New Releases

New Releases: September 24, 2024

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Middle Grade

Alex Wise vs. the Cosmic Shift by Terry J. Benton-Walker

This is the sequel to Alex Wise vs. the End of the World

Alex Wise is no superhero. Or at least, he doesn’t feel like one. Sure, he vanquished Death and saved his sister Mags—with the help of some new magic powers, his best friend Loren and demi-god Liam. But the apocalypse shows no signs of slowing down. Now, Alex and his friends will have to find new allies and face new dangers—from battling a giant snake in a literal ghost town and infiltrating the Horsemen’s new home base on the Vegas Strip…on the back of a dragon.

With everyone looking to him for answers, Alex isn’t sure he’s cut out for this world saving thing. And the closer he gets to Liam, the farther away he feels from Loren and from Mags, who hasn’t been the same since she was possessed by Death. How can Alex lead a team if he doesn’t even feel like he deserves to be a part of it?

Buy it: Bookshop | Amazon

Continue reading New Releases: September 24, 2024 →

Happy Holigays

Happy Bi Visibility Day 2024!

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Happy Bi Visibility Day! We’re celebrating as we do, with great books helmed by bisexual main characters! With absolutely no consistency, I’ve bolded the names of some of the bi MCs who aren’t called out as such in the copy. For even more recs, check out past years’ posts!

Middle Grade

Lulu Sinagtala and the City of Noble Warriors by Gail D. Villanueva

Lulu Sinagtala can’t wait for a fun Christmas break. She’s excited to hang out with her sister, Kitty, and best friend, Bart; to reenact her favorite legends from Tagalog folklore (like the amazing tale of Bernardo Carpio); and, of course, to eat as much yummy street-side inihaw as possible!

But when a vicious wakwak attacks her neighborhood and kidnaps Mom, Lulu discovers the creatures and deities of Tagalog myth are real and that two additional Realms exist beyond our own. To make it worse, Lulu has superhuman strength and the ability to wield magic, meaning she’s the only one powerful enough to stop the evil spirit who’s determined to rule the three Realms at all costs. No pressure, right?

Lulu, Kitty, and Bart set off on a quest to rescue Mom, where they outsmart cunning enemies, battle vengeful beings, and form unlikely alliances. Soon they find themselves swept into a centuries-long fight, unraveling secrets about Lulu and her past that threaten to upend everything and throw the whole universe into chaos. Can Lulu muster the strength (superhuman or not) to find out who she really is and who she can trust to save Mom and the three Realms before it’s too late?

Buy it: Bookshop | Amazon

(Book 2 is now available for preorder in ebook and audio, releasing October 7, 2025!)

Continue reading Happy Bi Visibility Day 2024! →

Cover Reveal

Exclusive Cover Reveal: Hall of Shadows by Mariah Stillbrook

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Today on the site, I’m delighted to reveal the cover of Hall of Shadows by Mariah Stillbrook, a YA Horror releasing November 19, 2024 from Creative James Media! Here’s the story:

In the quiet life of Tess Moreau lies a remarkable power—her touch revives ashes, defying nature’s laws. When she uncovers a mysterious book linked to her grandmother and a witch’s coven, her journey begins. Guided by a cursed deck of oracle cards, Tess delves into the Hall of Shadows, a realm crafted by her ancestors. With each dimension traversed, she uncovers her true lineage—a descendant of mythical beings.

As Tess’s humanity wanes, her destiny beckons. She embraces her heritage, becoming the mistress of shadows and the bringer of life from death. At journey’s end, she faces a choice: preserve or destroy the hall. But Tess knows confronting one’s demons is the path to mastery. In a tale of magic and identity, Tess’s odyssey may end, but her legacy is just beginning—a testament to the power within us all.

And here’s the chilling cover by Diana TC from Triumph Covers!

Buy it: Amazon | B&N

Mariah Stillbrook, originally from Iowa, lives in Colorado with her white German shepherd, husband, and little girl. She spends most of her days writing, reading, and enjoying the occasional hike. In her late twenties she realized that her writing was missing something, magic. She now focuses her writing on urban fantasy and horror in both adult and young adult genres. As a pansexual woman, most of her works have LGBTQ rep.

Author of In the Pines and The Lost Erwain. Hall of Shadows releases November 2024.

Inside an Anthology

Inside an Anthology: Fiery Deeps ed. by J.S. Fields and Heather Tracy

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Today on the site, we’re digging inside the brand-new lesbian SFF anthology Fiery Deeps, edited by J.S. Fields and Heather Tracy! Here’s the background:

Fire is Power!

Quest to the heart of the earth, cross flaming rivers, and brave the fire with our heroes to discover unlimited strength! From fantastic underground cities, to superheroes, to magic of the forge, titanic forces of nature collide in this lesbian-centric anthology focusing on the power of women.

Contains stories by: William C. Tracy, J.S. Fields, Robin C.M. Duncan, Sara Codair, N.L. Bates, Rosiee Thor, Maya Gittelman, Heather Tracy, N. Romaine White, and Dee Lyle!

Buy it: Amazon

And here’s a peek inside the collection from some of its contributors!

Continue reading Inside an Anthology: Fiery Deeps ed. by J.S. Fields and Heather Tracy →

New Releases

New Releases: September 17, 2024

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Middle Grade

Wishbone by Justine Pucella Winans

Ollie Di Costa wishes things could be different.

