Roar Cat Reads

Tag: nonbinary

  • Meet Cute Diary by Emery Lee

    Meet Cute Diary by Emery Lee

    Genre | Contemporary YA Fiction
    Page #s | 391
    Publishing Date | May 2021

    Noah Ramirez thinks he’s an expert on romance. He has to be for his popular blog, the Meet Cute Diary, a collection of trans happily ever afters. There’s just one problem—all the stories are fake. What started as the fantasies of a trans boy afraid to step out of the closet has grown into a beacon of hope for trans readers across the globe.

    When a troll exposes the blog as fiction, Noah’s world unravels. The only way to save the Diary is to convince everyone that the stories are true, but he doesn’t have any proof. Then Drew walks into Noah’s life, and the pieces fall into place: Drew is willing to fake-date Noah to save the Diary. But when Noah’s feelings grow beyond their staged romance, he realizes that dating in real life isn’t quite the same as finding love on the page.

    In this charming novel by Emery Lee, Noah will have to choose between following his own rules for love or discovering that the most romantic endings are the ones that go off script.

    Goodreads

    By now, y’all know I love a fake dating trope. What I love even more is a book that deconstructs and questions the fake dating trope, which is exactly what Meet Cute Diary does!

    Noah is a young trans man who has exacting ideas about how love works, and all of those ideas are simplified and hyper-romantic. It’s right on target with how my teenaged brain thought of relationships, and Noah has an extra level of empathy because he just wants to believe that love is possible for trans kids. However, you may not be surprised to learn that the point of this book is upending Noah’s ideas of a Perfect Romance in favor of something messier, more complicated, and ultimately, more fulfilling.

    There was a lot to like about this book. The central plot about falling in love while spending the summer with your older brother in a new city is always fun, especially when you throw a summer camp into the mix. But the reason this book hit a different level of appreciation for me is how it layered complexity into a traditional romantic romp.

    For instance, one of our supporting characters offers a surprisingly deep portrayal of gender identity exploration as complicated by anxiety and panic attacks. There was also a fairly nuanced portrayal of online cancel culture; Noah’s blog falsely portrays his fantasies as true stories. While his followers are technically right in their complaints, the way they abandon ship (with PITCH PERFECT comments) is excruciating, as is his desperation to save himself. I love a plot where no one is right, and the whole thing has to be thrown out so something new can begin.

    Where this book faltered a little for me is Noah himself. Similar to Neil in The Feeling of Falling in Love, Noah is self-absorbed and a little cruel. This especially comes to light in his long-distance friendship, and I couldn’t help wondering why so many people wanted to be friends with this kid! He does grow, but this is not a protagonist that I want to hang out with in real life. Maybe this is just teens – cynicism and egotism is often the way we are at that age.

    A fun twist on an old favorite, Meet Cute Diary is a good time with some interesting things to say.

    Who Do I Recommend This Book To?

    Share Meet Cute Diary with someone who could use a primer in how to handle a person asking them to use new pronouns.

    Check out our Queer Lil Library for more book recommendations and reviews!

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

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

    Genre | YA Contemporary Fiction Graphic Novel
    Page #s | 289
    Publishing Date | May 2019

    All Freddy Riley wants is for Laura Dean to stop breaking up with her.

    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.

    When Freddy consults the services of a local mystic, the mysterious Seek-Her, she isn’t thrilled with the advice she receives. But something’s got to give: Freddy’s heart is breaking in slow motion, and she may be about to lose her very best friend as well as her last shred of self-respect. Fortunately for Freddy, there are new friends, and the insight of advice columnist Anna Vice, to help her through being a teenager in love.

    Mariko Tamaki and Rosemary Valero-O’Connell bring to life a sweet and spirited tale of young love that asks us to consider what happens when we ditch the toxic relationships we crave to embrace the healthy ones we need.

    Goodreads

    The artwork in Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me is absolutely gorgeous; that is what kept me reading a story that I’m incredibly glad exists, but definitely feels like the kind of YA meant for high school students. It’s a story of young love, understanding when relationships are toxic, and learning not to neglect your friends even though you’re in love.

    Everything about Freddy is understandable, but Laura Dean’s red flags are so numerous and unthinkingly cruel that I just wanted to shake her until she realized she was better than this relationship of convenience. I was similarly annoyed by the very dramatic “You’re way too young for me; I’m 18 and you’re 17!” that is repeated. What??

    The highlight of this story is undoubtedly the crumbling friendship between Freddy and Doodle. The ways in which they miss each other’s bids for attention and care is heartbreaking and relatable. I was excited for the D&D shout out in this plot thread, but whoops, that turned out not so great.

    I might be underselling this book, because as I’m thinking about it, there is a lot of really wonderful stories here about abortion, queer progress, messy emotions, and no easy answers. And Freddy’s friend group is pretty much all varieties of queer, which is an accuracy that is great to see. You tell me – have you read Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me? What did you think?

    Who Do I Recommend This Book To?

    Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me is a great book to give to a queer teenager; bonus points if you use the book to actually discuss the themes within.

