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[pagesandpothos]

Anticipated Queer Book Releases from July-December 2026

I recently posted my favorite reads from the first half of 2026, so now I'm looking forward to the rest of the year! Here are the upcoming books that I am most looking forward to reading!

The Lord of the Wood by E.M. Anderson | Releases on July 21, 2026

A Snake Among Swans by Hannah Kaner | Releases on July 30, 2026

A Trade of Blood by Robert Jackson Bennett | Releases on August 4, 2026

Find My Way Down to You by Julian Winters | Releases on August 4, 2026

Be Still My Unbeating Heart by Josh Winning | Releases on August 4, 2026 | See my review!

In What World by Bridget Morrissey | Releases on August 11, 2026

Earthbound by Saara El-Arifi | Releases on August 11, 2026

Ship Happens by Mason Deaver | Releases on August 18, 2026

The Salt King by Natasha Pulley | Releases on August 18, 2026

Homeward for a Spell by Jamie Pacton & Rebecca Podos | Releases on August 18, 2026

Summer Coven by Kat Hillis & Rosiee Thor | Releases on August 25, 2026

Daggerbound by T. Kingfisher | Releases on August 25, 2026

But I Hate Him by Page Powars | Releases on August 25, 2026 | See my review!

The Siren's Kiss by Leslie Vedder | Releases on September 1, 2026

Fence: Book One by C.S. Pacat & Johanna the Mad | Releases on September 1, 2026

With All My Haunted Heart by Isabel Sterling | Releases on September 8, 2026

Espíritu by Aiden Thomas | Releases on September 8, 2026

Adam, Mine by K. Ancrum | Releases on September 8, 2026

Strange Lights by Mira González | Releases on September 8, 2026

Bodies of Magic by Freya Marske | Releases on September 15, 2026

Thoughts Be Bloody by Auden Patrick | Releases on September 15, 2026

From Beijing, with Love by Bei Lin | Releases on September 29, 2026

Exchanged by Dan Perucco | Releases on September 29, 2026

Yield Under Great Persuasion by Alexandra Rowland | Trad Pub Release on October 6, 2026 | See my review!

The Heresy of Thieves by Mia V. Moss | Releases on October 6, 2026

As You Wake, Break the Shell by Becky Chambers | Releases on October 13, 2026

As We Fall Through Time by Claire North | Releases on October 13, 2026

Lethal Kiss by Taylor Grothe | Releases on October 20, 2026

The Two Wills by Blair Fell | Releases on October 20, 2026

The City That Shattered the World by Fiona Fenn | Releases on October 20, 2026

Scorpion Deep by C.G. Drews | Releases on October 27, 2026

The Killing of a Chestnut Tree by Oliver K. Langmead | Releases on October 27, 2026

Happily Ever After the Murders by Rae Wilde | Releases on November 3, 2026

The Drakon King by Terry J. Benton-Walker | Releases on November 10, 2026

A World Apart by Meghan Nesmith | Releases on November 17, 2026

Murmuration by T.J. Klune | Releases on November 17, 2026

The Education of Imryn Dyre, Wizard's Apprentice by Artemis Whelan | Releases on November 24, 2026

Call Me Traitor by Everina Maxwell | Releases on December 1, 2026

Stitcher by Tobias J. Rooke | Releases on December 1, 2026

If These Walls Could Talk by Alexandria Bellefleur | Releases on December 8, 2026

Triple Threat by Katie Chandler | Releases on December 8, 2026

Drop Dead Handsome by Matthew Hubbard | Releases on December 22, 2026

Lightning & Thunder by Sara Raasch | Releases on December 29, 2026

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Lightning & Thunder by Sara Raasch

Official Summary:

Percy Jackson meets Thunderbolts in this action-adventure romcom where the descendants of gods protect humanity, and Zeus’s snarky, vigilante heir is forced to team up with the globally beloved descendant of Thor. As a Zeus descendant, Pollux “Lux” Keraunos never intended to be a villain. But if the cyber-crime hat fits, he’ll wear it to destroy the tyrant Hero Council led by his brother. Then his brother vanishes (not Lux’s fault). Zeus’s line must continue, and the Hero Council turns to Lux as the heir—with the caveat that he trains under Erik Thorson, his brother’s Viking-wannabe BFF. Lux’ll use this to bring down the Council, and he isn’t falling for Erik’s smoking hot with a heart of gold persona— Even if Erik didn’t know Lux’s brother was corrupt. Even if Erik actually helps people—and believes Lux can, too. As Lux tries the good guy role, the truth behind his brother's disappearance surfaces, and he’ll have to decide if he still wants to destroy the Council . . . or if he wants someone else more. Hero? Villain? Or a secret third disaster bisexual with a savior kink?

