whispers by Helen Corcoran

Of Fire and Stars by Audrey Coulthurst – L,B

Inkmistress by Audrey Coulthurst – B

The Impostor Queen by Sarah Fine – B

Noble Falling and Noble Persuasion by Sara Gaines

Rule by Ellen Goodlett

Havenfall by Sara Holland

*Hearts Forged in Dragon Fire by Erica Hollis

The Afterward by EK Johnston

Empirium by Claire Legrand – B

Belle Révolte by Linsey Miller – BA

These Feathered Flames by Alexandra Overy

The Midnight Lie by Marie Rutkoski

It Ends in Fire by Andrew Shvarts

Beneath the Citadel by Destiny Soria – B, A

The Third Daughter and The Second Son by Adrienne Tooley

Shatter the Sky by Rebecca Kim Wells – B

The Thousand Names by Django Wexler

Male Protags

Cloaked in Shadow by Ben Alderson

The Runebinder Chronicles by Alex R. Kahler

Skybound by Alex London

So This is Ever After by F.T. Lukens

Beneath the Citadel by Destiny Soria

The Sunbearer Trials by Aiden Thomas – T

Non-Binary Protags

Spell Bound by FT Lukens

Mask of Shadows by Linsey Miller – GF

*A Hundred Vicious Turns by Lee Paige O’Brien

Adult

Female Protags

A Broken Blade by Melissa Blair

Tales of Inthya by Effie Calvin

The Vanished Queen by Lisbeth Campbell

Rook & Rose by M.A. Carrick

The Night and its Moon by Piper CJ

The Unbroken by C.L. Clark

*Warmongers by C.L. Clark

The Gardener’s Hand by Felicia Davin

*The Water Outlaws by S.L. Huang

Dragonfall by L.R. Lam

The Unspoken Name by A.K. Larkwood

The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon

From Under the Mountain by C.M. Spivey

The Drowning Empire by Andrea Stewart (Amz)

The Jasmine Throne by Tasha Suri

Malice by Heather Walter

When Women Were Warriors series by Catherine M. Wilson

Male Protags

Kirith Kirin by Jim Grimsley

The Cadeleonian series by Ginn Hale

Tales From Verania by T.J. Klune

A Chorus of Dragons by Jenn Lyons

The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon

*Dark Moon, Shallow Sea by David R. Slayton

Stagsblood Trilogy by Gideon E. Wood

Genderqueer Protags

*The Water Outlaws by S.L. Huang

[melanielocke]

Most anticipated 2024 books!

I am anticipating a lot of books. To keep track of them, I made a 2024 tbr shelf. It has 123 books. I certainly won't be reading all 123, but since I can sort the list by release date it helps me keep track of new releases. Unfortunately, 123 is so many that half of them I don't even remember adding them or what they're about, so I decided to boil it down to 10 most anticipated new books and 10 sequels.

New

Faebound - Saara El-Arifi - Jan 18

Voyage of the Damned - Frances White - Jan 18

Fathomfolk - Eliza Chan - Feb 27

A Botanical Daughter - Noah Medlock - Mar 19

Otherwordly - FT Lukens - Apr 2

The Sins on their Bones - Laura R. Samotin - May 7

Not for the Faint of Heart - Lex Croucher - May 7

The Honey Witch - Sydney J. Shields - May 14

Running Close to the Wind - Alexandra Rowland - Jun 11

Swordcrossed - Freya Marske - Oct 10

Sequels

The Cursed Rose - Leslie Vedder (book 3 of the Bone Spindle, final book) - Feb 6

The Eternal Ones - Namina Forna (book 3 of Deathless trilogy) - Feb 13

Merciless Saviors - H.E. Edgmon (sequel to Godly Heathens, final book) - Apr 16

Heavenly Tyrant - Xiran Jay Zhao (sequel to Iron Widow, final book) - Apr 30

Mirrored Heavens - Rebecca Roanhorse (book 3 of Between Earth and Sky trilogy) - Jun 4

Hearts that Cut - Kika Hatzopoulou (sequel to Threads that Bind) - Jun 4

The Unrelenting Earth - Kritika H. Rao (Book 2 in the Rages trilogy) - Jun 18

The Lotus Empire - Tasha Suri (book 3 in the Burning Kingdoms trilogy) - Jul 18

Celestial Monsters - Aiden Thomas (sequel to the Sunbearer Trials, final book) - Sept 3

Alecto the Ninth - Tamsyn Muir (book 4 in the Locked Tomb series) - release dat unknown, likely late 2024

[someonelookingpraediti]

2022 Yearly Roundup

Stats Total books read: 95 'New' books read: 90 5 star books: 32

My reading goal this year was 72 new-to-me books, 6 per month. I smashed my yearly goal, and hit my monthly goal 11 out of 12 months. The only month I missed, October, was the month I re-read The Raven Cycle instead. I think I did pretty well!

