Better Books and otherthings

"Star Shipped

by Cat Sebastian

Romance

"With so many excellent webcomics out there, it can be a bit intimidating to know where to start. Luckily, I have the best webcomics to acquaint you with the medium that you can start right away.

Much like comics, webcomics have sequentially drawn panels that tell a story. The main difference is the digital format. Oftentimes, webcomics are built for scrolling down and often have panels formatted top to bottom. Some webcomics have also started to implement sound effects and background music to sync up with the panels.

"Wallflowers, rakes, and everyone in-between: there are new and delightful Regency romances ready and waiting for you.

Between the Georgian and the Victorian period was the relatively short Regency Era (1811 to 1820), marked by King George III’s illness and the appointment of his son George, Prince of Wales, as Prince Regent in his stead (though the term “Regency” is applied to a broader period from 1795 to 1837). Characterized by social and economic reforms, literary figures like Jane Austen and Lord Byron, and fashionably high-waisted dresses, the Regency remains sharp in the modern imagination, especially in the romance world.

The History of Regency Romances

Although historical romances can be set in any historical time and place, the period has remained a popular setting ever since Georgette Heyer popularized the Regency in her historical romances in the 1930s-1970s. Typically featuring balls and courtship among the ton, Regency romances often focus on white, noble characters in heterosexual relationships. To be fair to historical romance, the genre was following a predominantly white and straight industry standard that held across much of publishing history. As publishers have aimed to include more diverse stories and storytellers, there have been exceptions over the years, especially from small presses, of Regency romances with working-class characters, characters of color, and queer characters finding love.

Although there has been a recent decline in publishers acquiring historical romance, less does not mean none. A range of publishers is still promoting and championing historicals. Harlequin may be discontinuing its Harlequin Historical line in the fall of 2027 after 39 years, but will continue to publish historicals under the Carina Press line. Avon, Berkely, Zando, Montlake, Bramble, and others also have historicals on their docket. Independently published historicals are still going strong. Also, Kickstarter has become a space where projects like the Historical Trailblazers: Romance Collection and the JQ Editions: Julia Quinn’s Curated Romance Book Box are thriving.

Have a Ball with these Regency Romances

"Felix Ever After

by Kacen Callender

In New York City, Felix Love yearns for a great love of his own that could prove being Black, queer, and trans doesn’t remove him from the dating pool entirely. When a student at his school posts Felix’s deadname and pre-transition photos, Felix wants revenge. Finding unexpected romance and self-discovery on the road to vengeance, Felix experiences his unexpected happily ever after. Callender’s impeccable Black queer young adult romance proved that readers are drawn to the beautiful world of diverse storytelling, whether it's a window, a mirror, or a sliding glass door. - R. Nassor

Shatter Me

by Tahereh Mafi

Juliette is a 17-year-old girl whose touch can kill, and she's imprisoned by her government after one slip-up killed an innocent person. A year into her solitary confinement, she is offered a better prison with company and luxury accommodations. In return, she will become the weapon that quells all rebellion. The series follows Juliette’s journey out of isolation as she begins to build community, despite the dystopian circumstances. An evil authoritarian government, a delicious love triangle, and enough emotional trauma to keep an army of therapists employed, Mafi’s hit series remains captivating to readers over a decade after its release.- R. Nassor

Uglies

by Scott Westerfeld  

Published in 2005, Westerfeld’s Uglies series is a forerunner of the YA dystopian boom, establishing archetypal plot beats that have since defined the genre. On the cusp of her 16th birthday, Tally will finally find out what it’s like to be pretty. She dreams of living the high-tech, fun-filled, pretty lifestyle. But when Tally meets Shay, she discovers the dark underbelly of the perfect life the government's sold them–and an underground movement of people who don’t want the pretty surgery. When Shay runs away, the authorities hold Tally’s pretty surgery hostage. Now she has to find Shay and bring her back if she wants to be pretty.- R. Nassor

Unwind

by Neal Shusterman

"What’s better than a bookish romance? A queer bookish romance. These LGBTQ+ romance books set in bookstores and libraries are perfect for the queer readers who love love.

Regardless of the genre, books about people who love books are always a hit with readers. The same can be said for LGBTQ+ romances set in bookstores and libraries, but in the current political climate, there is something powerful about queer people curating books for their communities and finding love, too.

While we celebrate pride, romance, librarians, and books, it’s vital to keep an eye on book-banning efforts that limit citizens’ access to freedom of speech in America. In May, HR 2616, a National “Don’t Say Trans” Bill, Passed the House in the US. All hope isn’t lost, but it’s important to act now. As Kelly Jensen points out, there is still time to stop the bill from becoming law: “Find your US Senator here. Don’t stop at contacting Senators in advance of the bill, though. Contact your representatives in the House, too, and make sure they know you’re watching what they’re doing.”

