RIP, Jane – you would’ve really loved how much queer literature is explicitly gaying up your work.
***
For generally Austen-inspired work, check out:
I Shall Never Fall in Love by Hari Conner
George has major problems: They’ve just inherited the failing family estate, and the feelings for their best friend, Eleanor, have become more complicated than ever. Not to mention, if anyone found out they…
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I read my first choose your own adventure in years! I used to hate them as a kid, so I never read them much but Hari Conner's Night at the Vampire Castle was a lot of fun!
It is exactly what it sounds like, a second person novel where the reader is positioned as a human who ends up in a vampires' castle for the night. There are a lot of different choices for the reader which I chose to read almost like a collection of interconnected short stories? I had a lot of fun exploring different paths and aiming for different outcomes with varying results. After 8 or so paths I ended up following, I started skimming through to see what storylines I missed, which I would highly recommend.
I also enjoyed how many side characters you could romance as well!! There is a qpr option, which was nice, and even a poly option at one point! I really enjoyed the art throughout, which made me interested about the different characters.
I will say the form of this book is really what made it shine, Conner took advantage of the uniquenes of a choose your own adventure to expand the world and introduce really fun characters. I thought a lot of the endings were really satisfying in different ways, I enjoy that not all of the happy endings included romance.
I had a really fun time with this book, 4/5 stars. I do plan on reading Conner's other choose your own adveture and I personally recommend Raisa's path. And also not being too cautious in your choices!
I Shall Never Fall in Love by Hari Conner, wherein Jane Austen's Emma meets Gentleman Jack for fans of Bridgerton with significantly more history attached. All of the hilarity and heartache wraps up into a heartwarming conclusion. Highly recommended.
The title may declare "I shall never fall in love" (though the characters certainly do!), but *I* absolutely and entirely fell head over heels for this book. It felt like it was targeted straight at my heart and written specifically for me; I don't think I've ever loved a graphic novel so much!
Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
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It was magic. In every world, it was a kind of magic.
“No maids, no funny talking, no fainting flowers.” Luli Wei is beautiful, talented, and desperate to be a star. Coming of age in pre-Code Hollywood, she knows how dangerous the movie business is and how limited the roles are for a Chinese American girl from Hungarian Hill—but she doesn't care. She’d rather play a monster than a maid.
But in Luli's world, the worst monsters in Hollywood are not the ones on screen. The studios want to own everything from her face to her name to the women she loves, and they run on a system of bargains made in blood and ancient magic, powered by the endless sacrifice of unlucky starlets like her. For those who do survive to earn their fame, success comes with a steep price. Luli is willing to do whatever it takes—even if that means becoming the monster herself.
Siren Queen offers up an enthralling exploration of an outsider achieving stardom on her own terms, in a fantastical Hollywood where the monsters are real and the magic of the silver screen illuminates every page.
Setting: 1930s, Hollywood
Historical fiction, fantasy, 1930s, old Hollywood, magical realism, adult
I Shall Never Fall in Love by Hari Conner
Endorsement from submitter: "Friends to lovers! Gender exploration in a historical setting. Absolutely lovely artwork on top of just being a good story <3"
George has major problems: They’ve just inherited the failing family estate, and the feelings for their best friend, Eleanor, have become more complicated than ever. Not to mention, if anyone found out they were secretly dressing in men’s clothes, George is sure it would be ruination for the family name.
Eleanor has always wanted to do everything "right," including falling in love—but she’s never met a boy she was interested in. She’d much rather spend time with her best friend, George, and beloved cousin Charlotte. However, when a new suitor comes to town, she finds her closest friendships threatened, forcing her to rethink what "right" means and confront feelings she never knew she had.
Inspired by Jane Austen and queer history, I Shall Never Fall in Love shines a light on what it means to be true to yourself and rewrites the rules for what makes a happily ever after.
Setting: Regency England
Graphic novel, historical fiction, romance, Regency, young adult
