Welcome! New books were often the most popular section of my old newsletter, and it feels great to expand that here so I can include more than three books at a time.
Authors & others, these posts have a three month lookback period (with some wiggle room) so let me know about any recent or upcoming small press or self-pub book that might be a good fit for my interests, including but not limited to: polyam books; queer M/F books; and authors who are BIPOC, queer men / transmasc, trans, nonbinary, ace, aro, intersex, or writing from their own experience about another marginalization. You can submit a book here.
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Petrichor Blooms by Mindi Briar (Amazon, also available elsewhere / Goodreads)
Why I’m excited to list it: Sapphic sci-fi is my jam, it’s part of a queer series where each book has a different gender pairing which is also my jam, it’s from a small press, and I had a wonderful time beta reading it.
“The hardiest love blooms in the rockiest soil.
Danya Xiang would rather dig potatoes than wield a blaster. Raised as a member of the Greenjacket rebel organization, she’s content to stay away from military glory and spend her days in food production—until her soldier twin, Nox, is injured right before a mission. Nox begs Danya to take her place, hoping to use their secret telepathic link to spy through Danya’s eyes.
Reluctantly, Danya agrees. But her loyalty to the Greenjackets is stretched to its limits when she’s asked to capture university student Amy Ediya, whose mother’s valuable genetics research has been missing for a decade. The Greenjackets are convinced that Amy has it hidden.
Danya realizes that, while Amy may not have the research, she’s the only one who can find it. The two of them desert the Greenjacket army and Amy’s university studies to embark on a quest for Amy’s estranged family. As trust grows between them, attraction blooms, too. But that only means they have more to lose when the search draws them into danger.”
I Think of You Often by Sienna Eggler (Amazon/KU / Goodreads)
Why I’m excited to list it: It’s polyam with agender, nonbinary, demiromantic, and bi rep, by a queer Black author, yay! Self-published.
“Evan is the reclusive librarian of Honeycutt Academy, and a source of curiosity among students and staff—most notably the bubbly potions teacher. With her by their side, Evan is willing to give love another shot and move on from a devastating breakup.
But the discovery of a half-sibling invites trouble into Evan’s quiet life, reuniting them with an old flame and stirring up bitter memories of their past.”
Can I Crossdress My Way Out Of This Arranged Marriage? by Fern V. Bedek (Amazon / possibly available elsewhere / Goodreads)
Why I’m excited to list it: Fantasy romance by a trans woman author who I hadn’t discovered until recently. I’ve started it and it’s cute so far! Self-published.
“Our poor Half Elven protagonist has had an arranged marriage sprung on him by his mother. Not only did she effectively sell him for the dowry, but she’s handed him over to marry the daughter of an Orc. At least our protagonist has managed to think up a last minute plan to get out of it.
The Orc’s daughters won’t want him if he can convince them he’s a girl, right?”
This Doesn’t Mean Anything by Sarah Whalen (Amazon/KU / Goodreads)
Why I’m excited to list it: We need more ace romances, y’all. Self-published by a Vietnamese ace author.
“Spencer’s first semester at Ravens College is going surprisingly well. For starters, she actually likes her roommate and soon finds herself settling into a routine of eating all her meals with the same two people, studying in the library with Nick – an upperclassman she finds only a little insufferable, and hanging out at the local coffee shop.
Her new environment also means she’s trying new things – like Tinder dating. But Spencer can’t figure out why the idea of sex makes her want to run for the hills. That is, until she comes across the word “asexual,” and for the first time, she doesn’t feel so alone.
As Spencer and Nick begin to spend more time together, she realizes she doesn’t feel any panic or revulsion when they touch, and wonders if that means there’s hope for a fulfilling, loving relationship without sex.
But despite reciprocating her feelings, Nick has reservations of his own, leaving Spencer to wonder if the risk is worth it.”
Duo Act by Lainee Ash (Amazon/KU / Goodreads)
Why I’m excited to list it: Bi/pan and nonbinary rep. One MC has blue hair which I’m always a sucker for. Self-published.
“Sofia has waited her entire life to get to perform in a real circus show. Better yet, she’ll get to create two acts! The only catch? One performance is a duo act.
And her partner is a nightmare.
The blue-haired, tattooed, pierced Phoenix dismisses Sofia the second they meet. What did Sofia do to deserve the cold shoulder? It doesn’t help that Phoenix is … very freaking hot.
