Wrap-up: July 2020

Is it just me or has July passed by so fast? I can’t quite believe we’re already in August. In the last month, well… you can see what happened to the pair of us reading-wise (every time I think to myself, I’ll start this post earlier so it’s not so much work adding links/images all at once. I never do). And watching-wise (but that’s nothing new for me, is it…).

But anyway. Check out what we did manage to read and watch.

Also, thank you so much to everyone who nominated us in the 2020 Book Blogger Awards! We are truly so thankful! And, obviously, congratulations to everyone in there as well! If you haven’t already, be sure to check out the full list of bloggers nominated.

What we read

Anna

King and the Dragonflies by Kacen Callender (Black gay mc, gay side character) – 4 🌈
The Winter Duke by Claire Eliza Bartlett (lesbian mc, wlw li, nonbinary side characters) – 3.5 🌈

Charlotte

The Mermaid, the Witch and the Sea by Maggie Tokuda-Hall (Japanese coded wlw mc, Black genderfluid mc) – 2 🌈 [review]
I Hope You’re Listening by Tom Ryan (lesbian mc) – 4 🌈 [review]
The Lights of Prague by Nicole Jarvis (bi mc, gay side characters) – 2 🌈 [review]
Throwaway Girls by Andrea Contos (bi mc, wlw mc) – 3 🌈 [review]
Rural Voices ed. by Nora Shalaway Carpenter (gay mc, bi Mexican American mc, lesbian mc) – 3 🌈 [review]

Cartas inéditas de Vicente Aleixandre by Vicente Aleixandre (nonfiction) – 3 🌈
El público by Federico García Lorca (gay mc) – 4 🌈
The Convent of Pleasure by Margaret Cavendish (wlw mc) – 3 🌈
The Normal Heart by Larry Kramer (Jewish gay mc, gay cast) – 5 🌈
Between Bookshelves by Olívia Pilar (Afro Brazilian bi mc & li) – 2.5 🌈

Afterlove by Tanya Byrne (British Indo-Guyanese lesbian mc, lesbian li) – 3.5 🌈 [review]
The Clothesline Swing by Ahmad Danny Ramadan (Syrian gay mc with seasonal depression, Syrian gay li, Syrian lesbian side character) – 5 🌈
How to be Nowhere by Tim MacGabhann (gay mc) – 4 🌈 [review]
Watchtower by Elizabeth A. Lynn (gay mc) – 4 🌈
Unconquerable Sun by Kate Elliott (lesbian mc, bi mc) – 4 🌈 [review]

The Bound Thief by J. F. Vox (gay mc) – 1 🌈 [review]
Siege Weapons by Harry F. Rey (gay mc) – 1.5 🌈 [review]
In His Service by Dan Waters (gay mc, trans gay mc) – 1.5 🌈 [review]
Down Comes the Night by Allison Saft (bi mc, wlw side character) – 5 🌈 [review]
Duality by Chloe Spencer (bi mc, Black lesbian mc) – 1.5 🌈 [review]

Reciprocity by Sean M. Locke (lesbian mcs) – 2 🌈 [review]
Her Naked Skin by Rachel Lenkiewicz (lesbian mcs) – 3 🌈
Heated Rivalry by Rachel Reid (bi mc, gay mc) – 3 🌈
Ashes of the Sun by Django Wexler (lesbian mc) – 4.5 🌈 [review]
The Sin in the Steel by Ryan van Loan (lesbian character) – 3 🌈 [review]

Once You Go This Far by Kristen Lepionka (bi mc) – 4 🌈
The Secret of You and Me by Melissa Lenhardt (bi mc, lesbian mc) – 2 🌈 [review]
People Like Us by Dana Mele (bi mc) – 4 🌈
Upright Women Wanted by Sarah Gailey (lesbian mc, nonbinary li) – 3 🌈
Sugar Summer by Hannah Moskowitz (Jewish lesbian mc, Latina lesbian li, trans side character) – 3.5 🌈

Last Memoria by Rachel Emma Shaw (bi mc, gay side character) – 2 🌈 [review]
The Dark Tide by Alicia Jasinska (bi mc, lesbian mc) – 4 🌈
Court of Lions by Somaiya Daud (Moroccan inspired lesbian character) – 4.5 🌈 [review]
The First Sister by Linden A. Lewis (wlw mc, Japanese nonbinary mc, mlm mc) – 2.5 🌈 [review]

What we watched (and listened to)

Charlotte

October Faction (S1) cr. Damian Kindler (biracial Black gay mc, biracial Black bi mc, Indian American gay li)

Anna

The Old Guard (2020) dir. Gina Prince-Bythewood (mlm relationship, wlw mc) – 4 🌈
Liz and the Blue Bird (2018) dir. Naoko Yamada (wlw mcs) – 4 🌈

On the blog

• Interviews with Linden A. Lewis and Sondi Warner.
• Rec lists for songs from June, LGBT anime, and books with less than 400 ratings on Goodreads.
• Releases posts for YA books of July-December and books with bi characters from July-December.
• Our July book of the month.
• Our most anticipated releases for the second half of the year.
• An ARC review of Of Feasts, Dragons and Murders and some backlist books you may have missed.
• A blog tour post for Queen of Coin and Whispers.
• All of August’s releases.

On other blogs

• Em @ Moonlight & Moths reviewed Cinderella is Dead.
• Fadwa @ Word Wonders reviewed Girl, Serpent, Thorn.
• The Quiet Pond featured a discussion with Nina Varela.
• Kathy @ Pages Below Vaulted Sky reviewed Burn.
• Dahlia @ LGBTQReads revealed the covers for Luckmonkey and The Boy Who Hid.
• Chyna Parker wrote a guest post on A Lesbian and Her Laptop about their nonbinary identity and experiences.
• Cande @ Latinx Magic explained why Burn Our Bodies Down didn’t work for them.
• Jami @ Jami Shelves reviewed Only Mostly Devastated.
• Delph @ Delph Reads explained why The Extraordinaries wasn’t for her.
• Rhi @ Marshmallow Harmonies reviewed some recent books about wlwoc she loved.
• E. @ Local Bee Hunter’s Nook recced some LGBT Asian dramas.

So, how was July for you? Did you read or watch anything amazing?

Since you’re here, please consider doing any number of the following to support Black Lives Matter, and the protests regarding police brutality in the USA.

Donate to bail funds and supplies for protestors, gofundmes of victims of police violence, mutual aid organisations and Black-owned businesses impacted by the violence.

You can donate even if you have no funds by watching videos where all ad revenue will go towards the BLM movement.

Sign petitions.

Get in contact with mayors and district attorneys, and maintain pressure on them.

Educate yourself further through the resources found on the carrd and others.

Pride was initiated following riots against police violence and raids, and those at Stonewall Inn were led by trans and lesbian women of colour, many of whom were Black. We owe them our support.

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