- Daydreamer -

It's that time of year again! Here are 5 of the best queer books I've read since the last time we celebrated Pride Month together.

These aren't necessarily new books (though some are!), just books that I read in the last 12 months and thought were swell. Maybe you'll like them, too!

The Summer War by Naomi Novik @naominovik (m/m rep)

If you like classic fairy tales that feature clever protagonists outwitting the fae, you'll like this novella. It's about a young girl who discovers she's inherited some magical ability when she accidentally curses her brother to never find love.

Cinder House by Freya Marske @fahye (polyamorous, bi rep)

Content warning for abusive family My new favorite Cinderella retelling. Being a novella, the story is told quite efficiently, trusting the reader to follow along without spelling out every single thing, and still fitting in some excellent world-building. It's a familiar story with vibrant characters you'll miss when it's done.

A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers (nonbinary rep)

A lovely, gentle sci-fi solarpunk novella that feels like a hug, perfect for when you need to slow down. The main character, Dex, leaves the city in search of meaning and stumbles across a sentient robot of the type that has not been seen since the days of 'oil roads' and factories. The world building is deft with just the right amount of detail. Make sure you have the sequel, A Prayer for the Crown Shy, on hand - you'll want more.

The Cemeteries of Amalo by Katherine Addison (m/m rep)

This is a sequel series to The Goblin Emperor; if you enjoyed that book you'll find more to love here. This trilogy (start with The Witness for the Dead if you've already read The Goblin Emperor) follows Thara Celehar as he gets into a truly improbably amount of trouble for such an unassuming prelate. Murders, opera, airships, ghosts, and a distinct preoccupation with wearing the correct coat for the occasion; what more could you want?

Apparently, Sir Cameron Needs to Die by Greer Stothers @pangur-and-grim (m/m rep, general pervasive queerness)

Content warning for amputation and some gore This is a tricky one to categorize, but it's queer, it's fun (content warning notwithstanding), it's fresh, and if you've ever read anything else like it drop the title because I want to know about it.

Sir Cameron is prophesied to die and end the reign of terror of the evil mage. Naturally, Sir Cameron would rather that first part not happen and so, reasoning that there is at least one other person in agreement with that sentiment, throws himself upon the dubious mercy of said mage. Hijinks ensue.

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And that's this year's list! Of course, there are MANY more queer books worth reading. Here's our LGBTQ Reads tag if you need your TBR to be even longer. Enjoy!

1. You, I Always Need You by hollano_ov | 16,015 | Rated E Shane really isn't looking for a relationship, which is why having Ilya around is nice. No strings attached, only great sex. It's a win all around. The only problem is that Ilya is way, way too nice to Shane's stupid cat.

2. the ice knows our names (and keeps our secrets) by Keullala | 38,205 | Not Rated In which hockey prodigy Shane and Russian figure skater Ilya, who first met at an athlete development program for teenagers, collide again at the Olympics after years of not seeing each other. There, they are forced to confront who they almost were to each other.

3. sunburn by wermbrain | 5,784 | Not Rated “There is this club. Here in Boston. It is queer club, but secret. No phones, sign NDA beforehand. The cover charge is high, so is more– more exclusive.” He says this nonchalantly, gesturing to the air. He looks up and makes eye contact with Shane. “We could go.” Shrugs. “Together.” Shane stares at him, mouth open slightly. He waits for the punchline, like Rozanov is setting up some ridiculous joke. Rozanov just stares back at him, almost as if he isn’t breathing. It takes Shane a second to realize that he is being serious, and the earnestness of the invitation nearly brings him to his knees. “Ilya Rozanov,” Shane grins. “Are you asking me out on a date?” Or Shane and Ilya go dancing.

4. start a fire, or a war by decideophobia | 6,079 | Rated E Now, he’s at the airport on his way to Tampa for the fucking All-Star Game where he will not only be on the same team as Hollander but where he will also be his captain and center, and fucking Hollander is staring at him half naked from a fucking magazine stand like he’s daring Ilya to buy the magazine. He isn’t going to buy it, of course. Or Ilya watches Rose Landry put lipstick marks on one Shane Hollander and loses his fucking mind.

