#i currently have ace voices and being ace on my tbr for this year but am always open to suggestions

[aroaceinaerospace]

since it's the start of a new year and I'm a bookworm, I figured I'd share some of the aspec books I read in 2023. I've added any of the big content warnings I can think of as well as a link to the books on storygraph where there are more in depth content warnings.

Fiction:

Wren Martin Ruins It All by Amanda DeWitt follows the titular character Wren Martin during senior year of high school as he becomes student council president and fights his vice president to try and get the school's Valentine's Day dance shut down. Wren is very much an externally grumpy person who becomes much more loveable as you get to know him and see the reasoning behind his grumpiness. Rep includes asexual main character and an aromantic side character, and note this book is a romance.

Is Love The Answer by Uta Isaki is a coming of age manga following Chika as she tries to find the answer to who she is and explores her identity. This book is full of aro and ace rep with different life experiences. CW for aphobia and attempted SA.

Just Lizzie by Karen Wilfred is a middle grade book following Lizzie in how a science class assignment helped lead her to an understanding of her asexuality. At the same time, Lizzie is having to adjust to a new home and changes in what was once familiar and safe. CW for aphobia, harassment.

Non-fiction:

*note: these books cover some triggering topics in different parts of them, including racism, SA, aphobia, and more

Ace and Aro Journeys by The Ace and Aro Advocacy Project (TAAAP) is a really great overview of aspec identities, it gives more time to aro identities than a lot of other books, and provides quotes and information from people on various parts of the spectrums. This book brings in some intersectionality, though it is more broad than a deep dive.

Refusing Compulsory Sexuality by Sherronda J. Brown, which has been my favorite read. This book is fantastic if you're ready for a deep dive into intersectionality and some deeper history on asexuality. This book, despite being very short, is a much heavier read content-wise, but it is very thought provoking and will stick with you. Each chapter gives you content warnings up front for the materials that will be addressed in the chapter. Personally, this book has been my favorite book on the subject and I intend on reading it many more times to capture more of the nuance.

#aro #ace #aromantic #asexual #aroace #aspec #if you have any recommendations pleaaaaase let me know #i have also read ace by Angela chen; lets talk about love by claire kann; loveless by alice oseman; every heart a doorway by seanan mcguire #gender queer by maia kobabe; the murderbot diaries (some people count it idk that i do); aces wild by amanda dewitt #paper planes by jennie wood; sounds fake but okay; the charm offensive and kiss her once for me by alison cochrun #i am ace by cody Daigle-Orians; elatsoe by darcie little badger; a quick & easy guide to asexuality; and ace notes by Michele Kirichanskaya #i currently have ace voices and being ace on my tbr for this year but am always open to suggestions

[fuckyeahasexual]

Read your review for waking up the sun and how you like lgbtqiap+ authors from small publishes I was just wondering if you could share those publishes your favorite books etc. I would love to read from more authors that like understand me ya know

Oh! I used to be really good at this until I lost faith in how small publishers work. Last year had a ton of "Publishers Behaving Badly" stories and 2020 is still having a huge racist leadership the Romance Writers of America. But, that's not diverse author's fault so here's my would still buy from first.

Diversion Books -

They published April Daniel's Dreadnought. It's a own voices trans superhero book series. Nominated for awards, author is just a person I trust as well. So while this isn't saying anything about it's publisher, if I saw a book and one the fench about it and say it was also a book from the same publisher I'd give it a second look.

Interlude Press -

This publisher is probably most known for the Not Your Sidekick series. Another a wonderful diverse book from an very nice person (C.B. Lee). And another award nod here. Interlude has been around I think since I started working for publishers, and they have sales all the time and have a ton of LGBTQ+ books on their website. They seem to fairly often show up at book cons which is nice legwork for some of their authors.

NineStar Press -

I loosely know a lot of authors in their catalog and haven't heard anything negative about them. In a era that I feel is full of "oops we ran out of money and forget to pay you" I feel like NineStar is among the last standing.

