Hi Reader,

Welcome back! Our queer book recommendations don't stop after Pride, we're here to keep your queer shelves growing throughout the year. Hopefully last month brought you some particularly fantastic queer books - I'd love to hear about any standouts for you!

There were some absolutely incredible books released last month, but I have to shout out The Unmagical Life of Briar Jones which is an incredibly strong contender for book of the year for me. Near impossible to put down. If you've been searching for a queer dark academia about the person who didn't get into magical school you need to get your hands on this one.

As it's Disability Pride month, I wanted to highlight 6 queer books with brilliant disabled rep that you can get your hands on now! Plus we have a full review of Moss'd in Space and 15 incredible queer books releasing in July.

Enjoy,

Amy | @proseamongstthorns

Speed Review

Iron Widow When 18-year-old Zetian offers herself up as a concubine-pilot, it's to assassinate the male pilot responsible for her sister's death. The novel is a mecha reimagining of the rise of China’s first and only female Emperor Wu Zetian. This book explores the effects of chronic pain and sees characters use mobility aids. Grab a copy

The Sunbearer Trials Welcome to The Sunbearer Trials, where ten semidioses compete in a series of challenges with the highest of stakes, in this breathtaking, Mexican-inspired fantasy. One of the characters is deaf and it's normalised for characters to communicate with him through sign language. Grab a copy Get the audio

Bianca Torre is Afraid of Everything Murder most fowl? In this YA thriller, an introverted nonbinary teen birder with anxiety somehow finds themself investigating a murder with their neighbor/fellow anime lover, all while falling for a cute girl from their birding group...and trying not to get killed next. Perhaps the real murder investigation is the friends we make along the way. Grab a copy Get the audio

Daniel, Deconstructed Daniel learned a long time ago that the only way to get by in an allistic world is to mask his autism and follow the script. So he's pretty sure that means the cool kids won't hang out with the introvert. With the help of his soccer superstar bestie and the tall, mysterious newcomer Gabe, Daniel learns to love himself in this witty ode to movie tropes, meet-cutes, and LGBTQ+ love. Grab a copy Get the audio

Hell's Heart This raunchy book is a sci-fi reimagining of Moby Dick, prepare for a bucketload of sperm jokes. They are hunting the greatest leviathan of all, fighting beasts, ships and each other before coming face to face with their nemesis. We have a multitude of characters with limb differences and prosthetics featured in this one. Grab a copy Get the audio

Late Bloomer When Opal wins the lottery, there's an influx of people wanting to mooch off her. So she does what anyone would and buys a failing flower farm... she doesn't expect to find an angry (hot) girl claiming to be the real owner and refusing to move out. This book features both ADHD and Autism in our respective protaganists. Grab a copy Get the audio

Moss'd In Space by Rebecca Thorne - Feature review

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

A small crew of misfits goes on what they hope is an adventure into space.Torian can pilot a starship, but can she survive ancient secrets and an organic computer that just wants a friend?

This somehow balances a cozy, found-family vibe with the high stakes of a good sci-fi. Think the best elements of Travis Baldree and T.J Klune, but with some serious stakes to raise your blood pressure. This combination meant this book was near impossible to put down.

Celise, Torian's sister, has a chronic condition caused by the reflitered air on their space station. If Torian can't find a terraformed planet for them to move to, she will die. I really liked the representation of an incurable, terminal illness. By becoming a doctor, Celise wants to help as many people as she can before she dies. We experience this mostly through Torian.

Despite having a fascinating plot, it's the characters who truly made this for me. Torian's unwavering loyalty and the lengths she'd go to for those she loves make her so lovable. But, of course, it's Moss the sentient moss that you fall in love with. I desperately need my own sentient moss to guide me through life.

The sci-fi world-building is done exquistely. It is not in the least overwhelming as you slowly learn more about the politics, planets, technology and aliens within this universe. This is queer-normative, with plenty of non-binary characters, sapphic and achillean characters. Because if you have aliens that function as a hive-mind, sentient moss and lizard people with wings - it makes sense that a range of identities are included.

If you love Firefly's adventures in space, the loveable alien cast of Mass Effect and the coziness of Legends & Lattes, this is for you. Prepare to fall in love with these characters and this world and to finish it desperate for book two. You can get your hands on it from 2nd July.

Upcoming Releases

2nd July In this romcom strap in for an awkward meet cute, some spice, mead and a lot of D&D and cosplay. Get a copy Get the audio

2nd July When Cat opens her relationship, she didn't expect a forbidden love triangle with the only two people off-limits. Get a copy Get the audio

2nd July A runaway princess with a magically altered face has two rules: stay away from royals and don't fall in love... Get a copy Get the audio

Buried Feelings - Kit Rosewater 7th July When a treasure hunt ropes two ex-besties back together, they’ll end up digging into their own complicated feelings in this queer YA romcom! ​​

Coming Out Perfect - Richard Mercado 7th July When Kevin's parents ignore his coming out, he devises a plan to become more like the popular gay kid at school in this coming-of-age graphic novel. ​

14th July In a land where glamorous knights compete in showy tournaments for fame and fortune, George wants to be the best. But it won't be easy and neither her, nor her mentor can do it alone. Get a copy

2nd July Two prophets are propelled toward each other and transformative revelations about life, death, and destiny in this intensely captivating non-binary epic. Get a copy Get the audio

15th July A legacy paranormal investigator, loner horse rancher, and a haunted house. This sapphic paranormal romance features bisexual leads forced to work together despite their differences. Get a copy

Heartstopper Vol. 6 - Alice Osman 2nd July The final installment in the bestselling LGBTQ+ graphic novel series about life, love, and everything that happens in between. ​

Shadow of Madness - D.V. Bishop 9th July Trapped with a killer in a remote asylum, investigator Cesare Aldo must face his fears in this atmospheric historical thriller set in Renaissance Italy. ​​

2nd July Untested artist Leonardo is not yet marked by greatness. In 15th century Florence, he dares to follow his most unholy desires. Get a copy

7th July A savage, hypnotic dive into the lives and deaths of a coven of vampires living in 19th Century Paris on the cusp of revolt and revolution. Get a copy Get the audio

8th July This lyrical and emotional YA novel follows a teen as she unravels a personal mystery in the wake of her older sister's death. Get a copy

Real Sugar is Hard to Find - Sim Kern 14th July A collection of short stories exploring intersections of climate change, reproductive justice, queer identities, and family trauma. ​

Where Lost Girls Go - Kody Keplinger 16th July Iris begins to question her loyalty to the man who saved her when a new arrival exposes the dark truth behind their isolated “family.” ​

Marginal notes

If you've been inspired to pick any of these books up (either from the library, via our links or even just from your shelf), I'd love to know which books and what you thought of them. You can either respond to this email or let us know on our socials.

If there's someone in your life who you think would love this newsletter, feel free to forward them this email or share the link below with them so they can join the community.

We'll see you in two weeks with a community spotlight, an author interview and upcoming July releases.

Thank you!