    Check out our Queer Lil Library for more book recommendations and reviews!

  • The Galaxy, and the Ground Within by Becky Chambers

    The Galaxy, and the Ground Within by Becky Chambers

    Genre | Science Fiction
    Page #s | 336
    Publishing Date | April 2021

    With no water, no air, and no native life, the planet Gora is unremarkable. The only thing it has going for it is a chance proximity to more popular worlds, making it a decent stopover for ships traveling between the wormholes that keep the Galactic Commons connected. If deep space is a highway, Gora is just your average truck stop.

    At the Five-Hop One-Stop, long-haul spacers can stretch their legs (if they have legs, that is), and get fuel, transit permits, and assorted supplies. The Five-Hop is run by an enterprising alien and her sometimes helpful child, who work hard to provide a little piece of home to everyone passing through.

    When a freak technological failure halts all traffic to and from Gora, three strangers—all different species with different aims—are thrown together at the Five-Hop. Grounded, with nothing to do but wait, the trio—an exiled artist with an appointment to keep, a cargo runner at a personal crossroads, and a mysterious individual doing her best to help those on the fringes—are compelled to confront where they’ve been, where they might go, and what they are, or could be, to each other.

    Goodreads

    The Galaxy, and the Ground Within is the fourth and final book in Becky Chambers’ sci-fi Wayfarers series, and it is either my favorite or second favorite of them all (other potential favorite is The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet). Like all of her books, this is a story about characters and cultures more than action-driven plot, although there is a crisis near the end that catapults our characters into action.

    What I love most about this novel in particular is that it’s all aliens, all the time! Although humans (and human-alien relationships) are discussed, we focus on inter-alien relationships as members of four different species are trapped in a single transit hub in a spectacular bottle episode.

    By this point in the series, we have grown to have certain opinions of the Galactic Commons and different species such as the Aeluons; this book creates even more nuance and offers a darker perspective to this largely utopian sci-fi vision through the character of Speaker and her oppressed/neglected species. Even when I say “darker,” that so misrepresents this book, because the heart of it is showing how people can connect and understand each other across ignorance and opposing opinions. This book is a master class in engaging with cultures other than your own and how to navigate uncomfortable conversations with empathy.

    As always, Chambers’ view of the future is expansive when it comes to gender, which is on full force in this book. One of the main characters is Tupo, a non-gendered pre-teen whose species uses xyr/xym pronouns until they are old enough to decide which gender fits them best. By offering us glimpses of different cultures’ approach to gender, Chambers opens up our current understanding and normalizes seeing gender as a journey.

    I’m sad that I’ve now finished the Wayfarers series, and I’m eager to read whatever Chambers writes next!

    Who Do I Recommend This Book To?

    The Galaxy, and the Ground Within is a great book to recommend to a sci-fi fan whose favorite part is the world building.

    Check out our Queer Lil Library for more book recommendations and reviews!

  • Gender Queer: A Memoir by Maia Kobabe

    Gender Queer: A Memoir by Maia Kobabe

    Genre | Graphic Novel Memoir
    Page #s | 240
    Publishing Date | May 2019

    In 2014, Maia Kobabe, who uses e/em/eir pronouns, thought that a comic of reading statistics would be the last autobiographical comic e would ever write. At the time, it was the only thing e felt comfortable with strangers knowing about em. Now, Gender Queer is here. Maia’s intensely cathartic autobiography charts eir journey of self-identity, which includes the mortification and confusion of adolescent crushes, grappling with how to come out to family and society, bonding with friends over erotic gay fanfiction, and facing the trauma of pap smears. Started as a way to explain to eir family what it means to be nonbinary and asexual, Gender Queer is more than a personal story: it is a useful and touching guide on gender identity—what it means and how to think about it—for advocates, friends, and humans everywhere.

    Goodreads

    Graphic novel memoirs are one of my favorite genres (see also: Spinning by Tillie Walden, Flamer by Mike Curato, and The Fire Never Goes Out by Nate Stevenson), and Gender Queer is one of the best. Kobabe chronicles eir winding gender journey with poignant honesty and an attention to detail that highlights the fact that it’s often the small moments in life that shape our understanding of ourselves.

    For anyone outside of the binary, this book is a breath of fresh air. In a world made for labels and boxes, it is incredibly disorienting to find oneself outside of the prescribed spaces. Tellingly, Kobabe points out that in avoiding societal boxes, e made eir own, which were sometimes equally unhelpful. One of my favorite stories was the realization that, because e is AFAB, e gravitated toward masculine outfits and hair styles. But when e dressed up as a man for Halloween, it gave em an allowance to lean into sequins and sparkles. It was a joy to watch Kobabe find eir fashion at the end that is a unique embrace of masculine and feminine styles.

    Within the book, Kobabe makes clear that some of the most impactful moments for eir self-esteem was when e had access to education and representation that normalized what e experienced. E has passed that gift on to queer readers, who will find themselves reflected on these pages, and to cis readers, who will have a personal story to lead them toward empathy and understanding.

