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Defying Borders: Queer Immigrant Resilience in Emerald Road: a Guest Post by Author Orlando Ortega-Medina

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Today on the site I’m thrilled to welcome Orlando Ortega-Medina, whose Emerald Road releases today from Bywater Books! He’s here to talk about queer immigrant resilience in this newest novel:

Isaac Perez, a young dreamer caught in the crossfire of El Salvador’s civil war, is forced to flee north after his life is torn apart by military brutality. His journey to the United States is fraught with peril, but he’s not alone; by his side is Ahbhu, a loyal Australian Cattle Dog with whom he shares a mysterious, telepathic bond.

Together, Isaac and Ahbhu brave treacherous landscapes and cross paths with unforgettable allies: Suchi, a fierce protector of LGBTQ migrants, and Diego, a young man whose kindness rekindles Isaac’s hope for a future beyond survival. But as they journey through a world scarred by violence and betrayal, Isaac must confront the haunting shadows of his past—and discover whether he has the strength to build a new life in a land of promise.

Buy it: Bookshop | Amazon

Here’s Orlando Ortega-Medina!

As a product of immigration myself, I’ve long grappled with the intersection of identity, family, and belonging. Both of my parents hailed from conservative Latin America, which presented early challenges to my sense of self, especially as I realized I was gay.

Continue reading Defying Borders: Queer Immigrant Resilience in Emerald Road: a Guest Post by Author Orlando Ortega-Medina →

Inside an Anthology

Inside an Anthology: All the Love Under the Vast Sky ed. by Kip Wilson

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Today on the site we’re taking a look inside a new anthology, All the Love Under the Vast Sky, edited by Kip Wilson and releasing tomorrow from Nancy Paulsen Books! Here’s the gist:

Twelve short stories in verse by bestselling and award-winning authors that explore the highs and lows of love – romantic, platonic, familial, and self-love.

Love can be many things – all-consuming, fleeting, vengeful, selfless, toxic, uplifting, and always, a core part of the teen experience that leaves an indelible mark. This enchanting, genre-crossing anthology delivers something for every reader with unique characters, global settings, and a dazzling mixture of myth, historical, speculative, and contemporary fiction.

Continue reading Inside an Anthology: All the Love Under the Vast Sky ed. by Kip Wilson →

Cover Reveal

Exclusive Cover Reveal: The Lure of Their Graves by Laura R. Samotin

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Today on the site I’m thrilled to welcome back Laura R. Samotin to reveal the cover of The Lure of Their Graves, the sequel to the Jewish Historical Fantasy The Sins on Their Bones, which releases June 3, 2025 from Random House Canada! Here’s the story:

In the heart-wrenching sequel to The Sins on Their Bones, The Lure of Their Graves forces Dimitri and Vasily to confront old ghosts and a new threat: political enemies-turned-suitors, all coveting Dimitri’s throne and his hand in marriage.

Dimitri Abramovich may have won back the throne of Novo-Svitsevo, but even after defeating his former husband, the usurper Alexey Balakin, he seems no closer to securing lasting peace for his people. Enemies are closing in on all sides, and pressure is mounting for Dimitri to play the one card he has left in a bid for stability—offering his hand in marriage for a second time.

But Dimitri is still healing from the tragedies of the war, his return to the throne, and Alexey’s years of torment. Vasily Sokolov is the only person with whom he feels safe, and giving up the comfort of their budding relationship feels unfathomable, even if it’s the only way to sever the alliances being formed among the countries surrounding Novo-Svitsevo. So as Dimitri and Vasily reckon with political treachery, the lasting consequences of Dimitri’s resurrection, and the sinister legacy of Alexey’s use of the Holy Science, they must also work to understand what it means to love each other even as they prepare to let each other go—which might prove the most difficult of all.

And here’s the gorgeous cover, designed by Talia Abramson!

Buy it: Bookshop | Amazon | B&N | Indigo

LAURA R. SAMOTIN and her spouse live with two enormously large felines. When she’s not pursuing her academic research on military tactics, power politics, and leadership, she relishes her role as a full-time cat servant.

New Releases

New Releases: January 2025

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So Not My Type by Dana Hawkins (January 5th)

Sophie Black has clawed her way up from coffee runs to project manager at a top Seattle ad agency. She’s laser-focused on her career—until the CEO’s daughter, Ella Northwood, joins the team. Forced to work together on a high-stakes campaign, sparks fly as Sophie’s scrappy determination clashes with Ella’s polished privilege. But there’s more to both women than meets the eye, and, over late nights in the office, their assumptions about each other start to crumble.

