I liked Beautiful Things by Emily Rath, but I LOVED its conclusion, His Grace, the Duke. These are Emily Rath's first self published books (regency why choose!) and they got a MAJOR glow up for their trad pub release! Thank you to Netgalley and Kensington for the ARCs!

YAY TO MY 5-STAR DROUGHT BEING OVER!!! This was a seriously weird month of reading and that seems to be just what I needed!

Look, this book is so weird. I completely understand why it might not be for everyone. But damn, I loved it. All of the characters were messy, the narrator is unhinged... this is a plant girl's perfect Halloween read. #plantgirl #littleshopofhorrors #sapphicseptember

While reading this novella, I felt like I was hearing a story I knew, as it reads like a folktale that is told by a fireside or at a traveling show. For an immersive reading experience, have a physical copy of the book while listening to the audiobook.

Julian Winters makes his adult romance debut in this heartwarming duo! Every character in both of these books is so fleshed out (not an archetype in sight). #mlmromance #readdiversely #adultromance #julianwinters #upcomingrelease

Started off Sapphic September and spooky season off right with this wonderful anthology. Aiming to have a collection of stories that prove everyone is a little magical, these stories feature trans main characters with magical abilities. Its YA, diverse, and has a great range of fantasy stories!

Emily Rath and Nisha Sharma the QUEENS that you are! These 2 wonderful women showed up big for the Pucking Strong launch and then they just... stayed... in a bookstore that was too hot to make sure Every. Single. Book. got signed. And I should know, because we were in the last group of 10 people.

I think I am a sucker for found family and a character discovering there is more to life than how they have been living. And despite its absurdity, those are 2 of the themes of this unhinged romance, with a surprisingly sweet HEA and kind of shockingly well-rounded and loveable characters.

The 5-star book drought continues, but I had a lot of fun reading these books this month! What were your favorite reads this month?

I don't want to say too much about this book, other than (1) this is the perfect time to read it and (2) the audiobook is so well done, but you also need to be reading a physical copy of the book to get the full experience. Happy reading! #weusedtolivehere #hauntingreads #spookyseason

This book looks like a rom com (its not) and is often compared to the universally beloved "Eleanor Oliphant..." But Susan Green is no Eleanor Oliphant. She is smart, opinionated, and deeply unlikeable. But as the book goes on, she is also vulnerable, quirky, funny. Its a surprisingly sweet read.

I got to re-read it (and read it's sequel, The Cursed Fatel) courtesy of Netgalley! These books are queer found family, magic, and a bit of angst all in gorgeously illustrated graphic novels. The first one (out now) is literally the perfect read for as the weather turns cold. #graphicnovels

These books are sexy and sweet and tackle some bigger issues (addiction, mental health, PTSD) with tact and nuance. Definitely the perfect time to read about sexy teachers! 😉 #netgalleyARC #mmromance #mawardell

I don't normally post critical reviews. I was fully prepared for the 3rd book to be the last... and that would have been okay with me. The series would end when it was most fun. Instead, the 3rd book drags out worn tropes and a year-long wait (at least) for what I hope is the conclusion.

Super Niche Book Series That Probably Aren't for Everyone (but Definitely ARE for me) (And might be for you, too!)

Used to being on her own, when Tao meets Silt, Mash, and Kina, she begins to make friends and depend on others. This is a cozy, found family fantasy. Saccharine and gentle, this is a great read for the transition from summer to fall. #foundfamily #cozyfantasy #tellerofsmallfortunes #bookrecs

Is this the perfect sci-fi novel? Its not. Is it literally SUCH a good read? It really is. This was a solidly good story, with nerds with super powers, a race through space, and a yearning love story. If Stranger Things, X-men, and The Martian had a queer baby, it would be this book.

I normally hate Regency romance. Even Bridgerton on Netflix is a stretch for me. But I should have known that I was safe in Emily Rath's hands! I can't wait to read book 2, which is getting the same stunning treatment in October! #whychoose #netgalleyarc #sprayededges #specialedition

I drove to the beach for the day yesterday and then listened to this as an audiobook the whole way home! It is such a sweet little romance, perfect for those final few weeks of sitting on the beach! #summergirls #sapphicromance #sapphicsummer #beachread

Let's see how he did... #augustTBR #sapphicreading #legendborn

I am so glad I started August off with this book, after such a slump in July! This was a wildly fun ride. I love books that are un-put-downable until you learn the twist and that was definitely The Honeys! #thehoneys #yahorror #readya #scholastic

Honest to gods, this was a rough reading month for me! Our vacation was busy, so I did very little reading. And then, the reading i DID do kept being kind of a bummer in terms of a love connection. So, here are some highlights of what I *did* make it through. #julyreadingwrapup #readingslump

You should read this book. You should sit with it. You should talk about it. #lettersfromgaza

What if, after your father's death, he just appeared (definitely as a ghost) and you could have all the un-had conversations? Alex Krokus writes (and illustrates) a tender and honest look at the death of a parent in this graphic novel based on his own father's death. #netgalleyarc #graphicnovel

Le Nguyen uses fairy tale retellings as his device to explore deep, personal topics. #graphicnovel #queergraphicnovels #trunglenguyen #vietnameseamericanartist

I love books that are novels in verse, but this uses that literary format so well! There is a lot to think about here besides a meaningful story! (Thank you to Netgalley for the eARC) #yaread #gentrification #comingofage #blackvoices #debutblackauthor #yanewrelease

Holy shit, this book. The religious fundamentalism in this book is both terrifying and familiar. (Check literally every trigger warning before reading this book.) #bookswithautisticcharacters #bookswithtranscharacters #hellfollowed #hellfollowedwithus #yahorror #pridereads #transrep

I don't normally like AUs (I've never been a fan fic girly), but this is somehow even spicier than Those Who Wait and you root for Charlotte and Sutton just as hard. Haley Cass will always take good care of you, dear reader. #thosewhowait #midnightrain #haleycass #sapphicromance #wlwbook

Just added a bunch of books to my summer TBR

I read #queerallyear, but Pride Month is always pretty special. Here are all the queer books i read during Pride!

