A magical school story, a political critique, a dragon rider fantasy: so many of my favourite things! Book 1 of the Nampeshiweisit series was one of my favourite books of the year and contained probably my most memorable reading moment, in which Anequs makes an incredible discovery that rewrites her understanding of her dragon and ofRead More
An Absorbing Fantasy Series Opener: To Shape a Dragon’s Breath by Moniquill Blackgoose
Dragons seem to be having a pop culture moment once again, whether it’s on your TV or on your bookshelf, as alluring shapeshifters or war steeds. In a crowded field, Moniquill Blackgoose’s To Shape a Dragon’s Breath holds its own as a unique take on classic fantasy tropes. Set in an alternate version of 1800s Massachusetts, theRead More
A Sapphic Dragon-Slaying Knight: Brighter Than Scale, Swifter than Flame by Neon Yang Review
In Brighter Than Scale, Swifter than Flame, Neon Yang gives us a bright, fast-paced novella about dragons and knights and clandestine feelings. I have to admit, I was initially drawn in by the luscious cover art by Tran Nguyen, featuring a tough woman in beautiful armor with a second gorgeous, tattooed woman draped over her back asRead More
A Bisexual Tudor Retelling Fantasy Series: Six Wild Crowns by Holly Race
Holly Race’s Six Wild Crowns is a fantasy retelling of Henry VIII’s six wives, specifically focusing on the second and third wives, Anne Boleyn and Jane Seymour. In Race’s retelling, it was decreed by a god that the king of Elben must have six wives in order to keep the kingdom strong and protected, and Boleyn isRead More
The Cozy Fantasy Book That Finally Won Me Over: Can’t Spell Treason Without Tea by Rebecca Thorne
For all of its popularity right now, cozy fantasy has never really worked for me before. I’ve tried reading a couple books in the genre, including one of the most popular ones out there, but both times I ended up being disappointed. Still, when I saw Rebecca Thorne’s Can’t Spell Treason Without Tea at my local bookshopRead More
Faeries, Dragons, and Space Monsters, Oh My: Three Sapphic SFF Novellas
I first want to give a shout-out to the Asian Readathon, which Cindy Pham (@WithCindy on Youtube) hosts during May. While we’re near the end of the month, the associated Directory of Asian Books is an incredible resource year-round, and both it and this year’s challenge contain an LGBT category. With that in mind, I’veRead More
Dragon-Slaying Knights and Devotion: Brighter than Scale, Swifter than Flame by Neon Yang Review
I love stories about knights, especially gay knights, and especially repressed knights. Something about the parallels of wearing full armour to protect yourself and keeping all emotional walls up is something I find extremely compelling to read. So Neon Yang’s novella Brighter Than Scale, Swifter Than Flame (out May 6th, 2025), about a stoic knight who never removes herRead More
A Compelling Queer Indigenous Fantasy: To Shape a Dragon’s Breath by Moniquill Blackgoose Review
I love a magic school book, and I love a dragon book, and I especially love a dragon school book. To Shape a Dragon’s Breath by Moniquill Blackgoose was such a great entry to the genre. I couldn’t put it down, and I keep thinking about its innovative world-building. Anequs is the protagonist I didn’t know I’veRead 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
Jamaican Joan of Arc: So Let Them Burn by Kamilah Cole
Buy this from Bookshop.org to support local bookstores and the Lesbrary! I first saw Kamilah Cole describe her debut, So Let Them Burn, as a Jamaican Joan of Arc, which was enough to grab my attention even before the book had a cover. To be more specific, So Let Them Burn is the first book in a YARead More