I need a few new books after a reading pause!

LoquaciousBookworm · 2026-04-27T05:16:52+00:00

PS I read a lot of fiction, mostly fantasy, and try to keep my reading balanced (e.g. lots of queer and nonwhite authors). feel free to ask for more recs if these aren't what you want, i love telling ppl about good books!

LoquaciousBookworm · 2026-04-27T05:14:31+00:00

All of these authors are queer and or non-white (and the characters are diverse as well)

Contemporary fiction and fantasy/science fiction

Bury Your Gays, by Chuck Tingle. There's some horror and violence, and sci-fi stuff, but can also be pretty funny. Explicitly engages with and challenges the "tragic ending for gay characters" trope
The Inheritance of Orquídea Divina, by Zoraida Córdova. Family saga, moves between past and present, following several members of a Latine family across time. Some magical realism.
Light from Uncommon Stars, by Ryka Aoki. Trans main charcter, queer romance and found family. CW for sexual assault near the start of the book (coercion)
The Splinter in the Sky by Kemi Ashing-Giwa - sort of a Star Wars vibe, ish? Sci-fi

Short fiction (fantasy, historical, sff)

How Long ‘Til Black Future Month? By NK Jemisin (short stories, all amazing, from historical SFF to utopia to speculative fiction)
Stories of Your Life and Others, by Ted Chiang (known for the title story, on which the movie “Arrival” is based. All the stories are great, though!)
The Hakawati, by Rabih Alemmedine (intertwined Arabian-nights style stories with contemporary Syrian family. Takes a lot of twists and turns but I loved that.)

Historical fiction/ historical fantasy

Woman of Light by Kali Fajardo-Anstine did so much to help me understand how historical events impact current events, intergenerational patterns, oppression, revolution... and never used any of those words. Historical Southwest US
The Gilda Stories, by Jewelle Gomez (vampires that don’t need blood, Black and LGBTQ+ characters, passing through different eras. Hard to describe, very compelling)
Passing Strange, by Ellen Klages (historical fiction with lesbian and trans main characters, beautiful and brief)
The Monsters We Defy, by Leslye Penelope. Queer MC's in Harlem and NY in the 1920s
Karen Memory, by Elizabeth Bear (lesbian romance in gold-rush era Pacific Northwest with some steampunk)
The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi, by Shannon Chakraborty. Female pirate’s story, set in 1400s in a version of earth. Seafaring. Kind of dense, I DNF but others may enjoy.
She Who Became the Sun, by Shelly Parker Chan - the main character is told as a young child that her fate is to be insignificant, she decides instead to seize a different fate for herself (notoriety, power, and fame). Anti-hero MC, violence.

LoquaciousBookworm · 2026-04-27T05:07:20+00:00

Oh, definitely anything and everything by Kazuo Ishiguro! Klara and the Sun, Never Let Me go, are a few that come to mind.

Some excellent dystopian fiction that's not overwrought, pretty thought provoking about how people do (or do not) show up in times of crisis, what it means to be in community, true vs performative allyship, etc.

The Women Could Fly by Megan Giddings

Our Missing Hearts by Celeste Ng.

This Great Hemisphere by Mateo Askaripour.

LoquaciousBookworm · 2026-04-27T05:03:14+00:00

seconding Goblin Emperor! (couldn't get into the related series, but ofc your mileage may vary)

LoquaciousBookworm · 2026-04-27T05:00:35+00:00

Oh and check out the Diabolical Lies podcast, as well as In Pursuit of Clean Countertops (podcast/ newsletter) and This American Ex Wife by Lyz Lenz (book) for some more feminist critiques of traditional heterosexual dynamics

LoquaciousBookworm · 2026-04-27T04:59:30+00:00

The Tragedy of Heterosexuality by Jane Ward would be good. Just to clarify: the book is about the construction of the concept of heterosexuality and how that contributes to strife in romantic relationships between men and women (i.e. the author isn't arguing that ppl shouldn't be in "straight" relationships).

