Where Dreams Descend by Janella Angeles

I have another review for you all today! Where Dreams Descend by Janella Angeles was an enchanting and atmospheric book about magic, secrets and the price of power. It was glamorous, lyrical and capturing and I completely adored it! This one is already out in the USA, and comes out in the UK today! Don’t forget to add it on Goodreads, and consider buying a copy from your local indie, Waterstones or Amazon!

Our main character, Kallia, was immediately loveable. She was such a complex character and her main motive was ambition, which I love. She’s daring and stubborn, resilient and caring despite everything. Her character was possibly my favourite thing about this book!

I loved the dynamic between the characters. Kallia and Demarco’s light enemies-to-lovers romance was wonderful, I really liked them together, but I’d have to say my favourite relationship was the unlikely but close friendship between Kallia and Aaros!! I also liked the comaderie between Kallia, the Canary and the rest of the Conquering Circus.

The magic of this world is so intriguing and wonderful, I was totally captured by it’s uniqueness. It really plays into the atmosphere of the book, which is rich and wonderful. The world building of Where Dreams Descend was impressive, from the bright magic on the stage to the dark mysteries on the streets of the town. A picture of the city of Glorian, the woods surrounding it and Hellfire House was painted and stunningly in my head. While the atmosphere and dynamics of the world were incredible, I will say a little was lacking factually and I would have loved to have some more information on the magic system and location. Then again, a fog of mystery and secrets seems to surround Glorian and so us not knowing much about it definitely plays into the storyline and atmosphere.

Janella Angeles’ writing is sumptuous, lush and brimming with vivid imagery. I almost struggled to read too much of the book at once because the writing is so stunningly decadent!

Where Dreams Descend is woven with high stakes, mysterious disappearances and budding romance, all of which are haunted by both Kallia and Demarco’s complex and dark pasts. As well as this, gender inequality and sexism are very central topics in the book as Kallia constantly fights the patriarchal norms and misogynistic men to take her place on the stage. There’s also an aspect of PTSD and recovering from an emotionally manipulative relationship which felt nuanced and important. Kallia struggles to escape the clutches of the man who used to control her life, but is determined to write her own path.

The only thing that I didn’t quite like as much about this book was that the mystery aspects of the plot had so much potential, but none were resolved or looked into in depth in the book. I understand it’s a series and many things were left open to be delved into deeper in the sequel, but I think Where Dreams Descend left me just a few *too* many questions to feel completely satisfied with the book.

Where Dreams Descend was a feast of a book, truly show-stopping and sparkling with magic, romance and mystery. I absolutely adored this book and really recommend it!

Loud Lesbians.

Hi all!! I recently asked on my twitter if anyone would be interested in a list of every book I’ve read where the main character is open, loud and proud about being a lesbian and using the term lesbian, and it got a HUGE amount of ‘yes’ votes sooo… here it is!! – Amber ❤

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The basic ‘criteria’ as such for a book to be on this list is that the character refers to themselves as a lesbian, whether that be out loud or not, as long as they themselves say it, they’re included on this list!!

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We Were Promised Spotlights by Lindsay Sproul

(Young Adult Contemporary) Standalone debut

Taylor Garland’s good looks have earned her the admiration of everyone in her small town. She’s homecoming queen, the life of every party, and she’s on every boy’s most-wanted list. People think Taylor is living the dream, and assume she’ll stay in town and have kids with the homecoming king–maybe even be a dental hygienist if she’s super ambitious. But Taylor is actually desperate to leave home, and she hates the smell of dentists’ offices. Also? She’s completely in love with her best friend, Susan.

“I think I’m a lesbian….I’m a lesbian”

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Broken Things by Lauren Oliver

(Young Adult Mystery/Thriller) Standalone

It’s been five years since Summer Marks was brutally murdered in the woods. Everyone thinks Mia and Brynn killed their best friend. That driven by their obsession with a novel called The Way into Lovelorn the three girls had imagined themselves into the magical world where their fantasies became twisted, even deadly. The only thing is: they didn’t do it.

“I’m a lesbian.”

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Summer of Salt by Katrina Leno

(Young Adult Fantasy) Standalone

Georgina Fernweh waits with growing impatience for the tingle of magic in her fingers—magic that has been passed down through every woman in her family. Her twin sister, Mary, already shows an ability to defy gravity. But with their eighteenth birthday looming at the end of this summer, Georgina fears her gift will never come.

“I was one of only four out lesbians on our very small island.”

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Of All the Girls by Michele L. Rivera

(Young Adult Contemporary) Standalone

The last thing Ashton Daniels wants after graduating high school is to spend the summer in Boston with her estranged father and his other family, but once she arrives in Massachusetts and meets Chloe, her intriguing step-sister, what Ashton wants suddenly becomes unclear.

“I’m wearing jeans and a flannel… to properly represent the stereotypical lesbian.“

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Burn Our Bodies Down by Rory Power

(Young Adult Thriller/Horror) Standalone

From the author of the New York Times bestseller Wilder Girls comes a new twisty thriller about a girl whose past has always been a mystery—until she decides to return to her mother’s hometown . . . where history has a tendency to repeat itself.

“it took me longer to recognize it in myself, and even longer to say ‘lesbian’ without blushing”

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Far From You by Tess Sharpe

(Young Adult Thriller) Standalone

Nine months. Two weeks. Six days. That’s how long recovering addict Sophie’s been drug-free. Four months ago her best friend, Mina, died in what everyone believes was a drug deal gone wrong – a deal they think Sophie set up. Only Sophie knows the truth. She and Mina shared a secret, but there was no drug deal. Mina was deliberately murdered. Forced into rehab for an addiction she’d already beaten, Sophie’s finally out and on the trail of the killer—but can she track them down before they come for her?

“What do you think? That everything’s going to be fine if I tell my mom I’m a lesbian?”

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Anyone But Her by Erica Lee

(Adult Romance) Standalone

Reagan Cooper has been an out and proud lesbian since high school, but can’t say no when her gay best friend, Jamie Miller, asks her to pretend to be his girlfriend for his family reunion. Jamie has been there for her through everything. Plus, she’s interested in learning more about the family he never speaks of. Living in California for eight years, Charlie Miller has been able to live authentically, but being back in her small Maryland hometown with her conservative family means going back into the closet. What she didn’t expect was to be so attracted to her brother’s girlfriend.

“I was an out and proud lesbian”

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Georgia Peaches and Other Forbidden Fruit by Jaye Robin Brown

(Young Adult Contemporary) Standalone

Joanna Gordon has been out and proud for years, but when her popular radio evangelist father remarries and decides to move all three of them from Atlanta to the more conservative Rome, Georgia, he asks Jo to do the impossible: to lie low for the rest of her senior year. And Jo reluctantly agrees. Although it is (mostly) much easier for Jo to fit in as a straight girl, things get complicated when she meets Mary Carlson, the oh-so-tempting sister of her new friend at school. But Jo couldn’t possibly think of breaking her promise to her dad. Even if she’s starting to fall for the girl. Even if there’s a chance Mary Carlson might be interested in her, too. Right?

“you need to know that I’m a lesbian”

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Just Juliet by Charlotte Reagan

(Young Adult Romance) Standalone

Lena Newman is 17, her best friend’s a cheerleader, her boyfriend’s a football player, and as far as everyone is concerned, her life is sorted. But that’s before she befriends the new girl. Juliet is confident, slightly damaged, drop-dead gorgeous and a lesbian. Lena realizes that her interest goes beyond just friendship. She sets off on a path of self-discovery where the loyalty of those closest to her will be tested.

“Yes, I am a lesbian. Yes, I’ve known since I was a child and yes, I do believe people are born that way.”

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The Meaning of Birds by Jaye Robin Brown

(Young Adult Contemporary) Standalone

Before, Jessica has always struggled with anger issues, but come sophomore year that all changes when Vivi crashes into her life. As their relationship blossoms, Vivi not only helps Jess deal with her pain, she also encourages her to embrace her talent as an artist. And for the first time, it feels like the future is filled with possibilities. After, In the midst of senior year, Jess’s perfect world is erased when Vivi suddenly passes away. Reeling from the devastating loss, Jess pushes everyone away, and throws out her plans to go to art school. Because art is Vivi and Vivi is gone forever.

“I’m a lesbian Levi, I’m not into you.”

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You Know Me Well by Nina LaCour & David Levithan

(Young Adult Contemporary) Standalone

Mark and Kate have sat next to each other for an entire year, but have never spoken. For whatever reason, their paths outside of class have never crossed. That is, until Kate spots Mark miles away from home, out in the city for a wild, unexpected night. Kate is lost, having just run away from a chance to finally meet the girl she has been in love with from afar. Mark, meanwhile, is in love with his best friend Ryan, who may or may not feel the same way.

“We’re lesbians”

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Orpheus Girl by Brynne Rebele-Henry

(Young Adult Contemporary) Standalone

Abandoned by a single mother she never knew, 16-year-old Raya—obsessed with ancient myths—lives with her grandmother in a small conservative Texas town. For years Raya has been forced to hide her feelings for her best friend and true love, Sarah. When the two are outed, they are sent to Friendly Saviors: a re-education camp meant to “fix” them and make them heterosexual. Upon arrival, Raya vows to assume the mythic role of Orpheus to escape Friendly Saviors, and to return to the world of the living with her love—only becoming more determined after she, Sarah, and Friendly Saviors’ other teen residents are subjected to abusive “treatments” by the staff.

“It’s then that I decide that I’m going to be the biggest, baddest lesbian these hateful freaks have ever seen”

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The Secret of You and Me by Melissa Lenhardt

(Adult Romance) Standalone

Nora hasn’t looked back. Not since she fled Texas to start a new life. Away from her father’s volatile temper and the ever-watchful gaze of her claustrophobically conservative small town, Nora has freed herself. She can live—and love—however she wants. The only problem is that she also left behind the one woman she can’t forget. Now tragedy calls her back home to confront her past—and reconcile her future.

“I’m a lesbian, Mother. Is that what you don’t want to hear?”

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Life Begins With You by Erica Lee

(Adult Romance) Standalone

Rebecca and Cassie were childhood best friends until their lives took different directions. By the time they reached high school, Rebecca became interested in soccer and running with the preppy crowd, while Cassie was more interested in skipping class and shoplifting. Their lives cross paths again when Rebecca ends up teaching Cassie’s little sister. Aside from their sexuality and distaste toward their small town, it seems the two have nothing in common. But as the two begin getting closer, it becomes obvious that there is much more to people than what meets the eye.

“That’s what happens when you’re a lonely lesbian stuck in a small town.”

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The Gravity Between Us by Kristen Zimmer

(New Adult Romance) Standalone

At just 19, Kendall Bettencourt is Hollywood’s hottest young starlet with the world at her feet – but behind the glamour and designer dresses is a girl who longs for normal. Payton Taylor is Kendall’s best friend since childhood, and the one person who reminds her of who she really is – her refuge from the craziness of celebrity life. With her career taking off, Kendall moves Payton to LA to help keep her sane. But Payton is hiding a secret that could make everything ten times worse. Because to her, Kendall is more than a best friend – she is the only girl that she has ever loved.

“Yes, exclusively. I’m exclusively a lesbian.”

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South of Sunshine by Dana Elmendorf

(Young Adult Romance) Standalone

In Sunshine, Tennessee, the main event in town is Friday night football, the biggest party of the year is held in a field filled with pickup trucks, and church attendance is mandatory. For Kaycee Jean McCoy, life in Sunshine means dating guys she has no interest in, saying only “yes, ma’am” when the local bigots gossip at her mom’s cosmetics salon, and avoiding certain girls at all costs. Girls like Bren Dawson.

“The whole world knows I’m a lesbian.”

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The Truth by Erica Lee

(Adult Romance) Standalone

Carly Foster has spent her twenties dating one mistake after another. When she meets Diana Cox, she thinks she finally chose a good one. Little does Carly know, Diana is hiding a big secret. When Diana admits to what she has been hiding, it’s Carly’s turn to decide whether the possibility of Diana being the one is enough to risk making another mistake.

“based on the fact that I’m a femme lesbian”

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Lies My Girlfriend Told Me by Julie Anne Peters

(Young Adult Contemporary) Standalone

When Alix’s charismatic girlfriend, Swanee, dies from sudden cardiac arrest, Alix is overcome with despair. As she searches Swanee’s room for mementos of their relationship, she finds Swanee’s cell phone, pinging with dozens of texts sent from a mysterious contact, L.T. The most recent text reads: “Please tell me what I did. Please, Swan. Te amo. I love you.”

“No, they know I’m a lesbian”

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All Eyes On Us by Kit Frick

(Young Adult Mystery) Standalone

The daughter of small town social climbers, Amanda Kelly is deeply invested in her boyfriend, real estate heir Carter Shaw. He’s kind, ambitious, the town golden boy—but he’s far from perfect. Because behind Amanda’s back, Carter is also dating Rosalie. Rosalie Bell is fighting to remain true to herself and her girlfriend—while concealing her identity from her Christian fundamentalist parents. After years spent in and out of conversion “therapy,” her own safety is her top priority. But maintaining a fake, straight relationship is killing her from the inside.

“I’m a lesbian, Dad.”

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Colorblind by Siera Maley

(Young Adult Contemporary Romance) Standalone

Harper has a secret… and it’s not that she likes girls. She has a rare and special gift: she can see how old other people will be when they pass away. Nothing she does changes this number, and that becomes especially clear when her mother dies in a car crash. With only one other person in the world who knows about and shares her gift, Harper is determined to keep her distance from everyone. Then she falls for Chloe… whose number is 16.
That means that Chloe doesn’t have twelve months to live. She doesn’t even have six.

“I wondered if Dad had even told her that I was a lesbian”

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The Henna Wars by Adiba Jaigirdar

(Young Adult Contemporary) Standalone debut

When Nishat comes out to her parents, they say she can be anyone she wants—as long as she isn’t herself. Because Muslim girls aren’t lesbians. Nishat doesn’t want to hide who she is, but she also doesn’t want to lose her relationship with her family. And her life only gets harder once a childhood friend walks back into her life.

“meaning me being a lesbian”

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The Falling in Love Montage by Ciara Smyth

(Young Adult Contemporary Romance) Standalone debut

Saoirse doesn’t believe in love at first sight or happy endings. If they were real, her mother would still be able to remember her name and not in a care home with early onset dementia. A condition that Saoirse may one day turn out to have inherited. So she’s not looking for a relationship. She doesn’t see the point in igniting any romantic sparks if she’s bound to burn out. But after a chance encounter at an end-of-term house party, Saoirse is about to break her own rules. For a girl with one blue freckle, an irresistible sense of mischief, and a passion for rom-coms.

“Not for the first time, I thanked God I was a lesbian”

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You’re My Kind by Clare Lydon

(Adult Romance) Standalone

Justine Thomas and Maddie Kind met at university and were the couple most likely. Everybody said so. That is, until Maddie left without saying goodbye. Ten years later the pair are reunited at a friend’s funeral, and now Justine can’t shake Maddie from her life. But why is she back? Why did she disappear? And more importantly, is she interested in the whole cake, or just one last slice of Justine?

“I’m allowed to say that; I’m a lesbian”

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Honey Girl by Morgan Rogers

(Adult Contemporary Romance) Standalone debut

With her newly completed PhD in astronomy in hand, twenty-eight-year-old Grace Porter goes on a girls’ trip to Vegas to celebrate. She’s a straight A, work-through-the-summer certified high achiever. She is not the kind of person who goes to Vegas and gets drunkenly married to a woman whose name she doesn’t know…until she does exactly that.

“She is afraid of being a brown, gold, bee-honey lesbian in an academic industry all too willing to overlook the parts of her that don’t make sense to them.”

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These Witches Don't Burn (These Witches Don't Burn, #1)

These Witches Don’t Burn by Isabel Sterling

(Young Adult Fantasy) Book 1 in a duology

Hannah’s a witch, but not the kind you’re thinking of. She’s the real deal, an Elemental with the power to control fire, earth, water, and air. But even though she lives in Salem, Massachusetts, her magic is a secret she has to keep to herself. If she’s ever caught using it in front of a Reg (read: non-witch), she could lose it. For good. So, Hannah spends most of her time avoiding her ex-girlfriend (and fellow Elemental Witch) Veronica, hanging out with her best friend, and working at the Fly by Night Cauldron selling candles and crystals to tourists, goths, and local Wiccans.