    Who Do I Recommend This Book To?

    Gender Queer is a quick, deep read that is perfect for anyone who values honest reflections and well-told memories.

    Check out our Queer Lil Library for more book recommendations and reviews!

  • A Prayer for the Crown-Shy by Becky Chambers

    A Prayer for the Crown-Shy by Becky Chambers

    Genre | Science Fiction Novella
    Page #s | 152
    Publishing Date | July 2022

    After touring the rural areas of Panga, Sibling Dex (a Tea Monk of some renown) and Mosscap (a robot sent on a quest to determine what humanity really needs) turn their attention to the villages and cities of the little moon they call home.

    They hope to find the answers they seek, while making new friends, learning new concepts, and experiencing the entropic nature of the universe.

    Becky Chambers’s new series continues to ask: in a world where people have what they want, does having more even matter?

    They’re going to need to ask it a lot.

    Goodreads

    I adored the first Monk & Robot book, A Psalm for the Wild-Built, so I was surprised to find that I liked A Prayer for the Crown-Shy even more! Where the first book allowed us to meet our two protagonists, this time we get to see them interact with people and towns, which brings out new observations and interactions that are, as always, delightful. If you’re not familiar with Becky Chambers’ work, “delightful” is the watchword. Never has an author so consistently written the literary version of a mental hug.

    As Dex takes Mosscap from settlement to settlement, we have the pleasure of seeing a cozy utopia from an outsider’s perspective, from socialist currencies to next generation 3D printers to polyamorous family systems to the simply joy of a satchel. Along the way, the pair continue to have thoughtful philosophical questions, most notably about the ethical limits of medical care.

    I am unsure whether or not there will be more novellas in this series, but I desperately hope so. Now that we’ve seen the two meet then visit human civilization, I am crossing all my fingers hoping that Mosscap will take Dex to meet some of the other robots. I’m not ready for this lovely story to be over!

    Who Do I Recommend This Book To?

    A Prayer for the Crown-Shy is the perfect book for someone who wants to sink into a well thought-out futuristic sci-fi story that provides hope and appreciation for our own world.

    Check out our Queer Lil Library for more book recommendations and reviews!

  • Across a Field of Starlight by Blue Delliquanti

    Across a Field of Starlight by Blue Delliquanti

    Genre | Science Fiction Graphic Novel
    Page #s | 352
    Publishing Date | February 2022

    When they were kids, Fassen’s fighter spaceship crash-landed on a planet that Lu’s survey force was exploring. It was a forbidden meeting between a kid from a war-focused resistance movement and a kid whose community and planet are dedicated to peace and secrecy.

    Lu and Fassen are from different worlds and separate solar systems. But their friendship keeps them in each other’s orbit as they grow up. They stay in contact in secret as their communities are increasingly threatened by the omnipresent, ever-expanding empire.

    As the empire begins a new attack against Fassen’s people–and discovers Lu’s in the process–the two of them have the chance to reunite at last. They finally are able to be together…but at what cost? 

    This beautifully illustrated graphic novel is an epic science fiction romance between two non-binary characters as they find one another through time, distance, and war.

    Goodreads

    Across a Field of Starlight is a creative sci-fi graphic novel about two non-binary kids developing a long distance friendship while surviving a revolution against an evil empire. Lu is part of a separatist faction that avoids the fighting altogether while Fassen is rising in the revolutionary ranks; they each have to figure out how to resist an empire without losing their soul in the process. Along the way, the uncover hard lines they will not cross, but no easy answers.

    For me, the highlight of this book was seeing the beautiful diversity of trans and non-binary characters drawn on the page. There is a woman rocking a beard and body hair who is badass and lovely, and she stole the show for me! Additionally, because there are so many trans characters, some of them get to be bad guys, which was also so much fun!

    I really enjoyed this quick read, but I did feel that it didn’t QUITE reach the heights to which it could have aspired. The empire was not fully developed, so it was never very clear why it was so important to resist them. I mostly came away thinking their robots and flower-shaped space ships were pretty rad, which did not help me empathize with the revolutionaries. Still, it’s lovely to see a queer-heavy cast of characters in unique sci-fi settings!

    Who Do I Recommend This Book To?

    If you ever wished Star Wars was more queer, you’ll enjoy Across a Field of Starlight!

    Check out our Queer Lil Library for more book recommendations and reviews!

  • The Thousand Eyes by A.K. Larkwood

    The Thousand Eyes by A.K. Larkwood

    Genre | Fantasy
    Page #s | 385
    Publishing Date | February 2022

    The sequel to A. K. Larkwood’s stunning debut fantasy, The Unspoken Name, The Thousand Eyes continues The Serpent Gates series–perfect for fans of Jenn Lyons, Joe Abercrombie, and Ursula K. Le Guin.

    Two years ago, Csorwe and Shuthmili defied the wizard Belthandros Sethennai and stole his gauntlets. The gauntlets have made Shuthmili extraordinarily powerful, but they’re beginning to take a sinister toll on her. She and Csorwe travel to a distant world to discover how to use the gauntlets safely, but when an old enemy arrives on the scene, Shuthmili finds herself torn between clinging to her humanity and embracing eldritch power.

