#mangoverse

[shiraglassman]

fluffy f/f, a small promo post since sales are low

sales are merp, here’s a plot-focused book pitch. Side note all these have Jewish heroines.

The Olive Conspiracy cozy fantasy setting that’s somehow both high-stakes and high-comfort. Queen Shulamit uncovers an international plot to ruin her country’s economy by sabotaging all the farms. Is her straight-girl crush from when they were both teenaged princesses, Queen Carolina, involved or is she just an innocent bystander? $4 here and also Kindle

Cinnamon Blade: Knife in Shining Armor high-heat superhero romance between a snarky ex-jewel-and-art-thief (who is now sidekick to the heroic Captain Werewolf) and the nerdy damsel in distress she keeps rescuing. The plot is basically: ok now that I’ve asked her out, will we ever get to have a normal date or will aliens and vampires keep interrupting? $2 here and also Kindle

Knit One Girl Two Clara finds the perfect solution to her ‘what will my next line of sock yarn look like’ problem when she sees Danielle’s wildlife paintings. The rest of the story is “oh shit my small business succeeded too quickly HALP” and the girls stumbling around a budding romance while Danielle deals with Family Shit. $2 here and also Kindle. Also comes in a $3 bundle with other f/f stuff.

also, Olive is part of a series of four standalones and some short stories, all of which are here for $17 if you like bundles

Please signal boost if you’ve enjoyed these!

[ruffboijuliaburnsides]

Anyone I know and/or love: Oh no, I've come back to my fantasy comfort reading and realized the author was actually being racist/antisemitic/queerphobic/fatphobic/ableist 😭 This isn't comforting anymore.

Me, sliding into their DMs: Have you heard the good news about @shiraglassman's Mangoverse books? :3

... Srsly tho y'all read the Mangoverse books they're so so good.

[doyouknowthisjewishcharacter]

Do you know this Jewish character?

[bisexualbaker]

[ID in alt text]

I thought I might have a little fun drawing my Pokémon + Mangoverse headcanons ✌

Here’s then-Princess Shulamit at around age ten, give or take a couple of years, and the Bounsweet she befriended. Due in part to her own experiences with being misunderstood, Shulamit was the first one to figure out that Bounsweet was bouncing around because it was distressed rather than out of joy or excitement. She helped the Bounsweet fix what was distressing it, and they’ve been inseparable ever since. Shulamit might be reading about the care of mangosteen plants, which Bounsweet is closely related to.

It took me a few tries to get this pose right, but I think it turned out well!

Anyway, I highly recommend the Mangoverse series for anyone who hasn’t tried it yet; it’s cozy and delightful!

[thedisabilitybookarchive]

'The Second Mango'- Glassman, Shira

Disability Rep: Severe Food Intolerance

Genre: Fantasy, Romance

Age: Young Adult

Setting: Fictional: Perach

Additional Rep: Jewish Themes, Lesbian MC, F/F, F/M, Platonic Female Friendship, POC

For more information on summaries, content warnings and additional tropes, see here:

[iambibliophilic]

My all-time favourite books &recs!

1. The murderbot series by Martha Wells. I truly cannot fault these books. Sci-fi with an undercurrent of the ethical ramifications of a society with human/robot constructs. First few are very short, then book 5 is a full novel. Diverse cast of characters, casual non-binary rep (esp later on), polyamory, asexual rep. 10/10 humour. What more could you want?

2. The Hidden Legacy series by Ilona Andrews. Spicy urban fantasy. First trilogy revolves around human lie detector Nevada, second trilogy from the point of view of her sister. My favourite books are 4 and 5 (especially 4!). Such a cosy cast of characters I love them so much. Prepare for some problematic stuff in book one though omg I did not remember that the love interest did THAT how did they recover from that I’ll never know. Also stop whitewashing these characters they’re mixed race and it’s mentions that explicitly (although one criticism I have of Ilona andrews is that even their POC read like white characters. More depth needed)