5. An Evil Spirit, A Passion, Or An Idea by rottenraebirch | 13,850 | Rated E Immediately following the events of Episode 6, Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov return to the cottage and spend the next number of days talking, fucking, and sharing secrets about their relationship the other person doesn't know.

6. typing… by shaneviews | 21,355 | Not Rated Shane Hollander receives a thirst trap from an unknown number and absolutely should not reply, especially considering how much he and Ilya Rozanov can’t stand each other in real life.

7. turn the radio down by lizee | 39,419 | Rated E Shane Hollander has had a crush on Ilya Rozanov from afar for the past three years. They finally meet at a party.

8. straight-laced skates all tangled up together by Anonymous | 15,534 | Rated T “You know, one day you’re gonna meet someone you love so much you’ll want to toss all your stupid rules out the window just to be around them,” Jessica told him the day they broke up. God, Shane remembers thinking. I fucking hope not.

9. lay me down on the altar, and forever’s what i’ll vow by justhockey | 8,127 | Rated E “Am I too boring for you?” He doesn’t mean to ask. Doesn’t mean for those words to come out. They fall from his lips before he has a chance to stop them, and the second they’re out there he wants to take them back. He wants to swallow them down so they can’t hurt anyone but himself. Because Ilya…Ilya flinches. “What.”

Now imagine this Eridian is one of Grace’s students

“A Fragment out of Time”, published in 1974. Kirk / Spock. page 1 page 2

Hollanov healed my fanfic fatigue. I didn't even like the show all that much at first watch, but then I watched it again. So here I am: brainrot central.

9x fic, 2x podfic, 1x meta

Fic

🏒 according to your heart by bluerosebouquet (T, 5k)

“Did you see Rozanov get clocked by a fan outside?” JJ looked nothing short of delighted as he spread this news to the locker room after the game.

Shane’s head snapped up.

“What?” he couldn’t keep a note of panic out of his voice. Which was stupid, because he and Rozanov hadn’t spoken in months. Since Vegas.

Not that Shane ever thought about Vegas.

Or the texts that he hadn’t sent.

Or anything like that.

🏒 and i spit out the seeds by linearity/ @drivestraight (E, 42k)

A video of Shane sucking Ilya’s dick is leaked. Over the next twenty-four hours, Ilya goes on an odyssey.

🏒 free treasure by endymions (E, 4k)

Shane stares down at his phone screen in utter, abject horror.

He doesn’t know what happened. How his thumb managed to slip and hit send. He was backspacing—he’s absolutely positive he was backpacking—because no way in hell would he have actually sent a message to Rozanov whining about the fact that they didn’t kiss. There’s no reality in which that makes sense and doesn’t make him look like an idiotic, obsessive, overly attached freak.

🏒 Holding Patterns by @thecouchsofa (E, 6k)

“Do you want to know how it feels?”

Shane let his hand fall back to the couch. He pushed himself up onto his elbows and lifted a brow at Rozanov. “What – holding the Cup? You’ve already made that joke once.”

“No.” Rozanov’s fingers encircled Shane’s wrist and then he was pulling Shane’s hand between his legs.

Or: Shane tops.

🏒 Power Play by @jtimu (E, 1,3k)

It was Ilya’s thing, apparently. A week of texts leading up to this game. Blurry photographs of toys laid out on a quilted over and links to videos that had Shane achingly hard in anticipation. It was a promise, not a request.

🏒 Say Don't Go by Oaks118 (T, 2,4k)

We didn't even kiss

They hadn’t kissed. Shane had been lying there, right next to him, and Ilya hadn’t kissed him. Hadn’t leaned over a foot of space when he’d spent the last year just wanting to be in the same room as Shane Hollander.

Fuck.