The other catch? Phoenix is non-binary, and ever since him, Sofia has promised herself only women. Dealing with the heat between them while trying to perform a high-level aerial silks act might prove more than either Sofia or Phoenix can manage. Maybe it’s best to just kiss and get over it…”
Dirt-Stained Hands, Thorn-Pierced Skin by Tabitha O’Connell (Amazon, also available elsewhere / Goodreads)
Why I’m excited to list it: Trans/nonbinary rep, ace & agender author, and I know people love a Beauty and the Beast retelling. Also, gorgeous cover! Self-published.
“Heron thought ey wanted to be with handsome, charming Tiel—but the relationship hasn’t quite lived up to eir expectations. With Tiel’s confidence comes a tendency to be overbearing, and now he wants Heron to leave eir farm life behind and move to town with him. And Heron can’t figure out how to explain to him that ey doesn’t want that.
When an accident strands Heron’s mother at a castle rumored to belong to a family of mages, Heron rushes off to make sure she’s all right—only to find the castle occupied by a single man who isn’t a mage at all. Prone to hiding behind his long mess of hair, the mysterious Theomer possesses a long-neglected, semi-magical garden. A job tending it is Heron’s perfect opportunity for some time away from Tiel while ey decides what to tell him.
Heron did not plan to be drawn in by Theomer’s attentive gaze and understated sense of humor. But as an undeniable bond forms between them, ey’s soon going to have a much bigger choice to make…”
Valerin the Fair by Rien Gray (available on itch.io / Goodreads)
Why I’m excited to list it: This tweet about it made me laugh so hard I almost fell over. Self-published sapphic book by a nonbinary author.
“Follow a fellowship of sapphic knights as they’re seduced by witches, queens, goddesses—and each other—in a dark, lush fantasy inspired by Arthurian legend.
Under the reign of King Theomacha the Exalted, the Land of Maidens flourishes. Her knights protect and explore the realm, seeking artifacts lost to time and fending off wicked, cunning magics.
Born in the isolated Brocéliande Forest, Valerin is raised as a warrior by druids of great power. Her unusual strength and invulnerability is said to be the blessing of a goddess, but when Sebille, a sorceress empowered by fire and rot, arrives to challenge her claim, Valerin must come to terms with her true nature — or fall to the seduction of the woman she’s destined to kill.”
Farm to Fabre by Dahlia Donovan (Amazon, also available elsewhere / Goodreads)
Why I’m excited to list it: Ace romance, ownvoices autism rep, MCs 35 years and older. Self-published.
“Thirty-five-year-old asexual Andie runs a small remote family farm in Scotland. She’s happy with her fruit trees and berries. Her Airedale terrier, Rupert, provides all the companionship she needs.
But her heart longs for one man, who probably never felt more than friendship for her.
Silver fox Docherty Fabre returns home to Scotland, hoping to break through a year-long battle with writer’s block. He’s taking up residence in a tiny cottage on the Milne-Marchetti farm. Now, if he can avoid embarrassing himself for a second time in front of Andie, everything will be fine.
Their second chance at romance comes from a year-long lockdown that prevents them from running away from their feelings.
With no one else around, can they find love in the orchard one more time?”
The Heartbreak Handshake by J. R. Hart (Amazon/KU / Goodreads)
Why I’m excited to list it: Ace romance, nonbinary rep, autism and ADHD rep, a cinnamon roll bi guy, ownvoices in multiple ways, and also I beta read it and adore it to pieces. Self-published.
“When Paxton agreed to fake date Remi, he didn’t realize they might be his perfect match. A heartwarming asexual romance.
Paxton McKee, Clover Hill’s rideshare driver and handyman, is known by his customers as responsible, dependable, and loyal. On first dates, though, he’s known by another word: boring. His dates never seem to appreciate his in-depth knowledge of famous aviation disasters or his LEGO expertise. His book club buddy, Mrs. Sawyer, keeps trying to set him up. But after so many failed dates, Paxton’s given up on finding someone who can accept him, special interests, stims, and all.
Hand-crafter Remi Sawyer put Clover Hill in their rear-view mirror to sell at craft fairs across the country. But being a traveling artisan is harder than Remi thought. With mounting bills, they’ve ended up back home. Being in their old teenage bedroom is weird. Even weirder, their mother keeps trying to set them up on dates, even after they’ve made it clear the homecoming is temporary.
