Sponsored by Carina Adores – For Readers Who Love Love.
In this sexy, sophisticated romantic comedy, two women juggle romance and career across continents. After a blizzard leaves her stranded in Spain, museum courier Charlotte takes the opportunity to reunite with her grad school crush Adrianna. One night becomes three and three nights become a hot and adventurous long-distance relationship when Charlotte returns to the States. But when art historian Adrianna plots her next career move just as Charlotte finally opens a door in academia, distance may not be the only thing that keeps them apart. Perfect for fans of Meryl Wilsner’s Something to Talk About.
Last weekend, I participated in Dewey’s 24 Hour Readathon and had a great time! I stuck to mostly queer horror and otherwise Halloween-ish reads, and I had a lot of success. The Luminous Dead is an excellent creepy sapphic sci fi read (especially to absorb all 400 pages in basically one sitting), When I Arrived at the Castle is a disturbing sapphic vampire graphic novel that is equal parts horror and erotic, and Mooncakes was just as delightful as everyone always says it is.
Today, I wanted to highlight The National Center for Transgender Equality, which “advocates to change policies and society to increase understanding and acceptance of transgender people.” You can find out more at their website and support them at the donation page.
An Asexual, Queer Found Family Historical YA Novel
I usually write a general post or a list in this space, but I just read a fascinating queer book I had to talk to you about. It also has an asexual main character, and this is Asexual Awareness Week, so it’s all coming together!
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I picked up The Reckless Kind by Carly Heath for the November 2nd episode of All the Books. I couldn’t resist the premise: an asexual, queer found family, M/M romance YA novel set in 1904 Norway? Now that’s something I haven’t read before.
Luckily, it completely lived up to my hopes. It has three point of view characters: Aster, Gunnar, and Erland. Aster is an asexual (and probably aromantic?) girl who’s deaf in one ear and has Waardenburg Syndrome. She doesn’t really fit in to their small town, but she finds community and meaning in theater. There, she befriends Gunnar and Erland.
Gunnar is a Fuglestad, a “heathen” family. They’re vegetarians, they don’t go to church, and they’re generally considered outsiders — except that they’re also the only place to get your horses shoed, and they’re also the town’s de facto veterinarians. Gunnar also loves the theater — and Erland. It’s not long before the two start a secret love affair.
Erland comes from a wealthy French family who shower him in wealth (they built the playhouse for him), but also expect him to uphold their family’s values and behave in a particular way. Erland has no interest in those expectations, though, or his wealth. He is devoted to Gunnar, and nothing else matters to him.
In short succession, though, the three find themselves in a very difficult situation. (This all happens in the first few chapters.) Gunnar’s mother dies, and Gunnar loses his arm in the same accident. Their family’s farm is in debt, and they’ll soon lose it. Aster breaks off her engagement to a man she has no feelings for, and he attacks Gunnar in his rage, seriously injuring and possibly paralyzing him. Erland walks away from his family (and their money) to stay with Gunnar. Now it’s just the three of them, trying to figure out how to survive — and to save the Fuglestad farm.
I was fascinated by how this book is simultaneously completely unique and yet feels familiar — what could be more wholesome than a plan to save the family farm? Especially when the only answer is for them to win the annual horse race to take home the cash prize. I loved the family they built together, taking care of each other even when it’s difficult.
I do want to give some content warnings for violence, injury, and suicide ideation. More specifically, Gunnar has a very difficult time adjusting to his disability, and he makes frequent morbid “jokes” and considers himself a burden to the people around him. The author mentions in the author’s note that she drew on her own experiences with lumbar spine trauma and wanted to represent the whole complex experience of disability and chronic pain.
This is a fascinating and heartwarming read that I think would be perfect for the holidays — it builds up to the Christmas horse race, and the themes of found family are perfect for the colder months when you want something cozy. Even though this deals with prejudice, violence, and grief, it’s a hopeful book that also celebrates queerplatonic relationships and queer love in general.
All the Links Fit to Click
Your rage read (or disappointment read) of the day: Margaret Atwood wades into TERF territory on Twitter and demonstrated the danger of “passive transphobia.”
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It’s Asexual Awareness Week! Here are some book recommendations with asexual main characters.