A Gathering of Shadows - V.E. Schwab ★★★★☆

The Cruel Prince - Holly Black ★★★★★

The Wicked King - Holly Black ★★★★★

The Queen of Nothing - Holly Black ★★★★★

How the King of Elfhame Learned to Hate Stories - Holly Black ★★★★☆

Lore - Alexandra Bracken ★☆☆☆☆

Pandora - Susan Stokes-Chapman ★★★★★

Skyward - Brandon Sanderson ★★★★★

A Long Fatal Love Chase - Louisa May Alcott ★★☆☆☆

Practical Magic - Alice Hoffman ★★★☆☆

These Violent Delights - Chloe Gong ★☆☆☆☆

Only a Monster - Vanessa Len ★★★★☆

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue - V.E. Schwab ★★★★★

The House with Chicken Legs - Sophie Anderson ★★★☆☆

The Atlas Six - Olivie Blake ★☆☆☆☆

Galatea - Madeline Miller ★★★☆☆

Gallant - V.E. Schwab ★★★★★

Cemetery Boys - Aiden Thomas ★★★★★

The Devil Makes Three - Tori Bovalino ★★★☆☆

A River Enchanted - Rebecca Ross ★★☆☆☆

Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell - Susanna Clarke ★★★☆☆

Tithe - Holly Black ★★★★★

Valiant - Holly Black ★★★★★

Ironside - Holly Black ★★★★★

Piranesi - Susanna Clarke ★★★☆☆

Half a Soul - Olivia Atwater ★★★★☆

The Ladies of Grace Adieu - Susanna Clarke ★★★☆☆

Ten Thousand Stitches - Olivia Atwater ★★★★★

Longshadow - Olivia Atwater ★★★★½

The Lord Sorcier - Olivia Atwater ★★★★★

The Latch Key - Olivia Atwater ★★★☆☆

Portrait of a Thief - Grace D. Li ★★★★★

The Lost Sisters - Holly Black ★★☆☆☆

Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief - Rick Riordan ★★★☆☆

Percy Jackson and the Sea of Monsters - Rick Riordan ★★★★☆

Percy Jackson and the Titan’s Curse - Rick Riordan ★★★★☆

Percy Jackson and the Battle of the Labyrinth - Rick Riordan ★★★★★

Percy Jackson and the Last Olympian - Rick Riordan ★★★★★

Book of Night - Holly Black ★★★☆☆

The Ravens - Danielle Paige and Kass Morgan ★★★★☆

The Monarchs - Danielle Paige and Kass Morgan ★★★☆☆

Starsight - Brandon Sanderson ★★★★★

Cytonic - Brandon Sanderson ★★★★★

Legion - Brandon Sanderson ★★★☆☆

Skin Deep - Brandon Sanderson ★★★★���

Lies of the Beholder - Brandon Sanderson ★★★★☆

Skyward Flight - Brandon Sanderson ★★★★★

Firefight - Brandon Sanderson ★★★★★

Calamity - Brandon Sanderson ★★★★½

Mitosis - Brandon Sanderson ★★★☆☆

The King’s Renegal - Emily Wilson and Celia Oliva ★★☆☆☆

The Foxhole Court - Nora Sakavic ★★★★★

The Raven King - Nora Sakavic ★★★★★

The King’s Men - Nora Sakavic ★★★★★

Arcanum Unbounded - Brandon Sanderson ★★★☆☆

Dawnshard - Brandon Sanderson ★★★☆☆

Defending Elysium - Brandon Sanderson ★★★★★

Perfect State - Brandon Sanderson ★★☆☆☆

Firstborn - Brandon Sanderson ★★★★★

Snapshot - Brandon Sanderson ★★★★☆

These Hollow Vows - Lexi Ryan ★★★☆☆

These Twisted Bonds - Lexi Ryan ★★☆☆☆

Gild - Raven Kennedy ★☆☆☆☆

The House in the Cerulean Sea - TJ Klune ★★★★★

Gideon the Ninth - Tamsyn Muir ★★★☆☆

Harrow the Ninth - Tamsyn Muir ★★☆☆☆

In Deeper Waters - F.T. Lukens ★★★★☆

Ariadne - Jennifer Saint ★★★★☆

Violet Made of Thorns - Gina Chen ★☆☆☆☆

Northanger Abbey - Jane Austen ★★★★☆

Nettle and Bone - T. Kingfisher ★★★★☆

The Dark Tide - Alicia Jasinska ★★★★★

A Prince of Troy - Lindsay Clarke ★★☆☆☆

Wake the Bones - Elizabeth Kilcoyne ★★★★★

The Raven Boys - Maggie Stiefvater (re-read)

