#witchlore

Code: 🌶️- contains adult scenes/sexual content 🚩 - contains possible triggers, proceed with caution Book #1: The Entanglement of Rival Wizards by Sara Raasch 🌶️ Representation: MLM gay relationship between the two leads, other queer characters in supporting cast My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Thoughts: Humorous with endearing characters and significant drama. There is Definitely Spice - many a sex scene in this one, so keep that in mind. Rated 4 stars since there were a few parts that seemed a bit melodramatic and for the main sport having an Awful name, but had very interesting world building and I'm excited for the next book set in this world to come out. Summary: "Sebastian Walsh: Evocation Department. Human. The first of his family to pick college over the military. Elethior Tourael: Conjuration Department. Half-elf. Pretentious asshole. The latest legacy Tourael at Lesiara U. Both: Mageus Research Grant finalists. Sebastian refuses to let anyone snatch this away, least of all a snob riding on old money. But what’s worse than a nemesis stealing your grant? You could both get it. Under the condition you work together. Sebastian is in hell. Thio’s broody. Takes up their shared lab space with his projects . . . and biceps. Brings treats for Sebastian’s familiar . . . . . . and is nothing like Sebastian thought. When Sebastian’s past with the Touraels forces him to choose his research or Thio, the decision should be simple. But while working with his rival is volatile . . . falling for his rival might blow up Sebastian’s future."

Book #2: Witchlore by Emma Hinds 🚩 Representation: Nonbinary/fluid main character, queer romance between the leads My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Thoughts: One immediate thing to keep in mind with this one is that it deals with suicidal ideation and the main character has made an attempt in the past - it is mentioned often. If this is something that you are uncomfortable with, do not read it. That said, the book does handle such a difficult subject pretty well and the main character recovers throughout the book. Rated 4 stars since the attitude/internal dialogue toward the beginning is quite repetitive, but I did enjoy the relationship between the main characters and thought the encounters with magical creatures were interesting and the main character's power manifestation and the twist at the end were well done. Summary: "At Demdike College of Witchcraft, Orlando is an outcast. Not just for being the only shapeshifter in a college of witches. Not just for being a really bad shapeshifter, with no control over their magic or when their body switches between male and female forms. But because their girlfriend Elizabeth died—and it was Lando's fault. Then charming new boy Bastian arrives with a proposition: he knows a spell that can raise Elizabeth from the dead. It's dangerous but Lando will try anything. But as Lando's attraction to Bastian grows, questions start to arise. Who is Bastian? What does he really want? And who will survive the resurrection spell?"

Book #3: Given by Natsuki Kizu (manga) 🚩 Representation: MLM romance between the leads, other queer relationships with supporting characters My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Thoughts: Y'all are probably getting tired of me giving four star ratings, huh? This one is promising, certainly - I finished the first volume and went out and bought the second, though I haven't gotten around to reading it yet. There's an anime based on it - I watched a few episodes a couple years ago, but I don't think I ever finished it. It does have some mentions of one of the main character's ex-boyfriend committing suicide, though I expect that will come more into play with future volumes. Summary: "Love of music unites the four members of the band Given: hotheaded guitarist Uenoyama, playboy drummer Akihiko, gentle bassist Haruki, and Mafuyu, a singer gifted with great talent and burdened by past tragedy. Their struggles and conflicts may drive them apart, but their bond to the music—and to one another—always brings them back together again. Ritsuka Uenoyama is bored with it all—with school, with his basketball club, and even with his one true passion: playing guitar. That is, until the day he finds his favorite hidden napping spot occupied by a strange boy cradling a broken-stringed guitar. At first, Uenoyama is nonplussed by Mafuyu Sato and his slightly odd behavior, but when, on a whim, he asks Mafuyu to sing, the power of that song pierces him to the core."

Book #4: Looking for Group by Alexis Hall Representation: MLM romance between the main characters, lots of other queer rep throughout My Rating: 3.5x⭐ Thoughts: Look, I really enjoyed this until the last, like, 90 pages where the main character makes himself sort of unlikable. For those who are fans of MMORPGs, I think you'll really enjoy the nostalgia of reading this since there's a lot of in-game chat dialogue at first, but it's also just a pleasant read. Main character does make effort to make up for being crummy, so I do still recommend. Summary: "Drew's always prided himself on being the "right" kind of nerd. He plays sports, has a solid group of friends, and never had any problem talking to girls. Sure, he spends time playing Heroes of Legend, the biggest MMORPG on the planet, but it's just a fun hobby, not his identity. Falling for someone in a video game? Not his style. Until it is. Enter Kit: witty, kind, razor-sharp, and a healer who's saved Drew's virtual skin more times than he can count. She's also, turns out, a boy in real life. The realization knocks Drew off-balance, but it doesn't take long for him to figure out the simple truth―he likes Kit, no matter Kit's gender. The real challenge? Kit's reality is leagues apart from Drew's. Being online is his life, and while he's willing to come out of his shell an inch at a time, there's such a wide gulf between them that Drew's left wondering: can love truly bridge the distance…or are they fated to remain in separate worlds forever?"