When an impromptu hot tub session leads to a steamy night neither can forget, everything changes. The ice-cold chip on Sophie’s shoulder finally starts to melt, while Ella hopes that for the first time, someone might see beneath her trust-fund facade. But as the temperature in the office soars, a shocking revelation threatens to derail everything. Now Sophie and Ella must decide if their feelings are worth fighting for…

Buy it: Amazon

Continue reading New Releases: January 2025 →

Cover Reveal

Exclusive Cover Reveal: You’ve Goth My Heart by L.C. Rosen

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Today on the site I’m delighted to welcome back L.C. Rosen for the cover reveal of, well, not his next YA, because he’s that prolific, but his next standalone YA Romance, You’ve Goth My Heart, which releases September 9, 2025 from Little, Brown & Co.! Here’s the story: 

When Gray gets a wrong number text, he’s pretty sure it’s a serial killer—or, worse, his ex—on the other end of the line. But being anonymous actually helps them open up to each other, and Gray finds himself hopeful that this could be his dream goth crush. All they have to do is meet—on Halloween, the night of Sleepy Hollow’s big house-decorating contest, and the perfect opportunity for Gray to show his mystery texter his true feelings. But between Gray’s closeted ex coming back into the picture, a cute but obnoxious new goth kid vying to win the contest, and a serial killer lurking around, killing local gay teens, Gray’s prospects are looking grim. Come Halloween, he’ll either get his dream guy or die trying…

And here’s the Gothtastic cover, designed by Patrick Hulse with art by Colin Verdi!

A note from author L.C. Rosen:

I’m so thrilled and honored that LGBTQReads is revealing this beautiful cover!! Colin Verdi, the artist, is a genius who has done so many of my covers and they are always so perfect.

The original title for this one was You’ve Goth Mail (but my publisher rightly pointed out that teens do not know what AOL is, and the movie is quite old, so we changed it) and it’s an homage to those silly ‘anonymously falling in love while also competing!’ stories that we all love, but I’ve made it gay, goth and pagan! I’m known for my Jewish rep, and identify as culturally Jewish, but I’ve been a practicing Pagan since I was 18, and have organized various pagan conferences and headed pagan groups, so getting to finally put this representation out there is wonderful to me; ritual magick, calling corners, and a scrying all feature prominently. As do, of course, some fierce goth looks (my editor is currently trying to get me to share some photos of me from my own goth days but strangely they all seem to have vanished, we’ll see if any show up by the time the book is out). I’m so excited for you all to read it.

Preorder it now, and you’ll get it just in time for spooky season!

Buy it: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Lev Rosen writes books for people of all ages, including the Evander Mills series, which began with the Macavity Award winning Lavender House (Anthony finalist, Lambda finalist, Best Book of the Year from Buzzfeed, Library Journal, Amazon, Bookpage, and others) and continued with The Bell in the Fog, (Publisher’s Weekly Editor’s Choice, Best Book of the year from Amazon, CrimeReads and Autostraddle). His most recent YA novels are Emmett (Best Book of the year from Kirkus and Amazon), Lion’s Legacy (Best Book of the year from Booklist and the New York Public Library) and Camp (Best Book of the year from Forbes, Elle, and The Today Show and others). The third Evander Mills mystery, Rough Pages, will be out in fall 2024. He lives in NYC with his husband and a very small cat. You can find him online at LevACRosen.com and @LevACRosen

TBRainbow Alert!

Most Anticipated LGBTQ+ Young Adult Fiction: January-June 2025

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Today’s post is sponsored in honor of the upcoming paperback release of Sydney Taylor Honor book Going Bicoastal, coming May 27th from Wednesday Books!

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The Last Bookstore on Earth by Lily Braun-Arnold (January 7th)

The world is about to end. Again.

Ever since the first Storm wreaked havoc on civilization as we know it, seventeen-year-old Liz Flannery has been holed up in an abandoned bookstore in suburban New Jersey where she used to work, trading books for supplies with the few remaining survivors. It’s the one place left that feels safe to her.

Until she learns that another earth-shattering Storm is coming . . . and everything changes.

Enter Maeve, a prickly and potentially dangerous out-of-towner who breaks into the bookstore looking for shelter one night. Though the two girls are immediately at odds, Maeve has what Liz needs—the skills to repair the dilapidated store before the next climate disaster strikes—and Liz reluctantly agrees to let her stay.

As the girls grow closer and undeniable feelings spring up between them, they realize that they face greater threats than the impending Storm. And when Maeve’s secrets and Liz’s inner demons come back to haunt them both, they find themselves fighting for their lives as their world crumbles around them.

Buy it: Bookshop | Amazon

Continue reading Most Anticipated LGBTQ+ Young Adult Fiction: January-June 2025 →

Queering up your shelf, one rec at a time!