Witches, demons, college students, vampires, a female football coach, a single mom, shifters, burlesque dancers, tennis pros, 80s hockey players, Morgan le Fay, rockstars… Anyone who says romance is boring because it always ends in an HEA/HFN has literally no idea of the dazzling array of characters and stories they’re missing out on. I mean, all of those MCs above are on this month’s list! Happy reading.
Housekeeping:
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Between Spells and Shadows by R.N. Barbosa (Amazon/KU / Goodreads)
Why I’m excited to list it: I like both the ace MC and her best friend SO much in the sample I read, and the meet between the MC and LI is quite amusing. Queer, Brazilian-American Author. (Previously released in an anthology that was in this newsletter.)
“The witches of the Mystic Alley Cauldron take their magic very seriously. And when it comes to rivalries, sometimes you gotta outsource payback.
Thea’s arch nemesis has done it again, taken another thing that wasn’t hers, and Thea has had enough. When presented with the opportunity for retribution, she doesn’t care that it might cost her soul.
A little infernal help is exactly what she needs, and she’s never been more thankful to be ace than when that infernal help sets its sights on her first.”
Bump in the Night by Lily Mayne and Nikole Knight (Amazon/KU / Goodreads)
Why I’m excited to list it: M/X romance. Nikole Knight’s How To Survive a Summoning was one of my absolutely fave romances from last year’s newsletter, and the last line of dialogue from the LI in the Kindle sample for this one gave me good chills.
“You never know what’s hiding in your closet…
At twenty-six, Ivy has their life figured out. They have a decent paying job at the London office of Somnus Entertainment–the gaming company behind the wildly popular game Black Oasis–a draughty flat they inherited from their wild great aunt, and a few select friends to pass the time. They’re a responsible adult, thank you very much, and while they might get lonely at times, they know better than to put too much stock into that fanciful notion known as love.
But when a skeevy encounter during a fun night at the pub devolves into a violent hate crime, their life changes forever.
Waking up in a demon dimension, beaten within an inch of their life, is bad enough. But add a snarky, haughty healer with the universe’s worst bedside manner, and Ivy knows they’re in for a long, excruciating recovery. Lau the Dreamwraith is prickly, arrogant, and entirely infuriating, but for some strange reason, he seems hellbent on nursing Ivy back to health. Despite Lau’s whinging over their “inferior human qualities,” there is a heat building between them that neither are able to fight. Like a match meeting kerosine, their chemistry ignites, but Ivy’s stay in the demon world is temporary and fire always burns out eventually.
Love is a dream, after all; it has no business in nightmares. Right?
Bump in the Night is an M/X monster romance full of hurt/comfort, angst, humor, and a sweet, spicy love between a fiery Brit and their arrogant sleep demon.”
As a Reference by Amil Pattakila (Amazon/KU / Goodreads)
Why I’m excited to list it: Sapphic college romance with aspec rep. I have already fallen hard for Dita’s queer friend group, they are amazing.
“Dita Arya had always dreamed of getting a roommate who she could become best friends with, just like the movies. However, she hasn’t had the greatest luck when it comes to random selection roommates. Her old roommate was obsessed with frogs. Her current roommate, Kanti Shah, is a quiet, shy girl who keeps brushing off Dita’s invitations to see her band. After a band performance one day, Dita walks in on her roommate… recording herself doing a handstand?
Join Dita and Kanti as this event leads them to becoming co-authors of a web comic, merging their friend groups, overcoming perfectionistic tendencies, and becoming friends (and perhaps even more).
As a Reference is a sapphic roommates to friends to lovers novel featuring two desi main characters, a diverse cast & aspec representation.”
Midnight Fear by Evelyn Silver (Amazon / Goodreads)
Why I’m excited to list it: The first book in this sapphic polyam Jewish witch/vampire romance/fantasy series (be still my heart!) came out before this newsletter started, but now the second book is out! You’ll need to start at Book 1 if you’re new to the series, so here is the Book 1 blurb to avoid spoilers.
“Sarai Reinhart is a witch in hiding. Having inherited rare dual gifts of healing and necromancy from her late Jewitch mother and cruel German father, she needs to be constantly on her guard to avoid those who would use her.