    Meanwhile, Tal Charossa returns to Tlaanthothe to find that Sethennai has gone missing. As well as being a wizard of unimaginable power, Sethennai is Tal’s old boss and former lover, and Tal wants nothing to do with him. When a magical catastrophe befalls the city, Tal tries to run rather than face his past, but soon learns that something even worse may lurk in the future. Throughout the worlds of the Echo Maze, fragments of an undead goddess begin to awaken, and not all confrontations can be put off forever…

    Goodreads

    The Unspoken Name is one of my favorite fantasy novels (my review is here), and I was so excited that its sequel, The Thousand Eyes, was just as good! A.K. Larkwood guides readers back into the world with ease, reminding us of important people and places very organically. This time around, the secondary characters are front and center; we get several POVs, most notably from Tal and Shuthmili. While part of me missed the focus on Csorwe, I also enjoyed getting into the heads of her friends and partners, and it was very satisfying to see her through their eyes.

    While the first book is about resisting enforced sacrifice, this sequel is about embracing sacrifice on your own terms. It seems like nearly everyone is (or wants to be) a vessel for a deity, and there are innumerable bargains made along the lines of, “Take my body so long as XXX lives!” It’s a nice balance to the previous book, and it’s lovely to watch characters wrestle with the question of what is worth sacrificing themselves for.

    Speaking of deities! There are so many, and it is so much fun to see the various iterations, the various interactions they have with their vessels, and how their universal thirst for power is actually quite diverse in scope. It was like watching a D&D party full of warlocks navigate their patron bargains in more or less disastrous ways.

    The heart of these books is the characters, though, and especially the sheer number of queer characters. Tal gets fleshed out more, and I adore him. Shuthmili and Csorwe have such a great romance that is somehow sweet and simple whilst enmeshed in gigantically dramatic plots. Sethannai is a wonderful antagonist who I never want to truly die, and Oranna is a complex delight. We also get a new character this time around: the nonbinary teen Tsereg, who is a breath of fresh air. I would read an endless series about these six.

    Who Do I Recommend This Book To?

    If you’re on the hunt for a unique fantasy series with a majority queer cast and a plot that twists and turns over decades…The Unspoken Name and The Thousand Eyes for you!

    Check out our Queer Lil Library for more book recommendations and reviews!

  • Dear Senthuran: A Black Spirit Memoir by Akwaeke Emezi

    Dear Senthuran: A Black Spirit Memoir by Akwaeke Emezi

    Genre | Memoir
    Page #s | 240
    Publishing Date | June 2021

    In three critically acclaimed novels, Akwaeke Emezi has introduced readers to a landscape marked by familial tensions, Igbo belief systems, and a boundless search for what it means to be free. Now, in this extraordinary memoir, the bestselling author of The Death of Vivek Oji reveals the harrowing yet resolute truths of their own life. Through candid, intimate correspondence with friends, lovers, and family, Emezi traces the unfolding of a self and the unforgettable journey of a creative spirit stepping into power in the human world. Their story weaves through transformative decisions about their gender and body, their precipitous path to success as a writer, and the turmoil of relationships on an emotional, romantic, and spiritual plane, culminating in a book that is as tender as it is brutal.

    Electrifying and inspiring, animated by the same voracious intelligence that distinguishes their fiction, Dear Senthuran is a revelatory account of storytelling, self, and survival.

    Goodreads

    I found Dear Senthuran to be a challenging, beautiful reading experience. Emezi is an astonishingly good writer; their prose is by turns beautiful, haunting, visceral, and unapologetic. Emezi’s book Pet quickly became one of my favorites, so I was eager to read this memoir that largely focuses on their literary career. It was a fascinating peek behind the publishing curtain, but it doesn’t stop there. We also get raw reflections on Emezi’s gender, relationships, and mental health. It is a powerhouse of a book; one I found genuinely difficult to read sometimes, but one that I can’t stop thinking about.

    There are two themes that have stuck with me the most: Emezi’s conversation about their spirithood (as opposed to personhood) and their honest journey of ambition, loneliness, and confidence as a Black writer. I admit that I am still wrestling with Emezi’s identification as an ogbanje, “an Igbo spirit that’s born into a human body, a kind of malevolent trickster, whose goal is to torment the human mother by dying unexpectedly only to return in the next child and do it all over again. They come and go.” This identification reflects Emezi’s suicidality as well as their lack of identification with any human gender. My American brain constantly wants to interpret this as a metaphor, yet Emezi directly challenges that response by asking readers why Western thoughts should be valued more highly than Nigerian worldviews. Touché!

    I also appreciated Emezi’s honesty about their authorial ambitions. Their confidence borders on arrogance, but in the best way possible. They are sure of their talent and refuse to ask for less than what they think they deserve. While this leads to financial success and recognition, it also isolates Emezi. I so admire them for sharing all sides of the situation; ambition is complicated, and it’s worth portraying the positive and negative consequences of its pursuit.