OR: Shane sends the text. Ilya chases after him.

🏒 User Error by @smugrobotics (E, 3k)

The ritual is simple: morning skate, home for a protein shake, then Shane strips to his briefs, lies in bed, and starts scrolling.

🏒 Vishnya by Kate Andrews (E, 10k)

You are okay? I was not too hard in you?"

"You mean too hard on me."

"No. I do not." The corner of his mouth twitches, like a traitor.

or

Shane wears panties for Ilya.

🏒 you his boyfriend or something? by ingberry (M, 2k)

Shane is at a sports bar in Tampa when people at his table start talking shit about Ilya. It becomes impossible to keep his mouth shut.

Or, an alternative retelling of how Hayden finds out.

Podfic

🏒 deeply, madly, truly read by @cottagepodfics | written by @meidui (M, 7 min)

There are a few ways to tell the story, but Ilya's favourite goes like this: he lays eyes on Shane when he’s seventeen years old, and he’s the rest of his life.

🏒 If You Wanna Come to My Bedroom read by RattleandHum/ @thirdeye1234 | written by PeaceLilies/ @iammistressofmyfate (E, 20 min)

Shane and Ilya run a small errand for Yuna and decide to have some fun

Meta

🔸️Scott Hunter as clocking Shane and Ilya’s relationship by @thecouchsofa

In this Out Mag interview that’s just been posted, François Arnaud says he hasn’t intentionally been playing Scott Hunter as clocking Shane and Ilya’s relationship - he didn’t hear the room number, he’s not baiting them, Scott’s just a guy who’s caught up thinking about his own shit. So it’s such an interesting editorial choice to keep in those shots of him almost side-eyeing Shane, and now the fight on the ice after he compares Shane to Ilya.

<- part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4 | part 6, part 7, part 8, part 9 ->

matter of fact, i caught you lookin' back by sargeantwoof | explicit | 19k words – Ilya's apartment is under construction. Shane's in town for a game. It'd be a shame if they somehow had the same hotel room.

the heart is hard to translate by catknives | explicit | 20.8k words – in a world where you can understand whatever language(s) your soulmate speaks, it takes Shane and Ilya an embarrassing amount of time to realize they’re soulmates.

hey, love, we'll get away with it by buckleyspencer | gen | 5.6k words – 5 times Shane and Ilya broke the rules they had set in place to get away with it + 1 time they realized they had nothing to get away from.

careful fear and dead devotion by CorvidCordelia | explicit | 44k words – Shane and Ilya are cast in a production of Ember & Ice and eventually they fuck about it.

fresh from the fight by flairlies | mature | 23.5k words – The Voyageur is strong, fast, handsome, and just about everything the city of Ottawa could ever want in a superhero. Shane Hollander is very good at staying under the radar as a local crime reporter. Ilya Rozanov is just trying to take down his family's corrupt business from the inside. He didn't really intend to become a vigilante and he definitely didn't mean to develop a crush on the city's #1 super-boy. Or on the journalist helping him take his father down.

It's Been A Long Time Coming by leiascully | explicit | 20k words – Ilya and Shane are so excited to have made the playoffs in Shane's first season with the Centaurs until they remember: no sex during the playoffs.

rose garden filled with thorns by galactictsukki | explicit | 14.6k words – famous Shane meets non-famous Ilya on a cursed flight from Ottawa to Boston and kind of (totally) falls in love with him at first sight (and first chirp)

My Hopes Are Prone to Elevate by shanehollandertwentyfour | explicit | 106k words – what if Ilya and Shane had been drafted to the same team? Inspired by every rookie bestie dynamic duo in the NHL that made you think, "what if they kissed???"

(underrated=less hits than they deserve)

florida by @garagepaperback 12k

“Are you going insane? What’s happening?”Ilya lays a palm over the side of his face, clawing thumb into soft after Hollander tries to swat him off. “You’re at my house and you came here to get fucked. Then you will leave, after. Do you forget more? Your name is Shane Hollander and you pretend to love hockey but your real love is taking it up the ass. You cry, most of the time. But you like crying, too.” -or: Instead of going to the cottage, Ilya moves to Florida.

