The Fox Maidens (2024) | Robin Ha |

I picked up this book scond hand on a whim, and I higly enjoyed it the whole way through!! The Fox Maidens is a retelling of an old fairytale set in 16th century Korea, focusing on the story of the commander of the Royal Legion's daughter, who he trains to be a warrior. Wonderfully illustrated and paced, deliciously long for a graphic novel. Also explores some queer themes, which was a pleasent surprise.

Yde et Olive (~13th century) | Unknown |

Girllllll. I fucking love this chanson. It fucks severely. Shoutout the one english translation I found. The story is about Yde, a princess who flees her home after her father decides he wants to mary her (gross). She disguises herself as a boy, and finds out she's really fucking good in battle. The king of Rome's daughter Olive? Swooning over her, as she should be. Oh yeah, and there's an angel going around hitting people with the transgenderfication beam. There's a baby named croissant. It's that good.

A Closed and Common Orbit (2016) | Becky Chambers |

I can't believe it took me so long to read this book. This is the second book in the Wayfarer series, but it's not really a direct sequel. This book is about an AI learning how to be a person and it made me cry. <3333333 real AI sucks but Sidra is my baby.

The Turn of the Screw (1898) | Henry James |

Listen... I really, really hate when I don't love a classic. I was really excited to read this one–a victorian gothic ghost story is right up my fucking alley!! But I just couldn't connect with it at all. The prose was tiring and the plot was just not engaging to me. I'm honestly really bummed about this one.

Wrong Norma (2024) | Anne Carson |

GAHHHHH SUCH A BOOK!!!!! Came across it in an indie bookstore and had to snatch at once. I fucking love Anne Carson. Very hard to describe, like a lot of her work it's a mix between prose & poetry & something else. Just so enjoyable.

The Chromatic Fantasy (2023) | H. A. |

I've been eyeing this one up online for awhile now, and I came across it in person at a little indie bookstoreon my birthday, so I had to get it! Really, really love the art & colors. The story is very clearly a work of catharsis for the author, which isn't a bad thing, but left the story a little scattered at times.

Le Roman de Silence (~13th century) | Heldris/Unknown |

SCREAMING FROM THE ROOFTOPS ABOUT THIS ONE FOREVER AND EVER. Gender story of all time. What if you were a girl raised as a boy so you could inherit your father's estate and you were actually Really Fucking Good At It. I got a physical copy of the translation by Sarah Roche-Mahdi and it was spectacular.

What Moves the Dead (2022) | T. Kingfisher |

Mmhmm. I've got feelings about this one. It's a retelling of the Fall of the House of Usher, which interested me, but honestly I don't think I really enjoy retellings these days. Enjoyable prose but everything felt very... obvious? IDK maybe it was supposed to feel that way. The narrative was definitely engaging, but by answering so many questions I feel like it removes an element of gothic mystery from the original.

The Sundial (1958) | Shirley Jackson |

An elite group of people in a fancy old manor become convinced that the world is going to end and that they will be the only survivors. Jackson never disapoints, I throughoughly enjoyed this book. There's an element of comedy here that's a bit of a change up for her tonally, and it works wonderfully. Incredible prose & delicious dialouge.

The Secret History (1992) | Donna Tartt |

OH THIS WAS DELICIOUS!!!!!! This one has literally been on my to-read list since I was a teenager. Kind of glad that I didn't read it then, kind of wish I did so I could reread it later and have a totally different perspective. Literally cannot stop thinking about this one. The Implications. AHHHHHHHHH. It's gonna haunt me for awhile.

I Have No Mouth & I Must Scream (1967) | Harlan Ellison |

Sadly all I had to say about this one was Yikes, which is a total bummer becuase people LOVE THIS SHORT STORY. Alas. The misogyny was fucking crazy. What if you spent 100 years being tortured by a machine and yet you still tortured the only remaining woman on the planet instead of standing in solidarity with her. I just. Okay.

Star Trek: Year Five (Vol. 1) (2023) | Jackson Lanzing |

Star Trek my beloved.... first venture into the comics! Was clearly crafted by a team who loved TOS. Really loved the art & the subplots, wish there were more Kirk/Spock interactions tho.

Rebecca (1938) | Daphne du Maurier |

I LOVEDDDDDD THISSSSSSS BOOOOOOOOOK. Rebecca INVENTED haunting the narrative oh my god. What if you married a man twice your age and moved into his house but literally couldn't stop obessing over & comparing yourself to his dead wife?? Really enjoyed the prose in the first half and then when things picked up in the second I literally could not put it down. Also picked up on some queer undertones and now I want to make a whole page/post discussing it. Delightful gothic read.

Orlando (1928) | Virginia Woolf |

I won't lie, it took me awhile to get into Orlando. The first third of the book dragged a bit for me, but once we reached the gender swap I couldn't put it down. What an interesting little book, a really, really interesting story about gender & sex. Clearly very personal, as Orlando was inspired by Vita Sackville-West.

Thirst (2006) | Mary Oliver |

I've said it a hundred times and I'll say it a hundred more, Mary Oliver never dissapoints. Even in a body of work that veers religious, which is not really my cup of tea, these poems were masterfull.

Hangsman (1951) | Shirley Jackson |

I devoured this fucking book. Literally could not put it down. Shirley Jackson girls I love you..... Very difficult to describe this one, and definitely not for everyone. But fuck, it was right up my alley.

Afternoon at McBurgers (2020) | Ana Galvañ |

Picked this up at the secondhand bookshop. Love the art, wish the story was a bit clearer.

The Art of Memory Collecting (2024) | Martina Calvi |

A great little book full of scrapbooking/memory keeping inspo. Keep analog memories alive <3

Manor (1885) | Karl |

I was looking through old, queer vampire fiction, and this story popped out at me becuase I recognized the author, who was a huge pioneer of queer rights & research! I couldn't believe I had never heard of it. Fought for my life to find an english trasnlation, but I'm really glad that I did. A pretty explictedly queer vampire story revolving around two men, one who drowns tragically. He digs himself out of his grave every night to go and sleep with his lover, who embraces him instead of reposnding with disgust.

The Murder of Roger Ackroyd (1926) | Agatha Christie |

I love a good mystery book, especially coming from the queen of mystery. I read this one in a book club with my brother and really enjoyed it. We both saw the murderer's identity coming, which was a little dissapointing, but honestly if I was reading it in 1928 I would have lost my mind. Still a really good read, I love Hercule Poirot.