Book #5: Lumberjanes (#1) by Noelle Stevenson (graphic novel) Representation: queer rep throughout, seems to be more prevalent in later volumes but there's a bit here My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Thoughts: This was genuinely cute - I thought the scouts' adventures were fun, and there were bigger mysteries set up that support a continuing series well. I could see the starts of relationships forming that would be rewarding when they paid off. Since it's a graphic novel, it's a pretty quick read - definitely worth checking out. Summary: "Five best friends spending the summer at Lumberjane scout camp…defeating yetis, three-eyed wolves, and giant falcons…what’s not to love?! Friendship to the max! Jo, April, Mal, Molly and Ripley are five best pals determined to have an awesome summer together…and they’re not gonna let any insane quest or an array of supernatural critters get in their way!"

Book #6: Upright Women Wanted - Sarah Gailey Representation: Lesbian, queer, poly, and nonbinary characters galore My Rating: 2.5x⭐ Thoughts: Not my taste personally, but definitely an interesting premise - sort of Handmaid's Tale meets the Wild West meets Fallout. It's another short one, less than 200 pages, so worth checking out if that sounds like your vibe! Summary: "Esther is a stowaway. She’s hidden herself away in the Librarian’s book wagon in an attempt to escape the marriage her father has arranged for her―a marriage to the man who was previously engaged to her best friend. Her best friend who she was in love with. Her best friend who was just executed for possession of resistance propaganda. The future American Southwest is full of bandits, fascists, and queer librarian spies on horseback trying to do the right thing."

Book #7: Mistakenly Saving the Villain by Feng Yu Nie 🚩 Representation: MLM relationship between the main characters My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Thoughts: This one's pretty heavy, not going to lie. Triggers include graphic depictions of sexual slavery/trafficking, severe torture, non-consensual sexual acts, suicide attempts, and intense psychological trauma. While most of these things are handled well, there are a few that I think miss the mark and some of the details brought up toward the end of the book don't quite make sense, but may fit better once the sequel is released. Since it was originally written in Chinese and translated into English for publication, some dialogue and descriptions felt a bit strange, but not enough to be a major fault. It's an interesting book, especially when you get to see from the innocent view of the main character, and from the manipulative and (understandably) jaded view of his love interest. Summary: "When medical student Song Qingshi dies and wakes up in a historical fantasy novel, he’s tasked with rescuing the tragic protagonist from a life of misery. There’s just one problem—he has no idea who the protagonist is. Instead of saving the hero, Song Qingshi accidentally rescues Yue Wuhuan, an enslaved man renowned for his striking beauty and trained in the art of seduction. Now determined to help his traumatized new patient heal, Song Qingshi offers everything he can: Medicine, therapy, emotional support, even a shared bed—strictly for his patient’s well-being, of course. But Yue Wuhuan wants more than healing. He wants revenge. And most of all, he wants Song Qingshi all to himself."

Book #8: Lady's Knight by Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner Representation: WLW romance between the main characters, gay supporting character My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Thoughts: Oh my god, read this book! Please read this book! It's legitimately such a good time - the jousts are well described, the female characters are not one dimensional and actually have personalities (even the supporting cast!) and the romance is built up to effectively. In the best possible way, it reminded me of a medieval Mean Girls. Highly recommend. Summary: "A blacksmith’s daughter with a secret. A lady with a plan. We’re in for one unforgettable knight… Gwen has spent the past several years manning the blacksmith’s in place of her father, an open secret in the village in which she lives. A much more covert secret, however, is that she knows not only how to craft but also how to wield a sword, and an incognito stunt at the local jousting tournament manages to catch the eye of the wily Lady Isobelle. Isobelle has secret dreams too, but she’s been promised in marriage to the winner of the whole stupid tournament, which means an end to any freedom or choices for her. Desperate to avoid this fate, when she connects the newcomer knight to the female smithy she saw earlier that day, she begins to hatch a scheme… Petty knights. Backstabbing noblemen. A prison breakout. Cheesecake-on-a-stick. One particularly large and angry dragon. Will our ladies survive the night? And can our knight save the day?"

Book #9: All Out edited by Saundra Mitchell (Anthology) Representation: a collection of queer stories with a range of identities and relationships, queer rep galore My Rating: 3.5x⭐ Thoughts: I had a hard time with some of the authors' writing styles but really enjoyed the different perspectives and some of the stories had me wishing for a full-length novel - I recall really enjoying the Robin Hood retelling! Summary: "From a retelling of Little Red Riding Hood set in war-torn 1870s Mexico featuring a transgender soldier…to two girls falling in love while mourning the death of Kurt Cobain…to forbidden love in a sixteenth-century Spanish convent…and an asexual girl discovering her identity amid the 1970s roller-disco scene, All Out tells a diverse range of stories across cultures, time periods, and identities, shedding light on an area of history often ignored or forgotten."

Thank you to St Martin’s Press/Wednesday Books and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC of this. All thoughts are my own.

I loved this one so much. I was captivated from the start, drawn into Lando’s emotional state and the world’s magic system and its history and lore. I just wanted to know more and more and more.

I absolutely loved Lando and Bastien’s relationship. It blossomed and bloomed so naturally and it was really beautiful to watch these two broken, hurt people slowly open up to each other and slowly learn how to heal.

The entire plot with the resurrection spell and the old diary entries and Lando’s dreams all coming together had me absolutely hooked. It was so fascinating watching it all come together as all the pieces settled into place.