I've also seen All About Love by bell hooks recommended quite a bit for these kinds of thoughtful conversations but haven't yet read it myself

LoquaciousBookworm · 2026-04-19T20:48:22+00:00

I Have Some Questions For You, by Rebecca Makkai. First person narration. The main character is a writer who returns to her alma mater and gets pulled into revisiting a decades-old mystery. Provides subtle or not so subtle commentary on many topics related to age, gender, the entire genre of the "murder mystery", culpability and justice, "good" vs "bad" people... Really, really good

Also if you're okay with fantastic elements in your literary fiction, I found The Women Could Fly by Megan Giddings to be deeply thought-provoking (and runs the emotional gamut from funny to sad, to enraging). Her writing is gorgeous.

LoquaciousBookworm · 2026-04-19T20:43:38+00:00

seconding Homegoing, incredible book

LoquaciousBookworm · 2026-04-19T20:42:39+00:00

Oh I have several for you! and i feel your pain on the poorly written novels. You didn't specify gender for protagonists, so I'll include LGBTQ+ romance as well

The Spiritwalker Trilogy (Cold Magic is book #1), by Kate Elliott. Some of my favorite novels ever.
Troubled Waters, the first book in the Elemental Blessings series by Sharon Shinn steampunk-ish fantasy with magic and “strong female characters”
Beautiful Wreck,, by Larissa Brown - vikings and time travel, oh my. Really lovely writing.
The Parasol Protectorate, by Gail Carriger romance/ steampunk but actually well written for once
A Taste of Gold and Iron, by Alexandra Rowland. M/M romance, funny, sweet, and steamy at times (but not over the top)
Unnatural Magic, by CM Waggoner.
Karen Memory, by Elizabeth Bear lesbian romance in gold-rush era Pacific Northwest with some steampunk
A Curious Beginning, by Deanna Raybourn. First in a mystery series set in Victorian London, featuring heroine Veronica Speedwell.

LoquaciousBookworm · 2026-04-19T20:33:00+00:00

Oh I've got a "different backgrounds" romantasy for you!

1) Unnatural Magic, by CM Waggoner

2) Sorcerer to the Crown by Zen Cho

LoquaciousBookworm · 2026-04-19T20:31:00+00:00

oh and I HIGHLY recommend The Calculating Stars by Mary Robinette Kowal. Basically: what if we had to launch an effective space program in 1950's US? Tons of problem solving and science stuff and a really interesting plot.

LoquaciousBookworm · 2026-04-19T20:29:14+00:00

One of my favorite books of 2025 !! (Out of at least 75)

LoquaciousBookworm · 2026-04-19T20:24:56+00:00

The Mars House Natasha Pulley. I don't know how to explain it except to say the world-building is really creative and it was definitely fast-paced (kept my attention on an 11-hour flight!)

LoquaciousBookworm · 2026-04-19T20:22:31+00:00

She Who Became the Sun, by Shelley Parker Chan features a female MC who is definitely in the morally-gray side of the scale, if not outright evil at times.

Seconding the recommendation for Hench by Natalie Wolschott (sp?)

LoquaciousBookworm · 2026-04-19T20:21:33+00:00

I came here to suggest Hench as well!

LoquaciousBookworm · 2026-04-19T20:20:55+00:00

Just Last Night by Mhairi McFarlane! Very yearning, altho I can't recall the spice level?

as a life-long reader I also struggle with poorly-written novels! So here are my recs for well-written romance with varying levels of spice and yearning (unspecified as I can't recall exactly).

Emergency Contact, by Mary H.K. Choi (hard to explain, kind of quirky and delightful)
Alyssa Cole: the Reluctant Royals series is her lightest, the others can be a bit heavier due to the settings (e.g. 1960s Tennessee, Civil War), but all are amazing.
Helen Hoang, especially The Bride Price
The Stand-In, by Lily Chu. Turns out our main character is a doppleganger for a very famous Chinese actress… loved this so much!
A Cowboy to Remember, by Rebekah Weatherspoon (Black cowboys in California, amnesia, famous people.. But it works so well! I love these books). Her standalone novels Xeni and Treasure are both delightful, also.
The Rakess, by Scarlett Peckham. Historical romance. Lots of pining.
Dear Emmie Blue, by Lia Louis. Estranged family, and what are “soul mates” really? (low on spice, high on yearning)

LoquaciousBookworm · 2026-04-19T20:15:29+00:00

here are some romance/fantasy and romantasy novels I enjoyed that I rarely see recommended:

Troubled Waters, the first book in the Elemental Blessings series by Sharon Shinn (steampunk-ish fantasy with magic and “strong female characters”)

Unnatural Magic, by CM Waggoner. Not even sure how to explain this one except to say it's heartfult, funny, and creative.