My Thoughts:

Lightning & Thunder is the first book in a new queer romantasy series by Sara Raasch. In this series, called Heroes and Romance, the descendants of various mythological Gods and Goddesses use their superhuman abilities to protect humanity from monsters.

Our main character is Lux, a descendant of Zeus. He's also a hacker who works to repair damage done by his careless and egotistical brother, Castor. When Castor vanishes in the middle of a monster fight, Lux is pulled into the Hero Council, where he's paired with Erik, a descendant of Thor... and Lux's long-time crush.

This feels a little like a queer version of the early Marvel superhero movies. It's a little more character-focused (and a lot more romance-focused), but it has a fun group of characters and action scenes with superpowered heroes saving New York City. The plot is engaging, with Lux's integration into the Hero Council and the Castor mystery both serving to keep the story propulsive.

The two main characters are excellent, and their romance is even better. Their relationship is steamy, but most importantly, it's healing. You can see so clearly how these two help make each other better. I love romances like this, and I always end up so emotionally invested!

The supporting characters in this are also really good. I already love Rameses, Hattie, and Ophelia so much. Molly, Yuma, and Tristan are standouts that I'd love to see more of, too.

I have to mention the friend group that develops. This group might be my favorite friendship from Sara Raasch's books, and that is saying a lot considering how much I love Coal, Iris, and Kris from Royals and Romance, and Sebastian and Orok from Magic and Romance! This group has such a fun mix of personalities that it leads to some truly amazing moments. There are also two potential future romances teased that I am very excited about.

As I've said many times now, I'm a huge fan of Sara Raasch. I think Raasch is consistently giving us some of the most fun, heartwarming, and romantic queer rom-coms available. If you're a fan of any of her previous queer romantasy novels, make sure you pre-order this one: you are going to love it. If you've never read her before, this would be an excellent book to start with!

My Rating: 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌕 (5/5 stars)

Pages: 336 (Kindle Edition)

Tropes/Tags: Queer, Achillean, Romantasy, Fantasy, Rom-Com, Mythology, Bisexual Main Character, Brother's Best Friend, Size Difference, Superheroes

Contains Depictions Of: Some Violence, Emotional and Physical Abuse, PTSD

Links: Storygraph | GoodReads | Pagebound | SaraRaaschBooks.com

Lightning & Thunder will be released on December 29, 2026, and is available for pre-order!

I received an advanced copy of this book for free, thanks to NetGalley, Bramble, TOR, and Macmillan. The above are my honest feelings about the provided book.

[ See Everything I’ve Read in 2026 ]

[pagesandpothos]

Princebreaker Release Date!

The second book in the Land of the Wildest Skies series, and the sequel to Princeweaver, now has a release date!

Princebreaker will be released on April 6, 2027! Both Amazon and Barnes & Noble have the hardcover edition ready for your pre-orders. Bookshop.org has the ebook up for pre-orders (and I'm sure the hardcover will be up soon)!

The official summary is below, though you may want to avoid this if you haven't read Princeweaver yet!

Meilyr wakes, five years later, to find his homeland a snow-strewn battlefield.