“and a huge lesbian, I thought you knew that”

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Back to the Start by Monica McCallan

(Adult Romance) Standalone

When Remy’s grandmother dies, it means leaving her life in San Francisco and returning to a town she swore she’d never revisit, forced to confront a world she’d worked hard to put behind her over the last twelve years. She’s not expecting that the first girl to ever steal her heart, the pretty, popular Fallon Lewis is still around, and in a town this small, their paths continue to cross much to Remy’s dismay. It’s hard enough seeing her first love, but it’s exponentially more difficult when she can barely stand to look at the woman.

“She’d known she was a lesbian for a long time”

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Nothing to Lose by Clare Lydon

(Adult Romance) Standalone

Can you find love in a hopeless place?Nobody would ever describe Scarlet Williams as a ray of sunshine, but that doesn’t mean she deserves the flood that wipes out her basement flat, making her temporarily homeless. Enter Joy Hudson, local mayor & sunshine specialist, who opens her house to flood refugees and ends up with Scarlet on her doorstep. Two more opposing characters you couldn’t fail to meet, and yet, somehow, they strike up a friendship. But when the rain stops and the sun comes out, could that friendship blossom into something more?

“I’m a lesbian, in case you hadn’t worked that out yet”

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Tell Me Again How a Crush Should Feel by Sara Farizan

(Young Adult Romance) Standalone

High-school junior Leila has made it most of the way through Armstead Academy without having a crush on anyone, which is something of a relief. Her Persian heritage already makes her different from her classmates; if word got out that she liked girls, life would be twice as hard. But when a sophisticated, beautiful new girl, Saskia, shows up, Leila starts to take risks she never thought she would, especially when it looks as if the attraction between them is mutual.

“I sit on the floor and cry my little lesbian heart out”

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The Gay Girl’s Guide to Ruining Prom by Siera Maley

(Young Adult Contemporary) Standalone

When Zoey Seever’s best and only friend Skylar is unceremoniously dumped on the night of her Prom, the last thing Zoey wants to do is get involved with the girl responsible for breaking her best friend’s heart. Chelsea McDaniel has a reputation at their rival school for using girls up and tossing them aside when things get serious. Soon enough, Zoey finds herself roped into Skylar’s plot to make Chelsea pay. The plan is simple: Zoey will seduce Chelsea, make her fall in love as only another heartbreaker can, and then cruelly dump her at her own Prom.

“You know I’m a lesbian, right?”

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Time It Right by Siera Maley

(Young Adult Romance) Standalone

Valerie Marsh and her three closest friends – Tara, Amber, and Kat – have just started their senior year of high school. When Tara gets a boyfriend and convinces Valerie to ask her neighbor Lucas out on a double-date, things quickly go awry, leaving Valerie to wonder who exactly she is and where she fits in amongst her friends and peers. Enter Lindsay Walker, an outgoing British bombshell who switches places with Tara’s sister Kara as part of an exchange student program offered by their schools. But even as tension grows between Lindsay and all of Valerie’s friends, Valerie and Lindsay grow closer, and Valerie finds her world turned completely upside down as she struggles to answer questions about herself she’d never been brave enough to ask before.

“I’m actually a lesbian”

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Something Tragic by Jessica Yeh

(Young Adult Romance) Standalone

When they met, it was not of their own accord. In fact, they never would have crossed paths if it wasn’t for the school project. They were juniors. Addison was the quiet, new girl. Having to move in with her uncles after the fire was one of the most difficult things she had ever endured. Tragic, really. Life always seemed to turn out that way for Addison.

“Addison was sure too, about being a lesbian”

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The Princess Affair by Nell Stark

(Adult Romance) Book 1 in a trilogy (can be read as standalones)

Rhodes Scholar Kerry Donovan has never had anything handed to her on a silver platter. As she arrives at Oxford to begin her course of study, she is determined to make the most out of this latest opportunity. But when she meets Her Royal Highness Princess Sasha, second in line to the British throne, Kerry’s priorities are eclipsed by an attraction neither of them can ignore. “Sassy Sasha” is a tabloid favorite who appears to delight in scandalizing her people, but beneath her vexed public image, Sasha longs to be truly seen.

“a dyslexic, lesbian queen”

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The Princess Deception by Nell Stark

(Adult Romance) Book 3 in a trilogy (can be read as standalones)

When Sebastian, the Crown Prince of Belgium, overdoses on heroin shortly before he is set to launch Belgium’s campaign to host the FIFA World Cup soccer tournament, his family manages to hush up the scandal. While the royals are debating how to proceed, Sebastian’s twin sister Viola decides to impersonate him to keep Belgium’s bid hopes alive. Missy Duke is a freelance reporter covering Belgium’s World Cup bid. While in Belgium, she meets the imposter Sebastian and soon realizes that he is actually Viola. Sensing a big story in the making, Duke feigns ignorance and plays along with the charade.

“She was a lesbian, for heaven’s sake”

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Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up With Me by Mariko Tamaki and Rosemary Valero-O’Connell

(Young Adult Graphic Novel) Standalone

The day they got together was the best one of Freddy’s life, but nothing’s made sense since. Laura Dean is popular, funny, and SO CUTE … but she can be really thoughtless, even mean. Their on-again, off-again relationship has Freddy’s head spinning — and Freddy’s friends can’t understand why she keeps going back.

“everything is fine with this particular lesbian at the moment”

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It’s Not Like It’s a Secret by Misa Sugiura

(Young Adult Contemporary) Standalone

Sixteen-year-old Sana has too many secrets. Some are small, like how it bothers her when her friends don’t invite her to parties. Some are big, like that fact that her father may be having an affair. And then there’s the one that she can barely even admit to herself—the one about how she might have a crush on her best friend. When Sana and her family move to California she begins to wonder if it’s finally time for some honesty, especially after she meets Jamie.

“lesbian. I like girls, like, romantically. Instead of boys”

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Something to Talk About by Meryl Wilsner

(Adult Romance) Standalone debut

Hollywood powerhouse Jo is photographed making her assistant Emma laugh on the red carpet, and just like that, the tabloids declare them a couple. The so-called scandal couldn’t come at a worse time–threatening Emma’s promotion and Jo’s new movie. As the gossip spreads, it starts to affect all areas of their lives. Paparazzi are following them outside the office, coworkers are treating them differently, and a “source” is feeding information to the media. But their only comment is “no comment”.

“I’m the type of lesbian”

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The Love and Lies of Rukhsana Ali by Sabina Khan

(Young Adult Contemporary) Standalone

Rukhsana tries her hardest to live up to her conservative Muslim parents’ expectations, but lately she’s finding that harder and harder to do. Luckily, only a few more months stand between her carefully monitored life in Seattle and her new life at Caltech, where she can pursue her dream of becoming an engineer. But when her parents catch her kissing her girlfriend Ariana, all of Rukhsana’s plans fall apart. They immediately whisk Rukhsana off to Bangladesh, where she is thrown headfirst into a world of arranged marriages and tradition.

“I shouldn’t tell him I’m a lesbian, then?”

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Bring Her On by Chelsea M. Cameron

(Adult Romance) Standalone

She should have just been a cheer-camp hookup, but fate decided to toss Echo Rosenthal back into my life ten years later. She coaches the Heartwood Bulldogs, the squad that beat my Corsica Tigers at the New England Cheer Championships. Now we’re both headed to Nationals and I have one thing on my mind: revenge.

“I was an older, wiser lesbian”

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Style by Chelsea M. Cameron

(Adult Romance) Book 1 in a duology (can be read as standalones)

Kyle Blake likes plans. So far, they’re pretty simple: Finish her senior year of high school, head off to a good college, find a cute boyfriend, graduate, get a good job, get married, the whole heterosexual shebang. Stella Lewis also has a plan: Finish her senior year as cheer captain, go to college, finally let herself flirt with (and maybe even date) a girl for the first time and go from there. Fate has other plans for Kyle and Stella when they’re paired up in their AP English class and something between them ignites.

“Definitely 100 percent gay. Gay, lesbian, whatever.”

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Didn’t Stay in Vegas by Chelsea M. Cameron

(Adult Romance) Standalone

Callyn Stott wakes up from a night-out at her friend Lara’s Bachelorette party in Vegas with a hangover… and a wife. She’s not really sure how she and her best friend Emma got hitched, only that they did and it’s completely and totally legal. Callyn is used to getting in and out of scrapes, but this one takes the cake.

“I really was a useless lesbian”

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The Scapegracers by Hannah Abigail Clarke

(Young Adult Fantasy) Book 1 in a trilogy

An outcast teenage lesbian witch finds her coven hidden amongst the popular girls in her school, and performs some seriously badass magic in the process. Together, the four bond to form a ferocious and powerful coven. They plan parties, cast curses on dudebros, try to find Sideways a girlfriend, and elude the fundamentalist witch hunters hellbent on stealing their magic.

“I’m a spooky lesbian wierdo”

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The Road Home by Erin Zak

(Adult Romance) Standalone

When she’s passed over for the role of a lifetime, Hollywood actress Gwendolyn is absolutely crushed. That’s when things go from bad to worse. Home to celebrate her dad’s birthday, Gwen discovers her mom is sick and might not have much time left. She stays to help and to repair the emotional rift that has kept them apart for so long. That’s easier said than done, though, because oh-so-perfect Lila has all but replaced Gwen as Carol Carter’s surrogate daughter. Gwen and Lila are forced to work together to support the woman they both care about, even though they’re rivals for a place in Carol’s life. The last thing either expects is an attraction as undeniable as it is inconvenient.

“Seriously? Dude, I’m a lesbian.”

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The Girl Next Door by Chelsea M. Cameron

(Adult Romance) Standalone

Iris Turner hightailed it out of Salty Cove, Maine, without so much as a backward glance. Which is why finding herself back in her hometown—in her childhood bedroom, no less—has the normally upbeat Iris feeling a bit down and out. Her spirits get a much-needed lift, though, at the sight of the sexy girl next door.

“all of this is further complicated by me being a lesbian”

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Sugar Summer by Hannah Moskowitz

(Young Adult Romance) Standalone

Sugar Applebaum doesn’t hate the idea of spending a quiet summer at Sideling Springs, a sleepy Jewish resort in West Virginia, with her mother (who she adores) and her sister (who she does not), but she’s not exactly hyped about it. That is, until she crashes a staff party and meets Mara, the older, gorgeous, and acid-tongued dance instructor with very little patience for people with Sugar’s amount of privilege and supposed heterosexuality.

“I am a lesbian”

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*please note, this is not a recommendation list, it’s just me compiling every book with loud lesbians in it, while I do recommend 90% of these books, there are a couple that I personally did not like/ wouldn’t recommend. As always, PLEASE check trigger warnings!!*

Mad Bad and Dangerous to Know by Samira Ahmed

Hiya everyone 🙂 Today I’m sharing a review of a favourite of mine which is out today! I really recommend this one and you should totally add it on Goodreads or buy a copy from your local indie, Amazon or Waterstones! Sasha ❤

Mad Bad and Dangerous to Know by Samira Ahmed was a unique, lyrical and wonderful story of two women who wish to write their own stories despite the odds and how their lives intertwine. I was blown away by this gorgeous story, which was at once powerful and timely and fun and entertaining.

Our main character, Khayyam, is spending her summer in Paris, and is determined to use her holiday to investigate further into her art history project on Alexandre Dumas and Lord Byron, but as she looks further into the way their stories are twined together, she finds a third voice in the tale, silenced by history but finally ready to speak.

Laila is our secondary voice, with short chapters intercepting Khayyam’s. Her narrative takes place in 1800’s and intercepts with those of Alexandre Dumas and Lord Byron. But unlike the latter two, Laila’s story never made it to the pages of history books. As we saw more of Laila’s story from her perspective, so did Khayyam begin to investigate and discover her tale too. Laila’s chapters were written so lyrically and full of deep and beautiful melancholy.

I love Khayyam. She’s so feminist and fierce and always speaks her mind. She’s deeply passionate about art history and a super relatable and likeable main character. Her voice was what pushed this story forward, she drove the narrative with her enthusiasm, kindness and intelligence. Once she discovered Layla, she became determined to learn her story and give her justice no matter what.

I loved Khayyam’s parents and her relationship with them,I love seeing properly fleshed out parental figures and these two are both so strong willed (and nerdy) just like Khayyam and you can really see their personalities reflected in her.

Mad Bad and Dangerous to know is so well written, deeply lyrical and captivating. I loved the atmosphere Samira Ahmed weaves of Paris in the summer time, full of hope and romance and light, and the way it contrasted with the doomed and dark setting of Layla’s story.

I loved the important topics this book discusses, especially feminism and identity, with two Muslim women front and centre. Khayyam and Laila have many things in common, not least the way they grapple with their identities, seek to escape familial burdens and make their own mark upon the world.

As well as this, I really adored the mystery and detective elements of finding the “raven haired lady”. This aspect was super interesting and added a lot to the story in the way of excitement and reveals. This mystery kept me hooked on the plot and helped me fall completely in love with this book.

Overall, Mad Bad And Dangerous to Know was a novel that completely swept me away. It combined vivacious and driven main characters with an intriguing art-centred mystery and important themes to be a show stopping book that I cannot reccommend enough.

The Best of Sapphic Enemies-to-Lovers

Hi all!! As requested by @oceansofnovels, today’s post is some sapphic enemies-to-lovers recommendations!! Enjoy all the angst and yearning xD – Amber ❤

(please feel free to let me know if any of these aren’t enemies-to-lovers!! I’ve read most of them but for those that I haven’t, it’s pretty difficult to tell whether they’re enemies-to-lovers or hate-to-love purely based off of the goodreads descriptions xD)

The Fate of Stars by S.D. Simper

We Set the Dark on Fire by Tehlor Kay Mejia

We Set the Dark on Fire (We Set the Dark on Fire, #1)

An absolutely gorgeous novel of rebellion and politics that discusses immigration, class and feminism in a powerful way with a stunning, sapphic, enemies-to-lovers romance at its centre. Exciting, important and loveable. On her graduation night, Dani seems to be in the clear, despite the surprises that unfold. But nothing prepares her for all the difficult choices she must make, especially when she is asked to spy for a resistance group desperately fighting to bring equality to Medio.

The Road Home by Erin Zak

Home to celebrate her dad’s birthday, Gwen discovers her mom is sick and might not have much time left. She stays to help and to repair the emotional rift that has kept them apart for so long. That’s easier said than done, though, because oh-so-perfect Lila Machowicz has all but replaced Gwen as Carol Carter’s surrogate daughter. Gwen and Lila are forced to work together to support the woman they both care about, even though they’re rivals for a place in Carol’s life.

Nevernight by Jay Kristoff

Nevernight (The Nevernight Chronicle, #1)

In a land where three suns almost never set, a fledgling killer joins a school of assassins, seeking vengeance against the powers who destroyed her family. Mia is apprenticed to the deadliest flock of assassins in the entire Republic—the Red Church. If she bests her fellow students, she’ll be inducted among the Blades of the Lady of Blessed Murder, and one step closer to the vengeance she desires. But a killer is loose within the Church’s halls, the bloody secrets of Mia’s past return to haunt her, and a plot to bring down the entire congregation is unfolding in the shadows she so loves.

The Dark Tide by Alicia Jasinska

Every year on St. Walpurga’s Eve, Caldella’s Witch Queen lures a boy back to her palace. An innocent life to be sacrificed on the full moon to keep the island city from sinking. Lina Kirk is convinced her brother is going to be taken this year. Queen Eva is willing to sacrifice anyone if it means saving herself and her city. When Lina offers herself to the queen in exchange for Thomas’s freedom, the two girls await the full moon together. But Lina is not at all what Eva expected, and the queen is nothing like Lina envisioned. Against their will, they find themselves falling for each other.

Tell Me How You Really Feel by Aminah Mae Safi

Sana Khan is a cheerleader and a straight A student. Rachel Recht is a wannabe director who’s obsessed with movies and ready to make her own masterpiece. As she’s casting her senior film project, she knows she’s found the perfect lead – Sana. There’s only one problem. Rachel hates Sana. Rachel was the first girl Sana ever asked out, but Rachel thought it was a cruel prank and has detested Sana ever since.