Bookstagram helps LGBTQ+ readers find community.
October is LGBTQ history month. These are 17 must-read books about queer history. And here are more, including picks for kids and teens.
This county had their first Drag Queen Story Hour! This article includes lots of great photos and absolutely zero backlash, which is refreshing.
On the other hand… Drag Queen Story Time opponent is elected president of Lafayette library board, and immediately tries to shrink the scope and mission of the library.
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A Colorado middle school banned Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe.
Speaking of, here are some casting updates for the upcoming Aristotle and Dante adaptation.
How are LGBTQ historical romance book covers made?
Here’s how literary gatekeepers can advocate for Black trans women.
Read these sapphic YA witch books.
Listen to these queer audiobook retellings.
In today’s headlines I wasn’t expecting, Miller Lite sponsored a queer history book. It’s called Beers and Queer History and it’s by Dr. Eric Cervini.
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“Yes, there are trans Amazons.” The new Nubia comic introduces the first trans Amazon character, Bia.
Here a preview of Harley Quinn Season 3, with lots of Poison Ivy/Harley Quinn.
On sword lesbians and The Locked Tomb series.
This butch/butch yuri manga Kickstarter has already met its goal, but you can still back it.
Billy Porter’s new memoir, Unprotected, was covered at NPR, the Washington Post, USA Today, and Good Morning America.
“The Subversive, Sapphic Spiritual Lives of Nuns in Matrix.”
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A New York Times review from 1954 of The Alice B. Toklas Cookbook by Gertrude Stein.
Ryka Aoki was interviewed at Locus Online about Light From Uncommon Stars.
Karina Manta was interviewed about coming out as bisexual as a figure skater as well as her new book, On Top of Glass.
Andrea Abi-Karam was interviewed about their book Villainy and queer liberation.
LGBTQ Book Riot Posts
- 15 WLW Romance Books Like ONE LAST STOP
- I’m Tired of Queer Book Lists Without Context (I wrote this one. I love you, queer book TikTok, but you need to give me a little more information with book recs.)
- Book Challenges and Censorship This Week, including some familiar queer titles: Gender Queer and Lawn Boy.
- From the vault: 50 Must-Reads Books About LGBTQ History
- 8 Asexual Books to Help You Celebrate Asexual Awareness Week
- Also, this week is your last chance to get a limited edition Book Riot hoodie, shirt, or tote bag to celebrate the site’s 10th birthday!
New Releases This Week
Dreaming Of You by Melissa Lozada-Oliva (Queer Novel in Verse)
This is a novel in verse about Melissa, a young Latinx poet who, at a low point in her life, is given the ability to bring a celebrity back from the dead. She picks Selena, of course. It discusses Latinidad, obsession, and queer identity — plus she performs karaoke in hell.
Tink and Wendy by Kelly Ann Jacobson (Bisexual YA Fantasy Retelling)
“What happens when Tinker Bell is in love with both Peter Pan and Wendy?” This is the story of Tinker Bell mourning Peter Pan and Wendy’s deaths, and recounting to Wendy’s granddaughter the whole sorry story that landed her here. It rotates between past and present of their love triangle, along with excerpts from Neverland: A History.
Another Kind by Cait May and Trevor Bream (Non-Binary Middle Grade Fantasy Graphic Novel)
The six kids in Another Kind are not exactly human, but they have made a family for themselves, tucked away in a hidden place. But then their safe world is broken open, and they’ll have to find a way avoid The Collector, a monster searching for them. This has two non-binary characters.
Until We Fall by Nicole Zelniker (Trans Woman Fiction)
Sisters of the Great War by Suzanne Feldman (Sapphic Historical Fiction)
Tell Me I’m Worthless by Alison Rumfitt (Trans Woman Horror)
We Light Up the Sky by Lilliam Rivera (Queer YA Science Fiction)
Baggage: Tales from a Fully Packed Life by Alan Cumming (Bisexual Memoir)
That’s it for me this week! Until next time, you can find me at the Lesbrary as well as on Twitter @danikaellis. You can also hear me on All the Books on the first Tuesday of the month, read my Book Riot posts, and watch my weekly New Releases videos on the Book Riot Youtube channel. You can bet I sneak in as many queer titles as I can.
Happy reading!
Danika