But even a skilled witch cannot run from everyone. After a mental breakdown sees her turn a mouse into a zombie, she is captured by an organization of witch hunters. To her great surprise, salvation arrives in the form of vampires and one vampire in particular: the beautiful and deadly Knight Commander Marcelle. Sarai is brought to the local vampire kingdom’s seat of power, a place no witch has seen and survived, and finds herself falling for her rescuer. Can she trust the vampire woman when Sarai’s blood holds secrets that could change the occult world forever?”
Love From the Sidelines by Tuesday Harper (Kobo Plus / Amazon / Goodreads)
Why I’m excited to list it: A sapphic small town single mom romance. Black author. I love Drey so far, looking forward to getting to know Trinity.
“Drey is the first female football coach in the small town where she grew up. Turning around the team’s losing record is her main focus, but not enough to distract her from the left over heartbreak from her last break-up.
Her short-lived romance with Trinity changed her entire perspective on life. Unfortunately, after a serious misunderstanding the two of them go from falling head over heels to giving each other the silent treatment.
Trinity Green has way too much on her plate to play games with the younger woman who stole her heart. Her plan is to avoid Drey as much as she can, but that’s easier said than done. Not only is Drey her son’s football coach, but they keep bumping into each other all over town. Despite Trinity’s insistence that they leave their romance in the past, Drey is determined to win her back by any means.”
How to Score at a Crime Scene: Nat Cabrera’s Guide to Malicious Compliance in the Workplace by Emmett Bryce (Amazon/KU / Goodreads)
Why I’m excited to list it: Possibly the best title of any book featured in the newsletter to date. I also really really like it so far, though I was surprised after reading the blurb that it’s dual POV. M/M romance, author’s pronouns are he/they.
“Being sent to investigate a murder scene in the middle of the night in December by your sadistic fairy kingpin of a boss? Not ideal.
Running into the shifter hottie you fell in lust with back in August while investigating said murder? A silver lining, at the very least.
Leveraging that meeting into an impromptu detective partnership and maybe even a date or two? Well, tonight is looking up already.
Too bad neither Nat nor his cute new boyfriend seem to be any good at solving murder mysteries.
A quick-burn romance meets a slow-burn mystery adventure that would have Nancy Drew leaving some scathing Yelp reviews. This 100k urban fantasy novel has a HFN ending, and is the first in a planned series of linked adventures about a relentlessly enthusiastic mage, his soft and snarky shifter partner, and their ever-growing cast of family members (found and otherwise) who end up joining along for the ride.”
Tactical Changes by Jo Cox (Amazon/KU / Goodreads)
Why I’m excited to list it: Demisexual MC in a sapphic romance that includes burlesque and football (soccer to USians). I honestly don’t know how much more sapphic you could make a book so my hat is off to Jo!
“Two women. One goal. A whole lot of tactical changes.
Since her ex blew up their plans, Becky’s started to realise they needed detonating. The family life she fantasised about was just that – a fantasy. Now, she wants to build a life that’s not just as good as the one she imagined in her head, it’s better.
Deciding to buy a house solo turns out to be an easy leap, but when it comes to finding a meaningful relationship in the swipe and dash world of online dating? That’s going to be a harder challenge for someone who’s shy around new people.
Paige is already three huge steps in front of Becky. She’s long since stopped worrying whether she’s got a girlfriend and is out there living her best life with Reggie, her golden retriever. Even her mum’s eternally gloomy outlook can’t dull her sparkle, and she’s happy taking centre stage in her own story. She’ll even do it in nipple tassels.
Becky’s attraction to the club’s new burlesque dancing barmaid is instant, but she soon realises that if she wants to get to know Paige, she’s going to have to leave her expectations at the clubhouse door.
As their friendship develops, attraction deepens and their relationship shifts. But Paige is carrying a big secret, and it’ll lead them into something they never could’ve predicted.
A slow burn sapphic romance that explores demisexuality, the blurry boundaries of friendship, and what can happen when you stay open to possibility.”
One note: Early on, there’s a weight-related narration comment by the MC about her mother that felt… unkind. I searched for Mom’s name & looked everywhere she reappears, didn’t see anything else like it, but heads up.
Fetch by Meredith Spies (Kobo Plus / Amazon / Goodreads)
Why I’m excited to list it: M/X paranormal romance. Loving both Silas and the wonderful spookiness so far! Trans, nonbinary, queer author.
“Silas Crane believes in the magic of black coffee on a muggy morning, the prophecies of crows, and the monster under their bed.
Red flannel and graveyard dirt, the lock of a dead boy’s hair and an unspent silver bullet.
