On the Lesbrary’s list of favorite 2025 releases, I named The Isle in the Silver Sea by Tasha Suri as both my most anticipated 2025 release and my favorite sapphic read of the year. As said in that post, the author’s clear yet lyrical writing delivers an aching star-crossed romance, a high-stakes adventure, and ever-relevant anti-colonial commentary. InRead More
Three Sapphic Manga Series I Loved this Year
While there’s still a month left of 2025, I couldn’t wait to highlight my favorites among the manga series I’ve finished this year. This list is in no particular order and includes both contemporary and historical romance. Bloom Into You by Nakatani Nio High school student Yuu Koito feels like she should be falling in love,Read More
A YA Paranormal Romance with Wings: On the Wings of la Noche by Vanessa L. Torres Review
I love shapeshifter characters for the many dualities they can represent, and I also like reading about lonely, troubled girls, so my paranormal pick for this October was the young adult novel On the Wings of la Noche by Vanessa L. Torres. Estrella (Noche) Villanueva straddles two worlds. At school, she’s a science whiz who keeps toRead More
Haunted in Every Sense: The Sentence by Louise Erdrich
Louise Erdrich’s The Sentence highlights the power of words. As it is set in a bookstore and the author herself owns Birchbark Books, I anticipated a richly detailed sense of place and community as well as a clear love of books. The Sentence delivers those things along with a complex look at what it means to be haunted. (ContentRead More
Regency Romances About Working Women: The Feminine Pursuits Series by Olivia Waite
Earlier this year, I read Olivia Waite’s Murder by Memory, a delightful sci-fi mystery novella. Having seen recommendations for her historical romance novel, The Lady’s Guide to Celestial Mechanics, I decided to read all three Feminine Pursuits books. The series can be read as standalone romances, though I enjoyed flying through them in order. Each of them shares aRead More
A Tender Romance Between Roommates: Make Room for Love by Darcy Liao
I’m always looking for romances starring trans characters, and with Make Room for Love by Darcy Liao promising a slow-burn romance between roommates, I happily picked it up. That combination implies mutual pining at all hours between people gradually learning how to share their lives, and this book delivered on that premise. With Mira in need ofRead More
Jane Austen Meets Queer History: I Shall Never Fall in Love by Hari Conner Review
This Pride Month, I wanted to highlight I Shall Never Fall in Love by Hari Conner, a YA historical romance graphic novel that is one of my favorite comics I’ve read this year. I feel that it’s important to recognize that we have always been here, and not without opportunities for love and personal expression. George, theirRead 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
A Cyberpunk Heist: Hammajang Luck by Makana Yamamoto Review
I picked up Hammajang Luck by Makana Yamamoto during the Trans Rights Readathon, as the dramatic setup for this cyberpunk heist novel compelled me. It ended up being one of the most memorable stories I read for the event. Edie’s last heist ended with them being sold out by their childhood friend, Angel, and spending eight yearsRead More
A Sentimental Romance That Takes You for a Ride: Whenever You’re Ready by Rachel Runya Katz Review
Despite not reading reviews about Whenever You’re Ready by Rachel Runya Katz, I set my expectations high for this contemporary romance. Estranged childhood friends-to-lovers, a road trip, siblings, grief and healing, a dual timeline, and third person present tense? Maybe I have some specific selling points, but consider me sold.