reviews, releases and recommendations of LGBT media
If you know publishing in any capacity, you probably know September is one of the biggest months in terms of output. Which means, after June (for obvious reasons), it’s the gayest month too, proven by the fact that there are over 125 books due out in this month (apologies to your wallets in advance). So, without further ado, let’s get going!
As ever, you can find all our previous releases posts here and the rainbow emoji indicates an author who id’s as LGBT.
Our last but one post of this month is another interview, this time with author Skye Kilaen. Skye’s next book comes out in just SEVEN days, and you can preorder that here. If you’re not already excited about this one, just read the blurb and you’ll find out why you should be. In the meantime, you can read this interview to find out a little more.
You can also, of course, follow Skye on twitter.
In a shocking move, Anna is not the one behind today’s film & tv rec list. Namely because Anna does not watch crime dramas, but I do, and I have been craving gay crime dramas above all. So, here are the fruits of my research, to share with you. A little confession though: I haven’t really…finished all of these shows, so some of the CWs may be lacking (I’ll come back to update when I do, for now I’ve made notes of when they cover up to, episode-wise. The number episode will be the last I watched), because apparently I have such little staying power even for shows I’m really enjoying… Who knew.
Before we get into the rec list proper though, I do want to note that there is a sad lack of trans rep in it. That’s because I had three (apparently insurmountable) standards for reccing trans rep in crime dramas: 1) that the actor is also trans, 2) that the trans character is not a murder victim and/or does not die horribly, and 3) the trans character is not the murderer and/or a psychopath. Maybe I should lower my standards next time.
However, I did come across a couple that fitted some of those categories, which I’ll share with you here if you really want to watch them: Bellevue (trans character played by a trans actor, but is the murder victim—although she is properly developed as a character and is given screentime, if that decides you) and Big Sky (trans side character played by a nonbinary actor, but seems minor).
And finally, because it’s just occurred to me, a note on CWs: I’ve tried to add all I’ve noticed while watching, but I feel there also needs to be a general one here, for the types of things you generally see in crime dramas (i.e. dead bodies, gore, autopsies).
Today’s guest post is a very fun one, with Amara Lynn taking over our blog to lead us all on a tour of the real life locations in California that appear in their Mask series. Complete with pictures! So don’t let us keep you, dive right in, and let us know just how hungry you feel afterwards…
And if you want to know more about the series, check out Amara’s website. They’re also running a giveaway of the series (US only), that you can enter here.
Here’s another compilation post about trans & nonbinary books that all came out in one year. This time the year is 2019. Sometimes you just gotta go back in time, right?
Like always, I decided to only feature books with main characters or love interests who aren’t cis. (Or really important side characters, like parents). Of course, it’s not just YA, there are adult books on this list as well. And it absolutely is not all one genre.
For this post in particular, I’m sure I have missed some books. Please leave a comment, if you know of any books I should add! And as always, books by LGBT authors have a rainbow emoji next to the title.
See also: trans & nonbinary books of 2021 and of 2020; 100+ books by trans & nonbinary authors; twitter’s favourite trans books.
Hopefully, by now, you’re already excited about The Charm Offensive. We most definitely were, the moment we learned about it. If, however, you live under a rock, let us introduce you to one of the loveliest books of the year. (And hey, the comparison to Casey McQuiston’s writing? Totally deserved.)
Anyway, give Alison Cochrun a follow on twitter, and enjoy!
In this witty and heartwarming romantic comedy—reminiscent of Red, White & Royal Blue and One to Watch—an awkward tech wunderkind on a reality dating show goes off-script when sparks fly with his producer.
Dev Deshpande has always believed in fairy tales. So it’s no wonder then that he’s spent his career crafting them on the long-running reality dating show Ever After. As the most successful producer in the franchise’s history, Dev always scripts the perfect love story for his contestants, even as his own love life crashes and burns. But then the show casts disgraced tech wunderkind Charlie Winshaw as its star.
Charlie is far from the romantic Prince Charming Ever After expects. He doesn’t believe in true love, and only agreed to the show as a last-ditch effort to rehabilitate his image. In front of the cameras, he’s a stiff, anxious mess with no idea how to date twenty women on national television. Behind the scenes, he’s cold, awkward, and emotionally closed-off.
As Dev fights to get Charlie to connect with the contestants on a whirlwind, worldwide tour, they begin to open up to each other, and Charlie realizes he has better chemistry with Dev than with any of his female co-stars. But even reality TV has a script, and in order to find to happily ever after, they’ll have to reconsider whose love story gets told.