3. The innkeeper chronicles by Ilona Andrews. I think it’s described as paranormal romance? But I would describe it as urban SCI-FI. I would say consider the first book a prequel of sorts and judge the series more starting from the second book. Again they’re pretty short. Defo get better as the series progresses since the world-building takes a while. Maud’s book was so unexpectedly phenomenal I highly highly recommend. Technically this series is most enjoyable after reading the author’s On The Edge series but I won’t put you through that. (I love those books but objectively only book 4 is perfect so decide for yourself if you want to give that series a go once you’ve seen Ilona Andrews’ other work. It’s their oldest series so the fact that it’s not their best is actually a really good sign - you can really see their growth and how they’ve improved as authors with every publication.) Don’t get excited they’re not non-binary: Ilona Andrews is the name of a husband and wife who write books together. They also happen to be my favourite authors so get ready for me to recommend all of their books to you

4. Red, white and royal blue by Case McQuiston. The perfectest perfect book out there. I’m just putting it on here to show you I have good taste

5. The Second Mango series. I’ve only read the first two but now that I’m getting better (I’ve been sick for the past couple of years) I’m rereading them and looking forward to reading the rest of them. Very short little books only available on Amazon unfortunately and no audiobooks rip. The most heartwarming story ever - lesbians, dragons, Judaism, magic, what more could you want? Fantasy series with quite simple storytelling. Lots of brown people yay. Kind of accidentally forgets trans people exist in the first book

6 There is a light by Ban Gilmartin. Love it. So full of humour it’s impeccable. Brown rep, gay and bisexual rep. Poetry, trans rep. Non binary rep. I’m just listing types of rep but in my head I’m telling you all the ways in which this book rocks. One thing is rep and another is doing it well. This book does it well and then some. Highly recommend. Tw: suicide

7. All for the game series. Do I really need to recommend this to tumblr though this is literally the only place that knows about these books. Gay, crimes, sports but don’t let that dissuade you the sports is actually a highlight of the series. I love my child Neil Josten and I love these books an unholy amount. If you do read them half of the enjoyment is looking through the content on tumblr so definitely do that after. Ooo also check out the art of one ‘polarts_’ on insta

8. The name of the wind books by Patrick rothfuss. The most misogynistic series I know but the world building and storytelling is impeccable. I would say these books are the polar opposite to the second mango: no gays, too many white people and it takes itself so seriously. The writing style is a bit much sometimes but I seriously love the story so, so much. It’s rich and well constructed and funny and yes. Also sad omg you don’t even know

9. The stormlight archives by Brandon Sanderson. Anything by him to be honest and like Ilona Andrews you can really see his growth as an author as time passes - in his case it’s to do with misogyny bc his earlier series (mistborn) reeks of Patrick rothfuss-level sexism but unlike Patrick he does something about it. Stormlight is way less sexist, almost not sexist actually, and his sci-fi series Skyward is even better in terms of that. Stormlight is a CHONK though so buckle in for a good time and a long time. High fantasy, lots of brown people and actually unexpected non binary rep? But don’t get your hopes up cos it’s not a human being. And it’s not till like book 4. Better than nothing though! Not gay enough

10. Kate daniels series by Ilona Andrews. Listen, I love this series wholeheartedly. Favourite author, remember? But the first two books and the first book in particular is not very good. The authors themselves say that. I recommend starting at book two and waiting till book three to decide whether to read the series. It’s urban fantasy with the best chemistry between characters I’ve ever seen. (Can start with book one if you want but be warned there’s gratuitous sexual assault descriptions/ sexual harassment. It was the urban fantasy scene at the time but yeah not the mos pleasant reread. Can be tricky to get your head around the world building but it’s so worth it I promise!) Not enough queer rep but they tried a little. Some brown rep but not really enough. (Again, main character is brown but doesn’t read like it. I understand why given how she’s raised but then there’s a few kinda racist/ fetishising things said about her appearance so -_-). Excellent epic storytelling, excellent humour and phenomenal characters. Can skip book 5.5 if you want but don’t skip Hugh’s book - read it between Kate Daniels books 9 and 10. It’s excellent you won’t regret it. And don’t forget to read Aurelia Ryder when you’re done with Kate Daniels.