    This is such a rich book, and I really want more people to read it and share their thoughts! It would be an excellent book club choice!

    Who Do I Recommend This Book To?

    Dear Senthuran is for the literary reader who appreciates Good Writing™ as well as for anyone who appreciates a raw memoir that holds nothing back.

    Check out our Queer Lil Library for more book recommendations and reviews!

  • Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao

    Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao

    Genre | YA Fantasy/Science Fiction
    Page #s | 394
    Publishing Date | September 2021

    The boys of Huaxia dream of pairing up with girls to pilot Chrysalises, giant transforming robots that can battle the mecha aliens that lurk beyond the Great Wall. It doesn’t matter that the girls often die from the mental strain.

    When 18-year-old Zetian offers herself up as a concubine-pilot, it’s to assassinate the ace male pilot responsible for her sister’s death. But she gets her vengeance in a way nobody expected—she kills him through the psychic link between pilots and emerges from the cockpit unscathed. She is labeled an Iron Widow, a much-feared and much-silenced kind of female pilot who can sacrifice boys to power up Chrysalises instead.​

    To tame her unnerving yet invaluable mental strength, she is paired up with Li Shimin, the strongest and most controversial male pilot in Huaxia​. But now that Zetian has had a taste of power, she will not cower so easily. She will miss no opportunity to leverage their combined might and infamy to survive attempt after attempt on her life, until she can figure out exactly why the pilot system works in its misogynist way—and stop more girls from being sacrificed.

    Goodreads

    Iron Widow is an absolute page-turner with a propulsive plot, a mysteriously unique and totally awesome setting, and an amazing series of “Oh, this old trope? NOPE!” twists. Zhao is a very talented writer who knows how to immediately grab readers’ attention. Although I felt the middle section veered a little too close to other stories (notably, The Hunger Games), Zhao then dismantles all the things that feel familiar with feminism and queerness while ratcheting up the plot and leaving us desperate for a sequel. Um, YES PLEASE.

    The furious feminism that is embedded in every page is a breath of fresh air. No opportunity is missed to point out personal or systemic sexism. This is a story about a woman who sees how society has broken women in innumerable ways, through gender roles in marriage, through access to education, through foot bindings, through the propaganda told about what a woman is good for. Zetian is livid and determined to burn it all down, and she does not care a single bit if she looks like a villain for it. It. Is. AWESOME.

    The worldbuilding is immediately believable while also being a huge mystery. From the prologue describing a mech battle (how is it the third paragraph and I’m just now mentioning mech battles – THERE ARE MECH BATTLES!) with tech handed down by the gods, I was fully immersed. Most importantly, I also fully bought in, because there is enough here that maps onto our everyday experience (i.e. the sexism!) that the world feels very grounded despite the regular alien invasions.

    I don’t want to say too much about the storylines revolving around romances because some of the book’s best twists and turns are found here. I will just say that I loved that Zetian’s fierceness never dies just because she’s crushing on someone, and that I loved seeing two very different but equally healthy forms of masculinity portrayed. Beyond that…just read it for yourself!

    As far as I can see, there is no firm release date for the sequel, but I am going to read it as soon as it’s released!

    What Makes This Book Queer?

    Xiran Jay Zhao is a queer person who uses they/them pronouns. Queerness is sprinkled through the first half of the book and then comes into the second half in a big way. But I don’t want to say more – discover the details for yourself!

    Who Do I Recommend This Book To?

    Give Iron Widow to your feminist friends that you want to expose to genre and/or to your genre friends that you want to expose to feminism!

    Check out our Queer Lil Library for more book recommendations and reviews!

  • Twelfth Moon by Halli Starling

    Twelfth Moon by Halli Starling

    Genre |Romance Novella
    Page #s | 134
    Publishing Date | December 2021

    Elsie’s a small town with a lot of heart. Isn’t that how most small town romance stories begin? But this isn’t any love story. These five stories cross paths and connections, age, gender, sexuality, and different kinds of relationships. Stories like that of Harriet, the owner of Twelfth Moon perfumery and adopted mother to her nephew, Nu. Harriet always figured she’d be single for the rest of her life, but Dela Atwater appearing in her shop one blustery autumn day sparks something within her. A bit of romance and longing she’d long thought buried. 

    And what about Nu, Harriet’s nephew? He’s quickly falling for Miles, who works in the coffee shop next door to Twelfth Moon. The shop is owned by Miles’s brother, Jones, who has his own ideas about sex and lust and romance (or lack thereof). Across town, Maeve is learning how to exist as a widower but when they meet Evie, a spark is lit. And Yuri, Nu’s best friend, is anxiously awaiting the holidays so he can see his girlfriend, Beckett, once more. 

    It’s about hope and joy and queer love in so many shapes and forms, from the author of the dark fantasy/romance novel Wilderwood (“…will shatter readers’ expectations with its bewitching complexities…” – The BookLife Prize).