Uncle Micah’s glasses.
A flask of war water and a vial of Ma’s perfume.
The footprints of an enemy, sprinkled with Hotfoot and whispered over at dawn.
Simple magics are always the best, and Silas knows it.
The Not Deer on the edge of town at night,
The headless switchman who stops traffic,
The rattle of bones when you sleep wrong way ‘round,
The shadow man under Silas’ bed, whispering to them in the dark about Danny, missing and dead near ten years now…
Those take a harder sort of work than they’re used to.
Especially when Silas finds themself drawn into Fetch’s world, following his whispering voice in the dark into the strange magics that create creatures like the shadow man under Silas’ bed.
Fetch is the first book in the In the Pines series. It is MX between a human and a shadow man from under their bed.”
First Comes Death by Avrah C. Baren (Amazon / Goodreads)
Why I’m excited to list it: Sapphics come back from the dead and fall in love! One of them is murdery and I adore her already. Jewish rep. Author’s pronouns are she/they.
“A power for every death…
When a black hole anomaly rewrites the rules of life and death, Dina resurrects from a fatal crash into the Chesapeake with an uncontrollable tie to water. Trapped in a cycle of vanishing and reappearing across the world at the water’s whim, all Dina wants is to rid herself of this connection and have control of her life again. But with every new resurfacing, it becomes clear she has a worse crisis on her hands: she’s being followed by a monster.
Drowning may not be a natural cause of death, but neither is murder. And when Ivy resurrects with the ability to produce bone daggers from her own body, she’s hungry for revenge. But between her distrust of her new, supposed allies, puzzling encounters with a woman with powers of her own, and the soul devouring creature on their tail, attaining vengeance is looking a lot more difficult than dying in the first place.
As Dina and Ivy’s inexplicable bond pulls them together time and again, they find something neither expected in their afterlife: someone worth living for. But they’ll have to find a way to annihilate the monster at their heels before time runs out on their second lives. Because without another anomaly to bring them back, this time death will have its due.”
Finding My Name by Estelle Grant (Amazon/KU / Goodreads)
Why I’m excited to list it: Queer M/F with a trans woman MC, trans woman author. This one tackles some heavy themes and I love romances that do this.
“Sally
After all this time, I’m back in the place I hate most: Alliance, Michigan. Six years away and now my birth parents pull me back from the grave. They’ve died and left their house in my name. What the fuck am I supposed to do, forgive them? I can’t move on that easily. Alliance is the same, but I’ve changed. I’ve spent six years becoming the woman I’m meant to be, but no one recognizes me when I arrive. I’m the ‘new’ girl.
Then I see my childhood best friend Oliver for the first time since I left. I’m in trouble because now he’s flirting with me, and I don’t want it to stop.
Oliver
Life hasn’t been the same since my best friend was torn away from me. We had plans to run away together, but now those plans are gone. My life just consists of getting by and clinging to the dreams I held as a kid. I want to see the world, but something is holding me back. Then the new girl in town walks up to our bonfire, and I’m quickly reminded of my best friend. I’m mesmerized by her existence.
She’s only here for the summer, but maybe that’s enough time to figure her out.”
A Wolf Steps in Blood by Tamara Jerée (Kobo Plus / Amazon / Goodreads)
Why I’m excited to list it: Black sapphic paranormal romance by a Black author. I am seriously intrigued by the beginning of this one. Jerée’s pronouns are they/them.
“Yasmine is a red wolf girl stuck in rural Alabama. Her world is small: pick up shifts at the greasy late-night diner and endure her pack’s petty squabbles. She’s not good at being a wolf or being human, directionless in life and disconnected from her ancestors.
Blessed by a century-old enchantment, the local red wolves have escaped extinction by blending into the human world. But with the old witches’ blessing wearing thin, the wolves face an uncertain future.
An answer arrives in the form of an exiled blood witch whose magic is steeped in reckless grief. Kalta rides into town in her dead brother’s truck, prophecy following on her heels. Despite the danger Yasmine can smell swirling around the witch, a fated bond tangles their futures — and those of all the wolves.
After an accident threatens the wolves’ secret, Yasmine has no choice but to join Kalta on the road, carving a path through the South’s backroads and hoping the magic brewing between them is enough to overcome their bloody pasts.”
Double Fault! by Tynan Grouse (Amazon/KU / Goodreads)
Why I’m excited to list it: I had the pleasure of beta reading this childhood friends to rivals to lovers tennis romance. It was already fantastic and I know it’s only gotten better. M/M by a gay author.