Her Royal Highness by Rachel Hawkins

Millie can’t believe her luck when she’s accepted into one of the world’s most exclusive schools, located in the rolling highlands of Scotland. Everything about Scotland is different: the country is misty and green; the school is gorgeous, and the students think Americans are cute. The only problem: Mille’s roommate Flora is a total princess. At first, the girls can barely stand each other–Flora is both high-class and high-key–but before Millie knows it, she has another sort-of-best-friend/sort-of-girlfriend.

Bring Her On by Chelsea M. Cameron

A random cheer-camp hookup from 10 years ago is not someone you’d expect to ever see again, right? Wrong. Rival cheer team leaders, Echo and Kiri, are thrown back together and forced to work together when Echo’s school gym burns down. They’re now sharing a practice AND trying to hide the fact that they can’t stand being around each other.

Witches of Ash and Ruin by E. Latimer

Modern witchcraft blends with ancient Celtic mythology in an epic clash of witches and gods. All that really matters to Dayna is ascending and finally, finally becoming a full witch-plans that are complicated when another coven, rumored to have a sordid history with black magic, arrives in town with premonitions of death. She immediately finds herself at odds with the bewitchingly frustrating Meiner King, the granddaughter of their coven leader.

Tapping Into Love by Monica McCallan

Lucy Parsons wants absolutely nothing to do with the Westmoore family or the maple syrup they produce. When Sierra Westmoore blows back into town after her father’s death and tries to rent a room at Lucy’s family’s bed-and-breakfast, The Maple Inn, Lucy kicks her out on the spot. Lucy doesn’t believe any Westmoore could have good intentions, and although she may have to play nice with Sierra, it doesn’t mean she’s going to like it.

The Sky Weaver by Kristen Ciccarelli

Safire, a soldier, knows her role in this world is to serve the King of Firgaard—helping to maintain the peace in her oft-troubled nation. Eris, a deadly pirate, has no such conviction. Known as the Death Dancer for her ability to evade even the most determined of pursuers, she possesses a superhuman power to move between worlds. Now Safire and Eris—sworn enemies—find themselves on a common mission: to find Asha, the last Namsara.

I Kissed Alice by Anna Birch

I Kissed Alice is a romantic comedy about enemies, lovers, and everything in between. Rhodes and Iliana couldn’t be more different, but that’s not why they hate each other. Only one of them can get the coveted Capstone scholarship, and the competition between them is fierce.

Crier’s War by Nina Varela

Ayla, a human servant rising the ranks at the House of the Sovereign, dreams of avenging the death of her family… by killing the Sovereign’s daughter, Lady Crier. Crier, who was Made to be beautiful, to be flawless. And to take over the work of her father. Set in a richly-imagined fantasy world, Nina Varela’s debut novel is a sweepingly romantic tale of love, loss and revenge, that challenges what it really means to be human.

Keeping Her Secret by Sarah Nicolas

The last person Riya Johnson expected to run into at her new summer camp is Courtney Chastain—her childhood best friend and the girl who broke her heart after a secret, mind-blowing, life-altering kiss. She definitely didn’t expect to be sharing a bunk bed with her for four long weeks. But Courtney needs to uphold appearances at all costs—even if it means instigating an all-out prank war with Riya as her main target

This is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar

Among the ashes of a dying world, an agent of the Commandant finds a letter. It reads: Burn before reading. Thus begins an unlikely correspondence between two rival agents hellbent on securing the best possible future for their warring factions. Now, what began as a taunt, a battlefield boast, grows into something more.

The Abyss Surrounds Us by Emily Skrutskie

The Abyss Surrounds Us (The Abyss Surrounds Us, #1)

Cas has fought pirates her entire life. But can she survive living among them? For Cassandra Leung, bossing around sea monsters is just the family business. She’s been a Reckoner trainer-in-training ever since she could walk, raising the genetically-engineered beasts to defend ships as they cross the pirate-infested NeoPacific. But when the pirate queen Santa Elena swoops in on Cas’s first solo mission and snatches her from the bloodstained decks, Cas’s dream of being a full-time trainer seems dead in the water.

The Red Files by Lee Winter

Ambitious journalist Lauren King is chafing on LA’s vapid social circuit, reporting on glamorous A-list parties while sparring with her rival—the formidable, icy Catherine Ayers. Ayers is an ex-Washington political correspondent who suffered a humiliating fall from grace, and her acerbic, vicious tongue keeps everyone at bay. Everyone, that is, except knockabout Iowa girl King, who is undaunted, unimpressed and gives as good as she gets.

Sapphic Books Releasing in 2021

Hello again fellow sapphics xD Today’s post is compiling a long list of every sapphic book (so far) that we’ve found that is releasing in 2021!! 2021 is truly going to be the year of the sapphics and we’re SO excited for every single one of these books. *coughs* authors we want to review your books pls send us a copy *coughs* This post will be updated with new titles, book covers, dates and everything as they’re released. Enjoyyyy! – Sasha and Amber ❤

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JANUARY 2021

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Persephone Station by Stina Leicht 5th January 2021

(Adult Sci-Fi) Standalone (?)

Hugo award–nominated author Stina Leicht has created a take on space opera for fans of The Mandalorian and Cowboy Bebop in this high-stakes adventure. Persephone Station, a seemingly backwater planet that has largely been ignored by the United Republic of Worlds becomes the focus for the Serrao-Orlov Corporation as the planet has a few secrets the corporation tenaciously wants to exploit. Rosie–owner of Monk’s Bar, in the corporate town of West Brynner, caters to wannabe criminals and rich Earther tourists, of a sort, at the front bar. However, exactly two types of people drank at Monk’s back bar: members of a rather exclusive criminal class and those who sought to employ them.

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Goldie Vance: The Hocus-Pocus Hoax by Lilliam Rivera 5th January 2021

(Young Adult Graphic Novel)

Move over, Nancy Drew–there’s a new detective in town! Inspired by the beloved comic series, Goldie Vance is ready to sleuth her way through never-before-seen mysteries in this second original novel by Lilliam Rivera featuring 16 full-color comic pages!

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Detransition, Baby by Torrey Peters 7th January 2021

(Adult Contemporary) Standalone debut

A whipsmart debut about three women–transgender and cisgender–whose lives collide after an unexpected pregnancy forces them to confront their deepest desires around gender, motherhood, and sex.

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The Fallen by Ada Hoffmann 12th January 2021

(Young Adult Sci-Fi) Book 2 in a duology

The laws of physics acting on the planet of Jai have been forever upended; its surface completed altered, and its inhabitants permanently changed. The artificially intelligent Gods that ruled the galaxy, fearing heresy and chaos, have become the planet’s jailers. Tiv Hunt once trusted these Gods absolutely, but now her world has changed and her allegiance has shifted. Now Tiv spends her days helping the last remaining survivors of Jai. Everyone is fighting for their freedom against unthinkable odds, and they call out for drastic action from their saviour, Yasira.

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The Ruthless Lady’s Guide to Wizardry by C.M. Waggoner 12th Janurary 2021

(Historical Fantasy) Standalone (?)

Hard-drinking petty thief Dellaria Wells is down on her luck in the city of Leiscourt—again. Then she sees a want ad for a female bodyguard, and she fast-talks her way into the high-paying job. Along with a team of other women, she’s meant to protect a rich young lady from mysterious assassins. At first Delly thinks the danger is exaggerated, but a series of attacks shows there’s much to fear. Then she begins to fall for Winn, one of the other bodyguards, and the women team up against a mysterious, magical foe who seems to have allies everywhere.

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Nighttide by Anna Burke 18th January 2021

(Adult Romance) Book 2 in a series

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Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo 19th January 2021

(Young Adult Historical Fiction) Standalone

America in 1954 is not a safe place for two girls to fall in love, especially not in Chinatown. Red-Scare paranoia threatens everyone, including Chinese Americans like Lily. With deportation looming over her father—despite his hard-won citizenship—Lily and Kath risk everything to let their love see the light of day.

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Wench by Maxine Kaplan 19th January 2021

(Young Adult Fantasy) Standalone

Tanya has worked at her tavern since she was able to see over the bar. She broke up her first fight at 11. By the time she was a teenager she knew everything about the place, and she could run it with her eyes closed. She’d never let anyone—whether it be a drunkard or a captain of the queen’s guard—take advantage of her. But when her guardian dies, she might lose it all: the bar, her home, her purpose in life. So she heads out on a quest to petition the queen to keep the tavern in her name—dodging unscrupulous guards, a band of thieves, and a powerful, enchanted feather that seems drawn to her.

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Wider Than the Sky by Katherine Field Rothschild 19th January 2021

(Young Adult Contmporary) Standalone debut

In the wake of sudden tragedy, a pair of twin sisters uncovers a secret that rips open their world. Katherine Rothchild explores the pain and power of forgiveness in a stunning debut novel that will shatter your heart and piece it back together, one truth at a time.

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Queer: A Collection of LGBTQ Writing from Ancient Times to Yesterday by Frank Wynne 21st January 2021

(Adult Non-Fiction) Standalone

Drawing together writing from Catullus to Sappho, from Rimbaud to Anaïs Nin, and from Armistead Maupin to Alison Bechdel, translator Frank Wynne has collected a hundred of the finest works representing queer love by LGBTQ authors.

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When Tara Met Farah (Bollywood Drama & Dance Society, #1)

When Tara Met Farah by Tara Pammi 26th January 2021

(New Adult Contemporary) Book 1 in a series

Sunshine Girl needs math lessons… Nineteen-year-old Tara Muvvala didn’t mean to lead a double life. But her bone-deep aversion to math + a soul-deep desire to please her mother = her failing math grade + exploding food vlog ‘this masala life’. Enter her mother’s research intern and resident math genius Farah Ahmed. Tara makes a deal with Farah – help her pass the math course and she’ll welcome Farah into the local Bollywood Drama & Dance Society. Grumpy girl gets life lessons…

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The Girls I’ve Been by Tess Sharpe 26th January 2021

(Young Adult Thriller) Standalone

Nora O’Malley is a lot of things. A sister. An ex. A secret girlfriend. Kind of crooked, but reformed… somewhat. Nora O’Malley’s been a lot of girls. As the daughter of a con-artist who targets criminal men, she grew up her mother’s protege. But when mom fell for the mark instead of conning him, Nora pulled the ultimate con: escape.

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Outlawed by Anna North 26th January 2021

(Adult Historical Fiction) Standalone

The Crucible meets True Grit in this riveting adventure story of a fugitive girl, a mysterious gang of robbers, and their dangerous mission to transform the Wild West.

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The Mask of Mirrors by M.A. Carrick ?? January 2021

(Adult Fantasy) Book 1 of a trilogy

Darkly magical and intricately imagined, The Mask of Mirrors is the unmissable start to the Rook & Rose trilogy, a rich and dazzling fantasy adventure in which a con artist, a vigilante, and a crime lord must unite to save their city.

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FEBRUARY 2021

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Fireheart Tiger by Aliette de Bodard 9th February 2021

(Adult Fantasy Novella) Standalone

‘A post-colonial Goblin Emperor meets Howl’s Moving Castle, where a young woman discovers her power lies not in her inheritance or her allies, but in her own sense of self-worth and the unexpected love of a powerful fire elemental.’

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The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna 9th February 2021

(Young Adult Fantasy) Book 1 in a trilogy

Sixteen-year-old Deka lives in fear and anticipation of the blood ceremony that will determine whether she will become a member of her village. Already different from everyone else because of her unnatural intuition, Deka prays for red blood so she can finally feel like she belongs. But on the day of the ceremony, her blood runs gold, the color of impurity–and Deka knows she will face a consequence worse than death.

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Tell No Tales: Pirates of the Southern Seas by Sam Maggs 9th February 2021

(Young Adult Graphic Novel) Standalone (?)

Anne Bonny had it all—her own ship, a pirate crew, and a fearsome reputation—but a new enemy has her on the run and it’ll take all of Anne’s courage to stay afloat. The night before a major heist, Anne has an unsettling dream, and come morning, the robbery is thwarted by Woodes Roger, a zealot who has sworn to eliminate piracy. With no plan to escape, Anne must persuade her crew to seek the meaning of her dream—or perish

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Of Silver and Shadow by Jennifer Gruenke 16th February 2021

(Young Adult Fantasy) Standalone (?) debut

Ren Kolins is a silver wielder—a dangerous thing to be in the kingdom of Erdis, where magic has been outlawed for a century. Ren is just trying to survive, sticking to a life of petty thievery, card games, and pit fighting to get by. But when a wealthy rebel leader discovers her secret, he offers her a fortune to join his revolution. The caveat: she won’t see a single coin until they overthrow the King.

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Soulstar by C.L. Polk 16th February 2021

(Sci-Fi Fantasy) Book 3 in a trilogy

With Soulstar, C. L. Polk concludes her riveting Kingston Cycle, a whirlwind of magic, politics, romance, and intrigue that began with the World Fantasy Award-winning Witchmark. Assassinations, deadly storms, and long-lost love haunt the pages of this thrilling final volume.

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Madam by Phoebe Wynne 18th February 2021

(Adult Contemporary) Standalone debut

For 150 years, above the Scottish cliffs, Caldonbrae Hall has sat as a beacon of excellence in the ancestral castle of Lord William Hope. A boarding school for girls, it promises a future where its pupils will emerge ‘resilient and ready to serve society’. Rose Christie, a 26-year-old Classics teacher, is the first new hire for the school in over a decade. At first, Rose feels overwhelmed in the face of this elite establishment, but soon after her arrival she begins to understand that she may have more to fear than her own ineptitude.

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Honey Girl by Morgan Rogers 23rd February 2021

(Adult Contemporary) Standalone debut

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Love is for Losers by Wibke Brueggemann 23rd February 2021

(Young Adult Contemporary) Standalone

Fifteen-year-old Phoebe thinks falling in love is vile and degrading, and vows never to do it. Then, due to circumstances not entirely in her control, she finds herself volunteering at a local thrift shop. There she meets Emma . . . who might unwittingly upend her whole theory on life.

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Out Past the Stars by K.B. Wagers 23rd February 2021

(Sci-Fi) Book 3 in a trilogy

An epic space opera trilogy featuring the gunrunner empress Hail Bristol, who must navigate alien politics and deadly plots to prevent an interspecies war.

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It’s Been a Pleasure, Noni Blake by Claire Christian 23rd February 2021

(Adult Romance) Standalone

Of all the women and men Noni Blake has pleased in her life, there’s one she’s often overlooked—herself. After the end of a decade-long relationship, Noni decides it’s time for that to change. She’s finally going to prioritize her wants and desires and only do things (and people) that feel good in the moment. As she embarks on a pleasure-seeking quest that takes her halfway around the world, she discovers that maybe she can have everything, and everyone, she’s ever wanted.

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Mazie by Melanie Crowder 23rd February 2021

(Young Adult Historical Fiction) Standalone

An eighteen-year-old aspiring actress trades in starry Nebraska skies for the bright lights of 1950s Broadway in this show-stopping new novel from award-winning author Melanie Crowder. Mazie is the story of a girl caught between two lives–and two loves–as she navigates who she is, what matters most, and the cost of following her dream.

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A Dark and Hollow Star (A Dark and Hollow Star, #1)

A Dark and Hollow Star by Ashley Shuttleworth 23rd February 2021

(Young Adult Fantasy) Debut book 1 in a duology

The “ironborn” half-fae outcast of her royal fae family. A tempestuous Fury, exiled to earth from the Immortal Realm and hellbent on revenge. A dutiful fae prince, determined to earn his place on the throne. The prince’s brooding guardian, burdened with a terrible secret. Four queer teens, each who hold a key piece of the truth behind a series of gruesome and ritualistic murders, must form a tenuous alliance in their effort to track down the mysterious killer behind these crimes. If they fail, they risk the destruction of the faerie and human worlds alike.

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Among Thieves by M.J. Kuhn ?? February 2021

(Young Adult Fantasy) Standalone (?) debut

M. J. Kuhn’s Among Thieves, in which a team of criminals who are the best at what they do come together to pull off an impossible job and against all odds start to care about each other, all while scheming to betray each other.