    Goodreads

    Twelfth Moon is a novella of five intersecting romances set in a small town queer utopia. It is a quintessential comfort read with a handy table of contents that informs readers what pairings to expect as well as where a story falls on a “sweet to smut” scale. Starling shines in her diverse characters and diverse relationships, and I especially loved how often the romantic stars were older women.

    Every shade of the rainbow is represented here! I was most surprised to see a polyamorous non-monogomous pairing celebrated; because this is a romance novel, I was cringing, half expecting them to realize their love for each other would make them want to be only with each other. No! They stay true to their values and preferences while having a great time together.

    Undoubtedly my favorite story was of a widow grieving her dead partner and connecting with someone and feeling romantic sparks for the first time in years. It is a sweet story that acknowledges the importance of honoring relationships while also being open to something new. It also doesn’t push characters into situations that wouldn’t make sense outside of a romance novel. Instead, we get to see a connection form and be happy for her to have found someone else that GETS her in the same way her partner once did.

    Basically, we should all be so lucky as to live in Elsie. Starling has said we might get more from this setting, and I am ready for it!

    Who Do I Recommend This Book To?

    Gift Twelfth Moon to your friend who wants a queer pick-me-up that can be read during their commute.

    Check out our Queer Lil Library for more book recommendations and reviews!

  • On a Sunbeam by Tillie Walden

    On a Sunbeam by Tillie Walden

    Genre | Science Fiction Graphic Novel
    Page #s | 533
    Publishing Date | May 2018

    Throughout the deepest reaches of space, a crew rebuilds beautiful and broken-down structures, painstakingly putting the past together. As new member Mia gets to know her team, the story flashes back to her pivotal year in boarding school, where she fell in love with a mysterious new student. Soon, though, Mia reveals her true purpose for joining their ship—to track down her long-lost love.

    An inventive world, a breathtaking love story, and stunning art come together in this new work by award-winning artist Tillie Walden.

    Goodreads

    Do you remember the moment when you realized that there are no women in The Hobbit? It was strange, right, because the story felt so natural and complete. Well, I’m here to offer you the exact opposite: On a Sunbeam, a science fiction graphic novel in which there are absolutely no men. It took me awhile to realize, since I assumed the story was simply focused on a queer group of construction workers, one of whom had flashbacks to her time at an all-female boarding school. But as we see more of the world, I’m pretty sure there are just…no men. Only women and nonbinary people allowed!

    It’s awesome, especially since the story revolves around the aforementioned construction crew (that works on giant floating buildings in a glorious tribute to “my sci-fi is cool rather than realistic”) and a mob boss family that protects an isolated planet of magical healing energy. Traditionally male playgrounds, but they aren’t missed here. Instead, we get to explore sisterhood, both biologically and found. The families here are hard won and well deserved, and I loved reading every page.

    What Makes This Book Queer?

    There are multiple sapphic romances in this book, from the lesbians who run the construction crew and must re-evaluate how they want to spend their lives together after an excitingly dangerous phase of getting to know each other. There’s a nonbinary character on the crew, and interestingly, the lack of men in this world doesn’t mean a lack of discrimination. Elliot’s pronouns are defended in a stand-up-and-clap scene that is a lesson to all feminists. And at the heart of the story is the slow burn / cut short / reunion romance between our protagonist Mia and the girl who got away back in school.

    Who Do I Recommend This Book To?

    On a Sunbeam is perfect for anyone who likes a found family narrative set in a gorgeously realized fantasy sci-fi world.

    Check out our Queer Lil Library for more book recommendations and reviews!

  • Wilderwood by Halli Starling

    Wilderwood by Halli Starling

    Genre | Fantasy / Romance
    Page #s | 256
    Publishing Date | August 2021

    “They say we are born, not made, as vampires. Created vampires are feral, ruthless killers who desire blood above all else. Those who are born into this fate have better control and thus are civilized. That we are only brutal if we choose to be. And so because we have free will, we are more like the humans and the other creatures with souls. I have never once felt human, or like anything else. I know what I am, and it is because of that feeling, and because of the marks on my flesh, that I stand steadfast in my cause.”

    Wilderwood is a haven for those who have been cast out of “proper” society: academics, artists, the eccentrics and undesirous. It is also home to other kind and having weres, mages, and even an ancient griffin living amongst mortals just isn’t done.

    Except in Wilderwood.

    Octavia Wilder cares for those who live in the town her ancestor built and when a feral vampire threatens the peace, she partners with the Ranger who has brought word of the threat.

    Ranger Roderick Arman hunts Corbin Luther, the feral vampire who killed his partner two years ago. When Luther’s trail leads him to the odd little town of Wilderwood, he quickly realizes there’s more to the town – and his hunt – than expected.

    Ranger Bellemy Eislen disappeared two years ago when what was to be a quick trip to the Faelands on behalf of the Rangers went entirely wrong. Trapped in another realm, they tirelessly sought a way back to their world. And to Wilderwood and Octavia.

    The three of them must fight to save Wilderwood from an invasion from another realm and protect the town from the Faelands Queen.

    Wilderwood is a fantasy/romance book with some violent and sexual elements. The story features a polyamorous, queer romance between three consenting adults.

