Escape thru Fiction - Reading List 2023

Art, cultural, and music, share creative things that you love!
Post Reply
User avatar
ysabeau
Posts: 1058
Joined: Tue Dec 18, 2018 6:12 am
Patron Deities: King Paimon, Thor, Skadi, Hades & Persephone, Leviathan, Uphir
Your favourite Demon?: Arachne, Serpentine, Necrosis, Void
Number of Demon Familiars: 17
Has thanked: 60 times
Been thanked: 330 times
Contact:

You know, I always love connecting with those who are readers and lovers of reading.
I figured that maybe it would be nice to have a reading list of what we are working on reading, what we've read, and things that we love/hate. Give some awesome inspiration for others looking to have a read.

I read a lot of Indie books, but have picked up some trad pub too. So mine will be a mix.

Please feel free to join with your read/to read lists too!! What's your reading list? (feel free to steal my setup if you want)

I'll have my list of what I've read, genre, and anything interesting about it. I'll be updating by replying to this original posts. Feel free to add and reply to yours or mine or questions!! I've been big into reading lately and want to share that with those who are interested.

I'm a ver voracious and fast reader at times. So I'll probably check in once a month with updates rather than weekly or daily - etc. Please feel free to yoink books for your own TBR.

★★★★★ - Phenomenal Read - Made me feel shit
★★★★ - Fantastic Read - Loved it and would read more
★★★ - It was alright but felt lacking in some way (usually character or plot)
★ - DNF (this is rare)

I will also be using these labels for identifying authors/stories that are minority groups being rep'd:

LGBTQA+ (Queer)
BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, or Person of Color)
MPH Rep (Mental/Physical Health Representiation)


Completed Reads


Adult Fantasy - Action/Adventure

★★★★★ - One Dark Window [GrimDark Fantasy] - Rachel Gillig
This one was damn good, with the world so very complex with it's lore. Magic is infection and costly
Check Content Warnings - https://rachelgillig.com/2022/05/23/one ... -warnings/

★★★ - Spice Road [Arabian Inspired Fantasy w/ Djinn] - Maiya Ibrahim
It was good... but it didn't wow me. I felt like the characters could be stronger. I still want to read sequels
BIPOC Author & Book is BIPOC Perspective - Arabian

★★★★ - A Widow's Web (Nightbane Series #1) - B. J. Rysewyk
It is very good and worldbuilding strong. It was harder to get into the story with the FMC, but that's personal preference.
There are spicy scenes, but it's not the focus of the story

★★★★ - An Ember's Shadow (Nightbane Series #2) - B. J. Rysewyk
Release is Coming, I am a reader for this book.
MPH Rep - Severe Trauma, PTSD

Adult Fantasy - Romance

★★★★★ - Fourth Wing (Empyrean #1) - Rebecca Yarros
This is top favorite 2023. Hands down. I cannot stop loving this story.
There are spicy scenes. Dragons. I mean come on.
MPH Rep - EDS/Hypermobile, POC MMC, and Queerness is Normalized.

Adult Paranormal Romance

★★★★★ - Masked - M. Greenhill
This was originally Wattpad book, but phenomenal paranormal thriller

★★★★★ - The Blood of the Covenant (Anthology)
I've read the prequel: Her Vicious Beasts by E.P Bali. I'm so excited to read the first book when it comes out. The take on the shifter society is incredible amazing. I have yet to read the other stories because they were not in my taste to read at the time.

Science Fiction & Fantasy

★★★★★ - Dune - Frank Herbert (3 books + sequels)
I will always love this book, it's so complex with it's political and cultural things.
Warning: Features Death, Eugenics, Religious & Political Heavy

Dystopian & Apocalyptic

★★★★★ - The Hunger Games - Suzanne Collins
This was so close to the movies, it's not funny. It was excellent reading this for the first time.
Check Warnings, you prob already know them. Child Death, Fight to the Death etc.

18+ NSFW Reads

★★★ - Arrival (Curse of the Pirate Kings #1) - Minerva Kayden
This book was disappointing to me. The smut is there.. but I am so let down by the potential for worldbuilding that is just let go. It focuses so much more on the smut with a very plot flimsy driven reason for it.
CW: Dub-Con, Rough Scenes


To Be Read

Fantasy & Romantasy
☆ Silver in the Bone - Alexandra Bracken
☆ Iron Widow - Xiran Jay Zhao [Queer & BiPOC]
☆ A Day in the Fallen Night & Priory of the Orange Tree - Samantha Shannon (QUEER)
☆ The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi - Shannon Chakraborty
☆ Grishaverse (Shadow/Bone, Six of Crows, King of Scars) - Leigh Bardugo
☆ Red Queen Series - Victoria Aveyard
☆ An Ember in the Ashes Series
☆ Plated Prisoner Series - Raven Kennedy
☆ To Shape a Dragon's Breath - Moniquill Blackgoose (BIPOC)
☆ Dragonfall - L. R. Lam
☆ The Poison Heart (duo) - Bayron (BIPOC)
☆ The Gilded Ones - Namina Forna (BIPOC)
☆ Kingdom of Souls - Rena barron (BIPOC)
☆ Nightbirds - Kate Armstrong
☆ Crier's War (WLW Queer) - Nina Varela
☆ The mask of Mirrors - M.A. Carrick (Queer)
☆ A Touch of War - Nicole Velasquez (Nov. 7 2023)
☆ The Deep - Rovers Solomon (BIPOC story)