“He peaked at number 90 in the world.
Now 30 and over it, Locky Sparrow is hanging up his racket for the more settled and comfortable life of a pro tennis coach. His new student, hot-tempered but ultra-talented Jun, promises to be one of the best young players in the country. What better place to ground him in the fundamentals of the game (and cool his heels a bit) than the quaint little town of Wattle Grove, where Locky himself learned to play the game.
The only thing he didn’t count on was him. Kristos ‘the Hornet’ Tsakiris, the world number 93, and Locky’s rival since they’d started playing together in kindergarten. Forced to retire in disgrace, now he’s back in town…and looking to poach Jun for himself to kickstart his own coaching career. Locky thought he’d left this rivalry between them behind. Now, old animosities (and sparks) are suddenly re-awakened. Then set on fire. Then shoved off a ridiculous cliff.
They both know there’s only one way to settle this. An epic, high-stakes battle on the court. A once-and-for-all decider where the winner takes all. The glory, the student, the legacy.
Come one, come all! Witness this historic clash of two aging giants of the great game of tennis! Locky versus Kristos.
Sparrow versus Hornet.”
Timeless by Declan Rhodes (Amazon/KU / Goodreads)
Why I’m excited to list it: I want to send every queer romance author who writes time travel a gold star sticker. This one has hockey, too, and it’s an M/M romance by a queer guy author.
“A shocking return to 1980 and the chance to make hockey history with a happily ever after romance.
Dylan Mercer is a rising star in professional hockey, adored by fans and unmatched on the ice. Yet, beneath the dizzying momentum of his young career lies a truth Dylan fears could derail everything: he’s gay in a world where he fears coming out could mean the end of his career.
After a tough game, Dylan’s discovery of a pair of vintage skates in an old locker unexpectedly sends him spiraling back in time to 1980. Bewildered by his arrival, he meets Nico Santoro, a low-level minor league player who quickly becomes more than a friend.
Soon, Dylan and Nico form a bond that transcends decades. From hilarious adventures learning to cross-country ski to finding themselves at a home in a 1980 New York City disco and witnessing the US hockey team’s Lake Placid Olympic victory.
What neither of them understand is the mechanism for Dylan’s trip through time and what might cause him to be sent back to his future. Ultimately, Dylan is faced with an impossible choice: his career as a rising hockey star or a chance to change the game’s history by remaining by Nico’s side.”
Dulhaniyaa by Talia Bhatt (Kobo Plus / Amazon / Goodreads)
Why I’m excited to list it: Desi lesbian romance with a gorgeous cover. Very much enjoying this so far! I know a lot of people have been waiting for it since it was announced pretty far in advance.
“Esha Arora is the last person anyone would have expected to acquiesce to an arranged marriage. Outspoken, opinionated and forward-thinking, she has made her thoughts on these archaic institutions known to anyone who’d lend her an ear. To her traditional family’s surprise and joy, however, when a good rishta for her hand comes along, Esha agrees to abruptly quit her MFA program in the States and returns to India to be wed. Her mother wastes neither time nor expense in preparing for the most bombastic wedding money can afford—she has more than a few friends to outdo and impress, after all!
In the pursuit of extravagance, Esha’s mother arranges a dance instructor for her, to train her to perform a Bollywood-style, choreographed dance routine at the wedding, as is en vogue. Despite Esha’s lack of enthusiasm, her mother will not be swayed. Knowing that the wedding isn’t actually about her wishes, Esha reluctantly agrees, deciding that if she’s going to put on a show for her relatives, she might as well put on a good one.
That’s when Billu, a cyclone in a salwar and dance instructor extraordinaire, bursts into the dull monotony of Esha’s pre-wedding existence. To her shock and delight, Esha finds herself enjoying her lessons with Billu, in addition to every other moment with her that she finds herself trying to steal away. Slowly, it begins to dawn on Esha that she isn’t nearly as resigned to her marital fate as she once thought—but can she un-make a commitment to her family so easily? Will she be able to confess her feelings to Billu before the latter exits her life, or will she be consigned to her role of dulhaniyaa?
A Bollywood-inspired desi lesbian romance, ‘Dulhaniyaa’ is a story of class, queerness, and the struggle to accept your identity even when it seems to be in conflict with your family and culture.”
