// Writing Blog // Gemini // She/Her // 30s // 🏳️🌈🔞💕
My debut fantasy romance novel about caving, scientists, princes, & lost worlds CAVERNOUS is out NOW !! 🍄
A story about caves, princes, and getting laid in unexpected places
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A prince lamenting a lost love. A mysterious mineral hidden in the mountains of the Caucasus. A team of scientists, each in their own way ready to turn a new page...
An ambitious geologist and her eclectic team of colleagues turn their lives upside down when a caving expedition goes terribly awry and uncovers a lost subterranean kingdom.
Trapped miles underground in this glittering, antiquated world, the scientists scramble to find the ancient map of legend which will chart their way home. As it turns out, entering a ritual contest of seduction might just be the only way to get close enough to the royal family to find it. Assuming false identities, the three women must scheme, charm, and lie their way through the sensually charged aristocracy of this strange new place, hanging on to a thread of hope that they’ll manage it without getting romantically entangled…
But luck has never been on their side ~~~
Cavernous is a bi4bi ensemble romance with poly themes and a diverse cast!
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Masika Holt made peace with never seeing her best friend—and ex-lover—from high school ever again. She betrayed him, after all. But a change of heart puts her right on Aiden Zetrenne's doorstep with hopes of atonement. Despite her mistakes, he accepts the apology with open arms and allows her to stay in his home.
Betwixt confronting their traumatizing pasts and forging a new path together, the pair must face new challenges and trials; many far beyond what either of them could anticipate. With danger and oppressors lurking at every corner, with Evil stalking their every step, will the couple make it out alive without getting more blood on their hands?
Where the Stars Are is a captivating, gut-wrenching and powerful debut novel exploring gender identity, love, and reconciliation. WARNING:
This novel contains potentially triggering content. Please heed the content warnings listed on Micah Flowers' official website and at the beginning of the book.
Author's website mentioned in the summary is here: https://authormicahflowers.com/
As the series expands we really get to see more supernaturals and more of the Wake which made me realise there are also so many dystopian aspects to the book 👀 so since we haven’t had an aesthetic in a while, welcome to the Empyreal series 💌
THE TEMPTATION OF MAGIC, is about a young woman with dark hunting abilities who studies supernatural art for clues left by her mother on how to stay safe from the shadowy organisation that would make her their huntress…but their best immortal hunter gets embroiled in her life and rebellion ⚔️🎨💌
The sequel A MASTERPIECE IN BLOOD is out in ✨THREE WEEKS ✨
It’s new adult, multi POV, with lots of yearning, art history, some Da Vinci Code/National Treasure style mysteries, and Irish mythology ✨ if you loved HALF CITY and Discovery of Witches, urban fantasy or just wish a Romantasy could be set in our world, this book is for you 🥹
“And so?” snapped Father Konstantin. “Blessed are those who linger only a little in this mire of wickedness before going into the presence of God. I only hope her soul is prepared when the meeting comes. Now, Brother, I would like to pray.”
Without a word, Rodion crossed himself and slipped out the door, blinking in the feeble daylight. Well, I am sorry for the girl, he thought.
And then, uneasily, How thick the shadows lie in that room.
⚔️ BROADS AND BROADSWORDS VOLUME 3 PREORDERS ARE OPEN! ⚔️
Broads and Broadswords is a charity zine and a celebration of varied women, varied genders, and the swords and blades that love them. This zine collects 80 pages of original color illustrations and comics made entirely by 60+ independent artists-- and no AI at all--in a perfect bound book, available in both digital and print format. All proceeds from the Broads and Broadswords zine will be split between the Transgender Law Center and Point of Pride.
There are only 29 left of the ALL VOLUME bundle, so get yours before they disappear!
