Happy release week for The Sun and the Star! I’ve been a fan of Mark Oshiro since the early days of Mark Reads and Mark Watches, so I’ve been happy to see them write for one of the biggest fandoms around. Also, I love that Rick Riordan brought on a queer co-author for a book with a queer main character. Talk about using your platform for good!
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Queer books, BIPOC books, and sex education books continue to be targeted by book banners. We know these can be life-changing — even life-saving — for kids to have access to. That’s why today I’m highlighting EveryLibrary, which helps fight back against book bans. You can donate to help out, sign up as a volunteer, or join the mailing list on their homepage to stay up to date.
Check out Book Riot’s newest podcast! BookRiot.com co-founder Jeff O’Neal explores the wide bookish world. Interviews, lists, rankings, retrospectives, recommendations, and much more, featuring people who know and love books. Subscribe to First Edition on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or your podcatcher of choice.
Bookish Goods
Solangelo Ship Charm by pukaparade
For the Will Solace and Nico DiAngelo fans, celebrate their official (and very gay) book out this week with a Solangelo charm. $16
New Releases
Homebodies by Tembe Denton-Hurst (Sapphic Fiction)
Mickey is a queer Black writer in NYC stuck in a job that doesn’t respect her. Her girlfriend, Lex, is supportive, but Lex’s mother’s undermining of their relationship is driving a wedge between them. When Mickey is fired and quickly replaced, she leaves everything behind to go back home to Maryland to decide what to do next. Bumping into her ex just makes things more confusing. You can hear my full thoughts in the latest All the Books episode!
Stars Collide by Rachel Lacey (F/F Romance)
Eden Sands and Anna Moss are both singers looking to break out. Eden has been a star for 20 years, but her latest album flopped, and she just went through a divorce. Anna is a new artist looking to be taken more seriously. A duet could be just what they both need — even if Eden initially balks at the idea. When they begin to rehearse, though, the find the chemistry between them isn’t just of the musical variety.
The Humble Lover by Edmund White (Queer Fiction)
Best Men by Sidney Karger (M/M Romance)
Changing Spaces by Karmen Lee (F/F Romance)
Dragonfall by L.R. Lam (Queer Fantasy)
I Thought You Loved Me by MariNaomi (Queer Mixed Media Memoir)
The Pride Atlas: 500 Iconic Destinations for Queer Travelers by Maartje Hensen (Queer Travel Book)
For more new releases, check out our New Books newsletter!
Riot Recommendations
This week has so many new releases, let’s talk about a couple of queer middle grade books out now! Including one of the most anticipated new releases of the year: The Sun and the Star.
The Sun and the Star (Percy Jackson) by Rick Riordan and Mark Oshiro
Nico di Angelo was a major character in the Percy Jackson, The Heroes of Olympus, and The Trials of Apollo series. Now, he’s the main character of this standalone adventure, along with his boyfriend and fellow demigod Will Solace. Together, they will venture into the depths of the Underworld to try to rescue Bob — but the journey will test their relationship, and Nico will be forced to make a sacrifice.
Ellie Engle Saves Herself! by Leah Johnson
From the author of You Should See Me In a Crown and Rise to the Sun, this middle grade fantasy follows Ellie, who enjoys being out of the spotlight. She goes along with her best friend Abby’s plans to make her mark on the world. She also might have a bit of a crush on Abby, but she’s keeping that to herself. When Ellie wakes up one day with magic powers — and then a video of her using them goes viral — she’ll have to find a new way of navigating the world.
All the Links Fit to Click
LGBTQ Reads: Queer Jewish books to read for Jewish American Heritage Month and queer books by AAPI authors to read for AAPI Heritage Month
Making history with their words: 17 trailblazing queer and trans poets of our generation
Read Imogen, Obviously by Becky Albertalli Book Excerpt
Revisiting Radclyffe Hall’s Groundbreaking Lesbian Novel The Well of Loneliness, 95 years on
That’s it for me this week! Until next time, you can find me at my sapphic book blog the Lesbrary and (for now) Twitter. You can also hear me on All the Books or you can read my Book Riot posts.
Happy reading!
Danika