11. SAGA graphic novels. Graphic is correct cos there’s explicit everything in these books. Amazing storytelling, diverse set of characters. Sci-fi, feminist. Yes yes very recommend

BONUS: 12. If you’ve already read six of crows and crooked kingdom then king of scars and rule of wolves by Leigh Bardugo. Best enjoyed if you’ve read the grisha trilogy too but once again I won’t put you through that if you haven’t. These books defo smack of YA especially in the plot at certain points but OH MY GOD they are so epic and fast-paced and heists and shenanigans. 10/10 so enjoyed them. Warning I repeat: only read AFTER the six of crows duology, especially Crooked Kingdom for spoiler reasons. Once you have read king of scars and rule of wolves I recommend checking out jaded.draws’s art on instagram and also polarts_ again. Both make such beautiful art but it is slightly spoilerly if you haven’t read all the books. Also can we talk about the Shadow and Bone tv show because they did such a good job with it somehow?? It is it’s own work of art and I highly enjoy it

I recognise that my favourite books are overwhelmingly (exclusively?) written by white people and there’s varying amounts of diversity in them. I’m actively working to remedy that and I plan to post an updated list once I’ve read a little more broadly. These are just the books that are closest to my heart and I’ve wanted to share them on here for a while (read: a decade 💀). I hope you find a new book to love on this list but if not you can make fun of me for the ones I do! Also the format of this post is unforgivable but it’s my first one and I’m chronically ill so I’m not gonna put any more effort in that I already have. Xoxo have a good day!

[superb-fairywren]

Two miniature dire-cats safe-guarding one of the best books I have read this year - thanks @travisbaldree 😊

Also if you did enjoy Legends & Lattes I would highly recommend the Mangoverse by @shiraglassman!!!

[derpynat447]

Ok, I know the Magoverse exists, an it's awesome, and I love it so much

but how has nobody considered a Metaverse.

This isn't even my Meta Knight bias showing. It's the name, people. THE NAME.

(I should also probably add that the real Metaverse is stinky and I don't like it)

[demisexualnathanvuornos]

Canon AroAces 209/?: Gershom in Shira Glassman's Mangoverse 3: A Harvest of Ripe Figs (2016)

[bidotorg]

"Shira Glassman's 'Mangoverse' series is an unlikely combination of cozy crime, epic fantasy, and of course, bi romance."

[themangoverse]

The Mechanical Sage and the Twelve-Eared Tyrant: Akshar and Kushagra

Day 3 of Desi LGBT Fest: Fear/Guilt

“This joy, this peace, this deep solace from your companionship, is my greatest fortune. My heart beats for you with a clumsy gangling stagger and it embarrasses me to share this with you, but you must know it, just as I must know the warmth of your fingers and the steadfast comfort of your lap. My cunning beloved, you have captured me, stolen me from my duties and orphaned me from this world. Your briefest glance is my skin exploding with warmth. Your shortest call is my soul rushing back Home. Your invitation is my hunger and your touch is my asthenia. 

I live, not as myself, for the first time. I live, knowing the face of my Beloved, for the first time. I live, for the first time.

You must know it. You must know it now. Because now that I live, I think of dying.

What will it mean, when I lose this? What will it mean, when my desires do not have you hiding inside them? What will it mean, when your hands turn cold and you stop knowing the gracelessness of my untaught heart? 

Will I loathe my freedom from your embrace? Will I lose my hunger and my fatigue? 

When the last of your flesh is pecked away by the World and you become It, you will turn into Sorrow and when you do, balm of my heart, you must kiss my cheeks so that they are wet and burning. So that I could recognise you as the World again. So I could finally stop being so afraid.”

---

Akshar [the figure laying on Kushagra], is an immortal Sage. There are few secrets of the universe that he doesn’t know, yet he ponders Kushagra’s eventual demise and finds himself unsure of what will lay ahead. 

Kushagra himself is the ancient (but much younger) king of the Air Kingdom, which he rules with an iron fist and a steelier heart. Yet, he has seduced the Mechanical Sage himself and regained his youth through partial immortality - but he is on borrowed time.