Awakening in Sapphire by Jonathan Hawker (Amazon/KU / Goodreads)
Why I’m excited to list it: M/M fantasy/cyberpunk romance series starter by a queer guy author. I don’t often fall for King Arthur inspired media but I loved the worldbuilding in the sample, I think it’s sucked me in!
“Camelot is fallen. King Arthur is dead. The world carries on, slouching toward its final breath.
‘I do what I have to just to stomach this cesspool I woke up to!’
Seventeen hundred years after the events that shaped him into a villain of legend, Morgan le Fay wakes, little more than flashes of his life past to guide the way. Thus, he dons the mantle the world has fashioned for him, cloaking his true identity beneath the guise of a mercenary — teaching the neon city of Etna that he is not one to be trifled with.
‘And me? What about my life helped you stomach this place?’
Aaron Jones will never know a land beyond this one, and while it may not be a place of fairytales, he does everything within his limited power as an officer with the ECPD to make it safe. That is until his efforts lead him to a dark alley in the middle of a city-wide blackout, and a jab to the neck lands him on Etna’s missing persons list.
The past and future collide in Etna — one of the final bastions of humanity — as Morgan navigates the schemes of the corporate giant, Esotech, the politics of the Occult Community — and the notion that he could be so much more than the world remembers.
Awakening in Sapphire is the first installment in the Once & Forever Kings series. While it is a low spice* MM Romance at heart, it features many characters along the LGBTQ+ spectrum. With a grumpy/sunshine dynamic, a soulmates theme and a cast comprised of found family, it’s a Happily Ever After for now that will continue in the following four books!
*Physical copies contain a bonus spicy scene!!”
Tooth & Claw by Summer Doyle (Amazon/KU / Goodreads)
Why I’m excited to list it: This COVER, y’all! Queer M/F. I just adore what I’ve read so far. It feels a bit more litfic than a typical genre romance and I love that about it. (Also I want to take the MC home and wrap her in a blanket and feed her soup.)
“Courtney Joseph loves fantasy worlds but doesn’t believe in her own happily ever after.
A struggling writer, a shopgirl with no prospects, and the anchor of a family slowly sinking into gloom, Cort is resigned to living an unremarkable life in the small New England town she grew up in. Sex is her escape, and she isn’t too troubled about the gender of her partners, as long as they can take her out of her head for a while. Her carefully constructed walls protect her from further disappointments and keep her guarded from anyone who might try to get too close.
But when a childhood friend blows back into her life, she’s forced to confront the choices that have gotten her here. Is it worth the risk to let him in? Can Cort envision a world outside her walls to find her own happy ending?”
How to Bare Your Neck and Save a Wreck by D.N. Bryn (Amazon/KU / Goodreads)
Why I’m excited to list it: Transmasc human + a he/they vampire + a criminal conspiracy. I had the pleasure of beta reading a prequel short story to this novel several years ago, and I adored it, so I’m delighted that the rest of this couple’s story is out now.
“‘I only take what’s owed me, and you, my little swan, owe me blood.’
A single kiss from a masked vampire has left Shane with an obsession and a mission: uncover the secrets of the black-market blood trade and find his mystery vampire in the process. But one knock at the wrong door and he could have fangs at his throat instead of lips.
Andres is trying to forget his kiss with Shane Crowley by drowning himself in his work as a thief for the blood trade. When his boss seizes an overcurious Shane to drain his blood, though, Andres’s only option is to buy him for every drop he’ll ever produce. This new ownership awakens thoughts of glittering collars—thoughts Andres knows are the desires of a monster.
But Andres needs blood to live, and he’s going to have it from Shane, even if that means donning a mask once more and demanding Shane bare his neck during nightly excursions.
Soon, Shane feels pulled in all directions, between the strange desires his role as Andres’s part-time blood slave is stirring in him, his investigations into the cycle of injustice that so many fanged citizens face, and a new friend whose mouth seems strangely familiar. Little does he know, every path leads back to the same vampire…”
The Potion Gardener by Arden Powell (Amazon/KU / Goodreads)
Why I’m excited to list it: Trans nonbinary MC, butch cis lesbian LI. As Arden said on Bluesky, “all trans joy, no phobia” PLUS this is Arden’s first nonbinary trans masc MC so that is awesome. If you don’t know Arden, they are queer and nonbinary which I keep forgetting to say when I list one of their books because I’m always so excited about the content of the book.
