Genre: LGBTQ+

Imagine the church had a secret thirteenth chapel consisting of paranormal beings and monsters employed in carrying out assignments that cannot be achieved through more typical and moral methods. The Devils by Joe Abercrombie takes the dark fantasy genre and gives it an unhinged and comedic spin akin to the Suicide Squad within an epic fantasy tale. An action-packed story that has a lot of heart in it, this book features Abercrombie’s engaging and cinematic storytelling lightened by high-energy wit and over-the-top hijinks that’s a lot of fun to read provided one doesn’t compare it to or expect it to channel his more intense works. Similar to a street rat rags-to-riches story dressed up in light absurdity, The Devils’s story loosely covers the story of Brother Diaz assigned to lead a gang of immoral prisoners of various skills tasked with escorting the recently discovered lost princess Alexia to Troy to reclaim her title. Besides being an orphaned petty thief for most of her life with zero essence of nobility, she also is under threat from her powerful and dangerous cousins seeking to claim the throne for themselves. Plucked from the Holy City streets, the unlikely group’s reconnaissance mission hits some…

Like its namesake character, Bloody Rose by Nicholas Eames is a book that has big shoes to fill after its predecessor’s bombastic breakout. Rather than recycling or retreading familiar beats, this book is an effective and smart sequel that reflects and contrasts Saga’s adventures and fame, telling its own story that’s more serious, mature, and thematically rich while still maintaining the spirit of the first book. Though some readers may find it less funny or entertaining initially, Bloody Rose is a well-rounded high fantasy adventure that successfully builds off the first book’s world-building, lore and band culture. As far as debuts go, Eames’s Kings of the Wyld is a textbook example of making a statement, a book with a lot of personality and great humor. With the way the story ends, it’s clear a sequel was planned, though it would be facing high expectations. With such a large looming shadow behind it, Bloody Rose is an interesting and intelligently crafted sequel meant to be a companion piece to the first book rather than an attempt to outdo or rehash the same narrative formula. Set six years after the first book’s ending, this story follows the modest and unassuming Tam Hashford,…

This review is based on a complimentary Advanced Reader Copy provided by Poisoned Pen Press. A creature feature novel set in the tube, Jonathan Sims’s The Burn Line is a well‑crafted horror story that’s a quick read and something a bit different from the norms of the genre. Blending underground eldritch tension with English commentary on wealth disparity and social stigmatization, it features a multi‑POV presentation and a diverse set of characters with good representation. While some may have mild issues with the uneven pacing and the book’s slower middle section, it’s an otherwise polished and solid debut and a perfect sweltering summer read, unless cooler‑weather escapism is preferred. This book is set in the summer of 2022 during the UK’s unprecedented heatwaves that were not only historic by climate‑tracking records but also deadly. In addition to the record‑breaking weather, 2022 was still part of the Covid pandemic as well as a particular royal‑family‑related event that is included in this novel. Underground tunnels and subway systems have been used as the basis for horror novels before, but what makes The Burn Line unique is the heatwave element that gives the story a distinctive feel. Where many other books mention chilling realizations…

Set point, forty‑love to Austin Hardy’s intrusive thoughts. The Open Era by Edward Schmit is a wonderfully written queer lit novel that doubles as a sports romance book. Covering difficult topics such as mental health and anxiety, grief and familial loss, and finding one’s confidence beneath stadium spotlights and public judgment, Schmit serves and delivers an ace of a debut novel (I know these puns are bad, just let me roll with it). Humorous, relatable, and romantic when it wants to be, this book is incredibly wholesome and warm in all the right ways. A sports romance with actual sports content and a book of queer joy without feeling contrived or sanitized, The Open Era is a brilliantly written novel that I picked up and wouldn’t put down until I finished it. “Anxiety wrecks me almost daily. It makes me question everything. It makes me believe things that aren’t true. It makes me spiral. It knocks me out. Falling in love does all those things too. At this point it’s all the same.” Sporting one of the most beautiful and striking covers of the year, The Open Era was one of my most anticipated queer titles. While I don’t consider…

In anticipation of his new book Dearly Departed, I thought it would be an appropriate time to finally read Chip Pon’s debut novel You & I, Rewritten. Originally self‑published as an indie title, this book was subsequently picked up and given a limited hardcover print run by Rainbow Crate as their indie title for their Jan 2025 book box. Following newly hired publishing editor Will Cowen, this book follows his professional and personal journey with his boss Graham Austin as work and romance blend together. This book feels like a safe and wholesome hug to the queer booktok romance community that Chip is a part of, though its indie roots and debut novel nature are quite apparent compared to his more recent trade‑published titles.  I’m fully aware I’m reviewing Chip Pons’s books out of order, in addition to reading an indie self‑published book after a trade‑published one, which puts You & I, Rewritten on an uneven playing field. This book wasn’t on my radar when it was first published, but I had read and generally enjoyed Chip’s 2025 release Winging It With You, which was entertaining and had some unexpectedly great character writing, but left me wanting more given it…