loved these recs! I also read and enjoyed Wild Things as well as Legends and Lattes.
top books this year: #1 - Margo's Got Money Troubles, by Rufi Thorpe (fiction, a 19 y/o gets pregnant after a brief affair with her professor and decides to keep the baby, very frank, funny, and wonderful characters- no stereotypes). #2 The Women Could Fly, by Megan Giddings (parallel fantasy Earth, modern Day, witches exist and their existence is used to create legal restrictions on women. sort of handmaid's tale but centering BIPOC and queer people, also more nuanced). #3 The Mars House by Natasha Pulley (science fiction, main character is a climate refugee who ends up relocating to Mars as things get worse on Earth. really interesting read on the social challenges of interstellar colonization including gender and social class. queer MCs)
Ooooo If you liked Legends & Lattes and want to read more queer, cozy speculative literature definitely check out Becky Chambers work, starting with the Long Way to a Small Angry Planet.
Also, I write cozy spec fiction and will be serializing my novel in 2025 on my Substack, but Becky Chambers' work is so fantastic to read from, at the very least, a representation perspective.
Thanks for your generosity in curating this list! It reminded me of some things I've been wanting to read and gave me some new ideas as well. Appreciate it!
Love the variety on your list, Rey! Yours is now the second of these roundups from someone I admire that included Between Two Kingdoms, and I now feel like I have to add to my 2025 TBR shelf. Been meaning to check out Elliot Page’s book too.
I read the Sapling Cage (a young adult fantasy novel) by Margaret Killjoy and I LOVED it. All about a boy who wants to be a witch, plus so much fascinating stuff about magic and relationships while the world is hurtling towards violence. I think you might really like it :)
loved these recs! I also read and enjoyed Wild Things as well as Legends and Lattes.
top books this year: #1 - Margo's Got Money Troubles, by Rufi Thorpe (fiction, a 19 y/o gets pregnant after a brief affair with her professor and decides to keep the baby, very frank, funny, and wonderful characters- no stereotypes). #2 The Women Could Fly, by Megan Giddings (parallel fantasy Earth, modern Day, witches exist and their existence is used to create legal restrictions on women. sort of handmaid's tale but centering BIPOC and queer people, also more nuanced). #3 The Mars House by Natasha Pulley (science fiction, main character is a climate refugee who ends up relocating to Mars as things get worse on Earth. really interesting read on the social challenges of interstellar colonization including gender and social class. queer MCs)
Such a great list! I loved Pageboy and Body Work a lot too 💕
Ooooo If you liked Legends & Lattes and want to read more queer, cozy speculative literature definitely check out Becky Chambers work, starting with the Long Way to a Small Angry Planet.
Also, I write cozy spec fiction and will be serializing my novel in 2025 on my Substack, but Becky Chambers' work is so fantastic to read from, at the very least, a representation perspective.
Body Work is a sample on my bookshelf. I also loved Chelsea Manning’s memoir!
Great list! Just ordered a few from the library. Thanks!
Thanks for your generosity in curating this list! It reminded me of some things I've been wanting to read and gave me some new ideas as well. Appreciate it!
Love the variety on your list, Rey! Yours is now the second of these roundups from someone I admire that included Between Two Kingdoms, and I now feel like I have to add to my 2025 TBR shelf. Been meaning to check out Elliot Page’s book too.
Happy new year!
Great recs!!
I read the Sapling Cage (a young adult fantasy novel) by Margaret Killjoy and I LOVED it. All about a boy who wants to be a witch, plus so much fascinating stuff about magic and relationships while the world is hurtling towards violence. I think you might really like it :)
Oh, this sounds fascinating! Adding to my TBR.