Cyngalon is not as it once was, with Meilyr's brother leading the resistance against Khaim and the Isles teetering on the edge of all-out bloodshed. Osian rides the wildlands like a ghost, hunting his quarry – haunted and grieving. Reunited with Meilyr, the two return to Khaim to prepare for their royal wedding as a show of unity across the kingdoms. Meilyr and Osian must fight for a land that is stirring with dark forces and pain. Their journey will take them from the gilded halls of Khaim to the deep and perilous wilds of Cyngalon, entreating with forces – both human and mythical – that they never could have imagined. Meilyr's magic has never been so powerful, and an ancient voice speaks to him through his blood as he begins to uncover the truth of the prophecy that brought him back from death. And Osian struggles to piece back together his heart, which shattered in his chest five years ago… In the fight for freedom and peace, what sacrifices are they willing to make - and what promises are they willing to break?

Finally, Princeweaver will be coming out in paperback on January 19, 2027! You can pre-order it here!

[bookshelvesandtealeaves]

🏳️‍🌈 FAVE TROPES 🏳️‍🌈

QOTD: What is your fave trope?

Here’s some recs for my fave tropes!

[instagram]

Found family:

- Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

- One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston

- The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet by Becky Chambers

- Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree

- Wolfsong by TJ Klune

- Her Majesty’s Royal Coven by Juno Dawson

Rivals to lovers:

- Thirty Love by Tom Vellner

- In Your Court by Kit Haley

- I Kissed Shara Wheeler by Casey McQuiston

- Outdrawn by Deanna Grey

- Check & Mate by Ali Hazelwood

- Icebreaker by AL Graziadei

Complete love triangle (or love triangle turned throuple):

- Only A Monster by Vanessa Len

- This Fatal Kiss by Alicia Jasinska

- This Dream Will Devour Us by Emma Clancey

- Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao

- The Sound of Storms by Anya Keeler

- Mistress of Lies by KM Enright

Fake dating:

- Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall

- The Floral Arrangement by Elizabeth Luly

- Iris Kelly Doesn’t Date by Ashley Herring Blake

- Flirting Lessons by Jasmine Guillory

- The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood

- Fake Dates and Mooncakes by Sher Lee

Grumpy x sunshine:

- Star Shipped by Cat Sebastian

- Hold Me Like a Grudge by Celine Ong

- Delilah Green Doesn’t Care by Ashley Herring Blake

- Not Just Gal Pals by Elizabeth Luly

- Audrey Lane Stirs the Pot by Alexis Hall

- The Perfect Crimes of Marian Hayes by Cat Sebastian

Second chance romance:

- The Pairing by Casey McQuiston

- A Lady for a Duke by Alexis Hall

- Make the Season Bright by Ashley Herring Blake

- Make My Wish Come True by Rachael Lippincott & Alyson Derrick

- Get It Right by Skye Kilaen

- Count Your Lucky Stars by Alexandria Bellefleur

Fake dating the love interests sibling:

- Make You Mine This Christmas by Lizzie Huxley Jones

- Kiss Her Once For Me by Alison Cochrun

- The Christmas Swap by Talia Samuels

- Alice Rue Evades the Truth by Emily Zipps

[natreads]

Finished volume six ❣️

[fionafenn]

Putting the "Epic" in MM Epic Romantic Fantasy

Have you read The Cursed Mage yet?

Banished, a death curse hunting him, the last person dark sorcerer Orpheus wants tagging along on his exile is his long-hated rival, Fenrir Rawkner. But when a massive chasm into hell threatens to swallow the Empire whole, Orpheus finds himself turning to Fenrir for help, because Orpheus' magic may be the key to closing the crack—if Fenrir can keep him alive long enough to figure out how.

The perfect balance of character and plot, with a hard-earned romance that doesn't skimp on banter or chemistry. THE CURSED MAGE series takes a hard look at what it means to be a villain, and the fallout one faces not when they do something wrong, but they try to make up for it.

Book 1: The Crack at the Heart of Everything (out now)

Book 2: The City that Shattered the World (coming October 20th)

Animation by Riley S. Quinn 💜 (@/rileyquinnart on 📷)

[an-endless-library]

Trans and nonbinary books coming in 2026 (from readwithcharles' instagram)

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Carl's Doomsday Scenario by Matt Dinniman

The second book in the Dungeon Crawler Carl series, this book's plot follows our Carl and Donut as they try to survive the third floor.

This level introduced quests that gave us two exciting mini-plots in two different areas of an urban world. I especially loved the circus setting and found it to be genuinely creepy at times.