Pricing details and shipping costs below the cut ⚔️
Pricing:
Digital copy of Volume 3: $9 USD
Physical copy of Volume 3 (includes digital): $25 USD plus shipping and handling
Physical copy of Volume 3 (includes digital) + cover art postcards: $27 USD plus shipping and handling
Physical Copy of Volume 3 (includes digital) + damaged* copy of Volume 1 + cover art postcards : $29 USD plus shipping and holding
Physical Copy of Volume 3 (includes digital) + copy of Volume 2 + cover art postcards: $35 USD plus shipping and handling
Physical Copy of Volume 3 (includes digital) + damaged* copy of Volume 1 + copy of Volume 2 + cover art postcards: $37 USD plus shipping and handling
*Damaged Volume 1 copies are available due to an issue with the bindings during the Volume 1 printing.
**You will NOT receive a digital copy of Volumes 1 or 2.
Shipping:
United States:
$5 USD for the first individual physical copy plus $2 for each additional physical copy purchased
$7 USD for a bundle of 2 books (V3+V1 or V3+V2) plus $7 for each additional bundle of 2 books
$9 USD for a bundle of 3 books (V3+V2+V1) plus $9 for each additional bundle of 3 books
International:
$20 USD for the first physical copy plus $5 for each additional physical copy purchased
$25 USD for a bundle of 2 books (V3+V1 or V3+V2) plus $25 for each additional bundle of 2 books
$30 USD for a bundle of 3 books (V3+V2+V1) plus $30 for each additional bundle of 3 books
I thrifted these books from Savers last week!! Olga Dies Dreaming, a diverse lit fic which I’m LOVING!! Middlesex, a Pulitzer Prize 🏆 winner which I’ve had my eye on for awhile! And Luckiest Girl Alive, a thriller that sounds like a fun read for by the pool! Yippee 🥳 and a lil sheep 🐑 friend to bless y’all’s timelines lol 😂 booksta at bookishmunchkin
welcome everyone! a little while ago I reblogged a post about reading queer litfic and expressed that I think the people yearn for well-written, non-genre romantic queer books, so I wanted to share some of my favorites here! to clarify, these are books I would say are romantic but are not traditional capital-R "Romances" as in they won't follow classic rom-com structure, there is little-to-no smut, and they may not have traditional happy endings (although some of them definitely do).
I've tried to explain a little about them and give insight into why they're on my rec list. hopefully someone discovers their new favorite book here :)
gay as in happy
Less, Andrew Sean Greer (p. 2017, 263 pages): this book won the pulitzer. the writing is gorgeous. it's wonderful. it's a love story. read it now
Tipping the Velvet, Sarah Waters (p. 1998, 481 pages): how can I get everyone in the world talking about sarah waters. PLEASE. READ THIS LESBIAN BOOK PLEASEEE. also if you like this one you should also read fingersmith also by sarah waters which inspired the handmaiden dir. park chan-wook one of the most important lesbian movies OAT
The Vanishing Half, Brit Bennett (p. 2020, 343 pages): the queer storyline isn't the main one in this book, but it's really beautiful and moved me a lot. the main plot of the book is about Black twin sisters and one of them can pass for white and how they navigate that from the 50s to the 90s. excellent book
The Dove in the Belly, Jim Grimsley (p. 2022, 336 pages): we should all be talking about grimsley more. this book is incredible and he also has one from 1993 called comfort and joy that made my heart explode with love
Whiskey When We're Dry, John Larison (p. 2018, 400 pages): a western! gender gender gender and then it gets gay
Detransition, Baby, Torrey Peters (p. 221, 337 pages): complex maybe to put it in the happy category because it's definitely hard to read sometimes, but it's NOT a tragedy. definitely read a little bit about it and see what you're up for but god. it's so good
A Language of Limbs, Dylin Hardcastle (p. 2025, 300 pages): one of my favorite books from last year, swerved on me harder than I've ever been swerved on, I cried real tears but the ending is so, so beautiful
Almost Like Being in Love, Steve Kluger (p. 2004, 354 pages): the reason I made this rec list. definitely the most traditional romance I've posted here but it's completely epistolary so very unlike a lot of other books of its ilk. it's about sports. it's about musical theatre. it's about best friends. it's about falling in love with multiple people in your life. it's about being gay and insane. I love it so, so, so much. I want to mail a copy to every person I've ever known