To get Mrs. Sawyer off their backs, Paxton and Remi agree on a scheme: they’ll go on three dates. When it’s over, Paxton can pretend to be heartbroken, and Remi can get back on the road. They even shake on it. But awkward dates lead to the realization the two have a lot in common. Kissing is gross? Check. Spending quiet time doing projects together is enjoyable? Double check.
But Remi is still hell-bent on leaving Clover Hill again, and Paxton is dead-set on staying. Can they find a new vision that doesn’t involve Remi leaving their kindred spirit behind, or are they both destined to lose the person who might be their perfect companion?”
The Game Changer by Finley Chuva (Amazon, also available elsewhere / Goodreads)
Why I’m excited to list it: Self-published sapphic book with ownvoices autism rep… and it’s a women’s soccer series starter, too. You’re welcome.
“Elena Torres has it all. As a successful soccer star playing for the Denver Defiant, she has money, fame, and, best of all, gets to do her favorite thing for a living. Sure, she’s also a 31-year-old divorcée, has no idea how to go about dating again, and is still deciding how open to be about her recent autism diagnosis. But she’s dealing. Then Harper Wright arrives back in town, and Elena is surprised to discover she has more in common with her best friend’s little sister than she’d ever imagined. And now she can’t seem to get those messy red curls and bright smiles out of her mind…
Harper Wright has a Plan with a capital P. Step one, get her new board game café up and running successfully. Step two, cook more often (aka, stop subsisting entirely on muffins from the vegan bakery next door). Step three, stop thinking about Elena Torres, no matter how amazing her arms look in a tank top. Or that she’s starting to look at Harper in a way Harper had only dreamed of back when Elena was her super secret bisexual awakening in high school. Starting something with Elena would be a disaster waiting to happen, but it’s getting harder and harder to remember why. After all, they’re grown-ups now. What’s wrong with a little fun? Elena isn’t looking for anything serious, but Harper will just have to be careful not to let her heart get involved…”
Sixpenny Octavo by Annick Trent (Amazon, also available elsewhere / Goodreads)
Why I’m excited to list it: Lesbian + bi gal pairing in a sapphic historical. Part of a queer series where each book so far has a different gender pairing. And I read the whole thing in one night because I was enjoying it and wanted to find out what happened! (Note: to me, it felt more like a historical novel with a romance than a romance per se. YMMV.) Self-published.
“Clockmender Hannah Croft’s friend Molly has been arrested for her connections to a Jacobin club. In the tumultuous political climate of 1790s Britain, being in the wrong place at the wrong time is enough to land Molly in gaol. Hannah’s one hope to free her lies in the testimony of housemaid Lucy Boone.
Lucy has spent her entire life moving from one household to another, never forming a true connection with her fellow servants—nor with her occasional lovers. She prefers it that way. When you can rely on yourself, why would you need anyone else? But when Hannah Croft asks for help, she cannot say no.
Working together to free Molly, the two women don’t try to ignore their growing attraction. For Hannah, Lucy is a beacon of hope at a difficult time. And Lucy finds herself loving her new life, made welcome by Hannah and her friends.
But their situation is fraught with danger. Rumours abound of an informant in their midst, and a sinister man from the magistrate’s office dogs Lucy’s steps. One wrong move could land them in gaol—or splinter their new relationship from within.”
Best Foot Forward by Celia Lake (Amazon, also available elsewhere / Goodreads)
Why I’m excited to list it: A polyam romance with bi and aroace rep, and MCs in their 50s/60s. Self-published.
“Lord Geoffrey Carillon wants to do the impossible. He needs to get an imprisoned alchemist doing key research out of Germany before the world gets even worse. Carillon’s cover as a slightly daffy aristocrat will get him where he needs to be, but he can’t do this mission alone. He has many magical skills, but not the ones he needs to free his friend.
Alexander is a stranger in his own land. A skilled and powerful member of the Council, Alexander is responsible for tending the land magic of Albion. However, the Council uses him as their enforcer, adeptly doing terrible and necessary work from the shadows. When Carillon proposes the expedition into Austria and Germany, can Alexander carry off the subterfuge and still keep his hands clean and his inner self barricaded in enemy territory?
Any two professionals can tolerate each other in service of a goal. That’s true even if Carillon has excellent reason to distrust the Council, and Alexander has just as much reason to keep everyone at arm’s length. When matters move from possible blackmail into a sought after invitation to a remote schloss, Carillon and Alexander find their lives entangled in ways neither of them had ever dreamed of.
Best Foot Forward takes place in 1935 in the magical communities of Great Britain, Vienna, and Berlin.”
