ashen-crest

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Thanks for this one, @memento-morri-writes!! I am sitting with a cup of tea as I draft this, hoping to get through my to-do list today, which ends with a writing session. :) I'm on the hunt for freeze, fire, harsh, and gentle, and I'll try to find these in Invisible Girl, because I miss those lunatics...

Freeze Frozen:

“Oh yes, well, Lewis is a clever fellow,” Antonio said hastily. Lewis’s glare could’ve refrozen a spring thaw.

Fire:

Having spent the night on a bench on the third floor of the cheap hotel Crowley had lodged at, Velia was almost glad to have to get up and move her stiff joints. Again, there was no point in whining, since Fynn had spent the night under the bench and looked about ready to stick a fireplace poker through his own head, which wouldn’t have helped the mess his curls were in, but probably wouldn’t have hurt much either.

Harsh:

“Then at least it has to be constrained,” Fynn put in, something harsh behind his eyes. “There needs to be laws, and enforcement of said laws. Not whoever’s richest running amok on a whim.” Antonio bristled. “I suppose you think the management of an entire railway is a whim?” “I’m not trying to insult your father,” Fynn said, even though he was doing an alright job of it. “But being a good businessman doesn’t make you a god.”

Gentle:

“I don’t trust you,” he said blankly. “I don’t trust you,” Velia replied, half truthfully and half for spite. “Well, I trust you both,” Antonio huffed, once again putting his faith in people long before it was logical or wise. “If we want to ensure we make it home in one piece, we’ll have to work together.” Mr. Grey’s face was impossible to read – rather, Velia thought, like her own must be. The thought was disquieting. “Very well,” he said reluctantly. “But we shouldn’t stay here any longer. Those gentlemen might return, and like it or not, Mr. West, you’re safer surrounded by other passengers than sulking around back here.”

it's Pride Month so I did a thing

The Amur Leopard and Clouded Leopard (which recently celebrated its 50th cub born at the zoo!)

The Sumatran Tiger

The Red Ruffed Lemur and Ring-Tailed Lemur

The Cotton-Top Tamarin and White-Cheeked Gibbon

The Colobus Monkey and De Brazza’s Monkey

And the Mexican Spider Monkey!

I tried to narrow this down. I really did. Instead you get 54 of my favorite queer books, not including the series many of these are attached to.

Also some of these authors I've read their entire backlist or close to it, so I didn't include all of them. (Looking at you, Allie Therin, KJ Charles, Cat Sebastian, Lily Mayne, Foz Meadows, Tavia Lark)

Tag some authors here on tumblr (or share some of your favorite reads!) I'll start with a few!!

fantasy lesbians. enjoy

✨ WIP INTRO: GEAR AND FANG ✨

Genre: cozy-chaotic urban fantasy mystery Vibes: magical trade school, civic bureaucracy, slow-burn rivals-to-lovers, cursed infrastructure, found family, supernatural labor rights, and two emotionally constipated night creatures trying to out-snark their own feelings

Welcome to Veyr, a modern magical city where:

fae pharmacies sell remedies that actually work

werewolves have full-moon accommodation paperwork

ghosts can file housing complaints

magical trade students learn curse cleanup for credit

corporations sell “inclusive” ward kits that absolutely are not as inclusive as advertised

every public safety system has at least one form, three warnings, and a lawyer hiding somewhere in the walls

The story follows Zephyr Davenport, a newly turned vampire artificer trying very hard not to become a scandal again, and Jason Piers, a werewolf mechanic student with anger issues, abandonment issues, and the emotional openness of a locked toolbox.

They are classmates at Veyr Applied Technical Institute, nicknamed the Vat, where students learn the practical magical skills that keep the city functioning.

Zeph wants to keep her head down, pass her classes, and rebuild the future she lost after a university ritual scandal ended with her turned into a vampire.

Jason wants to prove he belongs, prove he is not dangerous, and absolutely not admit he has a crush on the mouthy vampire girl who keeps correcting his work.

Then a routine field practicum goes violently wrong when a Wonderwide SafeThreshold ward kit misclassifies transformed students as threats.

Obviously, this becomes Zeph’s problem.

Even more obviously, Jason is involved.

Book 1 working title: HOW TO FAIL A FIELD PRACTICUM

Featuring: 🛠️ vampire artificer with anxiety and a grudge 🐺 werewolf mechanic who flirts by being a problem 🌿 cheerful plant-person roommate who sleeps in a dorm-approved soil berth 👻 ghost curse-cleanup instructor with OSHA horror stories 🍲 blood-iron noodles as emotional support 📋 magical bureaucracy ⚙️ cursed tech 💜 slow-burn “we are NOT friends” nonsense 🏙️ a city full of magic, labor laws, bad corporate products, and extremely weird public transit

Tagging as: #gear and fang #how to fail a field practicum #htfafp