I'd be remiss, if I didn't mention my own publishing co, Creative Aces Publishing. I've worked for three publishers (not mentioned here), and the first stopped paying authors (for a while only I hope?). Another publisher I knew of keep being acephobic as hell before they shuddenly shut down. There's a case of one currently, huge LGBTQ specific one that took thousands upon thousands from their authors. I am not naming and shaming any here because I don't want those authors hurt more than they already are.

All that bad business practice over the years, not just towards authors, but sooo much unpaid staff, is why I was like, nope. This is so skewed towards the publisher's owners favor that I'm going to break this chart's dynamic and do my own thing for works I really believe in. If it's about asexuality or not.

So again while I listed four publishers, support queer authors wherever you find them. If someone gets a big five contract, awesome. If someone self publishes, awesome. I know the backlist of even just one of these publishers mentioned can keep your TBR list full for a long time.

#ask box #anon #publishing #books #ref

[alexsfictionaddiction]

Alex Recommends: May and June Books

I must apologise for the late arrival of this post. It should have been up days ago but I’ve been struggling to read much for the last month or so. My head has been very foggy and dark with all of the confusion, anxiety and hate that has been filling my news feeds and I’ve been filled with a desire to combat it. Before this month, I’d have run in the opposite direction from any kind of confrontation but recent events have given me the kick up the butt to actively do better. I’ve been calling out bigotry when I come across it and I’ve noticed that some people, notably my older relatives, haven’t necessarily reacted favorably to the changed, more outspoken Alex. It has been pretty daunting and I’ve worked myself up into fits of rage and tears several times over the last couple of months.

A lot of things have changed for me since my last Alex Recommends post. I’m currently temporarily living in Staffordshire with my boyfriend because my depression got too bad for me to stay at home for much longer. I missed him unbelievably much and I knew that spending some prolonged time with him would help -and it has. Both him and I have spent 12 weeks religiously following all of the rules, so we’re both extremely low-risk for catching and spreading COVID-19 and being together was something that we simply really needed to do. Please don’t hate me for it! In other news, I have also started writing again, which feels amazing. I’m now a few thousand words into a queer Rapunzel retelling that I have lots of ideas for. Maybe I’ll even post an extract or two, when I feel it’s ready to show you.

In the centre of the renewed energy of Black Lives Matter and the undeniable exposure of the horrors that is police brutality, the book blogging and BookTube worlds vowed to uplift Black voices. I wrote a very long, in-depth blog post full of Black-written books and Black book influencers. Please check it out to diversify your TBR and educate yourself on Black issues, which is what every white person should be doing now and always.

June was Pride Month and I tried my best to compile a series of recommendation posts in honour of it. These included gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, non-binary, ace, pansexual and intersex lists. I’ve had some great feedback on this, so I hope you find some fantastic new reads. It felt especially poignant to put them together the same year that one of my childhood heroes came out as an ignorant trans-exclusive feminist. As a lifelong Harry Potter superfan and someone who has repeatedly publicly supported Rowling in the past, I feel the need to clarify where I now stand. I do not support or agree with a single thing that she has said in recent times with regard to transgender people. I’ve never felt my own status as a cisgender female threatened by trans people wanting more rights or believed that children or women were at risk due to their existence. 

I read her words more than once and struggled to find any semblance of the woman who wrote the books that have most defined my life. I’m hesitant to say that we can always successfully separate the art from the artist but I will say that it makes sense to me that the Rowling of 2020 is not the same Rowling that wrote Harry Potter. She was a destitute single mother when Philosopher’s Stone was published in 1997 and of course, she is now a million worlds away from that lifestyle. It breaks my heart but it makes sense to me that she has changed beyond belief because her life has changed beyond belief. I’m not and never would make any excuses for her recent behaviour and I have stopped supporting her personally but I will not be getting rid of my Harry Potter books and I will undoubtedly re-read them several more times. However, I am now hugely reluctant to buy any more merchandise or special editions of the books, which saddens me but at the moment, it feels right. There is no coming back for her from this and I will make a conscious effort to keep Harry Potter and Rowling away from my future content. It can be really tough to admit that the people you once really admired aren’t great humans but it’s something that we all have to acknowledge in this case, in order to move forward with our own quests to become our best selves.

