Last week, we shared our favorite sapphic books of 2024: the best new sapphic books that Lesbrary reviewers read this year. Of course, it’s not just new releases we loved. That’s why today, we’re shouting out our favorite backlist sapphic reads of the year: the books published before 2024 that we think should be on your TBR.
I couldn’t limit my favorites to just one—or even five—so I’ve started off with my (Danika’s) picks. After that are the sapphic backlist favorites of the other Lesbrary reviewers.
All This Could Be Different by Sarah Thankam Mathews
I went on a journey reading this book. At the beginning, I was thinking that maybe in my mid-thirties, I no longer enjoy a twenty-something fuckup main character like I once did. Sneha is a queer woman of colour who has a lot of internalized racism, sexism, and homophobia. She thinks hateful things about other women, people of colour, and queer people, which made this difficult to read at first. Somewhere along the way, though, the story hooked me. I was invested in Sneha’s slow acceptance of herself. If you’re a fan of messy found family dynamics, I definitely recommend this one. All the characters are complex and flawed, but they come together to support each other. I definitely recommend this as a book club book, because there is so much to pull out and discuss. I’m glad I pushed through my discomfort at the beginning, because this ended up being one of my most memorable reads of the year.
Check out my Lesbrary review for more.
Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo
When this book first came out in 2021, it got a ton of buzz and won several literary awards. If you somehow—like me—didn’t read it that year, let me assure it earned all of that attention. It’s an atmospheric, absorbing historical YA book with richly detailed characters and setting. I was just as invested in the Lily’s relationships with her friends and family members as I was with her romance with Kath. I appreciated the inclusion of several chapters from other points of view in previous years, including from her mother, father, and aunt. We get to see a broader look at the events that led up to Lily’s current life, and these chapters make the story feel bigger, almost like a family saga. This is a five star read and a new favourite. Whether or not you usually pick up historical fiction or YA, I can’t recommend this highly enough.
Check out my Lesbrary review for more.
The Jasmine Throne by Tasha Suri
There have been plenty of positive reviews of this one at the Lesbrary, and I just have to add my voice to that chorus. This is a book that really demonstrates what fantasy can do. The worldbuilding is exquisite, including three distinct religions and complex political machinations. The plot kept me guessing, but it was the characters that really drew me in. They’re so layered, each deeply flawed and realistic. Then there’s the thorny sapphic romance, of course.
This is a thought-provoking, immersive, and memorable read, and I can’t wait to continue with the series.
Can’t Spell Treason Without Tea by Rebecca Thorne
I love cozy sapphic fantasy, especially when the world is looking particularly grim. This book is so soothing and comforting. There are a few action scenes, but it’s mostly a cozy story about a relationship being deepened—and the construction of a tea shop/bookstore. While it had some flaws, I really loved the main characters, Kianthe and Reyna, and their relationship to each other. Reyna is self-sacrificing to a fault, and Kianthe is hurt that she doesn’t see their relationship as being between equals. Despite the fantasy circumstances, their dynamic felt realistic, and I liked seeing them grow together. I’m looking forward to continuing with the second book in the series the next time I need a pick me up.
Check out my Lesbrary review for more.
Green Fuse Burning by Tiffany Morris
There are many dreamlike moments in this horror novella: it’s an unsettling, uncanny story that is more about Rita’s internal struggles than an outside monster. She begins to plan her own death, wanting to finish this series and then walk out into the woods and never return. Soon, she’s unable to resist the swamp calling to her.
I found out after finishing Green Fuse Burning that Tiffany Morris is a poet, and that makes perfect sense. This is exactly the kind of horror story I would expect from a poet: beautiful, off-putting, and thoughtful. It’s the kind of book that would benefit from reading slowly, so don’t let the page count fool you: this is one you should let linger.
Check out my Lesbrary review for more.
Camp Damascus by Chuck Tingle
I really enjoyed this horror book about gay conversion, and a lot of that is because of Rose’s point of view. As you’d expect from someone raised in an insular extremely religious sect, she sees the world through that lens, but she’s also autistic, and she combines that Christian perspective with her unbridled curiosity and scientific interest. She also has a matter-of-fact way of describing even the most grotesque and bizarre horror elements, which was a fresh take on the genre that I appreciated. Another aspect that I found worked really well was the tension between the horror and the heartfelt elements. This is gorier than I expected: there are some truly stomach-turning scenes. It’s also sincere and at times moving.
Camp Damascus was a quick, engaging read with enough blood for horror fans while also having Chuck Tingle’s trademark sincerity and sharing the thesis underpinning all his books: love is real.
Check out my Lesbrary review for more.
I Feed Her to the Beast and the Beast Is Me by Jamison Shea
I loved this villain origin story. Laure is angry and is aware of her worth: two attributes female characters are usually punished for. She wants power, and she is unapologetic and fairly unconflicted about this. This is a bloody book about a girl becoming a monster… or a god. Or both. I thought the author expertly pulled off making Laura a character I still felt sympathy for and was rooting for even as she did monstrous things. (It’s definitely a “good for her” story.) If you’re a fan of angry, feral girls/women, revenge stories, and plots about Faustian bargains, you have to pick this one up. It was a perfect October read.
Check out my Lesbrary review for more.
Lesbrary Reviewers’ Favorite Sapphic Reads of the Year
A Master of Djinn by P. Djèlí Clark
A Master of Djinn by P. Djèlí Clark is many things: a steampunk mystery, an anti-colonial alternate history, an at once dark and whimsical fantasy, and more. But if I had to sum it up in one word, it would be fun.
This book gives the reader plenty to chew on while immersing them in a rich world, an action-heavy investigation, and cheeky banter. All of that, and it stars a butch/femme power couple just finding their footing in an ever-changing world.
Check out my Lesbrary review for more. —Emory Rose
Even Though I Knew the End by C.L. Polk
This novella catapulted me through five acts in the span of 133 pages, and it hurt in the best possible way.
Filled with thrumming urgency, unexpected developments, and a surprisingly inoffensive religiosity (my take only—tread lightly), Even Though I Knew the End is a supernatural romp that packs one hell of an emotional gut punch. There’s a reason why it has garnered so many accolades, and a big part of that is how it haunts you long after it’s gone.
Check out my Lesbrary review for more. —Susanne
Hijab Butch Blues by Lamya H.
Whether you are looking for a queer memoir to dive into, or a new perspective, or simply to hear the thoughts of someone who boldly references Leslie Feinberg’s Stone Butch Blues, Hijab Butch Blues will take you on a journey and leave you thinking by the end.
I enjoyed this book immensely because I had never read a memoir where it was such a different point of view and life experiences from me but I connected so intensely with what they were saying. Lamya spoke eloquently about her experience becoming butch, and I think that’s a viewpoint we need more of. At the same time, I learned so much about her queer Muslim experience. This is a memoir that should not be missed.
Check out my Lesbrary review for more. —Maggie
An Island Princess Starts a Scandal by Adriana Herrera
This swoony and fun historical romance features two fierce heroines made for each other. Manuela del Carmen Caceres Galvan wants to experience a final lesbian hurrah in Paris before she has to marry a rich man for her family’s security. Cora Kempf Bristol, Duchess of Sundridge, wants to secure her place in the business world by negotiating a land purchase so key to a development project that no man can question her prowess again. Both women are adept at playing a game of societal chess and will find each other to be an irresistible challenge.
Check out my Lesbrary review for more. —Meagan
Don’t forget to also check out our favorite 2024 sapphic books! And if you’d like to support the Lesbrary, you can become a patron on Patreon or donate on Ko-Fi.
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