Devotion by Anna Denisch (Amazon, also available elsewhere / Goodreads)
Why I’m excited to list it: MMM polyam, bi rep. Self-published. (Tip: It’s priced a bit high for the genre, but it’s available on Overdrive if your library has that and takes requests from patrons.)
“A heart-warming and entertaining poly romance story about marriage bonds, friendship, and the endless supply of love we all carry in our hearts.
According to the rumors, Ainsley is a prostitute. To escape the meddling ways of their families, Ainsley and his husband Graham move to a new town where they hope to find peace. Ainsley spends his days worrying if Graham’s decision to marry him was the right one, and he is devoted to giving Graham the life he deserves.
Andrew Croften has never been one to settle down, despite how desperately he seeks companionship. His romantic life is a series of half-flung flings that earned him the title of ‘home wrecker’ and his professional life is haunted by his long-term bully. But when he visits his friends’ party and meets the charming and adorable Ainsley, he devises a plan to steal him away from his husband.
Yet Croften finds himself drawing closer to Graham as well, especially as Graham’s brother and Croften’s bully are intent on causing chaos in their lives. Perhaps three heads (or rather hearts) are better than two.”
Longing by Chace Verity (Amazon, also available elsewhere / Goodreads)
Why I’m excited to list it: Because I adore geeky sapphics, and this cover is just lovely. Self-published.
“Colette Bell and Joni Remington live in different countries, but they “met” in a MMORPG. After a long and friendly online-only friendship, the women start to think about more than playing games together. When Colette finds herself with a free weekend away from her kids and work responsibilities, Joni suggests something fun for them to do. That afternoon, thousands of miles apart, their friendship levels up.”
Truly Wanted by J.J. Hale (Amazon, also available elsewhere / Goodreads)
Why I’m excited to list it: Lesbian + bi gal pairing, ownvoices ADHD rep. Small press.
“After a chaotic childhood in a long line of foster homes, Sam McKenna found her version of serenity in her friendship with Brooke Fields. When tragedy forces Brooke to become a single mother, Sam is there for her. Sam ignores the crush she’s had on Brooke since college. Their relationship is too precious to risk.
After the loss of her husband, Brooke finally dips her toes back into the dating world only to have each encounter end in disaster. If it wasn’t for Sam by her side picking her back up, she might give up on ever finding love again.
After a night of unexpected passion when Brooke and Sam cross the line of friendship, Brooke can’t help but yearn for more with Sam. A chance encounter leads Brooke and Sam on a journey to Sam’s birth family, uncovering the ghosts of Sam’s past and revealing wounds that threaten the friendship both once believed to be indestructible, and any chance for something more. ”
Check Your Work by Skye Kilaen (Amazon/KU / Goodreads)
Why I’m excited to list it: It’s queer M/F with two bi leads, it’s self-published, and it’s my book.
“One month. No feelings. They’ve totally got this fake dating thing under control.
Bisexual ex-barista Oliver is finally a high school math teacher, and it’s everything he ever wanted. Until he stumbles across the mysterious customer he crushed on back when he worked at Knockdown Coffee… and kinda sorta accidentally tells his Vice Principal that he’s dating her. Oops?
Octavia, a bi programmer, didn’t expect to run into the cute blue-haired barista again. Certainly not while volunteering at a local arts high school. He’s much too young and much too nice for her—but when she discovers he’s told people they’re dating, it’s a stroke of luck. She needs a fake relationship to stick it to her nemesis, and Oliver’s the perfect fit.
Their assignment is simple: one month of a convincing charade, and after the company gala, everything between them is absolutely and completely over.
Sometimes, however, the homework is harder than you expect.”
Since I’m starting up in January, we just missed a nice crop of queer holiday romances. Stock up for next year, or read them all year round like I do.
Felix Navidad by ‘Nathan Burgoine (Amazon, also available elsewhere / Goodreads)
Why I’m excited to list it: I love Burgoine’s writing, it’s queer romance by a queer guy, and it features characters over 35. I read it right when it came out and enjoyed it completely. Small press.
“Felix doesn’t do impulsive anymore. But attending a friend’s wedding reminds Felix he’s the only one of his friends attending solo, and recent losses have him thinking he’s swung too far in the not-impulsive direction.
So, impulse decision number one? Cutting in on a dance with handsome farmer Kevin, the ex of one of the grooms, for a spin at the reception. Impulse decision number two? Planning his first holiday vacation off work. Christmas in Hawai’i will be a gift to himself.