The Dream Thieves - Maggie Stiefvater (re-read)

Blue Lily, Lily Blue - Maggie Stiefvater (re-read)

The Raven King - Maggie Stiefvater (re-read)

Opal - Maggie Stiefvater ★★★★★

Call Down the Hawk - Maggie Stiefvater ★★★★☆

Mister Impossible - Maggie Stiefvater ★★★★☆

Greywaren - Maggie Stiefvater ★★★★★

The School for Good and Evil - Soman Chainani ★★★☆☆

A World Without Princes - Soman Chainani ★★☆☆☆

Vicious - V.E. Schwab ★★★★★

The Last Ever After - Soman Chainani ★★★☆☆

Nothing but Blackened Teeth - Cassandra Khaw ★★★★☆

Firstborn - Brandon Sanderson (re-read)

Upon a Waking Dream - J.S. Bailey ★★☆☆☆

The Secret Gift - Bethany Atazadeh ★★★★☆

A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens ★★★★★

Godkiller - Hannah Kaner ★★★☆☆

Vengeful - V.E. Schwab ★★★★☆

The Valancourt Book of Victorian Christmas Ghost Stories - various authors ★★★★☆

Wintersong - S. Jae-Jones ★★★☆☆

[girlwithinfiction]

✨WHAT'S POPPIN' THIS APRIL (Part 2)✨

The books are:

• Symphony of Secrets by Brendan Slocumb

• City of Dreams by Don Winslow

• Games and Rituals by Katherine Henry

• Secret Rules to Being a Rockstar by Jessamyn Violet

• No Place to Hide by J.S Monroe

• Someone is Always Watching by Kelley Armstrong

• Tenkill by Shannon Kirk

• Tauhou by Kotuku Tithula Nuttall

• Harvest House by Cynthia Leitich Smith

• The Recall Paradox by Julian Ray Vaca

• Chrysalis by Anna Metcalfe

• Old Flame by Molly Prentiss

• Pomegranate by Helen Elaine Lee

• The Words We Lost by Nicole Deese

• Advika and the Hollywood Wives by Kirthana Ramisetti

• The Hitherto Secret Experiments of Marie Curie by Various Authors

• Lewis Sinclair and the Gentlemen Cowboys by D.M.S Fick

• Master of Souls by Rena Barron

• The Sharp Edge of Silence by Cameron Kelly Rosenblum

• Bianca Torre Is Afraid of Everything by Justine Pucella Winans

• The House is on Fire by Rachel Beanland

• Cleaning Up by Leanne Lieberman

• Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld

• The Last Heir to Blackwood Library by Hester Fox

• Not Here to Stay Friends by Kaitlyn Hill

• First-Year Orientation by Various Authors

• Spell Bound by F.T. Lukens

• Blood Debts by Terry J. Benton-Walker

• Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross

• The Immeasurable Depth of You by Maria Ingrande Mora

• The House of Cotton by Monica Brashears

• The Golden Doves by Martha Hall Kelly

ig: girlwithinfiction

[read-review-recommend]

To Be Read Pile and Wishlist

Like many avid readers I have a healthy stack of books waiting for me to read them... and even more books that have caught my eyes.

To Be Read

The Girl, the Ghost and the Lost Name by Reece Carter

The Dreamer Trilogy by Maggie Steifvater

The Dragon Rider by Cornelia Funke (more of a re-read)

The Dragon Rider: Griffin's Feather by Cornelia Funke

The Little Kid with the Big Green Hand by Matthew Gray Gubler

The Monsters of Rookhaven by Padraig Kenny

The Ash House by Anghard Walker

The Cruel Prince by Holly Black

If This Gets Out by Sophie Gonzales and Cale Dietrich

Nick and Charlie by Alice Oseman

Storyland by Amy Jeffs

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell (another re-read)

Rise of the Dragons by Angie Sage

XOXO by Axie Oh

Heartstopper Volume 5 by Alice Oseman

The Henna Wars by Adiba Jaigirda

Girl Crush by Florence Given

The Fiancee Farce by Alexandria Bellefleur

She Gets the Girl by Rachael Lippincott and Alyson Derrick

Otherworldly by F.T. Lukens

In the Shallows by Tanya Bryne

Sally’s Lament by Mari Macusi

Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros

Wishlist:

A Betrayal of Storms by Ben Anderson

The Nightmare Before Kissmas by Sara Raasch

Princess of Thieves by Mari Macusi