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Cute Mutants: The Sisterhood of Evil Mutants (Cute Mutants Vol 4) by SJ Whitby ?? February 2021

(Young Adult Novel) Vol 4 in a series

I always wanted to be an X-Man. Except people and me never got along, and apparently you need social skills to run a successful team. Cue Emma Hall’s party. One hot make out session with the host herself, and I can talk to objects like my pillow (who’s far too invested in my love life) and my baseball bat (who was a pacifist before I got hold of him). Now there’s a whole group of us with strange abilities, including super hot ice queen Dani Kim who doesn’t approve of how reckless I can be. The bigger problem is a mysterious mutant causing unnatural disasters, and we’re the ones who have to stop him.

INDIES:

Sing for my Baby by Jenn Matthews, February 2021, Romance (Ylva)

Me, You and the Sunken Treasure by Georgette Kaplan, February 2021, Romance/Adventure (Ylva)

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MARCH 2021

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I Think I Love You by Auriane Desombre 2nd March 2021

(Young Adult Rom-Com) Standalone Debut

Arch-nemeses Emma, a die-hard romantic, and more-practical minded Sophia find themselves competing against one another for a coveted first-prize trip to a film festival in Los Angeles . . . what happens if their rivalry turns into a romance?

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Down Comes the Night by Allison Saft 2nd March 2021

(Young Adult Gothic Fantasy) Standalone debut

Wren Southerland is the most talented healer in the Queen’s Guard, but her reckless actions have repeatedly put her on thin ice with her superiors. So when a letter arrives from a reclusive lord, asking Wren to come to his estate to cure his servant from a mysterious disease, she seizes the chance to prove herself. When she arrives at Colwick Hall, Wren realizes that nothing is what it seems. Particularly when she discovers her patient is actually Hal Cavendish, the sworn enemy of her kingdom.

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Follow Your Arrow by Jessica Verdi 2nd March 2021

(Young Adult Contemporary) Standalone

CeCe Ross is kind of a big deal. She and her girlfriend, Silvie, are social media influencers with zillions of fans and followers, known for their cute outfits and being #relationshipgoals. So when Silvie breaks up with her, CeCe is devastated. She’s lost her first love, and now she can’t help but wonder if she’ll lose her followers as well.

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A Desolation Called Peace (Teixcalaan, #2)

A Desolation Called Peace by Arkady Martine 2nd March 2021

(Adult Sci-Fi) Book 2 in a duology

An alien armada lurks on the edges of Teixcalaanli space. No one can communicate with it, no one can destroy it, and Fleet Captain Nine Hibiscus is running out of options. In a desperate attempt at diplomacy with the mysterious invaders, the fleet captain has sent for a diplomatic envoy. Now Mahit Dzmare and Three Seagrass—still reeling from the recent upheaval in the Empire—face the impossible task of trying to communicate with a hostile entity. Whether they succeed or fail could change the fate of Teixcalaan forever.

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In The Quick by Kate Hope Day 2nd March 2021

(Adult Sci-Fi) Standalone

A young, ambitious female astronaut’s life is upended by a fiery love affair that threatens the rescue of a lost crew in this brilliantly imagined novel in the tradition of Station Eleven and The Martian.

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A Sweet and Bitter Magic by Adrienne Tooley 9th March 2021

(Young Adult Fantasy) Standalone debut

Tamsin is the most powerful witch of her generation. But after committing the worst magical sin, she’s exiled by the ruling Coven and cursed with the inability to love. Wren is a source—a rare kind of person who is made of magic, despite being unable to use it herself. Sources are required to train with the Coven as soon as they discover their abilities, but Wren—the only caretaker to her ailing father—has spent her life hiding her secret. When a magical plague ravages the queendom, Wren’s father falls victim. To save him, Wren proposes a bargain: if Tamsin will help her catch the dark witch responsible for creating the plague, then Wren will give Tamsin her love for her father.

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City of Spells (Into the Crooked Place, #2)

City of Spells by Alexandra Christo 9th March 2021

(Young Adult Fantasy) Book 2 in a duology

City of Spells, the follow-up to Alexandra Christo’s gritty YA fantasy, Into the Crooked Place, finds the world on the brink of war and four unlikely allies facing sacrifices they had never imagined.

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Perfect On Paper by Sophie Gonzales 9th March 2021

(Young Adult Contemporary) Standalone

Darcy Phillips: Can give you the solution to any of your relationship woes―for a fee. Uses her power for good. Most of the time. Really cannot stand Alexander Brougham. Has maybe not the best judgement when it comes to her best friend, Brooke…who is in love with someone else. Does not appreciate being blackmailed. However, when Brougham catches her in the act of collecting letters from locker 89―out of which she’s been running her questionably legal, anonymous relationship advice service―that’s exactly what happens. In exchange for keeping her secret, Darcy begrudgingly agrees to become his personal dating coach―at a generous hourly rate, at least. The goal? To help him win his ex-girlfriend back.

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We Play Ourselves by Jen Silverman 9th March 2021

(Adult Contemporary) Standalone

After a humiliating scandal, a young writer flees to the West Coast to start over, where she is drawn into the morally-ambiguous orbit of a charismatic filmmaker and the teenage girls who are her next subjects.

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The Mirror Season by Anna-Marie McLemore 16th March 2021

(Young Adult Magic Realism)

When two teens discover that they were both sexually assaulted at the same party, they develop a cautious friendship through her family’s possibly-magical pastelería, his secret forest of otherworldly trees, and the swallows returning to their hometown, in Anna-Marie McLemore’s The Mirror Season…

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Bruised by Tanya Boteju 23rd March 2021

(Young Adult Contemporary) Standalone

To Daya Wijesinghe, a bruise is a mixture of comfort and control. Since her parents died in an accident she survived, bruises have become a way to keep her pain on the surface of her skin so she doesn’t need to deal with the ache deep in her heart. So when chance and circumstances bring her to a roller derby bout, Daya is hooked. Yes, the rules are confusing and the sport seems to require the kind of teamwork and human interaction Daya generally avoids. But the opportunities to bruise are countless, and Daya realizes that if she’s going to keep her emotional pain at bay, she’ll need all the opportunities she can get.

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The Unbroken by C.L. Clark 23rd March 2021

(Adult Fantasy) Debut Book 1 of ?

Touraine is a soldier. Stolen as a child and raised to kill and die for the empire, her only loyalty is to her fellow conscripts. But now, her company has been sent back to her homeland to stop a rebellion, and the ties of blood may be stronger than she thought. Luca needs a turncoat. Someone desperate enough to tiptoe the bayonet’s edge between treason and orders. Someone who can sway the rebels toward peace, while Luca focuses on what really matters: getting her uncle off her throne. Through assassinations and massacres, in bedrooms and war rooms, Touraine and Luca will haggle over the price of a nation. But some things aren’t for sale.

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She’s Too Pretty to Burn by Wendy Heard 30th March 2021

(Young Adult Thriller) Standalone

The summer is winding down in San Diego. Veronica is bored, caustically charismatic, and uninspired in her photography. Nico is insatiable, subversive, and obsessed with chaotic performance art. They’re artists first, best friends second. But that was before Mick. Delicate, lonely, magnetic Mick: the perfect subject, and Veronica’s dream girl. The days are long and hot―full of adventure―and soon they are falling in love. Falling so hard, they never imagine what comes next. One fire. Two murders. Three drowning bodies. One suspect . . . one stalker. This is a summer they won’t survive.

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The Split by Laura Kay ?? March 2021

(Adult Contemporary) Standalone debut

Wounded and betrayed, after being dumped by her girlfriend, Ally makes off to her dad’s in Sheffield with the one thing that might soothe the pain and force her ex to speak to her again: Emily’s cat, Malcolm. Back home and forced into a ‘date’ by their parents, Ally and her first ever beard, Jeremy, come up with a ridiculous plan to win their exes back… to revenge-run a half marathon. Given neither of them can run, they enlist the support of athletic, not to mention beautiful, Jo. But will she have them running for the hills… or will their ridiculous plan pay off…?

INDIES:

Never Say Never by Rachael Sommers, March 2021, Romance (Ylva)

Shimmer (Working Title) by C. Fonseca, March 2021, Romantic Suspense (Ylva)

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APRIL 2021

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Zara Hossain Is Here by Sabina Khan 6th April 2021

(Young Adult Contemporary) Standalone

Zara’s family has waited years for their visa process to be finalized so that they can officially become US citizens. But it only takes one moment for that dream to come crashing down around them.

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Malice by Heather Walter 13th April 2021

(Adult Fantasy) Book 1 in a duology

Once upon a time, there was a wicked fairy who, in an act of vengeance, cursed a line of princesses to die. A curse that could only be broken by true love’s kiss. You’ve heard this before, haven’t you? The handsome prince. The happily-ever-after. Utter nonsense. Let me tell you, no one in Briar actually cares about what happens to its princesses. Not the way they care about their jewels and elaborate parties and charm-granting elixirs. I thought I didn’t care, either. Until I met her.

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The Light of the Midnight Stars by Rena Rossner 13th April 2021

(Fantasy) Standalone (?)

An evocative combination of fantasy, history, and Jewish folklore, The Light of the Midnight Stars is fairytale-inspired novel from the author of The Sisters of the Winter Wood.

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The Secret Poet by Georgia Beers 13th April 2021

(Adult Romance) Standalone

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She Drives Me Crazy by Kelly Quindlen 20th April 2021

(Young Adult Contemporary) Standalone

After losing spectacularly to her ex-girlfriend in their first game since their break up, Scottie Zajac gets into a fender bender with the worst possible person: her nemesis, the incredibly beautiful and incredibly mean Irene Abraham. Things only get worse when their nosey, do-gooder moms get involved and the girls are forced to carpool together until Irene’s car gets out of the shop.

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These Feathered Flames (These Feathered Flames, #1)

These Feathered Flames by Alexandra Overy 20th April 2021

(Young Adult Fantasy) Book 1 in a duology

When twin heirs are born in Tourin, their fates are decided at a young age. While Izaveta remained at court to learn the skills she’d need as the future queen, Asya was taken away to train with her aunt, the mysterious Firebird, who ensured magic remained balanced in the realm. But before Asya’s training is completed, the ancient power blooms inside her, which can mean only one thing: the queen is dead, and a new ruler must be crowned.

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The Key to You and Me by Jaye Robin Brown 20th April 2021

(Young Adult Contemporary) Standalone

Piper Kitts is spending the summer living with her grandmother, training at the barn of a former Olympic horseback rider and trying to get over her ex-girlfriend. Much to Piper’s dismay, her grandmother is making her face her fear of driving head-on by forcing her to take lesson with a girl in town. Kat Pearson has always suspected that she likes girls but fears her North Carolina town is too small to color outside the lines. But when Piper’s grandmother hires Kat to give Piper driving lessons, everything changes.

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Hot Stew by Fiona Mozley 20th April 2021

(Adult Contemporary?) Standalone

Hot Stew is an insightful and ambitious novel about property, ownership, wealth and inheritance. It is about the place we occupy in society, especially women, and the importance placed on class and money. It doesn’t shy away from asking difficult questions but does so with humour and intelligence.

INDIES:

Counting the Stars by Cheyenne Blue, April 2021, Romance (Ylva)

Death’s Champion by Karen Frost, April 2021, YA Fantasy (Ylva)

Worthy of Love (Working Title) by Quinn Iyins, April 2021, Romance (Ylva)

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MAY 2021

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When You Get The Chance by Tom Ryan and Robin Stevenson 4th May 2021

(Young Adult Contemporary) Standalone

Follow cousins on a road trip to Pride as they dive into family secrets and friendships in this contemporary YA novel — perfect for fans of David Levithan and Becky Albertalli.

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Off the Record by Camryn Garrett 10th May 2021

(Young Adult Contemporary) Standalone

From Camryn Garrett, whose debut Full Disclosure was called “honest, eye-opening and heartful” by Angie Thomas, comes a ripped-from-the-headlines story of a teen journalist who stumbles across the #metoo story of the decade and has to weigh the risks against the need to fight for justice. A bi teen reporter?? yes pls

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Cool for the Summer by Dahlia Adler 11th May 2021

(Young Adult Contemporary) Standalone

Lara’s had eyes for exactly one person throughout her three years of high school: Chase Harding. He’s tall, strong, sweet, a football star, and frankly, stupid hot. Oh, and he’s talking to her now. On purpose and everything. Maybe…flirting, even? Except she’s haunted by a memory. A memory of a confusing, romantic, strangely perfect summer spent with a girl named Jasmine. A memory that becomes a confusing, disorienting present when Jasmine herself walks through the front doors of the school to see Lara and Chase chatting it up in front of the lockers.

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Before. After. Always. by Morgan Lee Miller 11th May 2021

(Adult Romance) Standalone

For Eliza Walsh, life is full of risk. She knows a thing or two about pain, and not just from her job as chief resident at the hospital. She’s reeling from a car accident that took the life of the only woman she’s ever loved, and her parents’ betrayal has strained their relationship to the point of nonexistence. But Blake Navarro enters the picture and challenges Eliza’s cautious way of living. Blake’s everything she isn’t: open, carefree, and a little reckless. When Eliza discovers that Blake, too, is healing from a huge loss, she feels seen, understood, and less alone.

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The Hellion’s Waltz by Olivia Waite 11th May 2021

(Adult Historical Romance) Book 3 in a trilogy

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A Master of Djinn by P. Djèlí Clark 11th May 2021

(Adult Fantasy) Standalone (?)

Though Fatma el-Sha’arawi is the youngest woman working for the Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments and Supernatural Entities, she’s certainly not a rookie. After preventing the destruction of the universe last summer, Agent Fatma’s one of the Ministry’s top agents. So when someone murders a secret brotherhood dedicated to one of the most famous men in history, Al-Jahiz, Agent Fatma is called onto the case.

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Black Water Sister by Zen Cho 11th May 2021

(Adult Fantasy) Standalone

A reluctant medium discovers the ties that bind can unleash a dangerous power in this compelling Malaysian-set contemporary fantasy. Jessamyn Teoh is closeted, broke and moving back to Malaysia, a country she left when she was a toddler. So when Jess starts hearing voices, she chalks it up to stress. But there’s only one voice in her head, and it claims to be the ghost of her estranged grandmother, Ah Ma.

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It Goes Like This by Miel Moreland 18th May 2021

(Young Adult Contemporary) Standalone

OwnVoices novel It Goes Like This, about a former queer pop band, the fallout of their globally mourned breakup, and the hometown storm that brings the teens back together, leaving them to wonder if they can rebuild more than just the town.

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In the Ravenous Dark by A.M. Strickland 19th May 2021

(Young Adult Fantasy) Standalone (?)

In the Ravenous Dark is a dark fantasy with LGBTQIA+ relationships, featuring a teen girl whose blood magic abilities put her at the center of a kingdom in turmoil — and bound to an undead guardian meant to control her power. ‘A pansexual bloodmage reluctantly teams up with an undead spirit to start a rebellion among the living and the dead’

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Not My Problem by Ciara Smyth 25th May 2021

(Young Adult Contemporary) Standalone

Aideen has plenty of problems she can’t fix. Her best (and only) friend is pulling away. Her mother’s drinking problem is a constant concern. She’s even running out of outlandish diseases to fake so she can skip PE. But when Aideen stumbles on her nemesis, overachiever Meabh Kowalski, in the midst of a full-blown meltdown, she sees a problem that—unlike her own disaster of a life—seems refreshingly easy to solve. Meabh is desperate to escape her crushing pile of extracurriculars. Aideen volunteers to help. By pushing Meabh down the stairs.

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Hani and Ishu’s Guide to Fake Dating by Adiba Jaigirdar 25th May 2021

(Young Adult Contemporary) Standalone

2 queer POC teens start fake dating and they end up falling in love???? AND it’s slow-burn with mutual pining?? GIMMEEEEE

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Untitled by Meryl Wilsner 25th May 2021

(Adult Romance) Standalone

A woman who doesn’t believe in love and a hopeless romantic start a dating podcast only to discover nothing tops the charts like the real deal. When I tell you I CANNOT WAIT FOR THIS!!!!!

