Wrap-up: October 2022

I visited all the cemeteries in the city, as you’re wont to do on November 1st in this part of the world, so now it’s time to take a look at the last month! Of course, like always, Charlotte read more than me, no one is surprised by that, but you’ll also notice that I already started (re)watching Christmas movies. Yes, a new rec list is coming your way some day in December! (Because there’s one from last year, for those of you who want to get in the spirit early!)

What we read

Anna

Of Roses and Kings by Melissa Marr (lesbian mc, sapphic li) – 3 🌈 tw past murder, implied murder
These Violent Delights by Micah Nemerever (Jewish gay mc, gay li) – 4 🌈 tw self-harm, suicide, murder, violence, blood, gore, toxic relationships, homophobia
The Bayou by Arden Powell (achillean mc & li) – 4 🌈 tw child rape, suicide, murder, gore, body horror, violence, homophobia
A Dowry of Blood by S.T. Gibson (sapphic mc, sapphic & achillean lis, polyam relationships) – 2 🌈 tw blood, gore, violence, murder, toxic & abusive relationship
Carmilla by J. Sheridan Le Fanu (lesbian mc) – 4 🌈
Daughters of the New Year by E.M. Tran (Vietnamese American sapphic mc, sapphic li, Vietnamese sapphic mc) – 3 🌈 tw racism, bullying, blood, murder, immolation, sexual abuse

Charlotte

Carmilla by J. Sheridan Le Fanu (lesbian mc) – 4 🌈
The Scratch Daughters by H. A. Clarke (nonbinary butch lesbian mc, Black sapphic mc, Chinese American bi mc, femme lesbian mc, achillean nonbinary side character, achillean side characters) – 4 🌈 cw gore, violence, lesbophobia [review]
The Sunny Side by Lily Morton (bi mc, gay mc, achillean & sapphic side characters) – 1.5 🌈
The Vain by Eliot Rahal (Black sapphic mc, sapphic li) – 2 🌈 cw gore, violence, suicide
A Fractured Infinity by Nathan Tavares (gay mc with depression, Egyptian Muslim gay li) – 4 🌈 cw past overdose, mentions of suicide, violence [review to come]

Tiepolo Blue by James Cahill (gay mc, gay & lesbian side characters) – 3 🌈
The Woman Who Loved the Moon and Other Stories by Elizabeth A. Lynn (lesbian mcs, gay side characters) – 3 🌈
One Night in Hartswood by Emma Denny (gay mc, bi mc) – 3.5 🌈 cw violence, implied child abuse [review]
(& 🔥) Garlic and the Witch by Bree Paulsen (nonbinary li, gay character) – 5 🌈
The Killing Code by Ellie Marney (lesbian mcs) – 3.5 🌈 cw mentions of rape, murder, racism

One for Sorrow by Christopher Barzak (achillean mc, gay character) – 4 🌈 cw implied child sexual abuse, murder, homophobic slurs, ableism, child abuse
Quicksand by Tanizaki Jun’ichiro (Japanese sapphic mc & li) – 4 🌈
🔥 Garlic and the Vampire by Bree Paulsen (nonbinary character, gay character) – 5 🌈
External Forces by Shannon Fay (bi mc, achillean character, nonbinary side character, lesbian side character, gay side character, trans nonbinary side character) – 2 🌈 cw extreme gore, torture [review to come]
The Gentleman’s Book of Vices by Jess Everlee (gay mcs, gay, lesbian & trans side characters) – 2.5 🌈 cw period typical homophobia [review to come]

All the Way Happy by Kit Coltrane (gay mcs) – 3.5 🌈 cw self harm & mentions of, drug use, alcohol abuse, child abuse [review to come]
Football Royalty by Eden Finley (bi mc, gay mc) – 2 🌈
Web of Wind by J. F. Rivkin (bi mcs) – 4 🌈
Witch of Rhostshyl by J. F. Rivkin (bi mcs) – 3 🌈
Ruth & Pen by Emilie Pine (autistic sapphic mc) – 3 🌈 cw miscarriage, self harm, sexual harassment

The Sceptic by Lily Morton (gay mc, bi mc) – 2 🌈
Kiss of the Spider Woman by Manuel Puig (Argentine gay mc) – 4 🌈 cw period typical homophobia, torture
🔥 Two Rogues Make a Right by Cat Sebastian (gay mc with chronic illness, bi mc with PTSD, gay side characters) – 4 🌈 cw past drug addiction, past abuse

What we watched (and listened to)

Charlotte

Bad Gays (S1) – 4 🌈
🔥 Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011) dir. Tomas Alfredson (gay mc) – 4 🌈
Vampire Academy (S1) cr. Julie Plec & Marguerite MacIntyre (lesbian mc, Black gay mc, Black gay side character) – 3 🌈 cw gore, violence, attempted suicide, child abuse
The Dry (2020) dir. Robert Connolly (gay character) – 4.5 🌈
Curon (S1) cr. Ezio Abbate, Ivano Fachin & Giovanni Galassi (bi mc, lesbian li) DNF
Irma Vep (S1) cr. Olivier Assayas

Anna

With Love (S1), cr. Gloria Calderón Kellett (Mexican American gay mc, Filipino American bi mc, Mexican American nonbinary mc, genderqueer side character, Black LGBT side characters) – 5 🌈
Interview with the Vampire (S1), cr. Rolin Jones (Black gay mc, bi mc, Black achillean side character) – 5 🌈 tw blood, gore, body horror, murder, violence, racism, homophobia, domestic violence
House of the Dragon (S1), cr. Ryan J. Condal (Black gay mc, gay lis) – 1.5 🌈 tw homophobia, murder, violence, gore, blood, incest, sexual abuse, grooming
The Christmas House 2: Deck Those Halls (2021), dir. Rich Newey (gay mc & li) – 3 🌈
We Need A Little Christmas (2020), dir. Onyx Keesha & Noble Julz (Black cast, lesbian mcs) – 1.5 🌈 tw past death
🔥 The Christmas Setup (2020), dir. Pat Mills (gay mc & li) – 3.5 🌈