“Desperate to escape a messy romance, Florian Mulberry flees London: tipsy, panicked, and without a plan. It’s while hiding in a rural garden shed that he meets Kells, a potion witch, who agrees to shelter him in exchange for manual labor until he gets his life together. Leaving his pampered London existence to work on a secluded cottage farm is a shock, but Florian throws himself into it with passionate determination.
And it’s not just gardening he’s passionate about. In no time, Florian falls head over heels for his skillful, hardworking mentor.
There’s just one problem. Florian is only disguised as a boy, and the enchantment hiding his real body is going to wear off. Florian’s main concern is how to explain himself when it happens. He’s definitely not a girl, but he’s not entirely a boy, either. With all the magic in Kells’ garden, there must be a way to achieve his ideal androgyny.
However he looks, Florian will have to face his past if he wants a future with Kells. Even if he avoids London forever, eventually his past is going to come looking for the girl he used to be.
The Potion Gardener is a low-stakes, low-angst cozy fantasy novella in the Flos Magicae series, a collection of queer romances set in an alternate 1920s world with magic. Featuring a trans, nonbinary lead, a butch cis lesbian love interest, a scruffy terrier with anxiety, and a great deal of gardening. All the Flos Magicae stories are standalones, and can be read in any order.”
Hexes and Haberdashery by Vera Winters (Amazon/KU / Goodreads)
Why I’m excited to list it: This cover is too lovely and I’m digging both the MCs so far, especially Ivy. Part of a queer romance series with a variety of gender pairings and representation.
“A demonic pact. A draconic dilemma. A secret that could reshape the realms.
Arkenev is under fire. As the demonic envoy to Luminara, he’s hosting the most powerful demons from across the realms as they navigate a crisis. The demons’ toehold in the human world has been severed, and Arkenev is desperately hunting for an ancient source powerful enough to reopen it… a source only a dragon can provide.
Ivy guards a hoard of secrets. After fleeing an arranged marriage, she’s come out as a woman and opened an enchanted hat shop in Luminara, yearning for a quiet life and a chance at true love. But the dark forces of her past are closing in, threatening to unravel everything she’s built.
When Arkenev seeks Ivy’s help to make the demonic convocation a success, he quickly finds himself entranced by her sweet charms and uniquely human perspective. But as Arkenev’s superiors – and Ivy’s family – tighten their grip, the unlikely pair must outmaneuver their foes and fight for a chance at happiness. Because Ivy is hiding a secret of draconic proportions–one that could change Luminara forever.
Hexes and Haberdashery is the enchanting fifth standalone novel in the Starlight Sanctum cozy fantasy LGBTQ romance series. If you like star-crossed lovers, dragon shifters, and a charming queer romance with a generous helping of heat, then you’ll adore Vera Winters’s spellbinding tale.”
Wish We Were There by Lionel Hart (Amazon/KU / Goodreads)
Why I’m excited to list it: M/M rockstar romance by a queer guy author. I freakin’ love a slow burn romance where at least one party starts from a rough place, so this is right up my alley and I enjoyed the sample very much.
“Parker’s greatest regret in life was not confessing his crush to Taylor before introducing him to Zach.
He’s done his best to be a good friend to Taylor in the decade they’ve known each other, but his feelings have never truly gone away. Instead, he’s found contentment in his career as a music journalist, keeping himself from wanting more from their friendship.
Taylor’s band is finally skyrocketing up the path to stardom. But everything comes crashing down when Zach, Taylor’s husband and the band’s frontman, dies in the middle of their summer tour.
In the aftermath, Taylor decides he’s done with the rockstar life. When he sets out on a new venture to open a music venue, The Caesura Room, he and Parker spend more time together than ever before.
As their relationship teeters on the edge of something more, Parker must decide if he can overcome the guilt of having these feelings for his widowed friend. But Taylor has secrets of his own that might keep them from their last chance to be together.
Book One of The Caesura Room [series], Wish We Were There, is an emotional, slow-burn, friends-to-lovers rockstar romance.”
At the end of each newsletter, I recommend a few of my recent favorite queer reads, from romance to SFF to graphic novels, comics, and kids’ books. 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.
The Untimely Undeath of Imogen Madrigal by Grayson Daly (Amazon / Goodreads)
If I had realized this had a big ol’ sapphic romance in it, I would have listed it as a new release! Alas, I did not, but I’m here now to tell you that it’s a delightful debut. The mystery is maybe a tad underbaked but I was having such a lovely time that I didn’t care one bit. Can’t wait to see what Daly does next.