    Goodreads

    If you’ve ever read a book and rolled your eyes at the developing love triangle, thinking, “Why don’t they just bone each other?” then boy, is this the book for you! It was so refreshing to see three competent adults deal with their attraction to each other with communication, a priority for their partner’s happiness, and an openness to new experiences.

    Although Wilderwood is set in the “1800’s,” it’s first and foremost a fantasy, with all the word’s implications. If you have to handwave away a linguistic anachronism here or a modern concept there, well, get used to it. There are vampires and encroaching fey worlds; realism is not the point here.

    You know what’s also not realistic? How horny everyone gets in the most horrific situations! I have a feeling that my opinion is only revealing how rarely I read erotica, because these people sure got turned on at the most inopportune times. The sex scenes were good fun, but I couldn’t help wishing that they would like, rest before the big battle or just have an anxious sulk….This is probably why no one is writing a book about my life.

    The highlight of this book for me was how unapologetically queer it is. There is a trans character whose pronouns are immediately respected by all, gay love between side characters, and the aforementioned polyamory between magical beings of all genders. It was so nice to see diverse relationships play out with no mention of their diversity. This is my favorite part of fantasy – showing the world as we want it to be (though I would prefer mine with a LOT fewer melted cows).

    Check out our Queer Lil Library for more book recommendations and reviews!

  • Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers

    Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers

    Genre | Science Fiction Novella
    Page #s | 160
    Publishing Date | July 2021

    Hugo Award-winner Becky Chambers’s delightful new series gives us hope for the future.

    It’s been centuries since the robots of Earth gained self-awareness and laid down their tools.
    Centuries since they wandered, en masse, into the wilderness, never to be seen again.
    Centuries since they faded into myth and urban legend.

    One day, the life of a tea monk is upended by the arrival of a robot, there to honor the old promise of checking in. The robot cannot go back until the question of “what do people need?” is answered.

    But the answer to that question depends on who you ask, and how.
    They’re going to need to ask it a lot.

    Becky Chambers’ new series asks: in a world where people have what they want, does having more matter?

    Goodreads

    A cozy novella about discontent and discovery, Psalm for the Wild-Built is comforting and inspiring. Set in a rich world that had me eager for further exploration in the (hopefully inevitable) sequels, I adored learning about the unexpected robot consciousness event and how the world reacted in the best possible way – by dividing the world in half and letting robots roam free in the wild.

    Sibling Dex, a non-binary tea monk, travels the world as a barista/counselor on their bike-powered tiny house. If that sentence doesn’t make you want to read the book, then our brains work in very different ways. Despite living in supportive, meaningful environments, Dex can’t help but want more. This drive leads them into the wild, where they come across Mosscap, a robot whose curiosity has led them seek out a human, hoping to discover what it is that humans need. Together they journey, talk, and learn from each other. There’s not really a plot, and one isn’t necessary. It’s perfect exactly as it is.

    There are a few things that I especially love about this novella. The first is the titular concept of “wild-built” – the original robots decided not to live forever but to remake themselves, combining pieces of themselves with other robots to create a new generation. However, the phrase also evokes the feeling that drives Dex – a restless need to wander and discover that the civilized world doesn’t understand or feel.

    I also adored the naming convention for robots, the easy way gender and sexuality is portrayed, and the vision of a future in which the right ecological and social decisions were made. It’s a wholly lovely book, and I very much recommend it.

    Who Would I Recommend This Book To?

    Perfect for anyone who wants a short and sweet science fiction story.

    Rating: 5 out of 5.

    Check out our Queer Lil Library for more book recommendations and reviews!

  • Victories Greater Than Death by Charlie Jane Anders

    Victories Greater Than Death by Charlie Jane Anders

    Genre | YA Science Fiction
    Page #s | 283
    Publishing Date | April 2021

    Tina never worries about being ‘ordinary’—she doesn’t have to, since she’s known practically forever that she’s not just Tina Mains, average teenager and beloved daughter. She’s also the keeper of an interplanetary rescue beacon, and one day soon, it’s going to activate, and then her dreams of saving all the worlds and adventuring among the stars will finally be possible. Tina’s legacy, after all, is intergalactic—she is the hidden clone of a famed alien hero, left on Earth disguised as a human to give the universe another chance to defeat a terrible evil.

    But when the beacon activates, it turns out that Tina’s destiny isn’t quite what she expected. Things are far more dangerous than she ever assumed. Luckily, Tina is surrounded by a crew she can trust, and her best friend Rachel, and she is still determined to save all the worlds. But first she’ll have to save herself.

    Buckle up your seatbelt for this thrilling sci-fi adventure set against an intergalactic war from international bestselling author Charlie Jane Anders.

    Goodreads

    Boasting some of the most creative sci-fi elements I’ve ever seen in a novel, I really wanted to like Victories Greater than Death. Unfortunately, the characters felt unrealistic and the plot felt like a series of events that the author wanted to happen rather than a cohesive series of consequences.

