LGBTQ+
The long way to a small, angry planet
Chambers, Becky, author.
SCIENCE FICTION Chambers Becky
Fantasy, LGBTQ+, Science Fiction
One of Becky Chambers' most famous novels, "The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet" follows Rosemary Harper as she joins the diverse, multi-species crew of the aging spaceship "Wayfarer," seeking a fresh start. When the crew takes on a high-risk job to punch a tunnel to a distant, politically unstable planet, they embark on a long journey through deep space. Along they way, they encounter strange planets, interspecies tensions, personal revelations, and moments of found-family warmth.
Some desperate glory
Emily Tesh
SCIENCE FICTION Tesh Emily
Fiction, LGBTQ+, Science Fiction
"While we live, the enemy shall fear us. Since she was born, Kyr has trained for the day she can avenge the murder of planet Earth. Raised in the bowels of Gaea Station alongside the last scraps of humanity, she readies herself to face the Wisdom, the powerful, reality-shaping weapon that gave the majoda their victory over humanity. They are what's left. They are what must survive. Kyr is one of the best warriors of her generation, the sword of a dead planet. When Command assigns her brother to certain death and relegates her to Nursery to bear sons until she dies trying, she knows must take humanity's revenge into her own hands. Alongside her brother's brilliant but seditious friend and a lonely, captive alien, Kyr escapes from everything she's known into a universe far more complicated than she was taught and far more wondrous than she could have imagined"--
Added by Chelsea
I keep my exoskeletons to myself : a novel
Marisa Crane
SCIENCE FICTION Crane Marisa
Fiction, Dystopian, LGBTQ+
When the Department of Balance adopts a radical new form of law enforcement, Kris, a new mother raising a child alone after her wife dies, finds support in a community of fellow misfits who defy the Department to lift one another up in solidarity and hope.
This book stood out for its vibrant characters and nuanced depiction of grief. I really loved that Kris was able to heal from her grief through building community, and that the book acknowledged the necessity of balancing resistance and safety. -Chelsea
Here we go again : a novel
Cochrun, Alison, author.
FICTION Cochrun Alison
LGBTQ+, Romance
A queer rom-com following once childhood best friends forced together to drive their former teacher across the country.
(Road trip!) Maybe you're in the mood for a road trip full of second chances and some unexpected romantic sparks? Alison Cochrun's queer rom-com is a great car trip escape, making memorable stops at Old Wounds Station, Chemistry Junction, and the Forgiveness Café. Exploring life's past choices and the road still ahead, this is a summer trip you won't want to miss. -Madison C
The River Has Roots
Amal El-Mohtar
OverDrive Audiobook
Fiction, Fantasy, LGBTQ+
"In the small town of Thistleford, on the edge of Faerie, the mysterious Hawthorn family tends the willow trees there. For as long as anyone can remember, the Hawthorns have paid tribute to the willow trees, honouring an ancient compact to sing to them in thanks for their magic. None, though, have taken up this calling more devotedly than the family's latest daughters, Esther and Ysabel, who cherish each other as much as they cherish the trees. But when Esther rejects a forceful suitor in favour of a lover from the land of Faerie, not only the sisters' bond but also their lives will be at risk"--
El-Mohtar's writing is every bit as lyrical as it was in "This is How You Lose the Time War." I think my only criticism of this story is that I wish there was more of it! I want to continue to explore the grammar of this world. I want to specifically recommend the audio book because this novella is full of songs and music, and the audio book performances are wonderful. -Chelsea
The salt grows heavy
Cassandra Khaw
FICTION Khaw Cassandr
Fiction, Fantasy, LGBTQ+
"You may think you know how the fairytale goes: a mermaid comes to shore and weds the prince. But what the fables forget is that mermaids have teeth. And now, her daughters have devoured the kingdom and burned it to ashes. On the run, the mermaid is joined by a mysterious plague doctor with a darkness of their own. Deep in the eerie, snow-crusted forest, the pair stumble upon a village of ageless children who thirst for blood, and the three "saints" who control them. The mermaid and her doctor must embrace the cruelest parts of their true nature if they hope to survive"--
A strange and monstrous queer love story, perfect for pride month! -Chelsea
Hungerstone : a novel
Dunn, Kat, author.
FICTION Dunn Kat
Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Horror, LGBTQ+
It's the height of the industrial revolution and ten years into Lenore's marriage to steel magnate Henry, their relationship has soured. When Henry's ambitions take them from London to the remote British moorlands to host a hunting party, a shocking carriage accident brings the mysterious Carmilla into their lives. Carmilla, who is weak and pale during the day but vibrant at night. Carmilla, who stirs up something deep within Lenore. And before long, girls from the local villages fall sick, consumed by a terrible hunger. As the day of the hunt draws closer, Lenore begins to unravel, questioning the role she has been playing all these years. Torn between regaining her husband's affection and the cravings Carmilla has awakened, soon Lenore will uncover a darkness in her household that will place her at terrible risk.