Donut had some truly amazing lines and moments in this installment. She made me howl with laughter at one point, and I got misty-eyed at another.

I also really liked the new character who plays a large role in the second half of the book. I hope we see more of her as the series continues.

This is going to be my go-to series whenever I need something different from the books I normally read. These are shockingly quick and fun reads, and I genuinely adore both Donut and Carl!

My Rating: 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌘 (4.25/5 stars)

Pages: 371 (Hardcover Edition)

Tropes/Tags: Science Fiction, Fantasy, Dystopia, Adventure Fantasy, Humor

Contains Depictions Of: Death, Violence, Gore, Murder

Links: Storygraph | GoodReads | Pagebound | MattDinniman.com

[ See Everything I’ve Read in 2026 ]

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Teammates to Lovers by Jenny Linsky Cover Reveal

One of my most anticipated books of 2027 had its cover revealed today, and it is very cute!

A professional hockey player falls headfirst into fanfiction—and ends up shipping himself with his captain—in this addictive friends-to-fanfiction-to-lovers romance.

When NHL star forward Will Burns gets sent a fic about him and his best friend (and team captain), he laughs it off. It’s a joke. It has to be. But one late-night scroll turns into another…and another—and suddenly Will’s a little too invested.

Because the fic gets a few things right.

Like how good Théo looks in the locker room. How steady he is under pressure. How he’s always been Will’s person, on and off the ice. And the more Will reads, the harder it is to ignore the truth: maybe he’s not as straight as he thought. Maybe he never was. And maybe what he feels for Théo has never been just friendship.

So Will does what any normal person would do: he dives deeper. He tears through every fic he can find—then starts writing his own. Somewhere between late-night updates and comment threads, he strikes up a flirtatious back-and-forth with Étienne, his favorite Will/Théo author on AO3.

But when a line in Étienne’s latest fic mirrors a private moment Will knows only he and Théo shared, the fantasy stops feeling so fictional. And Will is forced to make a choice: keep everything exactly as it is—safe, controlled, and unspoken—or risk his career, his friendship, and his heart for the one thing he wants most.

Teammates to Lovers will be released on March 16, 2027, and is now available to pre-order!

Follow the author on Instagram | JennyLinskyAuthor.com

[diroxy]

Hey Tumblr!

You like queer fantasy and folklore right? Then boy have I got just the anthology for you!

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/duckprintspress/wild-and-full-of-marvels-queer-works-inspired-by-folklore

Go back @duckprintspress 's most recent anthology on Kickstarter!

We've got art and short stories.

I wrote a Thumbelina continuation with transmasc Thumbelina! @robot-thighs has a piece of art in there based on Snow White and Persephone! It's so good guys I've been excited about this anthology for the last year and a half. Go! Go back! Kick off wrath month in style and support your local queer authors.

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Be Still My Unbeating Heart by Josh Winning

Official Summary:

A cozy vampire vacation mystery set in a seaside Italian village, featuring a reformed vampire, his magical talking cat, and a handsome, brooding detective. Bastian may be a vampire, but he doesn’t bite. . . . Not anymore, at least. These days, Bastian just wants to live his best undead visit charming Italian villages, maybe dance in the square with a cute boy, all with Whitby, his best friend (and magical talking cat) by his side. What he doesn’t want? To stumble across a dead body on the beach, a girl who appears to have been killed by a vampire. It wasn’t Bastian. He swears—on his own grave. But the local police chief doesn’t trust Bastian, or any vampire, for that matter, so he assigns detective Nico De Luca to keep an eye on him until his trial. And while Bastian normally wouldn’t complain about having a gorgeous, mysterious man by his side, he has more important things to worry about, because the police chief has called the Vampire Council, and if the real killer is still at large when they arrive, the whole town could be in danger. As more bodies begin to pile up, Bastian, Whitby, and De Luca must get to the bottom of who in Vernazza is framing vampires, before it’s too late. Charming, twisty, and laugh-out-loud funny, Be Still My Unbeating Heart by Josh Winning is a delightful romp through a swoon-worthy magical murder mystery.

