It took a bit longer than I expected to get back to Part 2 of this list but at least I managed it in the same month. Barely.
Prophet by Sin Blaché and Helen MacDonald
Potential Library Options: Libby Audiobook | Libby eBook | Hoopla eBook
Genre: Science Fiction, Thriller, Romance, Horror
I picked this book up by chance. My workplace is doing a summer reading challenge and this week’s challenge was to read a book written by multiple authors. I was vaguely familiar with Helen MacDonald’s name but haven’t read anything they’ve written before. When reading the description I latched on the the science fiction and mystery elements of the book and missed that it’s also, perhaps even primarily, a romance. Though, it’s not written like most romances I read. Rubenstein and Rao work together to solve a very odd mystery. Every so often the book goes back in time to give us a peak of their past experiences and why they react differently to the situation than everyone else around them. It was kind of a weird book but good.
The Incandescent by Emily Tesh
Potential Library Options: Libby eBook
Genre: Fantasy
Doctor Walden, the protagonist in this story, is the middle-aged Director of Magic at a boarding school. She’s dedicated to her job and is highly competent, all things that appeal to me. I love that the book opens by her filling out a risk assessment form. In an interview with Nerds of a Feather1, Tesh says
But I have noticed that in a lot of magic school stories, the adults are not doing their jobs. They do the visible-to-students bit—they show up, provide educational exposition, scold the protagonists for misbehaviour (this is usually unjust, protagonists generally being right about everything), and perhaps provide some support to our hero if they’re the nice kind of teacher—but despite this, nearly all of them should be fired for catastrophic failures in safeguarding. In a school where the adult staff are fulfilling their moral, professional, and legal responsibilities, it should be totally impossible for any child to have any kind of fantasy adventure.
As an adult and a parent, I agree with this and I love a fantasy boarding school novel taking this perspective.
Iris Kelly Doesn’t Date by Ashley Herring Blake
Potential Library Options: Libby Audiobook | Libby eBook
Genre: Romance
This was a delightful contemporary romance that I read on my Reading Holiday back in 2024. It’s set in Portland, OR and I loved having a romance author as one of the protagonists. It’s technically the third in the series but works fine as a standalone read.
A Mirror Mended by Alix E. Harrow
Potential Library Options: Libby Audiobook | Libby eBook | Hoopla Audiobook
Genre: Fantasy
This is a fractured fairy tale novella. A former sleeping beauty who rescues people from fairy tales and this time it’s an evil queen who needs help. This is technically the second in the series, and perhaps it would be better to read A Spindle Splintered, but I like it better than the first one.
The Remarkable Retirement of Edna Fisher by E. M. Anderson
Potential Library Options: Libby Audiobook | Libby eBook | Hoopla Audiobook | Hoopla eBook
Genre: Fantasy
In this fantasy book an 83-year-old woman is the person chosen to save the world. One reviewer says that this books is a strange mixture of cozy and serious, heavy issues, and I agree with that assessment. It is very interesting to see how the author works to subvert well-known tropes.
Even Though I Knew the End by C.L. Polk
Potential Library Options: Libby Audiobook | Libby eBook | Hoopla Audiobook
Genre: Fantasy
C.L. Polk is a great writer and this novella is no exception. A woman sold her soul to save her brother’s life and now her time has almost come. Except there’s one more job she has to do first.
The Genesis of Misery by Neon Yang
Potential Library Options: Libby Audiobook | Libby eBook | Hoopla Audiobook
Genre: Science Fiction (specifically Space Opera)
This is Joan of Arc told as a space opera story. I was really surprised this didn’t win more awards because I loved it. Of course, as a child I was fascinated with the story of Joan of Arc so that might explain it.
Ocean’s Echo by Everina Maxwell
Potential Library Options: Libby Audiobook | Libby eBook | Hoopla Audiobook
Genre: Romance, Science Fiction
Tennal is conscripted into the military and is suppose to be watched/controlled by Lieutenant Surit Yeni. They pretend to be bonded while trying to find a way to escape. Except, that things naturally get complicated.
Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir
Potential Library Options: Libby Audiobook | Libby eBook | Hoopla Audiobook
Genre: Science Fiction (space opera)
I think it’s fair to say that this is an iconic disaster lesbian space opera book. It’s the first in a series, which isn’t finished yet, but each book is very different. This is the start of everything and is also my favorite book so far. There’s a lot of really strange stuff that goes on.
I’ve run out of time so I have to stop. However, there’s a lot of really great LGBTQ+ books and this is just a very small sample of some good reads.
- No, they don’t have https, I don’t know why. ↩