He wishes the bullies at school would leave him alone. He wishes his parents would stop fighting. He wishes his sister Mia didn’t have to worry about things like paying for college. But most of all, he wishes he wasn’t so angry about all of this. When he and Mia find a two-tailed cat they name Wishbone, Ollie takes comfort in telling him everything he wishes would change-then suddenly, it does. Everything Ollie and Mia wish for comes true, and it’s like all of their problems are solved. But magic comes at a price. Whatever they wish for is not simply given to them, but taken from others. And to make matters worse, a mysterious shadow man called The Mage is after Wishbone and his power. With each wish, darkness takes over more and more of their world, and worst of all, it threatens to take over Ollie, too. But can he let go of everything he’s ever wanted?

Buy it: Bookshop | Amazon

Continue reading New Releases: September 17, 2024 →

Happy Holigays

Happy Latinx Heritage Month 2024!

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Happy Latine Heritage Month! We’re celebrating as we always do, with fantastic reads by Latine authors and starring Latine main characters, so treat yourself to a great book or twelve from the below and join us! (And for even more recs, make sure to check out past years’ posts!)

Young Adult

Libertad by Bessie Flores Zaldívar

As the contentious 2017 presidential election looms and protests rage across every corner of the city, life in Tegucigalpa, Honduras churns louder and faster. For her part, high school senior Libertad (Libi) Morazán takes heart in writing political poetry for her anonymous Instagram account and a budding romance someone new. But things come to a head when Mami sees texts on her phone mentioning a kiss with a girl and Libi discovers her beloved older brother, Maynor, playing a major role in the protests. As Libertad faces the political and social corruption around her, stifling homophobia at home and school, and ramped up threats to her poetry online, she begins dreaming of a future in which she doesn’t have to hide who she is or worry about someone she loves losing their life just for speaking up. Then the ultimate tragedy strikes, and leaving her family and friends—plus the only home she’s ever known—might be her only option.

Buy it: Bookshop | Amazon 

Continue reading Happy Latinx Heritage Month 2024! →

Cover Reveal

Exclusive Cover Reveal: One of the Boys by Victoria Zeller

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Today on the site I’m thrilled to reveal the cover for One of the Boys by Victoria Zeller, a contemporary YA releasing with Levine Querido on May 13, 2025! Here’s the story!

Grace Woodhouse has left a lot behind. She used to have a great friend group, an amazing girlfriend, and a right foot set to earn her a Division I football scholarship—before she came out as trans. As her senior year at Pageland High begins, Grace struggles to find her place in early transition, new social circles, and a life without football (especially since people keep telling her they can’t believe that she of all people is trans – whatever that means).

But when her skills as the best kicker in the state prove to be vital, her old teammates beg her to come out of retirement, dragging her back into a sport—into a way of life—she thought had turned its back on her forever. The thing is, there’s no playbook for girls like her in the world of football. And when a chance meeting cracks the door to college football back open, she has to decide how much of herself she’s willing to give up for the game she loves.

From exciting debut talent Victoria Zeller comes One of the Boys, a coming-of-age story with an unforgettable voice for the queer jocks, the straight theater kids, and everyone in between.

And here’s the powerful cover, illustrated by Jon Stich and designed by Casey Moses!

Buy it: Bookshop | Amazon

Victoria Zeller is a trans writer born and raised in Buffalo, New York, where she still proudly resides. A former football player and lifelong fan, her initial focus was sports journalism before she made a sharp pivot to writing about queers who can’t stay out of trouble. Her sportswriting can be found at Defector, while her manic minute-by-minute sports analysis can be found on Twitter at @dirtbagqueer. One of the Boys is her debut novel.

Uncategorized

Our Music is Our History: a Guest Post by Red Hot + Blue author John S. Garrison

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Today on the site I’m thrilled to welcome John S. Garrison, whose contribution to Bloomsbury’s 33 1/3 series, which is dedicated to deep dives into various classic albums, covers Red Hot + Blue, the first major benefit album to fight AIDS. Here’s a little more on the book:

Red Hot + Blue is a meditation on music’s capacity to find us, transform us, and help us make sense of our historical moment. Blending memoir and cultural history, Garrison recalls his coming out at the height of the AIDS crisis alongside the music industry’s first major response to the epidemic. In 1990, a groundbreaking effort by musical artists sought to combat the silence and stigma about the disease. The resulting tribute album to legendary composer Cole Porter was evocatively titled Red Hot + Blue, capturing both the joy and melancholy that accompany love during turbulent times. It re-imagined those iconic songs – including “Don’t Fence Me In,” “Every Time We Say Goodbye,” “Night and Day” – not just to celebrate the composer but also to offer a shared vision for survival. In this book, Garrison reflects on his own life story through the lens of Porter’s life and music to illuminate the emotional landscape we all navigate in the search for love.

Red Hot + Blue returns us to the early 1990s to reveal how the love songs of the past can be revived to speak to new audiences in times of need. The book is the portrait of an album, a pandemic, and a young gay man’s coming of age in the era of both.

Buy it: Bookshop | Amazon

And here’s John S. Garrison to talk about the role of music in queer history, and specifically in his own coming out:

Continue reading Our Music is Our History: a Guest Post by Red Hot + Blue author John S. Garrison →

Queering up your shelf, one rec at a time!