My Thoughts:

Vampires "came out of the coffin" about a decade ago, and tensions are still high between humans and the immortals. Bastian, a charming vampire who no longer drinks human blood, and his familiar, a talking cat named Whitby, are vacationing in Italy when they stumble upon a body on the beach. A local woman has been killed violently, and it looks like a vampire attack. The local police think Bastian is the killer and place him under house arrest with a local detective as his guard. Bastian convinces Inspector Nicolas De Luca to let him help solve the case, and the trio race to solve the crime.

The mystery is very fun. Some good twists and complications kept the plot exciting. There are also plenty of suspects, so I found the reveal to be shocking.

The romance is a little fast-paced for me, with the two developing really intense feelings for each other in a short amount of time. Because of that, I didn't get fully invested in their romance until late in the book.

Besides the romance, the other most important relationship in this book is between Bastian and Whitby. Their friendship is so endearing, and they're so supportive of each other. Their relationship was easily my favorite part of the book! Bastian and Whitby are also both really great, lovable characters.

Another thing that I loved about the book was the themes and messages. People's treatment of vampires echoes that of other groups who have been discriminated against throughout history, especially queer people. Bastian was a young (human) man in the 1980's, and his frustration, anger, and sadness at also being othered in death made for some great character moments.

Overall, this is very fun, with some interesting tweaks on vampire lore, a twisty mystery, and a fantastic talking cat. There are some characters that I wanted a little more from, and I wish the romance had a little more buildup, but this is a fast-paced story with a lot going on. It'd be a great book to read in one or two sittings when you're craving something exciting but mostly lighthearted.

Readers who loved last year's Dead & Breakfast should have fun with this. I also think anyone who enjoyed Thirsty by Lucy Lehane or He's to Die For by Erin Dunn should like this, too.

My Rating: 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌑 (4/5 stars)

Pages: 336 (Kindle Edition)

Tropes/Tags: Paranormal, Queer, Romance, Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Talking Animal Companion

Contains Depictions Of: Murder, Death, Blood, Illness, Police Brutality, Homophobia

Links: Storygraph | GoodReads | Pagebound | JoshWinning.com

Be Still my Unbeating Heart will be released on August 4, 2026, and is available for pre-order!

I received an advanced copy of this book for free, thanks to NetGalley, Putnam, and Penguin. The above are my honest feelings about the book provided.

[duckprintspress]

Our Fav Books with Queer & Disabled Characters!

Happy Disability Pride Month! We have soooo many queer books with disabled characters for ya!!! Whatever your favorite genre, we hope you’ll be able to find something to love here. The contributors to this list are: Tris Lawrence, Linnea Peterson, Rascal Hartley, Nina Waters, Shannon, Shea Sullivan, and Meera S.

A Lady for a Duke by Alexis Hall

Icebreaker by A.L. Graziadei

Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green & David Levithan

Copper Coins by Mu Su Li

The Extraordinaries Series by T.J. Klune

Watson’s Sketchbook by Molly Knox Ostertag

Stars of Chaos by Priest

May the Best Man Win by Z.R. Ellor

No Better Than Beasts by Z.R. Ellor

The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee

Hench by Natalie Zina Walschots

The Blood of Olympus by Rick Riordan

Artifice & Access: A Disability in Fantasy Anthology ed. by Ella T. Holmes

Ellen Outside the Lines by A.J. Sass

Golden Terrace by Cang Wu Bin Bai

The Many Half-Lived Lives of Sam Sylvester by Maya MacGregor

The Flying Ship by Jem Milton

He Who Drowned the World by Shelley Parker-Chan

The Disabled Tyrant’s Beloved Pet Fish Series by Xue Shan Fei Hu

When the World Tips Over by Jandy Nelson

The Queen’s Thief Series by Megan Whalen Turner

Body, Remember: A Memoir by Kenny Fries

The Murderbot Diaries Series by Martha Wells

Navigating With You by Jeremy Whitley & Casio Ribeiro

A Beautifully Foolish Endeavor by Hank Green

I Hear the Sunspot by Yuki Fumino

Witches of Ash and Ruin by E. Latimer

Blackwater by Jeannette Arroyo

Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo

The Unbroken by C.L. Clark

Màgòdiz by Gabe Calderón

Godkiller by Hannah Kaner

Check, Please! by Ngozi Ukazu

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

Late Bloomer by Mazey Eddings

Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant

The Sun and the Star by Rick Riordan

Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao

You can see this list as a Goodreads bookshelf, and if you’re looking to buy one or more of these, you can find them all as a rec list in our Bookshop.org affiliate shop!