This one is absolutely incredible. I love the writing and their dynamic, the sweetness during the feminiziation scene, the hurt, the angst. I love everything about this fic. The author's writing is incredible. There's so much left to your interpretation, and never in a pretentious way.

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how to fall in love with a loon by grabmyboner and @shillanov 6k

Shane’s gone for the week. Ilya finds a loon in his tomato patch, one with freckles a bit too familiar and an apparent affinity for hockey. Or, the long-awaited loon!Shane fic.

This is just so sweet. Ilya would love Shane in any size and shape😭

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Nine Lives by theskywasblue 3k

It’s hard for Ilya to hate anything that Shane loves as much as he loves the stupid cat.Not impossible, though.

As a cat person this is the sweetest thing ever. Shane loves his kitten, and Ilya pretends he doesn't.

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In Our Bedroom After The War by paocai 2k

“How old were you the first time you had sex?" “Fourteen," Ilya says. Shane’s eyebrows fly toward his hairline. “Really?” “It’s not that young.” “It’s a kid.” Ilya tries not to bristle. His mother had died two years earlier. He didn’t feel too young for anything after that.

Heavy themes, please check the tags. It's a wip and part of a series, but it reads well as a one shot. It's so beautifully written and heartbreaking.

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soft days by anonymous 3k

A family trip, fluff, smut, and the terrifying feeling of finding a family of your own.

I don't know why it has only 600 hits. It's so sweet. Partly a character study on Ilya, partly domestic fluff.

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Contrails by grudekoks 30k

Two incredibile works. You don't need to read both, but if you don't mind the tw, do it!

The themes are heavy. Check the notes of the author, because there are many tw. The writing is wonderful, and the story absolutely heartbreaking. I don't even know what to say about this one because I read it weeks ago and I'm still thinking about it.

rush is, of course, the dead last, and unbeknownst to padme actually DOES have feelings for her, so every time he weeps in public after she curves him for the 40th time his tears are genuine. quinlan has a blast constantly challenging obi-wan, the favorite, for padme’s heart, to which obi-wan responds with aplomb because he’s a showman at heart. sometimes they meet up after work to plot out their next duel, complete with scripts and blocking. anakin is INCENSED that obi-wan apparently never fought him BECAUSE HE DOESN’T SEE HIM AS A LEGITIMATE CONTENDER FOR PADME’S AFFECTIONS. EVEN AFTER THEY’RE MARRIED.

We will add some additional languages soon, but in the meantime, you can check out these (embedded in the posts):

by @distantfuture

“What if we just stop hiding? We don’t have to make a huge deal about it — no big press conference or interview or anything — we can just start being ourselves. Let the public figure it out for themselves.” Shane shrugs. “We don’t owe them an explanation for what we do off the ice. I don’t want to come out for other people; I want to come out for me, and I feel like a big announcement would make everyone want us to answer their questions all at once, and I don’t want that. Whatever the public knows about our relationship… it should be on our terms, not cause some interviewer asked us a question and we felt pressured to answer.” “So… like a soft launch?” asks Yuna. “I could get behind that.” Shane nods. “Okay.” Ilya puts his hand on top of Shane’s. “Let’s soft launch.”

Or Shane and Ilya decide to soft launch their relationship. (Words: 4,156)

!!!fandom !!fic |site:ao3 +fandom:heated.rivalry.(tv) +fandom:game.changers.series.-.rachel.reid ::rating:not.rated ::category:m/m character:shane.hollander character:ilya.rozanov character:original.characters relationship:shane.hollander/ilya.rozanov ~ao3:social.media ~ao3:soft.launch ~ao3:twitter ~ao3:alternate.universe.-.canon.divergence ~ao3:book.6:.the.long.game.(game.changers) ~ao3:spoilers.for.book.6:.the.long.game.(game.changers) ~ao3:pov.shane.hollander ~ao3:fluff ~ao3:fluff.and.humor ~author:distantfuture

(inspired by this post from @consumerofshorthomies )

Like, you've just said goodbye to your best friend. Forever. After everything you've been through, all you've learned from each other, coming up with a way to save not one but two suns, you're both going to your respective homes and you're literally never going to see him again.

