I will be completely honest—I have been burnt out, to the point where I have been struggling to find joy in reading and even finding reading books for my job a burden. I am sure a lot of you have been feeling the same way. But as I went searching for ways to engage withRead More
Sapphic Fantasy Noir: Even Though I Knew the End by C.L. Polk
Lately, I have been really enjoying queer novellas from the publisher Tordotcom. I had a blast with Elaine Gallagher’s Unexploded Remnants and loved Charlotte Bond’s The Fireborne Blade and its sequel, The Bloodless Princes. The next novella on my reading list is C.L. Polk’s sapphic fantasy noir Even Though I Knew the End.” My expectations for this novella were pretty high givenRead More
A Haunting Carmilla Retelling: Hungerstone by Kat Dunn Review
From Gothic fiction author Kat Dunn comes a new retelling of Carmilla that is equal parts haunting and thrilling. Hungerstone (Zando, February 18 2025) is one of the best new releases of 2025. Set in mid-nineteenth-century England, Lenore has been married to her husband Henry for a decade. A steel magnate and social climber, their marriage has benefitted fromRead More
Blood-Soaked Quicksand of First Love: Soft by Jane Mai Review
I’ve been obsessed with Carmilla by Sheridan Le Fanu for years—and more specifically, queer reclamation of Carmilla. I’ve written about several times, on Book Riot and the Lesbrary. For example: Bringing the Lesbian Vampire Home: Carmen Maria Machado’s Reclamation of Carmilla. So, when I was browsing The Mary Sue’s list of the best comics andRead More
A Bittersweet Supernatural Romp: Even Though I Knew the End by C.L. Polk Review
At the close of 2024, I offer up my favorite read of the year: C.L. Polk’s Even Though I Knew the End. This novella catapulted me through five acts in the span of 133 pages, and it hurt in the best possible way. Settle in for a gritty noir detective story: January 1941, Chicago. The coldRead More
Celebrate Halloween All Year with a Supernatural Cozy Mystery Romance: Pumpkin Spice & Poltergeist
The term “cozy mystery” first registered with me shortly after finishing Real Murders, the first book in the Aurora Teagarden series, written by Charlaine Harris. It probably goes without saying, but I’ve read that series and just about all the other books she’s written, including the Southern Vampire Mysteries. You know, the Sookie Stackhouse books. I’mRead More
A Sapphic & Sanguine Vampire Gothic to Satisfy All Your Cravings: Thirst by Marina Yuszczuk
Are you searching for a spine-tingling sapphic read to round out your October TBR? Look no further! Thirst is a gorgeous Gothic novel that follows two women across two different time periods as they grapple with their seemingly insatiable desires. Written by Marina Yuszczuk (she/her) and translated by Heather Cleary, Thirst is told in two parts. In Part One, aRead More
All of the Sapphic Vampires, None of the Victorian Homophobic Overtones: An Education in Malice by S. T. Gibson
Like many queer women, I’m sure, I have a strange relationship with the original Carmilla. On the one hand, sapphic vampires are objectively sexy. On the other hand, the way the danger she poses is framed as inextricably linked to her queerness (and her foreignness) is, well, unpleasant, to say the least. I always say thatRead More
5 Sapphic Vampire Books that are Perfect for Spooky Season!
One thing that you need to know about me is that I love vampires! Whether it’s Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Twilight, Interview with the Vampire, or What We Do in the Shadows, if a piece of media has vampires in it, then I want to consume it. Because of this, I figured that discussing someRead More
Blood, Sex, and Poetry: An Education in Malice by S. T. Gibson
“She kissed me with a martyr’s agonized desperation, like I was the only sword she ever wanted to fall on.” I’ve been eagerly anticipating this book since it was announced: I loved Gibson’s queer polyamorous take on Dracula’s wives in A Dowry of Blood, and I have written several times about my complicated relationship withRead More
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