When dancing doesn’t work out, Felix keeps high hopes for his vacation right up until the first flight cancellation. After bumping into a stranded Kevin, who lost his flight home, Felix gives impulse a third try: Why not drive to Toronto together? But after ice rain strands them halfway, it looks like Felix isn’t going to get to give himself his gift after all. Instead, this Christmas is a small cabin—and Kevin.”
A Chaperoned Christmas by Meg Mardell (Amazon, also available elsewhere / Goodreads)
Why I’m excited to list it: Polyam with a sapphic relationship, bi rep, and demi rep, hurray! Also, part of a queer series with different gender combinations in each book. Small press.
“Candida Damerell avoids two things at all costs: her former hometown, Salcombe Bay, and her former lover, Broderick Carlyle. She’s worked too hard to shake off her sad family history in Devonshire and become a premier London hostess. To think she nearly threw it all away for a bohemian charmer like Broderick! He never understood Candida’s need to keep their secret romance, well, secret. Unfortunately, this holiday season, the fates seem determined to thwart her best efforts at self-preservation.
Broderick Carlyle is not surprised to see his estranged lover on the same coastal railway platform a fortnight before Christmas. Who else could tempt him into such a backwater at this dangerously jolly time of year? Not the country rustic whose need for Society chaperones is the alleged reason for the visit. What Broderick is not prepared to learn is that this windswept bit of coast is where Candida grew up. Even more alarming? The “country rustic” is none other than an earl’s daughter from the neighbouring estate.
Lady Sophia Luscombe has no intention of leaving her beloved Devonshire and her new horse breeding business for smelly, snobby London, especially not under the guidance of two Society chaperones. What if they managed to get Sophie married at last? No, she will distract her sophisticated visitors by making them fall in love with each other. The intimate entertainments of a West Country Christmas will make it easy to force the two together. It would be the perfect plan—or it would be if only the too-perfect Candida were not Sophie’s secret first love.
Just as the web of cross purposes frays to breaking point, a masquerade ball arrives to give these fierce spirits one last opportunity to tell the truth in time for Christmas. Is it too late for a second or even a third chance at love?”
A Flight to Love by Frankie Fyre (Amazon/KU / Goodreads)
Why I’m excited to list it: Black sapphic romance by a Black author. Self-published.
“Two second chance tickets. One flight to love.
Interior design CEO, Autumn Peterson is used to taking risks, but spending the holidays with an ex isn’t a risk she’s willing to take—especially during a work project back in her hometown. It’s Christmas time and Autumn is desperate to be far away from the festivities. When a blizzard ruins her plans to escape to an island vacation, she’s not only stranded inside an airport, but stuck with Calissa Roberts—the one who got away a decade ago.
Calissa Roberts has built a good life for herself in Asheville, North Carolina—one she almost gave up for young love that didn’t last in the end. Now, she’s living out her passion as an emu hobby farmer, as well as the internet celebrity fame that follows. But one look at the gorgeous, grumpy businesswoman flips Calissa’s world upside down. Unable to ignore the blazing passion between them, she’s determined to show Autumn exactly what she’s been missing this holiday season.”
Jingle Around the Block by Serena Kirsch (Amazon/KU / Goodreads)
Why I’m excited to list it: Bi + lesbian couples are my jam, what can I say? Self-published.
“The first encounter between Charlie and Rachel ended Charlie’s marriage.
CHARLOTTE NORRIS is used to the comforts of suburbia. She knows Rachel from neighborhood block parties, and not in a good way. After the fateful day where Rachel exposed Charlie’s husband as a cheater, Charlie has to throw the neighborhood Christmas party alone, and the pressure’s on.
RACHEL NELSON can’t seem to find any luck in love, especially not in winter, where romance goes to die. She’s bitter about moving back to Lake Ridge, the suburban hometown that spat her lesbian ass out the second she turned 18, and she can hardly even afford the rental house from which she streams video games for side cash.
When fate puts the two women together again, things could get explosive—especially as Rachel is a target of gossip to the other Lake Ridge housewives. Charlie’s determined to get Rachel into the in group, though, even if it means forcing her to come to their very opinionated book club…
Their luck may be about to change.”
At the end of each newsletter, I take the liberty of recommending a few of my recent favorite queer reads, from romance to sff to graphic novels. Maybe you’ll find a new favorite book here. These may not always be self-published or small press; it just depends on what’s gotten to the top of my TBR lately.