Paranormal & Paranormal Romance
☆ Nightborn - S.J. Sanders (Current Read)
☆ Court of the Vampire Queen - Katee Robert (Current Read)
☆ Mercy Thompson Series - Patricia Briggs [BIPOC FMC]
☆ Not Even Bones - Schaeffer
☆ Demons in my Bed - Britt Andrews (Why Choose Dark Para)
☆ Bone Season Series - Samantha Shannon (reread 1-3 to read the others)
☆ Year of the Reaper - Makiia Lucier (BIPOC)

Dark Romance - CHECK TWs
☆ Dear Darkness Series - Leah Steele (Dark Romance/Serial Killer FMC)
☆ Revelations - Rebecca Rathe

Historical Based
☆ Homecoming - Kate Morton
☆ The Diamond Eye - Kate Quinn

Dystopian
☆ Catching Fire, Mokingjay, and The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes - Suzanne Collins
☆ Darkest Minds Series - Alexandra Bracken
☆ The Blood Trials - N.E. Davenport

Action/Adventure
☆ The Recovery Agent - Janet Evanovich
☆ The Sacrifice - Rin Chupeco (BIPOC)

Science Fiction
☆ Seven Devils - L. R. Lam [Queer]
☆ Dune Messiah & Children of Dune - Frank Herbert

Thriller & Mystery
☆ Stone Maidens - Lloyd Richards
Two roads diverged in a wood and I -- I took the one less traveled by, and that made all the difference. - Robert Frost
User avatar
ysabeau
Posts: 1058
Joined: Tue Dec 18, 2018 6:12 am
Patron Deities: King Paimon, Thor, Skadi, Hades & Persephone, Leviathan, Uphir
Your favourite Demon?: Arachne, Serpentine, Necrosis, Void
Number of Demon Familiars: 17
Has thanked: 60 times
Been thanked: 330 times
Contact:

LGBTQIA+ June (and Beyond) Pride Reading List

So I prefer Fantasy and Sci-FI, so this list is mostly those. Terms explain below.
Achillean - MxM
Sapphic - WxW
Bisexual - between both genders
Ace/Aro - Asexual, Aromantic
Poly - Polyamorous

Fantasy

Legends & Lattes - Travis Baldree (Sapphic)
This Poison Heart - Kalynn Bayron (Bisexual FMC & Lesbian Parents)
She Who Became the Sun - Shelley Parker-Chan (Queer relationships)
Gwen & Art are NOT in Love - Lex Croucher (Sapphic & Achillean)
Daughters of Izdihar - Hadeer Elsbai (Hetero & Sapphic relations)
Wild and Wicked Things - Francesca May (Great Gatsby Sapphic w/ magic)
Lucha of the Night Forest - Tehlor Kay Mejia (Sapphic)
Little Thieves - Margaret Owen (Queer Normative World - Demisexual MC)
A Widow's Web - B. J. Rysewyk (Bisexual)
A Day of Fallen Night/Priory of Orange Tree - Samantha Shannon (Sapphic)
The Bookshop and the Barbarian - Morgan Stang (Sapphic)
The Jasmine Throne - Tasha Suri (Sapphic)
Chameleon Moon - RoAnna Sylver (Sapphic Triad)
The Sunbearer's Trials - Aiden Thomas (Trans Achillean)
Lies we Sing to the Sea - Sarah Underwood (Sapphic YA)
Crier's War - Nina Varela (Sapphic)
Fourth Wing - Rebeccca Yarros (QueerNormative Dating - side characters - MF main relationship)

Sci-Fi

This is how you Lose the Time War - Max Gladstone (Sapphic)
Seven Devils - L. R. Lam [Queer]

Paranormal


Sixteen Souls - Rosie Talbot (Amputee - Achillean w/ Trans, Sapphic,Bi & Pansexual)

Sapphic Gothic & Horror
make sure to check CWs-

Such Pretty Flowers - K.L. Cerra
Plain Bad Heroines - Emily Danforth
House of Hunger - Alexis Henderson
A Dowry of Blood - S. T. Gibson (Queer Poly)
Tripping Arcadia- Kit Mayquist
All the Dead Lie Down - Kyrie McCauley

Not Gothic, But Horror -

Our Wives Under the Sea - Julia Armfield

Not Horror, but Gothic


Bitterthorn - Kat Dunn (Sapphic - Gothic)
The Society for Soulless Girls - Laura Steven (Sapphic Retelling Jekyll & Hyde) (Sept 19 release)

Queer Poly


Silver Under Nightfall - Rin Chupeco
Moonlight Love and Witchcraft - Vaela Denarr & Michah Iannandrea
Spitfire - Maya Kern
The Companion - EE Ottoman
Stake Sauce - RoAnna Sylver
Iron Widow - Xiran Zhao
Pretty much all of Katee Robert's Books

Contemporary & Litfics


Everyone in the room will someday be dead - Emily Austin (check TWS - sapphic & mental health)
Common Bonds - Speculative Anthology - Claudie Arseneault etc al (Aromanctic Characters)
Felix Ever After - Kacen Callender (Achillean Love Triangle)
If You Still Love Me - Cynthia So (YA Queer & Sapphic)
These Violent Delights - Micah Nemerever (Dark Academia - TW: Toxic MLM relationship)

Other Genres

All that's left in the world - Erik J Brown (YA Apocalyptic)
A Million to One - Adiba Jaigirdar (YA Heist Titanic & Sapphic)
Thieves - Lucie Byron (Graphic Sapphic Novel)

Videos/Tiktoks of Aro/Ace Books:
https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/ ... 7c2fgg.mov
https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/ ... mb5dn0.mov
https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/ ... tuiheg.mov

Video/Tiktok of Enby Books:
https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/ ... 76l4f0.mov
Two roads diverged in a wood and I -- I took the one less traveled by, and that made all the difference. - Robert Frost
Post Reply

Return to “Art, Culture, & Music”