Love to read? Want to talk books with other people who love to read? Join our Book Lover’s Discord server!

[pagesandpothos]

My Favorite Queer Books Released in 2026 (So Far)

I've read over 30 books this year, most of them new queer releases, and I've found several that I now consider to be all-time favorite books of mine. Here's a rundown of the books that have come out this year that I think are most worth a read!

Princeweaver by Elian J Morgan: Most of this list isn't in any particular order, but this is my favorite book release of the year to date. This is a queer romantasy in the vein of A Strange and Stubborn Endurance, Winter's Orbit, and A Taste of Gold and Iron. It's a slow-building romance that culminates in an ending that I still can't stop thinking about. I literally check every day to see if we've gotten a date for the sequel yet.

The Open Era by Edward Schmit: I've read three Achillean tennis romances this year, and all three are on this list. This one has a little less focus on the romance than the other three, but it makes up for it in the attention and care given to the main character's storyline. Those who love New Adult and coming-of-age stories should especially appreciate this book!

Thirty Love by Tom Vellner: In my opinion, this is the best of the three Achillean tennis romances released this year. This has such well-written characters, a beautiful romance that had me fully emotionally invested, and a strong focus on tennis. This gave me exactly what I want from sports romances. This is so, so good!

Nemesis Mine by Amy Archer: As you can probably tell from the books on this list, I'm a big fan of queer romantasy. This one is one of the more lighthearted, fun romantasy novels I've read, but it's also really exciting with some big, dramatic moments. I'd love for this to become a series, so we could get more of this world & characters.

The Fake Divination Offense by Sara Raasch: Both a queer romantasy and a sports romance?! My two favorite things! I'm a longtime, devoted fan of Sara Raasch's queer romantasy books, and this is one of the best. It's spicy and fun. This was even better than The Entanglement of Rival Wizards.

The Duke by Anna Cowan: This is a historical Sapphic romance set in a world where women can become Dukes. Kate, the Duke of Howard, wronged Celine several years ago, and Celine shows up to blackmail her. This is delicious, with really great characters who have so much tension between them.

The Wolf and His King by Finn Longman: This is a queer retelling of Marie de France’s Bisclavret. This book's prose and structure are so beautiful and creative, and the slow-burn romance is achingly beautiful. It's a beautifully written novel that I'm still thinking about months after reading it.

Love Galaxy by Sierra Branham: This book has one of the most exciting political plots that I've read in ages. It's being pitched as Love Island in space, but to me it's more comparable to The Hunger Games in space. This is the start of a series, so the real plot is just getting going, but it feels like this could easily become a new favorite series for me. Excellent characters, a futuristic reality television plot, a murder mystery, a corrupt governing system, big plot twists, and epic amounts of Sapphic yearning. What more could you ask for?

How To Fake It in Society by K.J. Charles: I love everything by K.J. Charles, but this is one of her most charming books. I got so emotionally wrapped up in this story, and I loved the two main characters and their romance so much. This is such a fun, exciting story that had me hooked! It's a must-read for historical romance fans!

Star Shipped by Cat Sebastian: Every time I read a Cat Sebastian book, it becomes my favorite romance of the year; this is no exception. This is one of Sebastian's best works. It has her signature well-written characters and swoon-worthy romance, but it also has some fantastic mental & chronic illness representation. Plus, I really connected with the story's light focus on fandom. As a contemporary romance, this was a change from what I'm used to from Cat Sebastian, but she nailed it. A second book in this series comes out next year, and I'm already excited for it!

Bromantasy by Máire Roche: Another lighter, more comedic romantasy. This is the most fun I've had reading a book all year. It's a must-read for anyone who loves romantic comedies and the Idiots-to-Lovers trope! There's some surprising depth in this delightful, silly story, too!