Alison Cochrun
Rep: Indian American gay mc with depression, gay mc with generalised anxiety disorder, OCD & a panic disorder, Chinese American bi side character, lesbian side character, Black ace bi side character with anxiety, gay side character, Muslim pan side character, Black bi side character
CWs: panic attacks, biphobia (from side character)
Release: 7th September 2021
Specific labels may vary but all the books in this post have achillean main characters & are written by achillean authors. This isn’t to say that you shouldn’t be reading m/m books which aren’t, roughly speaking, ownvoices. Rather, a place to celebrate the few that are.
Of course, I’m only human, so if you spot any mistakes or missing titles, let me know!
I’m sure Elisa A. Bonnin’s debut, out in 2022, is one that’s high on all of our radars (and, if it’s not, why not??). A Filipino-inspired fantasy, with a sapphic romance? The book of our dreams, I’m sure.
Since we, very sadly, can’t have this book right now (it’s out on 19th July 2022), but we do have Elisa here today to give us some crumbs to make us even more excited.
Taking a break from making very niche rec lists for a super specific trope used in an even more specific genre! So instead, I’m here today with books from various genres, featuring an even bigger array of tropes, but all of them sharing a specific representation. And yeah, the title gives it away, I know; it’s not a surprise all the books listed below have main characters who are on the asexuality spectrum. Hopefully, the selection is broad enough that everyone finds something for themself!
This idea is sort of born of this thread (which was a great thread, if I do say so myself, so there’s a little bit of overlap in some signs…but I’ve mostly tried to add new books), but I decided I wanted to turn it into a blog post featuring all LGBT books, instead of solely sapphic ones. And here we are! This post contains thirty six books, one for the sun, moon & rising for each sign. So, if you’re looking for a way to create a little fun TBR, look no further!
Of course, I couldn’t start this post without having mentioned Anaïs, who is vastly more knowledgeable of astrology than me, and who helped a lot with fitting the right books in.
Want to skip to your sign?
Dance a little on this rainy day! (Well, it’s rainy here, I’m aware that’s not true for everyone but bear with me, please.) I’m bringing you a few dozens of songs by LGBT artists, some hopefully new to you, some very popular. All amazing.
That’s not enough for you? Try all my previous monthly posts right here!
This month’s book of the month was selected highly democratically (i.e. I said, let’s choose this one and Anna said you do you). I have to admit to already having read (and LOVED) this book, so, yeah, I’m a little biased here when I say this is perhaps one of the best thrillers I’ve ever read. It’s tense and terrifying and you’ll be on the edge of your seat the entire time. It’s one I’d suggest you preorder, and if you scroll down, you’ll find out just why I think that.
(But if that’s got you very excited, I can highly recommend After the Eclipse as well!)
After a more chill July, following June’s…somewhat hectic schedule, we’re back to posting just a bit more in August, and have some great rec lists you won’t want to miss out on! But before we can get to that, here’s our wrap-up of the month just gone.
What do you guys think of our new layout for these posts? We do hope it’s easier to browse when books are at least roughly divided into categories! And when you have around 80 books in one place, it sure does that a while to look through them all…
As ever, you can find all our previous releases posts here and the rainbow emoji indicates an author who id’s as LGBT.
I’m sure you’re just as excited about this book as we were when we first heard about it. Firstly, it’s Gabriela Martins! (And if you don’t know just how much we love her on this blog, we interviewed her way back & featured her guest post in our one year anniversary celebration.) Secondly, who doesn’t love fake dating? So if you’re looking for a summery read (whether it’s summer where you are, or you wish it was), then this book will be for you.
This debut paperback original romance follows a Latina teen pop star whose image takes a dive after a messy public breakup, until she’s set up with a swoon-worthy fake boyfriend.
Fake boyfriend. Real heartbreak?
Natalie is living her dream: topping the charts and setting records as a Brazilian pop star…until she’s dumped spectacularly on live television. Not only is it humiliating—it could end her career.
Her PR team’s desperate plan? A gorgeous yet oh-so-fake boyfriend. Nati reluctantly agrees, but William is not what she expected. She was hoping for a fierce bad boy—not a soft-hearted British indie film star. While she fights her way back to the top with a sweet and surprisingly swoon-worthy boy on her arm, she starts to fall for William—and realizes that maybe she’s the biggest fake of them all. Can she reclaim her voice and her heart?
Gabriela Martins
Rep: Brazilian mc, Jewish bisexual li, lesbian Pakistani American side character, bisexual Brazilian American side character
Release: 3rd August 2021