It didn’t feel right to post my May recommendations last month as I didn’t feel comfortable promoting my own content in the midst of boosting Black voices. So today I’m bringing you a bumper edition of Alex Recommends. Here are 10 books that I’ve enjoyed since the start of May that I’d love to share with you. Enjoy! -Love, Alex x

FICTION: Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng

Set in the affluent neighbourhood of Shaker Heights, Ohio in the 1990s, two families are brought together and pulled apart by the most intense, devastating circumstances. Dealing with issues of race, class, coming-of-age, motherhood and the dangers of perfection, Little Fires Everywhere is highly addictive and effecting. With characters who are so heartbreakingly real and a story that weaves its way to your very core, I couldn’t put it down and I’m still thinking about it over a month after finishing it. 

FICTION: Get A Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert

When coding nerd Chloe Brown almost dies, she makes a list of goals and vows to finally Get A Life. So she enlists tattooed redhead handyman and biker Red to teach her how. Cute, funny and ultimately life-affirming, this enemies-to-lovers rom-com was exactly the brand of light relief that I needed this month. The follow-up Take A Hint, Dani Brown focuses on a fake-dating situation with Chloe’s over-achieving academic sister and I can’t wait to get my hands on that.

FICTION: The Rearranged Life of Oona Lockhart by Margarita Montimore

Just before her 19th birthday at midnight on New Year’s Eve 1983, Oona Lockhart finds herself inexplicably in 2015 inside her 51-year-old body. She soon learns that every year on New Year’s Day, she will now find herself inside a random year of her life and she has no control over it. Seeing her through relationships, friendships and extreme wealth, this strange novel has echoes of Back To The Future and 13 Going On 30 with a final revelation that I certainly never saw coming.

NON-FICTION: The Five by Hallie Rubenhold

Atmospheric and engaging, The Five details the previously untold stories of Polly, Annie, Elisabeth, Kate and Mary-Jane -the women who lost their lives at the hands of Jack the Ripper. Full of fascinating research and heartbreaking accounts of what these women’s lives may have been like, Rubenhold paints a dark immersive portrait of Victorian London and gives voice to these tragic silenced lives. Although we can’t know for certain if these accounts are entirely accurate, they feel very plausible and in some ways, The Five exposes how little time has moved on, when it comes to the public portrayal of single, troubled women.

NON-FICTION: Unicorn by Amrou Al-Kadhi

From a childhood crush on Macaulay Culkin to how a teenage obsession with marine biology helped them realise their non-binary identity, Unicorn tells the story of how the obsessive perfectionist son of a strict Muslim Iraqi family became the gorgeous drag queen Glamrou. Packed full of humour, honesty and heart, this book will give you the strength and inspiration to harness what you were born with and be who you were always meant to be.

MIDDLE-GRADE: The Super Miraculous Journey of Freddie Yates by Jenny Pearson

When fact-obsessed Freddie’s grandmother dies, he discovers that the father he has never met may actually be alive and living in Wales. So he has no choice but to grab his best friends Ben and Charlie, leave his home in Andover and go to find his dad! I laughed so many times during this madcap adventure and I know the slapstick crazy humour will hit the middle-grade target audience just right. It’s also a wonderful depiction of small town Britain with a focus on the true meaning of family.

MIDDLE-GRADE: A Kind Of Spark by Elle McNicoll

When Addie learns about her hometown’s history of witch trials, she campaigns tirelessly to get a memorial for the women who lost their lives through it. This wonderfully beautiful novel gives a unique insight into the mind of an 11-year-old autistic girl with a huge heart. Busting myths about neurodiversity while tackling typical pre-teen drama, you’ll laugh, you’ll cry but most of all, you’ll close the book with a huge smile on your face. 

HISTORICAL FICTION: Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell

In 16th century Warwickshire, Agnes is a woman with a unique gift whose relationship with a young Latin tutor produces three children and a legacy that lasts for centuries. This enchanting, all-consuming account of the tragic story of Shakespeare’s lost son, the effects that rippled through the family and the play that was born from their pain will send a bullet straight through your heart. Wonderfully researched and beautifully written, Hamnet is worth all of the hype.