This is a deeply troubling story, in that it really emulates the world we are currently living in. The characters are ones that you will cheer for (and hope for). This was a powerful read. #theoutcastmage #annabelcampbell #debutauthor #theshatteredlands #Orbitbooks #bookreview

I finished the Dark Lord Davi duology today and it was seriously silly. I like a book (and main character) that doesn't take itself too seriously, while still being really likeable. Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC! #DarkLordDavi #Orbitbooks #Duology #diangowexler #fantasybook #unhingedreads

My unexpected summer reading obsession has been all things Emily Rath. On Monday, I learned my request for a Netgalley ARC for Pucking Strong was accepted and friends... I read it in 12 hours. Its August release date cannot come soon enough. #emilyrath #jacksonvillerays #bookreviews #hockeyromance

This was CUTE and spicy and perfect for PRIDE. When flighty Skylar announces to her friends that she is moving to Fiji, her best friends Nic and Kira hatch a plan to show her she needs to stay. Thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin Audio! #mkengland #sapphicromance #readqueerallyear #wlwbooks

I haven't been posting reading wrap ups here for the last few months! We'll rats! Here was my May reading wrap up. I read over 20 books in May. The takeaway from the month was "You need to read The Raven Scholar and then come back here and tell me how good it was, please." #readingwrapup

This book was such an unexpected favorite for me, and an awesome way to start June! I highly recommend this character study into the intricacies of queer family, addiction, neurodivergence, and coming into who you are. #readqueerallyear #happyPride #neurodivergentrep #booksky

Just on time for Pride, I wanted to highlight this absolutely beautiful book of poems on love from the queer community. I bought a copy to have on my shelf and refer back to some of my favorites. Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC. #queerpoetry #lgbtpoems #lovepoemsofbluesky #loveisforusall

At 27, Angela is sick of waiting for her first kiss, so she plans to host a scavenger hunt for women who might be up for the job. As her scavenger-hunt planning continues, she starts to find a new community, especially when she begins hanging out with a jaded bartender. #netgalleyarc

Every 24 years, a ruler is chosen from the 8 factions of Orrun. An event 8 years prior weighs heavy on each of the contenders for the thrown, all of whom played some role in the tragedy. This epic fantasy was as close to perfect as they come, with a distinctive voice and complicated characters.

Here's the deal: I want you to read this series. BADLY. It is so weird and niche and loveable. I want to talk about it with anyone who will listen. I want more people to talk about it. I want there to be movies. READ IT. I hope you love it. #gretahelsing #vivianshawbooks #drgretahelsingseries

Much in the style of The Great Gatsby, a non-society character finds themselves desperate to fit in by any means and then witnesses the scandals and demise of the very people they emulated. Thank you to netgalley for a copy of this ARC. #theundoingofvioletclaybourne #bookreview #gothicfiction

These books are weird and cool and queer and loving and magical and quiet and exciting and suspenseful. They discuss mental health and neurodivergence and familial love and romantic love and yearning so beautifully. Sylvie Cathrall has one of the most unique voices in fantasy currently. #netgalley

I got approved for the ARC of A Heart of Crimson Flames 3 days ago, told myself yesterday at 10pm that I was "Just going to read the first chapter" and finished the book today at 5am. So, yeah, I just love Calla, Grae, Sadie, Navin, Briar, Maez, & Ora #goldencourt #queerromantasy #wlw #fatedmates

This sweet, earnest novel addresses the incredibly unique (largely female) problem of friendship codependence with banter, comedy, and kindness. Plus, it has demisexual and bisexual representation. Thank you to Netgalley for this e-arc. #arcreview #demisexualrep #birep #femalefriendship #womensfic

This book is so tender. The author, who runs a popular social media account documenting the feral cats that live in her yard, waxes poetic on how her life has been shaped by being an accidental cat rescuer. Thank you to Netgalley for this eARC. #netgalley #memoir #poetsquarecats #catrescue

I am not sure I could ever possibly tire of Kianthe and Reyna (and Matild and Tarly and Gossley and Ponder and Visk and Bobbie and Sirena and Dreggs and Lord Wylan and Diarn Fao and Tessalyn and James and Fauston and Venne)... #rebeccathorne #tomesandtea #kiantheandreyna #cozyfantasy #queerfantasy

I am a lover of romance, but I dont typically do HOCKEY romance. However, I LOVED this series. It's queer and quirky and kinda cheesy and full of loveable characters (looking at you, Mars and Caleb!) Can't wait for the next one!

Thank you to Netgalley and Hachette audio for this audiobook! This is a super cute, if a little tropey sapphic romance! Celeste and Gemma are very cute characters with great chemistry! #hachetteaudio #secondchanceromance #loveinfocus

I'm not sure I have ever read such an honest book about depression that is meant for children. It should be in every public library, school library, and therapist's office. Pearl is a likeable, sweet character that kids (and adults) will really identify with. #readmiddlegrade

I thought of the tagline and I KNOW it is Millenial cringe and I do not care. In my effort to finish series, I read Dating & Dragons. I was a little disappointed that these are standalone romances with similar themes, rather than an actual romance series, but I still thought they were super cute!