This atmospheric, sapphic gothic tale is rife with feminine rage, insatiable desire, and a quest for meaning beyond life's mundane. Kat Dunn's latest novel is perfect for those looking to take a bite out of a modern, "Carmilla" retelling. -Madison C
The Starving Saints
Starling, Caitlin.
ON ORDER BOOK
Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Horror, LGBTQ+
"Aymar Castle has been under siege for six months. Food is running low and there has been no sign of rescue. But just as the survivors consider deliberately thinning their number, the castle stores are replenished. The sick are healed. And the divine figures of the Constant Lady and her Saints have arrived, despite the barricaded gates, offering succor in return for adoration. Soon, the entire castle is under the sway of their saviors, partaking in intoxicating feasts of terrible origin. The war hero Ser Voyne gives her allegiance to the Constant Lady. Phosyne, a disorganized, paranoid nun-turned-sorceress, races to unravel the mystery of these new visitors. And a serving girl, Treila, is torn between her thirst for a secret vengeance against Voyne and the desperate need to escape from the horrors that are unfolding. To save the castle, and themselves, will take a reimagining of who they are, and a reorganization of the very world itself."
If unsettling horror with a medieval gothic flair sounds like your kind of read, then Caitlin Starling's most recent novel is perfect for you. Blending faith, gluttony, and the power of manipulation, "The Starving Saints" explores what happens when devotion takes a deadly turn, leaving any reader hungry for more. -Madison C
Godkiller
Hannah Kaner
SCIENCE FICTION Kaner Hannah
Diverse Characters, Fiction, Fantasy, LGBTQ+
"Gods are forbidden in the kingdom of Middren. Formed by human desires and fed by their worship, there are countless gods in the world--but after a great war, the new king outlawed them and now pays "godkillers" to destroy any who try to rise from the shadows. As a child, Kissen saw her family murdered by a fire god. Now, she makes a living killing them and enjoys it. But all this changes when Kissen is tasked with helping a young noble girl with a god problem. The child's soul is bonded to a tiny god of white lies, and Kissen can't kill it without ending the girl's life too. Joined by a disillusioned knight on a secret quest, the unlikely group must travel to the ruined city of Blenraden, where the last of the wild gods reside, to each beg a favor. Pursued by assassins and demons, and in the midst of burgeoning civil war, they will all face a reckoning. Something is rotting at the heart of their world, and they are the only ones who can stop it." -- Back cover.
"Godkiller" has wonderful, immersive world building (I want to eat, like, all of the food described in this series), and memorable characters. The cast is incredibly diverse, featuring multiple characters with disabilities, casual queerness, and thoughtfully executed fantasy racial diversity. The first novel has strong DnD vibes, but the characters quickly evolve past those initial archetypes as the series continues. This is one of my new favorite fantasy series, and I would recommend the sequels, "Sunbringer" and "Faithbreaker" as well. -Chelsea
The Book Eaters
Sunyi Dean
SCIENCE FICTION Dean Sunyi
Fiction, Fantasy, LGBTQ+
"Sunyi Dean's The Book Eaters is a contemporary fantasy debut. It's a story of motherhood, sacrifice, and hope; of queer identity and learning to accept who you are; of gilded lies and the danger of believing the narratives others create for you. Out on the Yorkshire Moors lives a secret line of people for whom books are food, and who retain all of a book's content after eating it. To them, spy novels are a peppery snack; romance novels are sweet and delicious. Eating a map can help them remember destinations, and children, when they misbehave, are forced to eat dry, musty pages from dictionaries. Devon is part of The Family, an old and reclusive clan of book eaters. Her brothers grow up feasting on stories of valor and adventure, and Devon--like all other book eater women--is raised on a carefully curated diet of fairytales and cautionary stories. But real life doesn't always come with happy endings, as Devon learns when her son is born with a rare and darker kind of hunger-not for books, but for human minds"--
An excellent fantasy novel about agency, legacy, and what mothers owe to their children. I'm looking forward to what this author writes next, and I would love to read more from this universe! -Chelsea
(For those who miss "Firefly") Cancelled over 20 years ago, "Firefly" fans still talk about this show's unjust cancellation. After its ill-fated 11-episode airing, many fans were left with several unfinished storylines. To help fill that Serenity-sized hole in your heart, this novel is sure to deliver on the found-family charm, snappy dialogue, and underdog spirit embodied by Firefly, all while delivering tons of heart. -Madison C