HISTORICAL FICTION: The Mercies by Kiran Millwood Hargrave

When a vicious storm kills most of the men of Vardø, Norway, it’s up to the women to keep things going but a man with a murderous past is about to come down with an iron fist. At the heart of this dark tale of witch trials, grief and feminism, two women find something they’ve each been searching for within each other. Gorgeously written with a fantastically slow-burning queer romance, Kiran Millwood Hargrave’s first adult novel is an addictive, atmospheric read with a poignant, tearjerker of an ending.

SCI-FI: Q by Christina Dalcher

When one of Elena’s daughters manages to drop below the country’s desired Q number, she is sent away to one of the new state schools and Elena is about to find out something she’d really rather not know about the new system. Packed full of real social commentary and critique of life as we know it while painting a picture of how things could be even worse (yes, really!), this pulse-racing, horrifying sci-fi dystopian gripped me from the first page and refused to let me go. 

#book recommendations #recommended #recommendations #may #june #books #bookworm

[curlyhairbibliophile]

Hello everyone! I hope you are all doing well and staying healthy! Since it is pride month, I wanted to use this space to boost LGBTQ+ voices. The first guest poster is Val from The V Word! She is such a sweet soul. I thoroughly enjoyed reading through her post, and I hope you do too! Enough of me talking, let’s hear from Val!

So, I was given this chance to write a guest post for the first time ever. And I want to take this opportunity to talk about my experience with LBGTQ+ books and the community. To be completely honest, before these past couple of months I hadn’t read, or actively sought, queer books. I think it had to do with the fact that

I am not out to any of my irls (except my sister) and

My own internalized homophobia.

It’s taken me a while to find the root of why I wasn’t comfortable when reading about LGBTQ+ relationships. I got to this conclusion: my entire life I was fed the idea that queer people were “funny”, “confused”, “lack a sense of identity”. I mean, just days ago (from the time I’m writing this) my mother told me she thought my generation is hyper-sexualized and lost with no true sense of identity. I remember being younger and asking if I could like women. I was told no, I’m too young to decide things like that, when in reality, I guess I’ve always known.

It was recently, when I found out my sister is just like me that I thought maybe it’s okay.  Maybe I’m not crazy for wanting this. Maybe I don’t have to be afraid. I mean, my sister is literally my biggest hero and role model. She taught me to be kind, smart, strong, and to know what I deserve and take nothing less. So, when she told me she was just like me, I didn’t feel so alone anymore, I felt safe and valid.

So, I opened myself to reading more than just cishet relationships. And it’s been a ride. I read some books with slight LGBTQ+ representation, like Six of Crows and such. After that, I grew hungry for more, though for some reason I still wasn’t 100% comfortable with WLW stories (still working on it) which is crazy because well…I’m a woman…who also likes….women…So, I started reading other things.

My first MLM book was Red, White and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston. This was my first 100% queer read. And I loved it. I loved all the fluff and all the cute stuff in it. And ever since then I’ve started actively seeking and reading more and more LGBTQ+ books. It’s literally all I want to read now! It’s still a struggle, though, because I’m constantly fighting this feeling of awkwardness and discomfort, but I’m making progress! I’m learning so many new things about myself and about the community. I can’t wait to tackle my Pride TBR, which, I plan to extend past June, and make it a year long thing!

Here is my Pride TBR for June:

Red, White, and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston

Carry On by Rainbow Rowell

Ace of Shades by Amanda Foody

King of Fools by Amanda Foody

There Will Come A Darkness by Katy Rose Pool

The Midnight Lie by Marie Rutkoski

Infinity Son by Adam Silvera

Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender

These Witches Don’t Burn by Isabel Sterling

Heartstopper Vol. 1 by Alice Oseman

The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon

Truthwitch by Susan Dennard

Like a Love Story by Abdi Nazemian

Hi! My name is Valentina, (yes, like the hot sauce). I am 20 years old, currently living in Texas. I was originally born in Mexico, where I lived for sixteen years. I moved to the United States before the beginning of my junior year in high school. I am now about to start my junior year in college (YAY) where I am pursuing a BFA in Studio Art with a concentration in Drawing. I was previously planning on also completing a Minor in Business, but I decided to postpone it to better focus on my other classes. I still plan to go back and finish it, though. My goal is to one day be able to open my own studio, hence the minor, but before I do that, I want to work as an illustrator in…. take a guess….YES! Books! It is my dream (I know, lame) to work as an illustrator for books and comics and maybe even the entertainment industry. But books…that would be a dream come true, to work reading and illustrating book covers. You can find my book blog at TheVWordcom.wordpress.com