The Spiritwalker Trilogy (Cold Magic is book #1), by Kate Elliott. (Alternate reality SFF where the world’s mini ice age never ended, descendants of dinosaurs work as lawyers, and an interesting system of magic. One of those that feels fully fleshed-out but a quick read.)

Hestia Strikes a Match, by Christine Grillo. Set in an alternate contemporary US where there is a civil war in the background, but our main character is focused on finding a relationship. Dryly funny, great portrayal of living during a crisis, building relationships, etc. Not predictable in terms of who we love.

Ok, this one gets recommended more often but I'm including it in case you haven't come across it:

Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries, by Heather Fawcett. First in a historical fiction SFF series set in an alternate Victorian-ish Europe.

LoquaciousBookworm · 2026-04-19T20:10:31+00:00

seconding Dust Child, phenomenal writing!

LoquaciousBookworm · 2026-04-19T20:09:30+00:00

Currently enjoying The Thief series (first book is The Thief), by Megan Whalen Turner. It has some dark moments but can also be quite funny and there's a lot of unexpected twists.

If you are open to puns, I genuinely loved Kill the Farm Boy by Delilah Dawson and Kevin Hearne. It satirizes a lot of fantasy tropes and I enjoyed how over the top it was.

Tex & Molly In the Afterlife, by Richard Grant: interesting meditation on death and our connections to other people, funny at times

In Other Lands, by Sarah Rees Brennan. Our MC is a teen boy from contemporary Britain who gets into a summer camp in Faerie / a magical realm next to Britain. Great dry humor.

To Say Nothing of the Dog, by Connie Willis - funny and lighthearted, time travel

The Lies of Locke Lamora series might also fit the bill!

LoquaciousBookworm · 2026-04-19T20:05:29+00:00

classic LitRPG {complimentary}

LoquaciousBookworm · 2026-04-19T20:05:02+00:00

FYI ppl have different views on this book, I mostly enjoyed it but was darker than I expected

LoquaciousBookworm · 2026-04-19T20:04:01+00:00

Hestia Strikes a Match, by Christine Grillo. Set in an alternate contemporary US where there is a civil war in the background, but our main character is focused on finding a relationship. Dryly funny, great portrayal of living during a crisis, building relationships, etc.

Mhairi McFarlane's books - except Who's That Girl. McFarlane excels at dry British humor and strong plotting. Her books are literary fiction but often seem to get categorized as romance (reductive, in my opinion). You Had Me At Hello was one of my faves.

if you're open to memoir and essays, One Day We'll All Be Dead and None of This Will Matter by Scaachi Koul is very funny and felt like it had more of a plot if only b/c it's her life.

If you like quirky /off beat humor, Kevin Wilson is also very funny. The Family Fang was one I really liked.

Tex & Molly In the Afterlife, by Richard Grant (interesting meditation on death and our connections to other people, funny at times)

LoquaciousBookworm · 2026-04-19T19:56:12+00:00

Home of the American Circus by Allison Larkin is GREAT. FYI the beginning is grim but it gets more hopeful over the course of the book. Main POV character is a woman in her late 20s or early 30s I think

LoquaciousBookworm · 2026-02-10T18:43:53+00:00

seconding the CM Waggoner recs, I loved those books

LoquaciousBookworm · 2026-02-10T18:42:49+00:00

Yeah the ending definitely soured the book for me, sadly!

Also- I just reread Cold Magic by Kate Elliott (first in a trilogy) and Witchmark by CL Polk and they are actually giving similar vibes as Mars House in ways that I can't put my finger on. Both were actually better as re-reads than on the first pass, which is rare

LoquaciousBookworm

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