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Cute Mutants: Galaxy Brain (Cute Mutants Vol 5) by SJ Whitby ?? May 2021

(Young Adult Novel) Vol 5 in a series

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JUNE 2021

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One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston 1st June 2021

(New Adult Contemporary Romance) Standalone

From the New York Times bestselling author of Red, White & Royal Blue comes a new romantic comedy that puts a queer spin on Kate & Leopold.

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The Girl from the Sea by Molly Ostertag 1st June 2021

(Young Adult Graphic Novel) Standalone (?)

Fifteen-year-old Morgan has a secret: She can’t wait to escape the perfect little island where she lives. She’s desperate to finish high school and escape her sad divorced mom, her volatile little brother, and worst of all, her great group of friends…who don’t understand Morgan at all. Because really, Morgan’s biggest secret is that she has a lot of secrets, including the one about wanting to kiss another girl.

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To Break a Covenant by Alison Ames 1st June 2021

(Young Adult Horror/Thriller) Standalone debut

A queer horror pitched with shades of SAWKILL GIRLS, in which the people of an old mining town begin experiencing strange phenomena—sleepwalking, night terrors, voices only they can hear—prompting four teen girls to investigate.

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Never Kiss Your Roommate by Philline Harms 1st June 2021

(Young Adult Romance) Standalone

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The Chosen and the Beautiful by Nghi Vo 1st June 2021

(Historical Fantasy) Standalone

Jordan Baker grows up in the most rarefied circles of 1920s American society—she has money, education, a killer golf handicap, and invitations to some of the most exclusive parties of the Jazz Age. She’s also queer, Asian, adopted, and treated as an exotic attraction by her peers, while the most important doors remain closed to her.

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Dead Dead Girls by Nekesa Afia 1st June 2021

(Historical Mystery) Standalone (?)

Nekesa Afia’s DEAD DEAD GIRLS, in which a black girl in 1920s Harlem must push herself past the limits of her fears, her past, and the prejudices of New York City society to catch a killer, to Michelle Vega at Berkley in a nice two-book deal, by Travis Pennington

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The Very Nice Box by Eve Gleichman 8th June 2021

(New Adult Contemporary) Standalone debut

A hardworking, heartbroken product engineer who works for a fashionable furniture company where corporate change lands her under the purview of a young, charismatic boss who seems determined to get close to her at all costs.

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Fire with Fire by Destiny Soria 8th June 2021

(Young Adult High Fantasy) Standalone (?)

Dani and Eden Rivera were both born to kill dragons, but the sisters couldn’t be more different. For Dani, dragon slaying takes a back seat to normal high school life, while Eden prioritizes training above everything else. Yet they both agree on one thing: it’s kill or be killed where dragons are concerned… Until Dani comes face-to-face with one and forges a rare and magical bond with him.

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The Sea Is Salt and So Am I by Cassandra Hartt 8th June 2021

(Young Adult Contemporary) Standalone (?)

Exquisitely honest and shimmering with emotion, The Sea is Salt and So Am I is a captivating multi-POV story that probes the depths of what it means to love and trust―both ourselves and others.

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Love and Other Natural Disasters by Misa Sugiura 8th June 2021

(Young Adult Contemporary) Standalone

The queer YA rom-com follows Nozomi Takashi as she enacts her plan for a summer of reinvention, starting a fake-dating relationship with her new coworker Willow and embarking on shenanigans around San Francisco with her best friend Ruby. But no fauxmance survives the intrusion of real life—and real feelings—for long.

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The Jasmine Throne by Tasha Suri 8th June 2021

(Adult Fantasy) Book 1 in a trilogy

Imprisoned by her dictator brother, Malini spends her days in isolation in the Hirana: an ancient temple that was once the source of the powerful, magical deathless waters — but is now little more than a decaying ruin. Priya is a maidservant, one among several who make the treacherous journey to the top of the Hirana every night to clean Malini’s chambers. She is happy to be an anonymous drudge, so long as it keeps anyone from guessing the dangerous secret she hides. But when Malini accidentally bears witness to Priya’s true nature, their destinies become irrevocably tangled. One is a vengeful princess seeking to depose her brother from his throne. The other is a priestess seeking to find her family. Together, they will change the fate of an empire.

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Afterlove by Tanya Byrne 10th June 2021

(Young Adult Contemporary) Standalone

Ash Persaud is about to become a reaper in the afterlife, but she is determined to see her first love Poppy Morgan again, the only thing that separates them is death. This New Year’s Eve, Ash is gets an RSVP from the afterlife she can’t decline: to join a clan of fierce girl reapers who take the souls of the city’s dead to await their fate. But Ash can’t forget her first love, Poppy, and she will do anything to see her again … even if it means they only get a few more days together. Dead or alive …

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Ace of Spades by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé 10th June 2021

(Young Adult Thriller) Debut

An incendiary and utterly compelling thriller with a shocking twist that delves deep into the heart of institutionalized racism, from an exceptional new YA voice. Welcome to Niveus Private Academy, where money paves the hallways, and the students are never less than perfect. Until now. Because anonymous texter, Aces, is bringing two students’ dark secrets to light. Talented musician Devon buries himself in rehearsals, but he can’t escape the spotlight when his private photos go public. Head girl Chiamaka isn’t afraid to get what she wants, but soon everyone will know the price she has paid for power. Someone is out to get them both. Someone who holds all the aces. And they’re planning much more than a high-school game…

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The Papercutter by Cindy Rizzo 21st June 2021

(Young Adult Speculative Fiction) Standalone

Three Jewish teens come of age in a split USA. Jeffrey longs to escape the USF and joing Dani, a queer girl in the USD. Judith can’t understand why she is able to see into people’s souls. All three are unprepared for what they might confront as increased violent anti-Semitism threatens Jews in the USF.

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Darling by K. Ancrum 22nd June 2021

(Young Adult Fantasy) Standalone

A retelling of Peter Pan in modern day Chicago, in which Wendy Darling follows Peter and his Lost Boys through the city’s nightlife and underbelly, only to discover that Peter isn’t what he seems…and the Lost Boys are in more trouble than they realize.

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The All-Consuming World by Cassandra Khaw 22nd June 2021

(Adult Sci-Fi) Standalone (?)

A diverse team of broken, diminished former criminals get back together to solve the mystery of their last, disastrous mission and to rescue a missing and much-changed comrade… but they’re not the only ones in pursuit of the secret at the heart of the planet Dimmuborgir. The highly-evolved AI of the universe have their own agenda and will do whatever it takes to keep humans from ever controlling the universe again.

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Gearbreakers by Zoe Hana Mikuta 29th June 2021

(Young Adult Sci-Fi) Book 1 of ?

Mechas and mecha swordfights and wlw-pining disaster girls who like tattooing each other as a form of affection™. I AM LOOKING,,,, In an age of mechanical deities puppeteered by a power-hungry nation, the sole defense against the onslaught of false Gods is a ragtag group of renegades known as the Gearbreakers, and seventeen-year-old Eris “The Frostbringer” Shindanai takes pride in being one of the most infamous of the lot. Her mission is simple: infiltrate any Windups—a charming nickname for these hundred-foot-tall bionic nightmares—that dare to cross her path, and take the atrocities apart from the inside.

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JULY 2021

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She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan 29th July 2021

(Adult Historical Fantasy) Standalone debut

China, 1345. After her family’s death, an iron-willed peasant girl steals her brother’s identity and fate of greatness in order to survive. Defying the bounds of gender with cunning and ingenuity, her ambition takes her from monk to leader of the rebellion against China’s Mongol rulers. But her rise brings her face to face with the empire’s most feared general: a eunuch as trapped by his gender as she is free of hers.

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A Beautiful Doom by Laura Pohl ?? July 2021

(Young Adult Mystery/Thriller) Book 1 of ??

The story of four troubled friends, one murdered girl, and a dark fate that may leave them all doomed. While investigating the murder of their best friend, four reimagined fairytale heroines must uncover connections to their ancient curses and attempt to forge their own paths before it’s too late.

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The World Ends Here by Rory Power ?? July 2021

(Young Adult Mystery/Thriller) Standalone (?)

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The Sea Wolf by Anna Burke ?? July 2021

(Sci-Fi Fantasy) Book 2 in a series

Life aboard the mercenary ship Man o’ War is rarely dull as hurricanes, swarms of jellyfish, and man-eating squid pose daily doses of danger. As intrigue and subterfuge from enemies old and new begin to surround its captain, the infamous Miranda Stillwater, even an uncanny sense of direction won’t be enough to help Compass Rose navigate these dangerous straits. As dark secrets bubble to the surface and everything she’s fought so hard for begins to crumble, Rose learns the hard way that she’ll have to rely on the only person who can save her from certain disaster. Unfortunately, that person is Compass Rose herself.

INDIES:

House of Agnes by Fiona Zedde, July 2021, Romance (Ylva)

The Fifth Surgeon by Faith Prize, July 2021, Medical Romance (Ylva)

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AUGUST 2021

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The Dead and the Dark by Courtney Gould 3rd August 2021

(Young Adult Fantasy/Thriller) Standalone Debut

A debut supernatural thriller about two girls who fall in love when they team up to stop an evil demonic presence from terrorizing their small town. Enemies-to-lovers!!!!!!

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The Sisters of Reckoning (The Good Luck Girls, #2)

The Sisters of Reckoning by Charlotte Nicole Davis 10th August 2021

(Young Adult Fantasy) Book 2 in a duology

The Sisters of Reckoning is the blockbuster sequel to Charlotte Nicole Davis’s alternate Old West-set commercial fantasy adventure.

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Windfall by Shawna Barnett 12th August 2021

(?) Book 1 in a series

Princess Ilyana Romenel was a child lost on the night of a violent coupe. Captain Liana Foley is a pirate who gives her spoils back to the people. No one is supposed to know that they are the same woman. But then, a mysterious letter interrupts Liana’s extraordinary life on the high seas. In order to keep her identity a secret, she must attend a ball at the royal palace where she was born. After she accidentally kidnaps Princess Rhian Vitalis, these polar opposites form a reluctant friendship.

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Not Your Hero by C.B. Lee 31st August 2021

(Young Adult Sci-Fi) Book 4 in a series

In the much-anticipated conclusion to the four-part Sidekick Squad series, Abby Jones has a lot on her plate: She must regain her superpowers, mend her relationships with her girlfriend, Jess, and, along with their friends Bells and Emma, save the Collective from the evil Hero’s League.

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A Lesson in Vengeance by Victoria Lee 3rd August 2021

(Young Adult Contemporary Mystery/Thriller) Standalone

Pitched as The Secret History meets Genuine Fraud and The Craft, it’s the story of Felicity Morrow, a senior returning to school after her girlfriend’s tragic death, only to meet a new student and teenage literary prodigy who transferred to research the school’s bloody history, and recruits Felicity into a murderous experiment of their own.

INDIES:

Party Games by Jess Lea, August 2021, Romantic Suspense (Ylva)

The Loudest Silence by Olivia Janae, August 2021, Romance (Ylva)

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SEPTEMBER 2021

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The Final Child by Fran Dorricott 7th September 2021

(Adult Thriller) Standalone

Erin and her brother Alex were the last children abducted by ‘the Father’, a serial killer who only ever took pairs of siblings. She escaped, but her brother was never seen again. Traumatised, Erin couldn’t remember anything about her ordeal, and the Father was never caught. Eighteen years later, Erin has done her best to put the past behind her. But then she meets Harriet. Harriet’s young cousins were the Father’s first victims and, haunted by their deaths, she is writing a book about the disappearances and is desperate for an interview.

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The Scratch Daughters by Hannah Abigail Clarke 14th September 2021

(Young Adult Fantasy) Book 2 in a trilogy

The second book in the Scapegracers trilogy, formerly outcast lesbian witch who struggles to keep her coven as the loss of her magical soul drives her to desperation.

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All of Us Villains by Amanda Foody and Christine Lynn Herman ?? September 2021

(Young Adult Fantasy) Book 1 of ?

After the publication of a salacious tell-all book, the remote city of Ilvernath is thrust into the spotlight. Tourists, protesters, and reporters alike flock to its spellshops and historic ruins to witness an ancient curse unfold: every generation, seven families name a champion among them to compete in a tournament to the death. The winner awards their family exclusive control over the city’s high magick supply, the most powerful resource in the world.

INDIES:

Fool For Love by Rachael Sommers, September 2021, Romance (Ylva)

An Island for Us by Wendy Hudson, August 2021, Adventure/Mystery (Ylva)

No title by Jae, August 2021, Romance (Ylva)

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OCTOBER 2021

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INDIES:

Two Witches (Working title) by Sanaa Marcosta, October 2021, Romantic Fantasy (Ylva)

Colstead & Andie by Olivia Janae,October 2021, Romance (Ylva)

Chasing Dreams by AL Brooks, October 2021, Romance (Ylva)

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NOVEMBER 2021

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INDIES:

Best Kind of Trouble by Lola Keeley, November 2021, Romance (Ylva)

Vengeance Planning for Amateurs by Lee, November 2021, Romantic Comedy (Ylva)

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DECEMBER 2021

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Get It Right by Skye Kilaen 1st December 2021

(Adult Romance) Standalone

Finn is finally out of prison, which is great. Having no job, no car, and no place to sleep except her cousin’s couch? Not so great. Plus, her felony theft conviction isn’t doing wonders for her employment prospects, so she can’t afford her migraine meds without the public clinic. The last thing she ever expected was for the gal who stole her heart to come walking down that clinic’s hallway: Vivi, the manicure-loving nurse who spent two years fighting the prison system to get proper medical care for her patients, including Finn.

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Fools in Love by Rebecca Podos & More ?? December 2021

(Young Adult Contemporary Romance Anthology) Standalone

Sasha and I are simple girls, we see Natasha Ngan writing something new, we immediately prepare to die for it. A romance anthology offering new takes on classic romance tropes in multiple genres

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SPRING 2021

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Trouble Girls by Julia Lynn Rubin Spring 2021

(Young Adult Contemporary) Book 1 in a duology

a queer, modern re-imagining of Thelma & Louise where after stabbing a would-be rapist to death, two best friends go on the run in a journey that grows darker and deadlier with each new disastrous decision they make.

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The Ojja-Wojja: A Teen Horror Mystery or Whatever, You Know? by Magdalene Visaggio Spring 2021

(LGBT Graphic Novel) Standalone (?)

A queer-positive graphic novel by Magdalene Visaggio and Jenn St-Onge. Val Malloy is an autistic kid with two interests: the supernatural and her best friend, Lanie. When Val and Lanie accidentally unleash a mysterious entity known as the Ojja-Wojja, transforming their town into a mind-controlled cult, they must team up with other misfits to stop it.

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The Princess and the Grilled Cheese Sandwich by Deya Muniz Spring 2021

(Middle Grade Graphic Novel) Standalone

Lady Camembert, a denizen of the Kingdom of Fromage, must disguise herself as a man in order to inherit her father’s estate, but her secret becomes difficult to keep once she falls in love with the royal Princess Brie.

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Learn to Knit in Nine Months or Less by Hettie Bell Spring 2021

(New Adult Romance) Standalone

An unplanned pregnancy spurs a young woman to join a knitting group, where she finds an unexpected romance with the woman who runs it and an unexpected family in her fellow knitters.

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How to Become a Planet by Nicole Melleby Spring 2021

(Middle Grade Contemporary) Standalone

in which 11-year-old Pluto struggles with her depression and anxiety diagnosis, which feels like a big black hole sitting on her chest making it too hard to do anything. She makes efforts to find balance with an assist from the friendly voice on the Hayden Planetarium’s Astronomy Question and Answer Hotline.

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Sings Like a Bird by Nawaaz Ahmed Spring 2021

(Young Adult Contemporary??) Standalone

SINGS LIKE A BIRD, is about exploring the refractive nature of family and belief, through the complicated relationship of two Muslim Indian sisters—one lesbian, the other religiously devout—over the course of one week in San Francisco after the 2008 elections, capturing an America simultaneously electrified by the ascendance of its first African American president and fracturing under ideological stresses.

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The Paper Garden by Caitlin Vance Spring 2021

(Contemporary Retelling Collection) Standalone

A darkly humorous, gothic and speculative story collection that explores contemporary queer romances, mother-daughter relationships and mental illness by reimagining fairy tales or myths.