Thank you so much for sharing your story and writing this post, Val! I enjoyed reading it so much. Do you have a similar story to Val’s? Do you remember the first LGBTQ+ book you read? Do you have any other LGBTQ+ book recommendations for Val? Let us know in the comments! I can’t wait to chat with y’all! 

🚨New Post🚨 Internalized Homophobia, The Books I Read, & My Journey to Accepting My Queer Identity: Guest Post by Val @valentinaaacr Hello everyone! I hope you are all doing well and staying healthy! Since it is pride month, I wanted to use this space to boost LGBTQ+ voices.

[nbiblioholic]

Down the TBR Hole was originally created by Lost in a Story! The point of it is to help cull your reading lists down, or maybe push higher anticipated releases up on your TBR! And maybe you all can help me along the way, and tell me if you’ve loved or hated any of these! How it works: ➽ Go to your Goodreads to-read shelf. ➽ Order on ascending date added. ➽ Take the first 5 (or 10 if you’re feeling adventurous) books ➽ Read the synopses of the books ➽ Decide: keep it or should it go?

Hardwired (Hacker #1) by Meredith Wild Avg rating: 4.07 Release: May 12, 2015 Amazon: https://amzn.to/2Py0kbd I've only read one series from this author, a second chance love story about an assassin, and I really enjoyed it. It wasn't as sexy as I would like, but the plot definitely kept me engaged. I'm hoping this one goes beyond my expectations. Verdict: Keep Ten (Men by Numbers #1) by Ker Dukey Avg rating: 4.04 Release: December 20, 2015 Amazon: https://amzn.to/2JAA2Qe (FREE in KU) First of all, it's Ker Dukey and I love her twisted stories! It's a forbidden love that turned into hate all due to a misunderstanding and before all is communicated, the hero finds ways to torture the heroine. Call me sick but I. CANNOT. WAIT!! Verdict: Keep Prisoned by Marni Mann Avg rating: 4.04 Release: August 22, 2016 Amazon: https://amzn.to/2qrQrNO (FREE in KU) I've been wanting to read this book since its release. It's been sitting on my kindle, waiting to catch my attention. There hasn't been a Marni Mann book I didn't like and I'm very interested in seeing what she's done with this darker read. Verdict: Keep Shane (Mallick Brothers #1) by Jessica Gadziala Avg rating: 4.30 Release: September 10, 2016 Amazon: https://amzn.to/2RvlXWN (FREE in KU) She had me at the word "triggers". Can you name a book by this author that you didn't like? I know I can't. I really wanted to start this series when it released, but you already know how that goes 😞 Verdict: Keep Scarlet by Aria Cole Avg rating: 3.75 Release: July 8, 2016 Amazon: https://amzn.to/2QcQRmF (FREE in KU) I have mentioned how much I love retellings, right? Well, this one is obviously a play on Little Red Riding Hood. I'm hoping it's as hot as it claims to be. Verdict: Keep Grayson's Vow by Mia Sheridan Avg rating: 4.21 Release: September 8, 2015 Amazon: https://amzn.to/2RwPD5X (FREE in KU) I don't think there's a Sign of Love book by this author that didn't get 5 stars from me. I'm suspect this one will be the same. I haven't had a lot of opportunities to enjoy this author, but I've loved the ones I've had. Verdict: Keep Savage (London Mob #1) by Michelle St. James Avg rating: 4.03 Release: February 9, 2016 Amazon: https://amzn.to/2RxF3eR (Currently $0) I was going to tell you that I was gonna skip this one, but then I noticed that it was currently free. How can I turn down free? It costs me nothing to love or hate this book, right? Verdict: Keep Dare You to Run (Unbroken Heroes #2) by Dawn Ryder Avg rating: 3.64 Release: August 30, 2016 Amazon: https://amzn.to/2SE6HZj I'm sitting here wondering why I added book 2 of a series without reading book 1. I have been told that this can be read as a standalone although it has a continuing storyline from the previous book. I guess I'll just leave this here as a placeholder. I'm told it has tons of hot sex with a sweet story mixed in. I'm