gay tragedy
As Meat Loves Salt, Maria McCann (p. 2001, 565 pages): I think a lot of people know about this one but just in case you want your gays historical and fucked up. enjoy jacob cullen and his toxic evil ass
The Great Believers, Rebecca Makkai (p. 2018, 421 pages): really beautiful and sad historical fiction about the AIDS crisis in chicago. hits real hard as a chicagoan but is still one of the most gorgeous books I've ever read
More Than This, Patrick Ness (p. 2013, 480 pages): this is probably somewhere between happy and tragic, but I'm putting it here to be safe. I loved this so, so, so much and I'll never move on
The Heart's Invisible Furies, John Boyne (p. 2017, 582 pages): yes, the john boyne who wrote boy in the striped pajamas and is an idiot. HOWEVER, this book made me cry approx. eight million tears. it's too sad and tragic to put in the happy list, but the ending is hopeful and moving and it's one of my all-time favorites
The Power of the Dog, Thomas Savage (p. 1967, 293 pages): firmly believe we all should have read this in school. absolutely gutting but incredible. lgbt but at what cost
Swimming in the Dark, Tomasz Jędrowski (p. 2020, 191 pages): sad polish boys :( so fucking good though
Lie With Me, Phillippe Besson (p. 2017, 150 pages): a probably autobiographical story about being gay in the 80s in france. also so, so sad but gorgeous. and molly ringwald translated it to english. yes, that molly ringwald
The Silver Book, Olivia Laing (p. 2025, 256 pages): another immediate favorite from last year. a gay love story at the heart of one of film's most infamous time periods in history. very sad but very beautiful and we should all be reading olivia laing
All Them Dogs, Djamel White (p. 2026, 256 pages): new fave. vibes couldn't be worse. atrocities committed. bon appetit
if anyone enjoyed this and would like more rec lists from me (I can do a genre one and a traditional romance one if anyone is interested) please let me know! I read too much and have too many thoughts.
To follow up on our post earlier this month, here are five more books that come out later this year that we wanted to highlight for AANHPI month. Which ones will you be adding to your TBR list?
The Secret World of Briar Rose by Cindy Pham
Kokila || Publishes 2 June 2026
One hundred years have passed since the last heir of Gyldan fell into eternal slumber and doomed the once-mighty kingdom to poverty and invasion. At least, that’s what the fairy tales claim.
Corin is a jaded thief who doesn’t believe in fables, even when she searches Gyldan’s underground tunnels to find her younger sister, Elly, who ran away to find the sleeping princess in hopes of a better life. Corin’s conviction is challenged when she discovers the ruins of the ancient castle, maintained by beings from the kingdom’s golden age, who protect a hidden portal into Princess Amelia’s subconscious. Following Elly’s voice, Corin jumps in the portal and seals the entry behind her.
Inside the lush world of Amelia’s dreams, the sisters reunite for a new adventure as they meet Briar Rose, Amelia’s whimsical alter ego, and Malicine, a sharp-tongued demon with a gift for magic. But as they explore ice castles, sunflower mazes, and star-filled oceans, Corin suspects Briar Rose is hiding darker secrets behind her “perfect” paradise – and that there are some things her subconscious can’t bury forever.
My Killer Family Reunion by Dinesh Thiru
Atheneum Books for Young Readers || Publishes 11 August 2026
Knives Out meets Never Have I Ever in this hilarious and twisty young adult mystery-comedy about an Indian American teen whose family reunion at a lavish manor falls into chaos after her grandma is attacked.
Nothings brings family together like attempted murder.
There are three things Jayshree Devi can count on happening at her annual family reunion: 1) her cousins will forget she exists, 2) her aunts will try to set her up, and 3) her uncles will get into a fight. What she doesn’t expect? An accident that lands her grandmother in a coma, throwing the family—and their matriarch’s sizeable fortune—into chaos.
When Jay discovers Grand Mom’s “accident” might not have been so accidental after all, she’ll have to dig through decades of secrets to find the truth. With the help of her (annoyingly perky) cousins and one of their (annoyingly hot) friends, Jay finds herself knee-deep in a mystery that’s even more tangled than her family tree.