@desi-lgbt-fest​ 

[shiraglassman]

$17 bundle, all five Mangoverse books in PDF

5-book bundle on PayHip: Follow young Queen Shulamit from the beginning of her reign as a chronically ill, newly orphaned "poor little rich girl" with no experience leading, through her transformation to a driven, intellectual, passionately moral symbolic mother of her people (and with all the assistance she needs to manage her food allergies.) Shulamit is a femme lesbian who ends up happily partnered by the end of the first book, and the series features other f/f relationships plus m/m and m/f, including with trans characters, as well as asexual rep. Jewish holidays are featured in all of the books, and you'll also get your fill of dragons, witches, potions, worker justice, and gender equality. BTW, all the books are also on Amazon.

Click through for all the plot summaries. Books are all standalone comfort-reads about the same characters, not one long continuous story with cliffhangers.

Above pic is taken from @theloserfish​’s cover art of A Harvest of Ripe Figs, which is the one about the stolen violin.

[nocticola]

Pakige! Packige arrived! (6.10.2022)

[prismatic-bell]

Can pets, like cats or dogs, be Jewish? Can a dragon(any) be Jewish? Can a dragon(a typical European dragon with 2 wings and 4 legs) be kosher?

1) no, because they lack sentience

2) maybe, it depends on whether it’s sentient. If you enjoy the idea of a Jewish dragon I would like to please direct you to @shiraglassman and her Mangoverse series

3) no, for many reasons but the first one coming to my mind is that lizards aren’t kosher

[bisexualbaker]

Mangoverse + Pokémon Headcanons

Shulamit has a Tsareena. She found a Bounsweet in the palace gardens when she was growing up, and hardcore related to how everyone misunderstood it, thinking that it was bouncing joyfully when it was actually terrified. It evolved into Steenee when Aviva helped Shulamit figure out what foods she could eat, and into Tsareena while defending Shulamit when the young queen was tracking down the evil sorcerer in the events of The Second Mango.

Aviva had a Farfetch’d and an Ambipom when she first met Shulamit, but traded the Farfetch’d away when they discovered Shulamit’s poultry allergy. In return, Aviva got a Swirlix that evolved into Slurpuff upon being traded. Slurpuff and Ambipom are a great help in Aviva’s kitchen. Ambipom does sometimes visit Aviva’s parents to help out around their shop, where they also have help from a Leavanny.

Rivka has a Mudsdale that she used to escape Apple Valley when shit broke down. She and the Mudsdale traveled together while Rivka was still making a name for herself as a warrior, before meeting Shulamit. Rivka also traveled with a Zorua for a while, who she found in the Mudsdale’s saddlebags. Much to Rivka’s astonishment, the Zorua was able to transform into Hydreigon, despite Rivka only having Mudsdale on her team. In rescuing Aviva and the holy women from the evil sorcerer’s curse, Rivka discovered that the Zorua who had been accompanying her was actually Isaac transformed into a Pokemon! Rivka kept the Mudsdale since then, and was eventually gifted with a Zorua of her own—a real one this time. (Rivka’s mom has a Klefki who helps keep track of her jewelry and so forth.)

Isaac has a whole team: Zoroark, Krokorok, Salandit (male), Seviper, and Hydreigon. (Possibly one more?) The team of wizards he was working with were the Mangoverse equivalent of, say, Sylph Co, and Isaac specialized in Pokémon storage and transportation (like the PC system, but with more magic). This is how he got stuck as a Zorua for a while. Luckily, in the process of saving Aviva, the team also rescued an Audino, who was able to reverse both the magic/curse/status ailment the sorcerer had worked on the holy women and Aviva, as well as the deliberate sabotage Isaac was subjected to. Zoroark is able to help Isaac disguise himself as Pokémon sometimes.

More possibly as I think of them.

[inkdemon-whore]

so anyway, go play celeste or bloodborne psx instead of whatever the fuck jkr is pissing out

hell go read mangoverse (amazon) (gumroad)

(honestly bloodborne psx sounds cool as fuck, i might play it myself)