We’re heading into another weekend! Finally some time to relax! I don’t know about you guys, but it’s shaping up to be a rainy and snowy weekend for me. A.K.A the perfect time to curl up with a good book! I’ve been really into fantasy lately, so I decided to share five LGBTQIA+ fantasy books I really enjoyed!
1. The Empress of Salt and Fortune by Nghi Vo
A young royal from the far north is sent south for a political marriage in an empire reminiscent of imperial China. Her brothers are dead, her armies and their war mammoths long defeated and caged behind their borders. Alone and sometimes reviled, she must choose her allies carefully.
Rabbit, a handmaiden, sold by her parents to the palace for the lack of five baskets of dye, befriends the emperor's lonely new wife and gets more than she bargained for.
At once feminist high fantasy and an indictment of monarchy, this evocative debut follows the rise of the empress In-yo, who has few resources and fewer friends. She's a northern daughter in a mage-made summer exile, but she will bend history to her will and bring down her enemies, piece by piece.
What I thought
At only 119 pages, The Empress of Salt and Fortune is a perfect weekend read. Told from the perspective of Rabbit, who was the loyal handmaiden of empress In-Yo long ago. The worldbuilding in this novella is lovely and you feel a part of it. By the time you finish it, it feels much longer than 119 pages! It’s also written in very flowery prose, which I am a huge fan of. I’ll keep the LGBT+ bits to myself, as I don’t want to spoil everything. This one is perfect for those looking for a story to fill a Sunday afternoon.
2. In Deeper Waters by F.T. Lukens
Prince Tal has long awaited his coming-of-age tour. After spending most of his life cloistered behind palace walls as he learns to keep his forbidden magic secret, he can finally see his family’s kingdom for the first time. His first taste of adventure comes just two days into the journey, when their crew discovers a mysterious prisoner on a burning derelict vessel.
Tasked with watching over the prisoner, Tal is surprised to feel an intense connection with the roguish Athlen. So when Athlen leaps overboard and disappears, Tal feels responsible and heartbroken, knowing Athlen could not have survived in the open ocean.
That is, until Tal runs into Athlen days later on dry land, very much alive, and as charming—and secretive—as ever. But before they can pursue anything further, Tal is kidnapped by pirates and held ransom in a plot to reveal his rumored powers and instigate a war. Tal must escape if he hopes to save his family and the kingdom. And Athlen might just be his only hope…
What I thought
I only finished this one recently and I adored it! It’s such a sweet romance between a young prince and a mysterious boy pulled from a shipwreck. The pacing of the story is just right. Every step Tal and Athlen take together feels so right. Tal’s character development and Athlen’s secret took the story in a direction I didn’t think it would go when I first picked it up. Needless to say, this one made me want to read more F.T. Luken and more high seas adventures.
3. Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas
Yadriel has summoned a ghost, and now he can’t get rid of him.
When his traditional Latinx family has problems accepting his gender, Yadriel becomes determined to prove himself a real brujo. With the help of his cousin and best friend Maritza, he performs the ritual himself, and then sets out to find the ghost of his murdered cousin and set it free.
However, the ghost he summons is actually Julian Diaz, the school’s resident bad boy, and Julian is not about to go quietly into death. He’s determined to find out what happened and tie up some loose ends before he leaves. Left with no choice, Yadriel agrees to help Julian, so that they can both get what they want. But the longer Yadriel spends with Julian, the less he wants to let him leave.
What I thought
This one will leave you a mess. It has incredible emotional highs and heart-wrenching lows. It is a great exploration of queerness and the feeling of being treated like you don’t really know yourself. If you love emotional rollercoasters, Cemetery Boys should be your next read.
4. The Jasmine Throne by Tasha Suri
Imprisoned by her dictator brother, Malini spends her days in isolation in the Hirana: an ancient temple that was once the source of the powerful, magical deathless waters — but is now little more than a decaying ruin.
Priya is a maidservant, one among several who make the treacherous journey to the top of the Hirana every night to clean Malini’s chambers. She is happy to be an anonymous drudge, so long as it keeps anyone from guessing the dangerous secret she hides.
But when Malini accidentally bears witness to Priya’s true nature, their destinies become irrevocably tangled. One is a vengeful princess seeking to depose her brother from his throne. The other is a priestess seeking to find her family. Together, they will change the fate of an empire.
What I thought
I love folklore and myth inspired stories. The Jasmine Throne is a fantastic high fantasy novel that takes inspiration from Indian folklore, something I’ve never explored before. Like many great fantasy books, the beginning is filled with worldbuilding and less plot, but around 10% in, you’ll be hooked. It’s got morally grey lesbians that want the world to burn around them while they longingly look into each other’s eyes. It’s the first book in the trilogy and the last one comes out this November. It’s a great series and I’m eagerly awaiting the last one!
5. Before We Disappear by Shaun David Hutchinson
Jack Nevin’s clever trickery and moral flexibility have served him well his entire life—making him the perfect assistant to the Enchantress, one of the most well-known stage magicians in early-twentieth-century Europe. Without Jack’s steady supply of stolen tricks and copycat sleight-of-hand illusions, the Enchantress’s fame would have burned out long ago—not that she would ever admit it.
But when they’re forced to flee the continent for America, the Enchantress finds a new audience in Seattle at the 1909 Alaska–Yukon–Pacific World’s Fair Exposition. She and Jack are set to make a fortune until a new magician arrives on the scene. Performing tricks that defy the imagination, Laszlo’s act threatens to overshadow the Enchantress and co-opt her audience. Jack has no choice but to hunt for the secrets behind Laszlo’s otherworldly illusions—but what he uncovers isn’t at all what he expected.
What makes Laszlo’s tricks possible is, unbelievably, a boy that can seemingly perform real magic. Wilhelm’s abilities defy all the laws of physics. His talents are no clever sleights-of-hand. But even though Laszlo and Wilhelm’s act threatens to destroy the life Jack and the Enchantress have built, Jack and Wilhelm have a near-instant connection. As the rivalry between the Enchantress and Laszlo grows increasingly dangerous and dire, Jack finds he has to choose between the woman who gave him a life and the boy who is offering him love. It's a new star-crossed romance about the magic of first love from acclaimed author Shaun David Hutchinson.
What I thought
Rivals to lovers with magicians?! When I saw this book, I knew I had to read it! I was obsessed with magic as a kid. The story is super heart-warming and filled with cute moments that made me squeal like a teenage girl at a Harry Styles concert. It’s witty and lyrical and an overall fun read.
Those are five queer fantasy books I loved reading! If you found your next read, let me know in the comments below! If you want more queer book lists, make sure to subscribe to the blog and follow me on Instagram and X!
Have a lovely weekend!
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