“Death is an end and a beginning.
On the island city of Lenorum, Maeve serves the Sisterhood of Good Death, a convent whose purpose is to shepherd lost souls from one world to the next. But her life of devotion to the unquiet dead is upended by an encounter with the haughty poet Imogen Madrigal, who has mysteriously returned from beyond the veil, not in spirit, but in the flesh – and is determined to obtain justice, whatever the cost. Maeve agrees to help Imogen solve her murder, which propels her headlong into the hedonistic and heretical world of the extravagant and influential Poets’ Court.
The Untimely Undeath of Imogen Madrigal delivers a metaphysical mystery in the richly imagined, darkly fantastic and urbane world of Lenorum, as Maeve comes to terms with her own path and learns what living a good life truly means.”
This Day Changes Everything by Edward Underhill (Amazon / Goodreads)
This is Underhill’s second published book, and IMHO both of his YA novels have hit it out of the park. His music nerd teenagers are always so gloriously teenagery: sometimes bad decisions, sometimes great ones, always big feelings, and also big hearts. Abby and Leo are good kids and I want all the good things in the world for them.
“Abby Akerman believes in the Universe. After all, her Midwest high school marching band is about to perform in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City — if that’s not proof that magical things can happen, what is? New York also happens to be the setting of her favorite romance novel, making it the perfect place for Abby to finally tell her best friend Kat that she’s in love with her (and, um, gay). She’s carefully annotated a copy of the book as a gift for Kat, and she’s counting on the Universe to provide an Epic Scene worthy of her own rom-com.
Leo Brewer, on the other hand, just wants to get through this trip without falling apart. He doesn’t believe the Universe is magical at all, mostly because he’s about to be outed to his very Southern extended family on national TV as the trans boy he really is. He’s not excited for the parade, and he’s even less excited for an entire day of sightseeing with his band.
But the Universe has other ideas. When fate throws Abby and Leo together on the wrong subway train, they soon find themselves lost in the middle of Manhattan. Even worse, Leo accidentally causes Abby to lose her Epic Gift for Kat. So to salvage the day, they come up with a new mission: find a souvenir from every location mentioned in the book for Abby to give Kat instead. But as Leo and Abby traverse the city, from the streets of Chinatown to the halls of Grand Central Station and the top of the Empire State Building, their initial expectations for the trip — and of each other — begin to shift. Maybe, if they let it, this could be the day that changes everything, for both of them.”
‘Twas The Night Before Pride by Joanna McClintick, illustrated by Juana Medina (Amazon / Goodreads)
Here’s a great pick to get ready for Pride, which is coming up so soon, yay! I really enjoyed this even though I had no smaller person handy to read it with. (My 16 year old would have joined me if I asked, he’s sweet that way, but I knew he had homework.)
“On the night before Pride, families everywhere are preparing to partake. As one family packs snacks and makes signs, an older sibling shares the importance of the march with the newest member of the family. Reflecting on the day, the siblings agree that the best thing about Pride is getting to be yourself.
Debut author Joanna McClintick and Pura Belpré Award–winning author-illustrator Juana Medina create a new classic that pays homage to the beauty of families of all compositions — and of all-inclusive love.”
Space Story by Fiona Ostby (Amazon / Goodreads)
This graphic novel would make a lovely, quiet character-centric independent film. It’s so gentle and it made my heart feel so many things that once I returned it to the library, I ordered a copy of my very own. The fact that this is Ostby’s debut blows my mind. I will definitely be pre-ordering whatever she does next.
“Two women fall in love and start a family on a dying Earth.
Only one escapes to space.
Her family is still on the planet.
They won’t give up until they find each other again.”
Sunflowers by Keezy Young (Amazon / Goodreads)
BONUS REC by a queer author, though this graphic novel doesn’t explicitly touch on queerness. I thought this slim volume was incredible and important, as well as beautifully illustrated, so I wanted to highlight it here.
“An autobiographical comic about one person’s experience living with bipolar I disorder. From mania to depression to the balance beam of the everyday, Sunflowers explores the human complexity of an often misunderstood disorder with honesty and vulnerability.”
My library got a digital copy that’s available through the Libby app, and I know they have gotten print books from Silver Sprocket (the publisher) before, so it’s definitely worth checking if your library can order it.
And that’s this month’s list! Thanks so much for being here.