    Tina’s mother always told her that she was an alien with human DNA who was implanted with a rescue beacon in her chest. I kept waiting for this to be questioned by someone, but no, it is a fact that is accepted despite Earth having no previous contact with extraterrestrial beings. When the rescue beacon does, in fact, go off, Tina and her best friend Rachael are whisked into an interstellar adventure.

    There were many details that enthralled me and kept me reading. Some were pure creativity, like the Cydoghian egg burst, an alien meal that expands and contracts as you attempt to eat it. Others were politically creative, like the culture they come across that only allows people to participate in governmental leadership while pregnant (male or female) because they are then more likely to consider the future. I also love the queer expansion of a sci-fi trope, making the universal translator automatically include people’s pronouns when they introduce themselves.

    And then there was the legitimately creepy death goo coating the Big Bad’s hands. When he touches someone, they melt into a puddle. Even worse, everyone’s memory of that person is permanently tainted, leaving them with the belief that the deceased was a worthless, gross being. This is so cool and disturbing! Unfortunately, it also loses its bite, since Tina quickly realizes what has happened and constantly reminds herself that this feeling isn’t true.

    This is a YA book, but this lack of a bite is felt in a lot of ways, and I think the novel suffers for it. Tina and Rachael bring four other earthlings aboard the space ship before they book it into outer space. These four are explicitly meant to be the smartest students on the planet, but they’ve definitely never left the planet before. Nevertheless, it is our humans who save the day and stay alive while much more experienced creatures die in the emotional moments. Eventually it made me lose any fear of confrontations since I knew who would survive.

    I did enjoy reading this book, and as I said, the creativity is really fun. But I feel like it could have used another round of editing while asking, “Does it make sense for this person to say and/or do this right now?”

    What Makes This Book Queer?

    Undoubtedly, the queerness of this book is the strongest point in its favor. In addition to my earlier mention about sharing pronouns being standardized, there are multiple nonbinary and trans characters in addition to multiple gay, pan, and queer characters, plus a description of a culture where polyamory is the norm.

    Who Would I Recommend This Book To?

    This is a good book for someone who wants a light read and is more interested in world building than in plot.

    Rating: 3 out of 5.

    Check out our Queer Lil Library for more book recommendations and reviews!

  • Trans-Galactic Bike Ride edited by Lydia Rogue

    Trans-Galactic Bike Ride edited by Lydia Rogue

    Genre | Anthology of Science Fiction Short Stories
    Page #s | 156
    Publishing Date | December 2020

    What would the future look like if we weren’t so hung up on putting people into boxes and instead empowered each other to reach for the stars? Take a ride with us as we explore a future where trans and nonbinary people are the heroes.

    In worlds where bicycle rides bring luck, a minotaur needs a bicycle, and werewolves stalk the post-apocalyptic landscape, nobody has time to question gender. Whatever your identity you’ll enjoy these stories that are both thought-provoking and fun adventures.

    Featuring brand-new stories from Hugo, Nebula, and Lambda Literary Award-winning author Charlie Jane Anders, Ava Kelly, Juliet Kemp, Rafi Kleiman, Tucker Lieberman, Nathan Alling Long, Ether Nepenthes, and Nebula-nominated M. Darusha Wehm. Also featuring debut stories from Diana Lane and Marcus Woodman.

    Goodreads

    I don’t typically like anthologies of short stories, but apparently I just needed to read short stories about space bikes with trans narratives! Each story was unique, from werewolves and mailmen to launching a bike into space like a rocket, but the anthology was edited perfectly into a cohesive whole with, well, bikes and trans characters!

    This is a book that distinctly feels written for a trans audience. That isn’t to say I felt excluded in any way! It was saturated in trans themes and issues, and it wasn’t going to pander to my ignorance. It was my job to do the work to keep up, and I really enjoyed doing so!

    I was constantly amazed at how most of the books I read AREN’T aimed at trans audiences. The casual mentions of dysphoria during pregnancy, of partners reminding each other to take their meds, or noticing a woman’s legs because the protagonist just increased their testosterone level made me realize how so many essential details of a trans person’s life are erased in most literature. Of course, every book doesn’t need to cover every person’s perspective, but I am now fully on board for a huge increase in books featuring trans and non-binary characters. Emphasis on plural, since one of the most revolutionary things about this anthology is that more characters are trans than not. Down with tokenism!

    It’s hard to choose a favorite story, but two that have stuck with me are Juliet Kemp’s “Riding for Luck,” which captured the magical feeling of timing your ride to hit all green lights in such an evocative way and the final story “Beyond” by Nathan Alling Long. It felt perfect, after ten other short stories made of excellence, for the book to end with a story of trans people biking away from earth and saying, “We’re not coming back, but you can join us if you want to!”

    Who Would I Recommend This Book To?

    Trans-Galactic Bike Ride is a great gift for your favorite sci-fi geek who needs a break from books that double as bricks.

    Rating: 5 out of 5.

    Check out our Queer Lil Library for more book recommendations and reviews!

    Find more books nominated for Lambda Literary Awards reviewed here.