As someone who read and loved Nell Stevens’s previous historical novel, Briefly, a Delicious Life (2022), I was eagerly anticipating her latest release, The Original (Norton, 2025), and it did not disappoint! Set primarily in England in 1899, Grace is the longtime ward of her uncle’s family on their once-grand estate. After her parents were sent to mental institutions,Read More
Curses, Forgeries, and Family Secrets: The Original by Nell Stevens Review
When Grace’s parents are institutionalized, she’s sent to live with her uncle’s family, where she’s looked at with suspicion. The family considers her an inconvenience at best: they think she’s strange and destined to go “mad,” like her parents. She mostly tries to stay out of the way. It doesn’t help that she has faceRead More
A Very Queer Gothic Ghost Story: The Narrow by Kate Alice Marshall
When I got a promotional email about this book, I asked the publisher if there was a queer main character, because I couldn’t tell from the description. It’s funny that I had to clarify, because this is a very queer book: the main character is bisexual, there’s an F/F romance, and there are several queerRead More
A New Take On the 20-Something F*ckup Novel: All This Could Be Different by Sarah Thankam Mathews
Buy this from Bookshop.org to support local bookstores and the Lesbrary! I have heard only great things about this book since it came out in 2022, but I somehow didn’t actually pick it up until my queer book club chose it for this month’s pick. I vaguely remembered downloading an ARC on my ereader, soRead More
A Con Artist at Grief Counselling: The Fake by Zoe Whittall
Amazon Affiliate Link | Bookshop.org Affiliate Link Zoe Whittall is a master at writing broody queer novels, and ever since reading Bottle Rocket Hearts, I just can’t resist them. The description and first chapter of this might lead you to believe that it’s an action book or at least a mystery. Befriending a con artistRead More