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SUMMER 2021

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The Mythic Koda Rose by Jennifer Nissley Summer 2021

(Young Adult Fantasy) Standalone debut

THE MYTHIC KODA ROSE, pitched for fans of Nina LaCour and Jandy Nelson, features a queer teen exploring the enigmatic legacy left behind by her rock star father and suddenly navigating an emotionally charged bond with his mercurial ex-girlfriend.

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Indestructable Object by Mary McCoy Summer 2021

(Young Adult Contemporary) Standalone

This novel follows a queer teen girl who hosts a podcast about the love stories of great artists. When she finds her life falling apartafter her parent announce they’re divorcingand her boyfriend breaks up with her right after graduation, it inspires her to set out on a summer podcast project about whether love even exists at all.

INDIES:

There’s Magic Between Us by Jillian Maria, Young Adult Fantasy, Summer 2021

FALL 2021

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This Is Our Rainbow: 16 Stories of Her, Him, Them, and Us by Katherine Locke and more Fall 2021

(Middle Grade Anthology) Standalone

The middle grade fiction anthology collects short stories, poetry, and comics about LGBTQIA+ characters and experiences by contributors Locke, Melleby, Eric Bell, Lisa Jenn Bigelow, Ashley Herring Blake, Lisa Bunker, Alex Gino, Justina Ireland, Shing Yin Khor, Mariama Lockington, Marieke Nijkamp, Claribel Ortega, Mark Oshiro, Molly Knox Ostertag, Aida Salazar, and A.J. Sass.

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Love, Violet by Charlotte Sullivan Wild Fall 2021

(Middle Grade???) Standalone

A story about a girl named Violet with a crush on another girl who attempts to share how she feels on Valentine’s Day.

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Reader, I Murdered Him by Betsy Cornwell Fall 2021

(Young Adult Thriller/Mystery??) Standalone

A tale of female agency, queer romance, and revenge in which a girl becomes a teenage vigilante who roams Victorian England using her privilege and power to protect other young women from abusive Gothic heroes

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The Meadows by Stephanie Oakes Fall 2021

(Young Adult Contemporary) ??

Morris Award finalist Stephanie Oakes’s THE MEADOWS, pitched as a YA ‘Handmaid’s Tale’ meets ‘Never Let Me Go’, the story centers around a queer girl who has pretended to “reform” following years in a government-sanctioned conversion therapy center, but can’t forget the girl she left behind, and so resolves to find her

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Of Blood and Briars by Rebecca Kim Wells Fall 2021

(Young Adult Fantasy) Standalone (?)

Cursed to kill all those she touches, Lena endures an isolated life on the run from her fellow humans. But when an enigmatic stranger offers to help her break the curse in exchange for her aid in waking a princess hidden in an enchanted forest, Lena embarks on a quest to win her freedom, no matter the cost.

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A Dark and Starless Forest by Sarah Hollowell Fall 2021

(Young Adult Fantasy) Standalone (?)

A contemporary YA fantasy about nine magical siblings who live in a secluded house cut off from the rest of the world by a sinister forest with their enigmatic caretaker, who is grooming them for a dark and mysterious purpose.

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City of Shattered Light by Claire Winn Fall 2021

(Young Adult Sci-Fi) Standalone (?) debut

Cyborgs! Guns! Flirting! Matriarchal crime syndicates! Heists! Brain-tech interfaces! Girls kissing girls! Girls kissing boys! Bass-pumping cyberpunk nightscapes! Queer found family! Possessed murderous tech! Drugged bubblegum! Creepy labs! Organ piracy! Cute girls who are actually steel-and-silicon death machines! Gravity-shifting gladitorial pits! 154-hour nights!

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Squad by Maggie Tokuda-Hall Fall 2021

(Young Adult Graphic Novel) Standalone

a darkly comedic YA graphic novel by Maggie Tokuda-Hall (l.), illustrated by Lisa Sterle. It’s about a clique of teen girls whose favorite pastime is to “get dressed up, go to parties, target entitled, date-rapey Bros, turn into wolves, and eat them.”

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UNDATED 2021

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Girls at the Edge of the World by Laura Brooke Robson ?? 2021

(Young Adult Fantasy) Debut Book 1 in a duology

An apocalyptic fantasy told in alternating POVs about the leader of a band of female elite royal aerialists whose plan for survival depends on marrying the prince—until she meets the alluring new recruit who secretly plans to kill him.

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Jade Fire Gold by June C.L. Tan ?? 2021

(Young Adult Fantasy) Standalone (?)

In order to save her grandmother from a cult of dangerous priests, a peasant girl cursed with the power to steal souls enters a tenuous alliance with an exiled prince bent on taking back the Dragon Throne. The pair must learn to trust each other but are haunted by their pasts—and the true nature of her dark magic.

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a white, tall teen girl with short blonde hair sitting with attitude and spread legs on a set of bleachers, wearing a pink football jersey. Title says LIKE OTHER GIRLS.

Like Other Girls by Britta Lundin ?? 2021

(Young Adult Contemporary) Standalone (?)

A F/F YA book about five girls who join their small town football team and disrupt everything.

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Untitled by Lyla Lee ?? 2021

from the author’s twitter ” it’s very sapphic, sort of a companion novel (not a sequel) to I’LL BE THE ONE” I mean, I don’t know about you, but I hear ‘it’s very sapphic’ and everything else becomes background noise and I immediately need it in my life.

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Some Girls Do by Jennifer Dugan ?? 2021

(Young Adult Contemporary) Standalone

An openly gay track star falls for a closeted, bisexual local beauty queen with a penchant for fixing up old cars.

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The Coldest Touch by Isobel Sterling ?? 2021

(Young Adult Paranormal Fantasy) ??

a lesbian vampire is hired to recruit a human girl with the power to see the death of anyone she touches. murder and romance ensues

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The Lost Girls by Sonia Hartl ?? 2021

(Young Adult Paranormal Fantasy) ??

When the vampire who turned Holly into the undead in 1987 (leaving her as a 16-year-old with badly crimped hair for all eternity) breaks up with her, she’s approached by two girls he also claimed to love, turned, then ditched. But their plan to kill him before he can strike again grows complicated when Holly starts to fall for the mortal girl they’re trying to protect.

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Rise to the Sun by Leah Johnson ?? 2021

(Young Adult Contemporary) Standalone

Set over the course of four days at a music festival, the novel features strangers Toni and Olivia, who meet and realize that the music is more than just a way out; it’s a way through… if they are brave enough to face it together.

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The Devouring Wolf by Natalie C. Parker ?? 2021

(Middle Grade Fantasy) Book 1 of ?

In this queer take on werewolf mythology, a young werewolf is distraught when she doesn’t transform into a wolf the summer following her 12th birthday, like everyone else in her community. To get to the bottom of the mystery, she’ll need to unearth her community’s deepest secrets and face a terrifying creature from legend.

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Fire Becomes Her by Rosiee Thor ?? 2021

(Young Adult Historical Fantasy) Standalone (?)

This queer YA fantasy with a Jazz Age spark follows a politically savvy girl from the wrong side of the tracks as her drive for self-advancement comes into conflict with her heart during an election year where magic buys votes. A demiromantic MC, women in power suits, platonic queer relationships AND eating the rich?!?!?

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Hazel Bly and the Deep Blue Sea by Ashley Herring Blake ?? 2021

(Middle Grade Contemporary) Standalone

The story follows a girl who’s lost one of her moms in an accident which had made her anxious & safety-obsessed. She’s locked herself away, so it’s essentially about her unlocking. A New England seaside town, a mermaid myth that just might be true, & of course, first crushes.

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Yerba Buena by Nina LaCour ?? 2021

(Adult Contemporary) Standalone

Sara is a broken girl from a drug-soaked Northern California town. Fueled by panic, desperation, and impulse, sheheads south, hoping to start over in LA. Adecade after Sara has come of age in the restaurant industry, we meet Emilie, the granddaughter of Creoles who left New Orleans to escape segregation. Emilie takes a job arranging flowers for an elegant LA restaurant—andthings get complicated when she captures the attention of the restaurateur and engagesinan affair. When Sara and Emilie meet, their connection is immediate.

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A Dowry of Blood by S.T. Gibson ?? 2021

(Adult Fantasy) Standalone (?)

Saved from the brink of death by a mysterious stranger, Constanta is transformed from a medieval peasant into a bride fit for an undying king. But when Dracula draws a cunning aristocrat and a starving artist into his web of passion and deceit, Constanta realizes that her beloved is capable of terrible things. Finding comfort in the arms of her rival consorts, she begins to unravel their husband’s dark secrets.

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Like A Love Song by Gabriela Martins ?? 2021

(Young Adult Contemporary) Standalone

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The Bone Way by Holly J. Underhill ?? 2021

(Adult Fantasy) Standalone (?)

When her wife Cressidae goes missing, Teagan immediately knows where she has gone. A kingdom of the dead filled with untold nightmares, the Shadow Realm is the only place that can save Teagan from a lethal poison that’s killing her slowly. It is ruled by a princess said to make powerful deals with those brave enough to find her, and Cressidae has gone to bargain for Teagan’s life. Cressidae has forgotten one very important thing: no one makes it out on their own.

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Alecto the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir ?? 2021

(Adult Sci-Fi/Fantasy) Book 3 in a trilogy

The Ninth House trilogy—Gideon the Ninth, Harrow the Ninth, and Alecto the Ninth—is an epic science fantasy that blends necromantic theory and thrilling swordplay with a wicked, sacrilegious sense of humor; a modern mix of Dune, Riddick, and Gormenghast.

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Dangerous Remedy 2 by Kat Dunn ?? 2021

(Young Adult Historical Fantasy) Book 2 of ?

Camille, a revolutionary’s daughter, leads a band of outcasts – a runaway girl, a deserter, an aristocrat in hiding. As the Battalion des Mortes they cheat death, saving those about to meet a bloody end at the blade of Madame La Guillotine. But their latest rescue is not what she seems. The girl’s no aristocrat, but her dark and disturbing powers means both the Royalists and the Revolutionaries want her. But who and what is she?

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Untitled (Camelot Rising #3) by Kiersten White ?? 2021

(Young Adult Fantasy) Book 3 in a trilogy

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Tempests and Temptation by Kara Jorgenson ?? 2021

(Adult Romance) Book 2 in a series

The forthcoming second book in the Paranormal Society Romance series. More info will follow, but this book is f/f and will follow Bennett’s friend and housemate Ruth.

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Goodbye, Battle Princess Peony by Mira Ong Chua ?? 2021

a F/F Gothic romance about ancient rivalry, eternal romance, and falling in love with the wrong crowd.

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Candidly Cline by Kathryn Ormsbee ?? 2021

(Middle Grade Contemporary) Standalone

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Of Trust & Heart by Charlotte Anne Hamilton ?? 2021

(New Adult Historical Fiction) Standalone (?)

An #OwnVoices f/f 1920s historical new adult novel, in which a Scottish heiress, who must find a husband soon, falls for a singer at a speakeasy.

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Blackheart Knights by Laure Eve ?? 2021

(Fantasy) Standalone (?)

From author’s twitter: it’s Camelot but in Gotham City. Knights ride around on motorbikes instead of horses, in leather, with swords, because that is a world I’d like to live in. There’s magic but also electric trains and television and urban wastelands and dive bars. It’s sexy, and violent, and queer, and did I mention swords?

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The Love Song of Ivy K. Harlowe by Hannah Moskowitz ?? 2021

(Young Adult Contemporary) Standalone

When Andie’s gorgeous, lifelong best friend (and secret obsession) Ivy develops feelings for another girl, Andie grapples with the bitter fact that the great love story of Ivy’s life might not include her.

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The Dust Alphabet by Rebecca Podos ?? 2021

(Young Adult Fantasy) Standalone (?)

a contemporary YA fantasy about identity, faith, and fate. On her 17th birthday, Hannah is cursed by a sheyd (a Jewish demon) as the price for a desperate bargain that her mother made long ago. To break the spell, she and her brother must track down their mother’s estranged family and discover a legacy they never dreamed of—one that traces back to the famous Golem of Prague.

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Almost Flying by Jake Maia Arlow ?? 2021

(Middle Grade) Standalone debut

The book follows 13 year old Dalia as she takes part in a summer road trip to several amusement parks and celebrates found family, first queer crushes and the singular delight of roller coasters.

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The Midnight Lie #2 by Marie Rutkoski ?? 2021

(Young Adult Fantasy) Book 2 in a duology

DARK NIRRIM!!!! LETS GOOOOOOO

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The Way Back List by Lily Anderson ?? 2021

(New Adult Contemporary) Standalone

Lily Anderson’s THE WAY BACK LIST, in which a 20-something over-achiever loses her Silicon Valley job, moves home with her parents, and decides to complete her high school bucket list in an effort to find herself, connecting with her small town and former friends along the way.

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Noa and Lilah’s Guide to Surviving V-List Fame by Jennet Alexander ?? 2021

(Rom-Com) Standalone debut

Noa Birnbaum has just gotten a job as a makeup assistant on a movie, thanks to her roommate. She’s thrilled when she learns that Lilah Silver will be the star—she’s had a crush on the leading lady for a while. But when she meets Lilah at the studio, Noa is unimpressed – Lilah is distant and shallow, and Noa isn’t in any hurry to get to know her.

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Untitled by Rebecca Coffindaffer ?? 2021

(Young Adult Sci-Fi) Book 2 in a duology

A deadly competition for the throne will determine more than just the fate of the empire in this riveting duology, perfect for fans of The Hunger Games, Aurora Rising, and Three Dark Crowns.

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The Heartbreak Bakery by Amy Rose Capetta ?? 2021

(Young Adult Fanatsy) Standalone

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The Heartbreak of Corazon Taguibo by Laurel Flores Fantauzzo ?? 2021

(Not sure)

Cory Tagubio is an outcast at her all-girls Catholic high school. In the wake of an accident, Cory grows close to her history teacher, Ms. Holden, but when the crush turns into something more, Cory is shipped off to her half-brother in the Philippines, leaving her to discover how her family and their country have shaped her past and how they might change her future.

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Untitled by Alicia Jasinska ?? 2021

(Young Adult Fantasy)

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Girls of Fate and Fury by Natasha Ngan ?? 2021

(Young Adult Fantasy) Book 3 in the Girls of Paper and Fire Series

A synopsis would be too spoilery, but just know that gopaf stans will probably never recover and we’re ready to die for this book already. WREN POV LETS GOOOOO. Sasha and I are prepared to perform multiple sacrifices to get ahold of any arcs (if there are any) of this book heheh.

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Forever Is Now by Mariama J Lockington ?? 2021

(Poetry) Standalone

A novel in verse about an agoraphobic teenager who must find a way to boldly step outside herself for the sake of her relationships and community.

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Renegade Rule by Ben Kahn, Rachel Silverstein, Sam Beck ?? 2021

(Young Adult Graphic Novel) Standalone

The Manhattan Mist have beaten the odds to land themselves in the national championships for Renegade Rule, one of the hottest virtual reality games in existence. But they’re in for competition fiercer than they ever imagined, and one team member’s entire future could be at stake. Four queer female friends will have to play harder than ever against self-doubt, infighting, romantic distraction, and a slew of other world-class teams if they hope to become champions.

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Violet by Shin Kyung-sook

(No clue what age??) Standalone

VIOLET is about a young woman who works in a flower shop and has been shunned by her female high school lover, which sets her apart from society and the world of Seoul.

INDIES:

Moonlight Mountain by Bright Star Publishing, 2021

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As always, thank you so much for reading!! Please follow our blog if this post interested you :)) Also, feel free to reach out if any books shouldn’t be on this list or you know of any to add!! Thank youuuu ❤

Be sure to check out our dear friend Hsinju’s incredible list of 2021 sapphic indie books!!

Kat Dunn – Dangerous Remedy Author Interview!!

Hi all!! Today’s post is super exciting because we’re bringing you an author interview for one of my favourite books of this year!! A huge thank you to the publisher, Zephyr for putting this tour together and of course thank you to Kat Dunn for agreeing to do an interview with me! Be sure to check out everyone else’s posts!! I hope you enjoy – Amber ❤

For those who don’t know yet, can you tell us what Dangerous Remedy is about?

