May was a slow month in terms of loving what I read, but podcasts came through!
Katie takes a summer job caring for her neighbor’s 217 (!) cats, but both her neighbor and the cats have some secrets up their sleeves…
Omg the cats are so good in this. If you’re a cat lover, do not miss this.
Read More »I have no clue how to give this a summary because it’s effectively 5 stories in one: an immigration story, a coming out story, Tattercoats, Cinderella, and the Little Mermaid.
Suffice to say I lost my cool while reading this and am incredibly jealous of Trungles’ writing skills. Patreon here.
Read More »I come bearing more half-sketched thoughts.
With power comes responsibility, and I was thinking about how we as a community often give power to people because we like them (just as a person) or the work they do. But we don’t often think about (or ask) if this person will use this power well, or how they will use this power.
I’d also love to do a similar checklist or questions for community members to self-reflect on the people we choose to give power to, but IDK anything more beyond that.
In the meanwhile, here are some questions that are on my mind:
Identity porn ensues when April goes on a date with actor Marcus… who is also the fanfic author she’s been falling in love with.
I laughed so fucking hard. If you’re in fandom, especially fanfic, do not miss this. She includes actual ao3 tags in it and aslkfj;ask
Read More »A queer fantasy novella about learning to choose love that nurtures rather than hurts you. Also lovely fairy tale vibes. My feels! De Bodard’s Patreon here.
Secret cinnamon roll mercenary meets up with a nun. They each have secrets. Hijinks on the road ensues.
I didn’t realize T. Kingfisher had a new book in this universe, and boy did it come out when I needed a laugh-out-loud pick-me-up. Kingfisher (aka Ursula Vernon)’s Patreon here.
A memoir about the author’s postpartum psychosis. It’s billed as a memoir of motherhood and madness, but what hooked me was the way she discusses myth, family legacy/trauma, and the cycles we repeat. Her writing is excellent, and by the time she goes mad, it’s inevitable and even expected.
Julie from the Kate Daniels series returns to Atlanta with a new name and face to save her mom.
Y’all know Andrews is an insta-read author for me. They started posting snippets of this on their blog in 2020 and the finished version did not disappoint. I need the sequels ASAP!
A historical fantasy romance with a classic set-up: does our heroine choose love and duty, or freedom and magic?
I know everyone loves Polk’s Kingston Cycle, but it left me cold. I did, however, love The Midnight Bargain, Nadi in particular, and the love interest’s grovel. Nadi’s line at the end about winning made me tear up too. (I do echo sixthlight’s review that the book is weirdly heteronormative, with the exception of an aromantic/asexual character)
Read More »Edit 2/11/21 to add Barriner’s lqb2 newsletter.
We made it to 2021!! I didn’t read a ton on December, mostly re-read fanfic faves, and marathoned Bridgerton (which despite its flaws was immensely bingeable).
Iron Circus publishes some of the most solid and consistent comic anthologies, and this one centering erotic short comics about older folks is no exception. Tons of queer and trans representation too.
Read More »a short list this time. The last quarter of 2020’s been odd in that I haven’t read a ton of stuff I’ve loved, and have mostly just been re-reading fanfic.
Maryse hunts down members of the KKK possessed by demons, and if she’s to stop them, she’ll have to face down The Birth of a Nation, and her own desire for vengeance.
I need the sequel now!! Fox women with vengeance swords! There’s also a TV adaptation in the works, which is really exciting, with KiKi Layne and Kasi Lemmons attached!
Ginny arrives to help an old friend find out the circumstances of his niece’s death in Hollywood.
Ok, so I was meh about volume 1, though volume 2 was okay but stuck around because there’s a layout in volume 2 that was fucking amazing. Volume 3 though? Volume 3 is straight up magic. I love the fairy tale framing, the Utena-like shadow plays, and of course Ríos’ bonkers layouts.
Dystopian future set in San Francisco, where “feminism” has been co-opted by the patriarchy. Our heroine returns to her roots as a sex worker to free her husband.
This is even better than I thought it’d be, and I had high hopes to begin with. Lots of POC and I love that sex workers are talented af here. Also funny as hell, fave moment of choking a guy out with a strap on harness.
Read More »October was a funny month in that I didn’t really love the books I read. Luckily, The Old Guard fandom provided in spades, lol.
Here’s what I did enjoy this month! Lots of articles this time.
Unsurprisingly I loved this with its live backing band, way more than the original tracks. The piano! The harp!
A song about clear and proactive communication? Hell yeah.
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