Kid Wolf and Kraken Boy by Sam J. Miller (Amazon, also available elsewhere / Goodreads)
A fantasy book about Jewish boxing in 1920s NYC, with organized crime, magical tattoos, and two guys falling in love. The worldbuilding was fantastic, I adored both main characters, and the secondary characters were also great. If any of that sounds interesting to you, pick it up. I would say the romance subplot has an HEA that’s unconventional yet very appropriate for the plot.
“‘Kid’ Wolffe is an up-and-coming boxer in 1920s New York. An honest fighter’s got little chance at success on the mob-controlled circuit—until ambitious lieutenant “Hinky” Friedman starts making moves to take over her boss’s business, and sees a use for the kid.
Teitelstam is a struggling tattoo artist, whose natural talent for ink magic won’t amount to much without formal training. So he’s got no idea why Hinky would offer him ten times what he’s worth to come work for her.
But Hinky has a vision for a better world, and her high-stakes plan to make it reality requires both Wolffe’s fists and Teitelstam’s magic. What neither Wolffe nor Teitelstam expects is to fall in love; and in this world, love might be more dangerous than deadly magic or an underworld turf war…”
Lavender House by Lev AC Rosen (Amazon, also available elsewhere / Goodreads)
I haven’t had time to write a review, but this historical mystery about figuring out how to be yourself in a hostile world was wonderful.
“Lavender House, 1952: the family seat of recently deceased matriarch Irene Lamontaine, head of the famous Lamontaine soap empire. Irene’s recipes for her signature scents are a well guarded secret – but it’s not the only one behind these gates. This estate offers a unique freedom, where none of the residents or staff hide who they are. But to keep their secret, they’ve needed to keep others out. And now they’re worried they’re keeping a murderer in.
Irene’s widow hires Evander Mills to uncover the truth behind her mysterious death. Andy, recently fired from the San Francisco police after being caught in a raid on a gay bar, is happy to accept – his calendar is wide open. And his secret is the kind of secret the Lamontaines understand.
Andy had never imagined a world like Lavender House. He’s seduced by the safety and freedom found behind its gates, where a queer family lives honestly and openly. But that honesty doesn’t extend to everything, and he quickly finds himself a pawn in a family game of old money, subterfuge, and jealousy—and Irene’s death is only the beginning.
When your existence is a crime, everything you do is criminal, and the gates of Lavender House can’t lock out the real world forever. Running a soap empire can be a dirty business.
Wash Day Diaries by writer Jamila Rowser and artist Robyn Smith (Amazon, also available elsewhere / Goodreads)
Loved this slice of life graphic novel, a set of short stories about a group of Black friends. Friendship, family, love, dealing with mental health, learning how to be *supportive* of people dealing with mental health (loved the growth arc there!), queer rep… Seriously one of the best graphic novels I read in 2022.
“Wash Day Diaries tells the story of four best friends—Kim, Tanisha, Davene, and Cookie—through five connected short story comics that follow these young women through the ups and downs of their daily lives in the Bronx.
The book takes its title from the wash day experience shared by Black women everywhere of setting aside all plans and responsibilities for a full day of washing, conditioning, and nourishing their hair. Each short story uses hair routines as a window into these four characters’ everyday lives and how they care for each other.
[…] In expanding the story of Kim and her friends [from the original mini comic], the authors pay tribute to Black sisterhood through portraits of shared, yet deeply personal experiences of Black hair care. From self-care to spilling the tea at an hours-long salon appointment to healing family rifts, the stories are brought to life through beautifully drawn characters and different color palettes reflecting the mood in each story.”
I Hate This Place by Kyle Starks, artist Artyom Topilin, and colorist Lee Loughridge. (Amazon, also available elsewhere / Goodreads)
Interracial sapphic couple moves to a haunted farm & fights murder ghosts? Yes please! So glad this is a series starter! Kyle Starks goes more grim and gory here than in his books I’ve previously loved (Kill Them All and The Six Sidekicks of Trigger Keaton) but the plot is so preposterously over-the-top and Topilin’s art is cartoony enough that I’m rolling with it. Given the events near the end of this collection that foreshadow a whole different kind of bad to come, I’m already impatient for the next volume.
“After inheriting a farmhouse, Trudy and Gabby are ready to start the next chapter of their lives together…except it’s already home to a mysterious force that’s attracted ghosts, aliens, and all kinds of supernatural beings for decades.
Now, Gabby and Trudy must play by the ‘house rules’ in order to survive living amongst the most frightening creatures on Earth in this new series…”