But the closer Jay gets to answers, the closer she gets to finding her place amongst the relatives who once felt so distant. With Grand Mom’s life and fortune hanging in the balance, can Jay save her family and maybe hook up with a hottie while she’s at it?
Foreigners by E.L. Shen
Quill Tree Books || Publishes 22 September 2026
For centuries, the Chin family has kept its secrets.
In 1878, Duanfang knows he’s destined for greatness. He’ll do anything to uphold and protect the legacy of his Manchu family—even if it means hiding his past.
In 1966, Zheng Yi flies from Taiwan to New York City to have a shot at attending an American college. Thrown into a world of parties, prejudice, and a tumultuous romance, Yi worries that New York may be more than she can handle. But just as she is beginning to adjust, she must make a shocking decision that will irrevocably change her life and her future forever.
Today, Dawn Chin’s family is opaque at best, with heavy expectations and heavier silences. But an assignment to interview her grandmother is about to crack open her real family history: a legacy hundreds of years old, and a lie decades in the making . . .
Heirs of Infamy by Kyla Zhao
G.P. Putnam's Sons || Publishes 13 October 2026
Two rivals from opposing gangs grow dangerously close in this dazzling YA debut set in 1940s San Francisco Chinatown.
Beneath the neon glare of postwar San Francisco, Chinatown is ruled by two rival crime families. East Phoenix deals in secrets and stealth, West Dragon in fists and fear. But both empires are bleeding money, and the fragile truce between them frays by the day.
As the daughter of Chinatown’s most powerful crime boss, Alexis Sung can do almost anything, except join the family business. When her first job for East Phoenix goes wrong, her father shuts her out for good. Across town, Zachary Ren—a brilliant orphan raised by West Dragon—is desperate to escape a life he never chose. Their paths were never meant to cross again, not after he destroyed Alexis’s one shot to prove herself.
That changes when a daring heist surfaces—one with a bounty big enough to save both families from ruin. Defying her father’s orders, Alexis seizes the chance to redeem herself by striking an uneasy alliance with Zachary. As old wounds reopen and new sparks catch, survival means trusting the last person she thought she would.
Salt Water Blood by Manuia Heinrich
Sarah Barley Books/Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers || Publishes 17 November 2026
An Indigenous teen fights to clear her brother of a murder charge by embracing her gift of hearing the sea’s prophetic thoughts in this debut young adult speculative thriller that’s Firekeeper’s Daughter meets Moana.
Eighteen-year-old Moe hears the sea’s prophetic thoughts. Not just hear them—she feels them. That’s how she experienced her father’s death before he did and how she felt her mother’s relief when she abandoned Moe and her younger brother, Tao, months later.
So when the sea warns Moe that Tao will drown, she’s determined to get in fate’s way and soon secures them a way off their island home. But those plans are ruined when Tao’s girlfriend goes missing and Tao is found where she was last seen…with blood on his hands—and no memory of what happened.
Moe will do anything she can to clear her brother’s name, even if it means swallowing her pride and teaming up with her annoyingly clever school rival, Temanea. Even if it means relying on the sea’s prophecies.
Because her dreaded gift may be the only way to save her brother—and uncover a sickness lurking in their community before it poisons them all.
if you'd like to show support, here are some upcoming queer books:
When Life Gives You Corpses is a brilliant YA about a cursed praying mantis who falls for a young witch. Yield Under Great Persuasion is a raunchy, but surprisingly sweet story about two men repairing their relationship. Fabulous Bodies is a horror story about a queer rockstar rising from the dead.
This is Where the Future Bleeds is a fantasy set in a vividly imagined land, where two women (who happen to kiss) are the key to healing the broken sky. You're No Better is a story about a teen struggling in the shadow of his murderous parent. Oil on Canvas is about a woman who finds disturbing paintings in the home of her dead mother.
and then here's a list of 26 queer books by Black authors set to publish this year, and a 10 upcoming books by trans authors. if you want to fight back against queer censorship, use your wallet! or (if that's not an option) you can contact your local library and ask them to stock a copy.