"Welcome to the oddest workplace romances. This is a list of coworkers who do not work in offices. Instead, you can find them working together on film sets, in sports stadiums, at zoos, and in other unusual workplaces.

When you think of a workplace romance, you typically imagine romance amid the corporate workplace. However, I am frequently delighted by an odd workplace in a romance. The operating principle of the category is that if they technically work together, then it counts as an odd workplace romance.

I like a traditional office romance as much as the next reader, but sometimes non-corporate high jinks are better. Why limit yourselves to lawyers, accountants, and other email/spreadsheet jobs? Unusual jobs provide new opportunities for meet-cutes, forced proximity, and other romantic shenanigans. They really are the best place for a bonkers premise to thrive. The oddest workplace romances are a place where readers can revel in the wide range of careers that love interests can have.

"With medieval energy in the air once more, let’s dive into some of the best fantasy books about knights. It’s fair to say that right now, knights are all the rage in fantasy.

Culturally, we have often looked to a past that never existed as a site of whimsy or fascination. Even when medieval literature like The Lais of Marie de France was written, people were fondly remembering a time that never happened. In these stories, knights or Chevaliers were men on horses who followed the rules of chivalry, an imaginary set of governing rules to keep dangerous men’s passions curtailed. If a knight always followed their king, or the married lady they were in love with, they could not enact their violence or passion elsewhere. This image of a chivalrous knight was always a fantasy, so it is no surprise that even today, we continue to live in that imaginary land.

Fantasy books about knights often engage with the idea that honor, violence, and passion can drive heroic people to do impossible feats. The medieval conception of chivalry may not be followed in 21st-century fantasy novels (after all, most knights are not yearning for married ladies in the following books). However, whether driven by love or vengeance, these knights never give up and will always risk their lives to save the day.

"Friend or lover? In these romance books, it’s a bit hard to tell in the transition from one to the other. Boy, is it wonderful.

I am a big sucker for friends-to-lovers romances. When they are done well, the trope lets characters develop a new aspect of their deep relationship. It often works best when something has kept the two friends apart for a number of years. However, if the characters have been friends for years, there has to be a reason why they start to have romantic feelings for each other now. Sometimes, it’s because characters are still figuring out their sexualities. I find the friends-to-lovers trope works especially well with characters on the asexual or aromantic spectrum who need a close bond to develop sexual or romantic feelings. However the authors go about it, the characters’ friendship is integral to the kind of romantic relationship that develops between them.

"If there is one thing I know for sure, it’s that queer romance stories in any form are electric. So, it’s no surprise that there are also many excellent queer romance graphic novels and manga for adults out there. If you are looking for older people looking for love in graphic form, there is a lot out there for every kind of reader.

Continuing the tradition of documenting my BookCon attendance, I am excited to give my thoughts on BookCon 2026. I attended both days of the con, located in North Javits and let me tell you I miss having the larger Javits Center (I am manifesting a bigger space for 2027). Overall, I think it went a lot better than I thought it would, given there 7 year con hiatus. Honestly, a lot of things could be fixed with a bigger space.

When it comes to the main exhibitor hall the organizers and publishers were doing their best with the limited materials given to them. The Lacorix booth was shockingly a smash hit (I respect the large number of drinks, tote bags, and hats they had all weekend. Also impeccable vibes).

Books and other bookish tote bags were in limited supply compared to pre-pandemic but I did end up buying a lot of books. I also grabbed enough stickers, bookmarks, and postcards to hold me over for a long time. I got some high-quality hats, pins, and elf ears too. Shout out to the Yen Press booth that had a branded Bookcon tote with purchase and heavy discounts on manga. Also big fan of the Sourcebooks and Penguin Randomhouse totes. The indy alley was an amazing place to find new authors, and a lot of booths sold out their stock (go, team).

I also got this stack of books signed. So glad I got to see Cat Sebastian, Alyssa Cole, and Jean Kwok. I will treasure the signed copies of their books.

I also managed to capture the moment when Rachel Reid signed her books for Ngozi Ukazu of Check Please! fame. Two icons sharing a love for each other's work. In related celebratory news, I managed to watch Seanan McGuire play a game of Magic: The Gathering at the Magic booth. Admittedly, I think I was the only one nerding out there.

I made it to some excellent panels, including Game Changing TV: Celebrating Heated Rivalry with Rachel Reid, Jacob Tierney, and Versha Sharma. A lovely conversation, expertly moderated. Jacob confirmed that Role Model will be the other main couple of Heated Rivlery season 2. He mentioned they are digging into Troy's damage, so get ready to hate his dad even more. Jacob also said they have a blooper reel, but he doesn't think it's very funny.

