One of the biggest struggles I have as a reviewer for the Lesbrary is wanting to present only the sapphic stories that I believe to be the best. I am very much aware that I am a consumer, not a creator, and that if asked to create an original story, I would not fare nearlyRead More
Compelling, Real, & Raw: Roses in the Mouth of a Lion by Bushra Rehman
Razia Mirza grows up amid the wild grape vines and backyard sunflowers of Corona, Queens, alongside her best friend, Saima. When a family rift drives the girls apart, Razia’s heart is broken. She finds solace in Taslima, a new girl in her close-knit Pakistani-American community, all while trying to manage the religious and cultural expectationsRead More
A Lush and Lesbian Political Fantasy: The Jasmine Throne by Tasha Suri
In honor of The Lotus Empire being released on November 12th, I decided to reread The Jasmine Throne and actually continue with the series past the first book. I first read it back in 2021 when it came out and I remember enjoying it, but aside from that, not much stuck in my head. I never got around toRead More
Finally, the Canonically Queer Lady Knight We Deserve in The Fireborne Blade by Charlotte Bond
Charlotte Bond’s dark fantasy novella, The Fireborne Blade, is a beautifully straightforward dungeon crawler until it isn’t. Protagonist Sir Maddileh is a rarity as a knighted woman and she’s in dire need of a truly spectacular feat to reclaim her honor and restore her standing at court. Enter her current foolhardy quest to retrieve the Fireborne Blade. The onlyRead 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
Queer Graphic Novels and Illustrated Books for Preteens and Teens
These four books are listed in order of suitability for middle-to-high schoolers and deal with the timeless experiences of feeling like an outsider, finding the fortitude to be yourself, and the need for proper communication with partners. They’re great books to start conversations about these things, and have lovely art that are sure to make themRead More
An Endearingly Gory Monster Love story: Someone You Can Build a Nest In by John Wiswell
Someone You Can Build a Nest In by John Wiswell is a gory monster love story about what it means to love someone and be loved. Shesheshen, Wiswell’s main character, is a shape-shifting monster who lives in a decrepit manor near a small town. The town both hates and fears her, but Shesheshen isn’t worried whatRead More
A Queer, Anti-Colonial Sci-Fi Novella: Countess by Suzan Palumbo
This review contains spoilers. Countess by Suzan Palumbo is a short science fiction novel that is a love story to the West Indies and its people even lightyears and generations away from the islands of Earth. It follows Virika Sameroo, a soldier for the Æcerbot Empire that controls and subjugates people like Virika just as theRead More
The Beauty of Decay: Green Fuse Burning by Tiffany Morris
Last weekend was Dewey’s 24 Hour Readathon, which I’ve done every year for the past ten years. For the October readathon, I save up horror and other Halloween-themed books all year to marathon that day. Green Fuse Burning seemed like a perfect choice: it’s a 99-page horror novella with an Indigenous and sapphic main character.Read More
Not Quite Scared Straight: Camp Damascus by Chuck Tingle
“I was a cog in a terrible machine for years, and now I’m honored to be the monkey wrench dismantling it.” Rose grew up in the extremely religious town of Neverton, Montana, where the biggest industry is a gay conversion camp that boasts a 100% effectiveness rate. She’s just about to graduate high school, andRead More