Think Six of Crows meets Frankenstein. Camille and her Battalion are hired to rescue innocent people from the guillotine in Revolutionary Paris, but this time the girl they’ve rescued isn’t who they thought she was – and she’s not exactly human either. Trapped between the Royalists who hired them to rescue the girl, and the Revolutionaries who want her back, the Battalion have more than just the fate of one girl in their hands – the future of the revolution, and France itself may be at stake.

There are *so* many incredible scenes throughout this book, but which scene was your favourite to write and why?

Almost all of them? There are definitely a couple of scenes that I’d had in my mind from the start so those were super exciting to write – but I can’t tell you what they are without spoilers! Any scene with Al was always a joy to write – there’s a scene later on between him and Ada that was particularly moving to write.

(I LOVE Al so much, he’s my baby)

Which character do you see the most of yourself in?

As a writer I think you put a bit of yourself in all your characters, but I definitely put a lot of my anxiety and hard-on-myself feelings into Camille – and the self-loathing nihilistic bits into Al.

Which 2 upcoming books are you most excited for?

Definitely These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong out November 2020 and Witches Steeped in Gold by Ciannon Smart out April 2021

(I recently read These Violent Delights and it was so good!!)

Were there any scenes you ended up cutting out that you wish you could’ve kept? If so, could you describe them for us?

There weren’t too many scenes that got the chop entirely, more often I was rewriting and repositioning the same scenes over and over again during edits. There was a fun sequence where the Battalion fake an outbreak of plague that went early on – but you never know what might show up in later books…

(PLEASE let this pop up in one of the other books, I imagine it was so funny xD)

The cast of this book is so unique and each character is incredibly loveable. If you had to choose, which one would you say is your favourite and why?

I love all my children equally and could never choose. (It’s Al, shhh don’t tell the others.)

(totally agree)

Were there any other titles you considered before deciding on Dangerous Remedy? Was it set as that from the beginning, if not, could you tell us more about how you came to choose the title?

Dangerous Remedy was the title from the start! It’s from a quote attributed to Guy Fawkes, ‘A desperate disease requires a dangerous remedy’. I played around with a few different ways of phrasing it, but this one stuck early on and I was pretty surprised and pleased that it survived all the way to print.

(wait this is so cool!!)

What was your biggest aim when writing this book? Is there anything in particular you hope readers will take away from it?

What readers take away from a book is entirely up for them to decide, but I think there were 2 things in particular I wanted to talk about in Dangerous Remedy.

The first is about rewriting queer narratives back into history, and moreover to do it in a way that’s just casually, incidentally queer. Being queer isn’t my entire identity, so I wanted to tell a story where that wasn’t the main point. Camille and Ada are together, and that’s just that – the drama isn’t about that.

The second is about the idea of choice. I have heard too many times ‘both sides are as bad as each other’ used as an excuse not to do anything, and that’s just nonsense. Sitting on the fence is a position reserved for the privileged, those who don’t think they’re going to be affected. At the start, the Battalion have that attitude towards the revolution – but when they’re challenged by the idea of the Royalist regime returning, they realise how hollow that idea is, that both sides are just as bad. And so they know they have to make a choice in all their actions – no more fence sitting.

(I love this so much, and the casual incorporation of characters being queer is something that I appreciated and noticed immediately!!)

The ending of this book was explosive to say the least, what can we look forward to in book 2?

There’s not much I can say without giving big spoilers, but I can tell you that this time the Battalion are split between London and Paris, and to protect Olympe they’ll have to face an enemy they never saw coming…

(oh lord pray for us)

Again, a huge thank you to the publisher and Kat Dunn for working on this with me!!!

Boy Queen by George Lester

Hii! today I’m on the blog tour for Boy Queen which is so exciting! I really loved this book, which is out now 🙂 Hope you enjoy my review – Sasha xo

Boy Queen by George Lester was a fabulous, heartfelt and fun story about coming into your own, with a loveable main character, wonderful friendships and sparkling all over with queer joy.

I loved this book so much! It was hilarious and full of fabulous drag shows as well as confronting homophobia and telling a relatable story about figuring out your path in life.

Our main character, Robin, was immediately likeable. He’s funny, confident and friendly. At first he was conflicted about his future, worrying over getting accepted to his dream school, and his relationship with his secret closeted boyfriend Connor, and it was wonderful to see him learn to love himself and carve out his own path in life as the story progresses. He was a flawed character and at one or two points I was a little frustrated with his decisions, but that just made him more realistic. His character arc was great, and he certainly lights up the book with his personality and spark.

The relationship between Robin and his mum was really cute and wholesome and they were such good friends! We love healthy and loving parent-child relationships. I also loved Robin’s friend group. Natalie, Priya and token straight boy, Greg, were all such vibrant characters in and of themselves and despite Robin’s occasional arguments with them, their friendships were loving and full of banter, and they were always there for each other. The blossoming romance in Boy Queen was also great, though I can’t say too much without spoiling!

The drag aspect of this book is so much fun! I’ve watched a few episodes of Ru Paul’s Drag Race, but past that I really don’t know much about the world of drag. Boy Queen’s look into it this magical world full of glitter, drama and sass was spectacular and so entertaining. I loved seeing as Robin became more immersed in the world of drag, and the fierce queens he became friends with, as well as the drag shows he watched and eventually performed in!

The plot of Boy Queen is full of fun, humour and joy as well as a heartfelt story of Robin’s struggle with his life past college, and how drag helped him find confidence in himself and his future, as well as tackling homophobia and how it harms Robin and his courage and belief in himself.

The writing was enjoyable and I found myself easily caught up in this book.

Overall, Boy Queen was a wonderful and effervescent book brimming with humour and heart, as well as having a poignant discussion of more difficult topics, that skews toward the upper end of YA with a protagonist in his second year of sixth form college. I really enjoyed this book and found it to be a quick and delightful read that I would definitely recommend!

WLW Wednesday #2

Hi all!! Today we’re back again with another post in our WLW Wednesday series!! Enjoy – Sasha and Amber ❤

Amber’s most recent WLW reads:

Honey Girl

Honey Girl by Morgan Rogers

(New Adult Contemporary Romance)

This book was one of my most anticipated for 2021, and we were lucky enough to get approved for it on Edelweiss!! I absolutely ADORED this book, I finished it in one sitting and cried throughout about 90 percent of it. This book is about Grace, who has been working towards getting her PhD for 11 years and as a celebration for completing it, she goes to Vegas, where she ends up getting drunk married. Grace’s life plans fall apart when she meets her wife for the first time again after getting married.

You're Next

You’re Next by Kylie Schachte

(Young Adult Mystery/Thriller)

When a girl with a troubled history of finding dead bodies investigates the murder of her ex, she uncovers a plot to put herself—and everyone she loves—on the list of who’s next. Another recent read that I ADORED, Flora is my chaotic disaster bi baby, and this book was a JOURNEY. Full of friendships, murder, investigations, fights and family, this book was everything I love in a novel.

Hopes and Dreams

Hopes and Dreams by PJ Trebelhorn

(Adult Romance)

Sadly this book was one I didn’t love :(( This is a story about twin sisters Victoria and Vanessa. In high school, they used to bully Riley and Riley was glad when they finally moved away and she left high school. But now the twins are back, and Victoria is regretful for her past and still harbouring a crush on Riley from all those years ago. I just couldn’t get behind this book sadly, Riley went from hating Vic and everything she stood for to kissing her and being completely enamoured with her within 24 hours of seeing her again and one half-hearted apology.

The Weight of the Stars

The Weight of the Stars by K Ancrum

(Young Adult Contemporary Sci-Fi)

I finally got round to reading this after seeing Theresa and so many other people screaming about it on twitter, and I’m so glad I did!! This book is so heartfelt and beautiful, I loved the writing style so much. Ryann Bird dreams of traveling across the stars. But a career in space isn’t an option for a girl who lives in a trailer park on the wrong side of town. One day she meets Alexandria and when a horrific accident leaves Alexandria with a broken arm, the two misfits are brought together despite themselves.
Every night without fail, Alexandria waits to catch radio signals from her mother. And its up to Ryann to lift her onto the roof day after day until the silence between them grows into friendship, and eventually something more . . .

The Fate of Stars (Sea and Stars, #1)

The Fate of Stars by SD Simper

(Adult Fantasy Romance)

A devout mermaid. A disgraced princess. A feud as ancient as the gods themselves. Worlds collide when Tallora is kidnapped from her ocean home and forced to be a pet to a tyrannical foreign empire. Her only hope for rescue lies with a sworn enemy—Princess Dauriel, infamous for her stone heart and conflicted past. I loved this book and this series as a whole! They’re all super short and the whole trilogy is out so I binged the 3 of them and it was super good!!

Sasha’s recent WLW reads:

The Shadow of Kyoshi (The Kyoshi Novels, #2)

The Shadow of Kyoshi by F.C. Lee

(Young Adult Fantasy)

This is the sequel to The Rise of Kyoshi, a YA novel set in the world of Avatar: The Last Airbender and focusing on Avatar Kyoshi, renowned for her fierceness and for the creation of the Kyoshi warriors. I absolutely adore this series, it’s wonderful. Kyoshi is such an interesting and complex character and my absolute favourite thing is her romance with her friend, bodyguard and firebending teacher Rangi, the tension and yearning between these two is real!

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

(Adult Historical Fiction)

I finally got round to reading the most popular sapphic book, and I really enjoyed it 🙂 Hollywood icon Evelyn Hugo is finally ready to tell the world her story, and when she selects unknown journalist Monique, Monique suspects there is more to her tale than meets the eye.

Eight Pieces of Silva

Eight Pieces of Silva by Patrice Lawrence

(Young Adult Mystery/Thriller)

When her sister Silva goes missing, Becks is determined to figure out where she went, with only a few clues left in Silva’s bedroom to help her. I quite enjoyed this mystery thriller centering round sisterhood and most of all I loved our main character Becks and her romance with her friend China 🙂

Marriage of Unconvenience

Marriage of Unconvenience by Chelsea M. Cameron

(Adult Contemporary Romance)

This short and cute f/f romance novel quickly cemented itself as a favourite of mine! Lo is in a tight spot money wise, but the only way to get ahold of her inheritance is to get married – so who better to get fake married to than her best friend Cara, who also needs some cash? It’s just a ruse to get the money, after all Cara is straight and it’s not like Lo could ever fall for her childhood best friend…right? This was a masterpiece of friends-to-lovers, marriage of convenience and SO much yearning, I absolutely adored it.

Breaking Legacies

Breaking Legacies by Zoe Reed

(Young Adult Fantasy)

Amber constantly screams about this book and has single-handedly made so many people on sapphic book twitter read it so I finally picked it up too!! I loved this one so much. In a land impoverished by a war that started before she was born, Kiena has provided for her mother and brother by becoming one of the best hunters in the kingdom. But when a lifelong friend with connections recommends her to the king to track down a runaway princess, her life gets turned upside down. Finding the princess is easy. Deciding what to do in a conflicting mess of politics and emotions… not so much.

Raybearer by Jordan Ifueko review

Raybearer by Jordan Ifueko quickly cemented itself as a new favourite. It was one of the best fantasy books I’ve ever read and I adored every single aspect. It was truly phenomenal, the peak of YA fantasy, and I cannot recommend it enough. This one is out today, so don’t forget to add it on Goodreads and buy a copy from your local indie, Amazon or Waterstones!

The worldbuilding in Raybearer was so immersive and magnificent. It is so interesting, with so many extraordinary aspects. The world was interspersed with remarkable and unique magic, creative mythology and distinct culture. There was so much depth in the world of Raybearer that I know there is so much more to explore and I want to know every aspect of the history, culture and myths of this incredible and intriguing world.

“Maybe,” I ventured, “It’s all right to be angry.”

The storyline was phenomenal, full of so many unexpected plot twists that I was so impressed by. The plot was fast paced with surprises and excitement on every page, as well as being filled with themes of hope and rebellion and held up by storylines of strong friendship, finding yourself and most significantly making your own destiny despite the odds.

Raybearer was thrilling and captivating, the story getting better and better as the book went on, and I adored every minute of it.

"But our greatest good is the one we can't contain: compassion, loyalty, softness, fierceness. The ability to win hearts, or recognize beauty, or weather a storm... Our gift could be anything, really. And when we use our greatest good for something beyond ourselves, that's our best desire. Our purpose."

I love our main character, Tarisai, she is so interesting. Tarisai is brave and determined but also vulnerable, She’s incredibly strong given the trauma of her childhood and I loved seeing her find friendship, love and belonging throughout the course of the book. She’s an exceedingly complex character, every one of her actions made so much sense for her personality and made her character even more intricate. Tarisai is so loyal, kind and fiercely protective of those she cares for. Her loneliness and longing for friendship were so relatable and raw and I loved her and felt deeply for her.

“I am Tarisai of Swana and I’ve seen your stories now. They belong to me, as mine belong to you. You don’t have to help me change the world. But you mark my words; when I get going, this world will change. And you can be a part of that... or you can stand back and watch.”

I loved how the plot showed the power of friendship and it’s deep and important bond through the Ray and how this friendship was the central bond of the book. Found family is my favourite trope, and Raybearer took it to the next level.

The prose was gorgeous, lyrical and atmospheric. It was so impressive, especially for a debut!

Overall, Raybearer by Jordan Ifueko was an exceptional debut. With it’s unique magic, vibrant world building and a complex main character whom I loved, it’s everything I could ask for in a book and any fans of fantasy are sure to adore it.

Sapphic Books With Disability Rep

Hi everyone!! Today’s post is highlighting some sapphic books that feature disabilities! We always talk about how everyone should be reading diversely, and that INCLUDES reading books with disability rep!! So here are some sapphic ones! As always, please check trigger warnings! – Sasha and Amber ❤

(books marked as sapphic + disability means that there are sapphic characters, plus disabled characters, the sapphic characters aren’t disabled but the rep is still talked about in the book!!)

Mooncakes

Mooncakes by Suzanne Walker and Wendy Xu

(Graphic Novel, Fantasy, Young Adult) Sapphic Disabled Character

This GORGEOUS graphic novel features Nova Huang, our main character who is hard of hearing and uses a hearing aid! Other rep in this book includes: nblw love interest, lesbian grandmas and a MC of colour!! This story is full of witches, magic, spells and potions!

The Tea Dragon Society (Tea Dragon, #1)

The Tea Dragon Society by Katie O’Neill

(Graphic Novel, Fantasy, Middle grade) Sapphic + Disability

This book is the most precious graphic novel I think I’ve ever read!! There is endless rep within these books, and in book 1 there is a wheelchair bound character, plus in book 2 there is deaf rep and the whole of the town learnt sign language for them <333 We also follow a sapphic main character of colour, there is also a mlm relationship and a non-binary character in book 2!!

Something to Talk About

Something to Talk About by Meryl Wilsner

(Adult Romance) Sapphic Disabled Character

This book was one of my favourites for the year! It’s about a showrunner and her who assistant give the world something to talk about when they accidentally fuel a ridiculous rumor. One of the main characters in this book has asthma, we also have a mc of colour and bi and lesbian rep!!

Full Disclosure

Full Disclosure by Camryn Garrett

(Young Adult Contemporary) Sapphic Disabled Character

In a community that isn’t always understanding, an HIV-positive teen must navigate fear, disclosure, and radical self-acceptance when she falls in love–and lust–for the first time. This book follows a Black sapphic teen who has HIV and is super sex-positive and fun!!

Failure to Communicate (Xandri Corelel, #1)

Failure to Communicate by Kaia Sønderby

(Adult Sci-Fi) Sapphic Disabled Character

This book follows a neurodivergent teen who has worked hard to earn her place as the head of Xeno-Liaisons aboard the first contact ship Carpathia. But her skill at negotiating with alien species is about to be put to the ultimate test. This book has autistm rep, characters of colour and has a bi main character!!