a sucker for hot sex and alpha heroes! Verdict: Keep The Girl With the Lower Back Tattoo by Amy Schumer Avg rating: 3.73 Release: August 16, 2016 Amazon: https://amzn.to/2SCviNU I really enjoy biographies. I've got some of my favorites saved at my mommy's house and they tell the tales of all the great movie stars from the 40s and 50s. I've watched a few movies with Amy Schumer and found her to be funny for the most part and thought this would have her humor mixed in. However, I've been warned that this book is not what I assumed it to be. It's more about her feelings and things she's gone through and where you would hope to find humor, it's flooded with levity. I don't think I like this woman well enough to want to get so deep into her thoughts. Maybe one day I will. Verdict: Delete Out of Bounds (The Summer Games #2) by R.S. Grey Avg rating: 3.82 Release: August 1, 2016 Amazon: https://amzn.to/2QhAQMm (FREE in KU) I've got this and the first book in the series on my TBR. I'm a little hesitant to start this series. I find this author's books are always hit or miss for me. And while many seem to love one, I'll hate it and vice versa. I'm crossing my fingers that this series, with it's hot covers, is one I come to love. Verdict: Keep Craving Trix (The Aces' Sons #1) by Nicole Jacquelyn Avg rating: 4.09 Release: July 13, 2015 Amazon: https://amzn.to/2DhvZI0 I've heard some pretty amazing things about this author. Amazing things. And I've felt left out of the fandom because I haven't read anything from her yet. I'm truly excited to get the chance to read this. Verdict: Keep All The Ugly and Wonderful Things by Bryn Greenwood Avg rating: 4.08 Release: August 9, 2016 Amazon: https://amzn.to/2qr5vLH I heard the word 'taboo' and I was all over it. Well, kinda sorta. I immediately added it to my TBR but I haven't had the chance to voice my opinion amongst the thousands. I know that there are those who have said this book is 'disgusting', but I'm pretty sure I will not be one of them. I've been looking forward to this book for two years and at the time of its release, it was one of my most anticipated reads. I'm enormously disappointed that I didn't get to read it when it came out. That I couldn't adequately defend this story. That I couldn't show my love. But hopefully one day soon I will! Verdict: Keep Burn Down the Night (Everything I Left Unsaid #3) by M. O'Keefe Avg rating: 3.99 Release: August 9, 2016 Amazon: https://amzn.to/2yN5zdo New-to-me author! This is another one of those books I added without reading the previous books in the series. I'm told that they're all standalones but I prefer to start series from the beginning. I guess I'll leave this one as a placeholder and hopefully remember to start from book 1. Verdict: Keep Heartless (Amato Brothers #1) by Winter Renshaw Avg rating: 3.96 Release: August 1, 2016 Amazon: https://amzn.to/2Fde4nV (FREE in KU) The plot for this story seems really sweet. But then again, that's something I've come to learn about this author's books. Sweetness with an edge. The blurb outlines a brooding hero and I LOVE that! Verdict: Keep Born Sinner (Se7en Sinners #1) by S.L. Jennings Avg rating: 4.06 Release: August 10, 2016 Amazon: https://amzn.to/2JzUzV1 (FREE in KU) New-to-me author! Hmmm... a paranormal romance about beings with abilities that I'm unfamiliar with... sign me up! I love stories that have a dystopian feel and battles of good vs. evil. Verdict: Keep I'm finding it ridiculous how many books I've been keeping lately. This whole challenge is to thin out the herd, but I can't seem to let go of most of them. Ah well, at least I'm having fun! And that's it for this edition of keeping it real with my TBR. Have you read any of these books? If so, what did you think? Are any of them on your TBR and do you agree with my verdicts? I hope your TBR continues to flourish!! Happy reading!! xoxo

#book challenge #down the tbr hole #book #challenge #tbr