Genre: LGBTQ+

A love child between the Disney Channel’s Descendants franchise and Universal’s Dark Universe, Susan J. Morris’s paranormal urban fantasy novel revolving around a serial murder mystery. Featuring great atmosphere, a twisty investigation and all the aesthetics of the Gaslamp fantasy sub-genre, this book has a lot of compelling concepts matched with feminist themes given women’s restricted roles of the period. Though I found the book’s story to notably lag from its middle section onward and its ending leaving much to be desired, Strange Beasts is still a fun read, popcorn entertainment read. Whether it be a coincidence of the books I’ve been finding or a burgeoning trend, fantasy and science fiction flavored murder mystery investigations have become one of my favorite sub-genres lately and Strange Beasts more than fits the bill. The book serves as the start of Morris’s Harker & Moriarty series with long-running plotlines in addition to having its own self-contained murder mystery case set in early 20th century Paris. The book juggles two different storylines, one being the mysterious beastly murders of wealthy and powerful Parisian men and the other being Sam’s volatile channeling powers adjacent to Hel’s dysfunctional relationship with her father James Moriarty. The second…

A futuristic scifi, techno hacker speculative fiction, and queer retelling of the Great Gatsby is a concept I never would’ve considered and one that made me do a double take, but in Jay Gatsby’s own words per K.M. Fajardo’s author’s note, “why not”? Fajardo’s debut novel Local Heavens is a brilliantly crafted book that not only is wildly creative but is also a faithfully adapted love letter to F. Scott Fitzgerald’s original story. Modernized for the 21st century with a crazy genre-shift, this interpretation smartly capitalizes on all the best aspects of a retelling without being hindered by the typical drawbacks through careful artistic choices. Featuring beautifully poignant writing, excellent characterizations, and original storylines that work seamlessly with the original framework of events, Local Heavens is an amazing and unique read for both fans of the original book and new ones alike. “Though in this disquiet summer, a summer that pushed us forward into hedonistic apathy, Gatsby was the singular exception, flying over the dust and toils of our world on fire. Beyond that famous, corrupted name, he clung to a vestige of that old cosmic hope I’d readily believed did not exist anymore, his indestructible sincerity blossoming like an…

Ethereal poetry paired with a simple yet elegant fantasy story, Amal El-Mohtar’s novella The River Has Roots is an enchantingly read akin to a modern fairytale. Beautifully written with an air of sophistication, what this novella lacks in world-building detail given the book’s length it makes up with in poetic metaphors that are both dreamy as well as intelligent; notably a long-running comparison of the rules of grammar compared to the powers of magic being both creative and effective. (On Goodreads, a 4.5 star rating rounded down) Presented in a hybrid second- and third-person perspective, the tone of the narration paired with the reflective and introspective nature of El-Mohtar’s tale makes this a noteworthy book unlike anything I’ve read in quite some time. The strategic shifts to second person tense and the whimsical sense of wonder really pulls you into the story as if it’s being told by a bard or philosopher. Besides the well-balanced and beautiful prose, the book is filled with poetic stanzas and clever wordplay riddles that would make an English literature or grammar student thrilled; this novella has brains behind its beauty. As far as the story is concerned, it’s one that is appropriately detailed in…

Atmospheric, imaginative, but most importantly emotionally heartfelt, Don’t Let the Forest In is a stunning book that effortlessly mixes genres to tell its tale of teenage fears, longing, and pain. Blending dark fantasy, psychological horror, and romance wrapped up with a literary fiction touch, C.G. Drews’ novel takes the best elements of each genre and connects them to a grounded, character-centric story that’s as compelling as it is nuanced. Despite being classified as a YA book due to its characters’ ages and high school academy setting, this novel is a master class example of delivering a complex and impactful story without dumbing down its content for its intended readers. Ambitiously written, well-plotted, and featuring an ending that is both devastating and open to interpretation, Don’t Let the Forest In is easily one of the most impressive books I’ve read this year. Before breaking down the book’s more technical elements, there’s a few important points worth mentioning for those that are considering reading this book. Are you a sensitive reader that finds triggers upsetting? I’m not mentioning them specifically for spoilers here but do check your triggers as there are some difficult ones included. How about mild body horror and moderate…

Fake dating, friends to lovers, trans and queer Asian representation oh my! Mason Deaver’s adult romance novel debut is a really wholesome and cute read that’s both lighthearted and well-meaning. Although the story utilizes several familiar romance tropes, Deaver’s clever ideas meshed with authentically honest discussions of identity give the book a refreshingly different feeling and intention to it. Written in the style and prose of a YA novel filled with more new adult content, The Build-A-Boyfriend Project is a fun book worth reading for the vibes as long as one doesn’t expect too much from it. The fake dating trope is a narrative that has been utilized to death across the romance genre, and that’s no different when you narrow it further to queer literature. While the dating coach storyline utilized in this book is nothing new on its own, what is new is its application to the queer love and dating. Easily one of the best and most noteworthy elements of this novel is Deaver’s wonderful representation of minority groups, specifically trans male, queer Asian, and late-age exploration and dating. Besides Eli’s writing aspirations and romance history that I’ll be getting into shortly, this book heavily hinges on…