Far From You

Far From You by Tess Sharpe

(Young Adult Mystery/Thriller) Sapphic Disabled Character

It’s been four months since Sophie’s best friend, Mina, died in what everyone believes was a drug deal gone wrong – a deal they think Sophie set up. Only Sophie knows the truth. And now she’s out of rehab, and determined to find Mina’s killer, and the person who messed up her life all over again. Sophie is such a bad-ass main character and I wholly fell in love with her. Sophie is bi and struggles with addiction and also has chronic pain!

Into the Drowning Deep (Rolling in the Deep, #1)

Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant

(Adult Horror) Sapphic Disabled Character

This book is SCARY!! It follows a new crew who are setting off 7 years after a disaster voyage that nobody survived. This book is about finding killer mermaids?!?! How cool is that??? We follow a bi MC who’s sister was killed on the original voyage and she’s determined to find out what happened. We also have an autistic love interest and deaf twins who use sign language!

Unbroken: 13 Stories Starring Disabled Teens

Unbroken by Marieke Nijkamp

(Young Adult Anthology) Sapphic Disabled Character

This anthology explores disability in fictional tales told from the viewpoint of disabled characters, written by disabled creators. With stories in various genres about first loves, friendship, war, travel, and more, Unbroken will offer today’s teen readers a glimpse into the lives of disabled people in the past, present, and future. I read this a couple days ago and there are two sapphic stories, all of them are very cute!!

Spellbook of the Lost and Found

Spellbook of the Lost and Found by Moïra Fowley-Doyle

(Young Adult Fantasy) Sapphic Disabled Character

This book has bi rep and features a main character who uses a hearing aid and is plus size!! It’s about witches, magic and an ancient spellbook. Olive meets three wild, mysterious strangers: Ivy, Hazel and Rowan. When they discover the ancient spellbook, full of hand-inked charms to conjure back lost things, they realise it might be their chance to set everything right. Unless it’s leading them towards secrets that were never meant to be found …

Out of the Blue

Out of the Blue by Sophie Cameron

(Young adult fantasy) Sapphic Disabled Character

When angels start falling from the sky, it seems like the world is ending. Smashing down to earth at extraordinary speeds, wings bent, faces contorted, not a single one has survived. This book follows two POC main characters, has a f/f relationship and a bi love interest who has cystic fibrosis!

An Unheard Song (Romancing the Page, #3)

An Unheard Song by Laura Ambrose

(Adult romance novella) Sapphic Disabled Character

A story about a bestselling author who, after her second book doesn’t go well, decides to hire an author assistant. An Unheard Song is the third installment of the Romancing the Page series but can be read as a standalone, which features well-rounded, complicated women in the world of writing and publishing. The main character has agoraphobia.

The Labyrinth's Archivist (Broken Cities, #1)

The Labyrinth’s Archivist by Day Al-Mohamed

(Adult Sci-Fi/Fantasy Novella) Sapphic Disabled Character

Azulea has never left her home city, let alone the world. Her city, is at the nexus of many worlds with its very own “Hall of Gates” and her family are the Archivists. They are the mapmakers and the tellers of tales. They capture information on all of the byways, passages and secrets of the Labyrinth. Gifted with a perfect memory, Azulea can recall every story she ever heard from the walkers between worlds. She remembers every trick to opening stubborn gates, and the dangers and delights of hundreds of worlds. But Azulea will never be a part of her family’s legacy. She cannot make the fabled maps of the Archivists because she is blind.

So Lucky

So Lucky by Nicola Griffith

(Adult Literary Fiction) Sapphic Disabled Character

So Lucky is the sharp, surprising new novel by Nicola Griffith—the profoundly personal and emphatically political story of a confident woman forced to confront an unnerving new reality when in the space of a single week her wife leaves her and she is diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.

I Kissed Alice

I Kissed Alice by Anna Birch

(Young Adult Contemporary) Sapphic Disabled Character

Rhodes and Iliana couldn’t be more different, but that’s not why they hate each other. Hyper-gifted artist Rhodes has always excelled at Alabama’s Conservatory of the Arts despite a secret bout of creator’s block, while transfer student Iliana tries to outshine everyone with her intense, competitive work ethic. Since only one of them can get the coveted Capstone scholarship, the competition between them is fierce. We have a fat MC and a MC with depression!

Six Goodbyes We Never Said

Six Goodbyes We Never Said by Candace Ganger

(Young Adult Contemporary) Sapphic Disabled Character

Candace Ganger’s Six Goodbyes We Never Said is no love story. If you ask Naima, it’s not even a like story. But it is a story about love and fear and how sometimes you need a little help to be brave enough to say goodbye. Two teens meet after tragedy and learn about love, loss, and letting go. This book’s MC has OCD, we also have a POC main character and bi rep!

Daughter of the Burning City

Daughter of the Burning City by Amanda Foody

(Young Adult Fantasy Mystery) Sapphic Disabled Character

Sorina has spent most of her life within the smoldering borders of the Gomorrah Festival. Yet even among the many unusual members of the traveling circus-city, Sorina stands apart as the only illusion-worker born in hundreds of years. This rare talent allows her to create illusions that others can see, feel and touch, with personalities all their own. But no matter how lifelike they may seem, her illusions are still just that—illusions, and not truly real. Or so she always believed…until one of them is murdered. This book has an abundance of rep! There is: a demiromantic ace boy, a bi MC who is blind, and lesbian side character!

You Should See Me in a Crown

You Should See Me in a Crown by Leah Johnson

(Young Adult Contemporary) Sapphic Disabled Character

This is a super fun book about Liz who decides to run for prom queen in order to win the scholarship money so she can afford to go to college. The only thing that makes it halfway bearable is the new girl in school, Mack. She’s smart, funny, and just as much of an outsider as Liz. But Mack is also in the running for queen. Will falling for the competition keep Liz from her dreams . . . or make them come true? This book is full of POC rep and Liz has anxiety, her brother also has sickle cell disease.

Little & Lion

Little & Lion by Brandy Colbert

(Young Adult Contemporary) Sapphic + Disability

When Suzette comes home to Los Angeles from her boarding school in New England, she isn’t sure if she’ll ever want to go back. L.A. is where her friends and family are (along with her crush, Emil). And her stepbrother, Lionel, who has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, needs her emotional support. But as she settles into her old life, Suzette finds herself falling for someone new…the same girl her brother is in love with.

Queens of Geek

Queens of Geek by Jen Wilde

(Young Adult Contemporary) Sapphic Disabled Character

Three friends, two love stories, one convention: this fun, feminist love letter to geek culture is all about fandom, friendship, and finding the courage to be yourself. This book features a bi MC who is Chinese-Australian and a fat MC who has anxiety and autism!

The Nowhere Girls

The Nowhere Girls by Amy Reed

(Young Adult Contemporary) Sapphic + Disability

This book has multiple POC main characters, including a lesbian MC and an autistic MC. Three misfits come together to avenge the rape of a fellow classmate and in the process trigger a change in the misogynist culture at their high school transforming the lives of everyone around them in this searing and timely story.

Their Troublesome Crush (Kink & Showtunes, #1)

Their Troublesome Crush by Xan West

(Adult Romance Novella) Sapphic Disabled Character

In this queer polyamorous m/f romance novella, two metamours realize they have crushes on each other while planning their shared partner’s birthday party together. Ernest, a Jewish autistic demiromantic queer fat trans man submissive, and Nora, a Jewish disabled queer fat femme cis woman switch, have to contend with an age gap, a desire not to mess up their lovely polyamorous dynamic as metamours, the fact that Ernest has never been attracted to a cis person before, and the reality that they are romantically attracted to each other, all while planning their dominant’s birthday party and trying to do a really good job.

The Priory of the Orange Tree

The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon

(Adult High Fantasy) Sapphic + Disability

This book has multiple main characters with disabilities including a character with a prosthetic arm, a character with a prosthetic leg and a character who uses a cane. The House of Berethnet has ruled Inys for a thousand years. Still unwed, Queen Sabran the Ninth must conceive a daughter to protect her realm from destruction – but assassins are getting closer to her door. Ead Duryan is an outsider at court. Though she has risen to the position of lady-in-waiting, she is loyal to a hidden society of mages. Ead keeps a watchful eye on Sabran, secretly protecting her with forbidden magic.

The Never Tilting World (The Never Tilting World, #1)

The Never Tilting World by Rin Chupeco

(Young Adult Fantasy) Sapphic + Disability

This book features a f/f romance as well as a male side character with a missing limb. Generations of twin goddesses have long ruled Aeon. But seventeen years ago, one sister’s betrayal defied an ancient prophecy and split their world in two. While one sister rules Aranth—a frozen city surrounded by a storm-wracked sea —her twin inhabits the sand-locked Golden City. But when shadowy forces begin to call their daughters, Odessa and Haidee, back to the site of the Breaking, the two young goddesses —along with a powerful healer from Aranth, and a mouthy desert scavenger —set out on separate journeys across treacherous wastelands, desperate to heal their broken world. No matter the sacrifice it demands.

Spellhacker

Spellhacker by M.K. England

(Young Adult Fantasy) Sapphic Disabled Character

This book has a non-binary character who is chronically ill. In Kyrkarta, magic—known as maz—was once a freely available natural resource. Then an earthquake released a magical plague, killing thousands and opening the door for a greedy corporation to make maz a commodity that’s tightly controlled—and, of course, outrageously expensive. Which is why Diz and her three best friends run a highly lucrative, highly illegal maz siphoning gig on the side. Their next job is supposed to be their last heist ever.

The Last True Poets of the Sea

The Last True Poets of the Sea by Julia Drake

(Young Adult Contemporary) Sapphic + Disability

The Larkin family isn’t just lucky—they persevere. At least that’s what Violet and her younger brother, Sam, were always told. When the Lyric sank off the coast of Maine, their great-great-great-grandmother didn’t drown like the rest of the passengers. No, Fidelia swam to shore, fell in love, and founded Lyric, Maine, the town Violet and Sam returned to every summer. But wrecks seem to run in the family. Tall, funny, musical Violet can’t stop partying with the wrong people. And, one beautiful summer day, brilliant, sensitive Sam attempts to take his own life. Shipped back to Lyric while Sam is in treatment, Violet is haunted by her family’s missing piece – the lost shipwreck she and Sam dreamed of discovering when they were children.

The Grief Keeper

The Grief Keeper by Alexandra Villasante

(Young Adult Contemporary Sci-Fi) Sapphic Disabled Character

The Grief Keeper is a tender tale that explores the heartbreak and consequences of when both love and human beings are branded illegal. With no options remaining when her asylum request gets denied, Marisol jumps at an unusual opportunity to stay in the United States. She’s asked to become a grief keeper, taking the grief of another into her own body to save a life. It’s a risky, experimental study, but if it means Marisol can keep her sister safe, she will risk anything. She just never imagined one of the risks would be falling in love, a love that may even be powerful enough to finally help her face her own crushing grief. The love interest in this book has PTSD and depression.

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

(Adult Historical Fiction) Sapphic Disabled Character

One of our favourites, and it’s guaranteed to make you cry. This book has a sapphic character who develops a disability later on in the book (I can’t say much without spoiling sorry but if you want to know feel free to dm me on twitter or something!!) The novel tells the story of the fictional Old Hollywood star Evelyn Hugo, who at the age of 79 decides to give a final interview to an unknown journalist, Monique Grant.

Otherbound

Otherbound by Corinne Duyvis

(Young Adult Fantasy/Sci-Fi) Sapphic Disabled Character

This book is dual-perspective between a mute queer girl and an amputee. Amara is never alone. Not when she’s protecting the cursed princess she unwillingly serves. Not when they’re fleeing across dunes and islands and seas to stay alive. Not when she’s punished, ordered around, or neglected. She can’t be alone, because a boy from another world experiences all that alongside her, looking through her eyes.

Run

Run by Kody Keplinger

(Young Adult Contemorary) Sapphic + Disability

Bo Dickinson is a girl with a wild reputation, a deadbeat dad, and a mama who’s not exactly sober most of the time. Agnes Atwood has never gone on a date, never even stayed out past ten, and never broken any of her parents’ overbearing rules. Rules that are meant to protect their legally blind daughter—protect her from what, Agnes isn’t quite sure. Despite everything, Bo and Agnes become best friends. And it’s the sort of friendship that runs truer and deeper than anything else. This book has a bi girl and a blind MC, both of which are #OwnVoices!!

Ascension (Tangled Axon, #1)

Ascension by Jacqueline Koyanagi

(Adult Sci-Fi) Sapphic Disabled Character

Alana Quick is the best damned sky surgeon in Heliodor City, but repairing starship engines barely pays the bills. When the desperate crew of a cargo vessel stops by her shipyard looking for her spiritually advanced sister Nova, Alana stows away. Maybe her boldness will land her a long-term gig on the crew. But the Tangled Axon proves to be more than star-watching and plasma coils. The chief engineer thinks he’s a wolf. The pilot fades in and out of existence. The captain is all blond hair, boots, and ego . . . and Alana can’t keep her eyes off her. Alana is queer and also has chronic pain and a muscle disease. This book is filled with POC characters and diversity!

As I Descended

As I Descended by Robin Talley

(Young Adult Dark Academia) Sapphic Disabled Character

For this one, there is at least one sapphic character who is disabled! I couldn’t find out what specific disabilities are in this book but based on a couple reviews there are multiple! This is a modern retelling of Macbeth but queer!!

The Mighty Heart of Sunny St. James

The Mighty Heart of Sunny St. James by Ashley Herring Blake

(Middle Grade Contemporary) Sapphic Disabled Character

When Sunny St. James receives a new heart, she decides to set off on a “New Life Plan”: 1) do awesome amazing things she could never do before; 2) find a new best friend; and 3) kiss a boy for the first time. Her “New Life Plan” seems to be racing forward, but when she meets her new best friend Quinn, Sunny questions whether she really wants to kiss a boy at all. When the reemergence of her mother, Sunny begins a journey to becoming the new Sunny St. James.

How It Feels to Float

How It Feels to Float by Helena Fox

(Young Adult Contemporary) Sapphic Disabled Character

One of my personal favourites!! Biz knows how to float. She has her people, her posse, her mom and the twins. She has Grace. And she has her dad, who tells her about the little kid she was, who loves her so hard, and who shouldn’t be here but is. So Biz doesn’t tell anyone anything. Not about her dark, runaway thoughts, not about kissing Grace or noticing Jasper, the new boy. And she doesn’t tell anyone about her dad. Because her dad died when she was six. And Biz knows how to float, right there on the surface—normal okay regular fine. This book is very heavily focused on mental health! Biz is bisexual and has depression.

The Devouring Gray (The Devouring Gray #1)

The Devouring Gray by Christine Lynn Herman

(Young Adult Fantasy Horror) Sapphic + Disability

Uprooted from the city, Violet doesn’t have much hope of fitting in at her new school in Four Paths, a town almost buried in the woodlands of rural New York. The fact that she’s descended from one of the town’s founders doesn’t help much, either—her new neighbours treat her with distant respect, and something very like fear. When she meets Justin, May, Isaac, and Harper, all children of founder families, and sees the otherworldly destruction they can wreak, she starts to wonder if the townsfolk are right to be afraid. When bodies start to appear in the woods, the locals become downright hostile. Can the teenagers solve the mystery of Four Paths, and their own part in it, before another calamity strikes? I’m not sure there’s any more than 2 straight characters in this book, there is an abundance of lgbtq+ rep, and one main character has a missing limb, however, she is straight!

Always Human

Always Human by Ari North

(Young Adult Sci-Fi Graphic Novel) Sapphic Disabled Character

This book is such a soft and adorable read. It’s a webcomic and can be read for free online!! In the near-future, people use technology to give the illusion of all kinds of body modifications—but some people have “Egan’s Syndrome,” a highly sensitive immune system that rejects these “mods” and are unable to use them. Those who are affected maintain a “natural” appearance, reliant on cosmetics and hair dye at most to help them play with their looks. Sunati is attracted to Austen the first time she sees her and is drawn to what she assumes is Austen’s bravery and confidence to live life unmodded. When Sunati learns the truth, she’s still attracted to Austen and asks her on a date. Gradually, their relationship unfolds as they deal with friends, family, and the emotional conflicts that come with every romance. Alos has eating disorder rep, so please check any other tws!!

Thanks for reading!! As always, if you think any of these books shouldn’t be on this list, or the rep is wrong, or the rep is harmful, PLEASE let us know!!!