But then your engines start failing. And you've seen this happen before. This is what happened to Grace's engines. Your fuel is infected. And now you're stuck in a solar system that isn't your own, with no way to get home, no way to call for help. You're truly alone in the universe.

There's no one to watch you sleep. There will probably never again be anyone to watch you sleep.

Your only hope is that someone from your planet sends another ship, but the chances are so unlikely. This was your planet's only hope and you've failed them.

You think of Adrian. How you miss them. You think of how bad the world is about to become and hope that they escape the worst of it. You try to only think of them happy.

You think of Grace, on his way home to save his planet. Or maybe not, if the taumoeba have infected his ship again. You feel helpless. There's no way you could get to him to warn him. He might be as stranded as you are.

But no, you won't let yourself think of this. Grace is smart, and his ship isn't made of xenonite. He'll have figured out a way to contain and fix the problem. He's on his way home to save his sun. To save his people. It's the only hopeful thought you have to cling to so you cling to it with all of your hands.

And then there's a knock on your hull. It's not the random banging of space stuff hitting your ship. Those are deliberate knocks, like the ones you've gotten so used to over the past few months.

It can only be one person.

And then like some kind of miracle, Grace is standing in front of you again. He tells you you're going home. That he's taking you home. That you'll feel your planet's soil beneath your feet again. That you'll watch your Adrian while they sleep again.

He'll never again see his home, he doesn't know if his plan to save his planet will work, he'll probably die (not if you have anything to say about it) but he says it doesn't matter. Because his friend and his friend's world needed saving and he was the only one who could.

You're not alone in the universe after all.

(inspired by this post from @consumerofshorthomies )

Like, you've just said goodbye to your best friend. Forever. After everything you've been through, all you've learned from each other, coming up with a way to save not one but two suns, you're both going to your respective homes and you're literally never going to see him again.

But then your engines start failing. And you've seen this happen before. This is what happened to Grace's engines. Your fuel is infected. And now you're stuck in a solar system that isn't your own, with no way to get home, no way to call for help. You're truly alone in the universe.

There's no one to watch you sleep. There will probably never again be anyone to watch you sleep.

Your only hope is that someone from your planet sends another ship, but the chances are so unlikely. This was your planet's only hope and you've failed them.

You think of Adrian. How you miss them. You think of how bad the world is about to become and hope that they escape the worst of it. You try to only think of them happy.

You think of Grace, on his way home to save his planet. Or maybe not, if the taumoeba have infected his ship again. You feel helpless. There's no way you could get to him to warn him. He might be as stranded as you are.

But no, you won't let yourself think of this. Grace is smart, and his ship isn't made of xenonite. He'll have figured out a way to contain and fix the problem. He's on his way home to save his sun. To save his people. It's the only hopeful thought you have to cling to so you cling to it with all of your hands.

And then there's a knock on your hull. It's not the random banging of space stuff hitting your ship. Those are deliberate knocks, like the ones you've gotten so used to over the past few months.

It can only be one person.

And then like some kind of miracle, Grace is standing in front of you again. He tells you you're going home. That he's taking you home. That you'll feel your planet's soil beneath your feet again. That you'll watch your Adrian while they sleep again.

He'll never again see his home, he doesn't know if his plan to save his planet will work, he'll probably die (not if you have anything to say about it) but he says it doesn't matter. Because his friend and his friend's world needed saving and he was the only one who could.

You're not alone in the universe after all.

Is There Anybody Out There—Lord Huron || Project Hail Mary