I also attended You Had Me at Hockey: A Look at One of Sports Romance's Hottest Genres with Bal Khabra (Off the Ice series), Emily Rath (The Jacksonville Rays series), Kate Cochrane (WAKE UP, NAT & DARCY and YOURS FOR THE SEASON), Ngozi Ukazu (Check, Please!), Rachel Reid (Game Changers Series), and Stephanie Archer (The Vancouver Storm series). What a star-studded panel. Honestly, getting all these authors in a room together was a brilliant idea. It was a queer, diverse hockey romance panel. Very well moderated. I thought it was so funny to hear Ngozi say writing Check, Please! before hockey romance got big was like buying an Apple stock early.

I also attended one of my most anticipated panels, Creating Swoon-worthy Romance Across Subgenres: A Look at Setting and Tone with Cat Sebastian (We Could Be So Good, You Should Be So Lucky etc.), Julie Murphy (Fundamentals of Being a Good Girl, Dumplin', etc.) Laurel Boulton and Mia Jay Boulton (Of Swamp & Sea Webtoon), and Seth (Drama King Books). A great lineup. I love Cat Sebastian and have never seen her speak on a panel. Loved hearing her in conversation with Julie Murphy and others. They really got into approaches to map-making, research, secondary characters, and basic drafting. It was a joy.

As a big fan of romance and television, perhaps it is no surprise that I love K-dramas. If you are an avid watcher, looking for something new, I figured I might as well keep a running list of romance K-dramas I recommend.

What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim

Strong Woman Do Bong Soon

My Roommate is a Gumiho

My Dearest Nemesis

Sh**ting Stars

Love In Contract

IDOL I

A Good Day to be a Dog

True Beauty

My Sweet Mobster

Another Miss Oh

Level Up

The Heavenly Idol

Noble, My Love

Love is for Suckers

Pinocchio

Her Private Life

Clean with Passion for Now

Because This Is My First Life

Mr. Queen

So I Married The Anti-Fan

W

Suspicious Partner

My Lovely Liar

Crash Landing on You

Coffee Prince

It's Okay to Not be Okay

Tale of the Nine Taled

Doctor Slump

Mad for Each Other

Do Do Sol Sol La La Sol

My Only Love Song

Business Proposal

Romance is a Bonus Book

Something in the Rain

"Adventurers and admirers gather around: there are some excellent romantasies to look out for in 2026.

Romantasy, combining the fantasy and romance genres, continues to be a big hit on the shelves. Featuring a central love story with a Happily Ever After/Happily For Now ending in a fantasy world setting, the subgenre gives readers a chance to experience fantastical worlds and love simultaneously. Romantasy has a foothold in the zeitgeist, speaking to our collective longing for magic, myth, legend, and romance made manifest in novels where, although impossible odds may impede you, you will always have someone by your side, rooting for your success. Romantasy is a hope-forward subgenre that I find absolutely enchanting.

One thing is for sure: in 2026, publishers are not leaving anything on the table. Now that the subgenre is more established, authors have a chance to play within the space and take chances with new ideas, from funny cozy concepts to darker plots. While there are some incredibly exciting series continuations, the market is also full of new worlds from brand-new debut authors and returning greats.

"A Daring Arrangement by Joanna Shupe

Queen of the American Gilded Age historical, Joanna Shupe’s The Four Hundred trilogy doesn’t disappoint. Book one follows Lady Honora Parker as she searches for an objectionable fiancé in New York City, one so unsuitable, her father will allow her to marry the artist she has set her sights on. Rich financier, Julius Hatcher, is more than willing to pretend for her. But when he begins to play the part of the perfect fiancé, they may end up married despite Nora’s plans. Shupe consistently delivers sexy, wickedly brilliant novels with a particular focus on period-accurate reform and social justice movements.

I am not the arbiter of all queer anime recommendations, but I do have a handful of quality shows I would recommend for anyone looking. In general, I tend to gravitate towards fantasy and romance tiles, so that will be reflected in this show. I also have included one or two shows that aren't technically queer because the ones who created the series say it's not, but it is so queer I had to include them anyway.

BL

Sasaki and Miyano

Given

Cherry Magic

Tadaima, Okaeri

Yuri!!! on Ice

Cherry Magic! Thirty Years of Virginity Can Make You a Wizard?!

Hirano and Kagiura

The Other World's Books Depend on the Bean Counter

GL

I'm in Love with the Villainess

Whisper Me a Love Song

Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid

The Magical Revolution of the Reincarnated Princess and the Genius Young Lady

Queer adjacent

Buddy Daddies