Platform Decay by Martha Wells: The latest entry in The Murderbot Diaries, it features one of the most interesting settings we've seen so far. I also loved how exciting the plot was and how the new characters interacted with Murderbot.

In Your Court by Kit Haley: The third Achillean tennis romance I've read this year was also the steamiest and the most romance-focused. I adored these two main characters and their relationship so much. Rachel Reid fans should definitely pick this one up!

Moss’d in Space by Rebecca Thorne: A sci-fi about a girl and her spaceship that is full of sentient moss. This is a good blend of cozy and adventurous, and I love the Found Family that slowly develops between all the characters. This is the first book in a series, and it does end on an exciting cliffhanger that has me looking forward to the sequel. I'm excited to see the Sapphic romance develop more in future books!

Hold Me Like A Grudge by Celine Ong: I've read this twice now, and I'm still in love with these characters and this romance. This is another sports romance about two rivals who fall in love, a trope that I, clearly, cannot get enough of. This is set in the theatrical world of wrestling, where one character is the villain and the other is his new challenger. This is a must-read for Heated Rivalry fans!

[pagesandpothos]

But I Hate Him by Page Powars

Official Summary:

Rory is academic royalty. As the heir to the most successful tutoring company in the world, he can be nothing less than perfect if he wants to gain his parents’ approval. So it's simple. Rory studies harder than anyone else. He does not make mistakes. And he never loses. Except to Luca Melendez. The infuriatingly good-looking hockey player who wins every academic competition without even trying. When Rory has a very public meltdown, throwing a smoothie at Luca and shattering his own public image in the process – it feels like one more thing Luca ruined. To salvage his reputation, Rory has his sights set on winning the most cutthroat academic camp in the country, BRAIN. There is nothing standing between Rory and the final medal. Until, Luca Melendez shows up. This means war and Rory has the perfect plan: Make Luca fall in love with him. And then break Luca’s heart right before the final competition.

My Thoughts:

Rory Prince is a star in the academic world. His parents own a very famous tutoring company, Prince List, and Rory has been its face for years. He and his parents have lofty goals for him, and he follows strict rules to meet them. The one person in the way of Rory accomplishing all of these goals is Luca Melendez, his academic rival. Luca is a handsome hockey player who beats Rory at everything, seemingly without even trying. After losing once again to Luca, Rory loses his cool and throws an entire smoothie at his head, which causes a PR nightmare for him and Prince List. Soon after, Rory and Luca end up at the same academic camp. While at the camp, the two get to know each other better, but Rory has a big plan for how he will finally beat Luca at something. 

This is a lighthearted, fast-paced, hilarious, and heartwarming romp with a cast of quirky and fun characters. Luca is sweet and hardworking, while Rory is so uptight and driven. The side characters are all entertaining, too. Rory's cabin mates, in particular, are serious highlights. 

This is the second book I've read by Page Powars, with And They Were Roommates being the first, and one thing I love about his books is that his trans characters face almost no anti-trans hate. Being trans is just one of Rory's many traits; it's an important part of who he is, but it is treated matter-of-factly, and he's accepted for who he is by everyone around him. It feels empowering to read, especially right now. I hope we continue to get more light, joyful trans stories like this to balance out the (also important) grittier stories. They're a delight to read. 

The romance starts humorously, with the one-sided rivals-to-lovers trope. Rory sees Luca as his enemy and is absolutely convinced that Luca is purposefully sabotaging him, which makes their early interactions fun and hilariously awkward at times. As they spend more time together, Rory learns things about Luca that he had no idea about. He also learns more about himself and what he really wants, while free from his overbearing parents. Their relationship ends up being very sweet and super adorable. I will admit to shedding a few tears over these two! 

Page Powars' books are always a good time. If you like Young Adult romances, especially ones with a great sense of humor, be sure to pick this one up (and And They Were Roommates, too)! I loved everything about this book, and it has cemented the author as a must-read author for me! 

My Rating: 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌕 (5/5 stars)

Pages: 304 (Kindle Edition)

Tropes/Tags: Young Adult, Queer, Achillean, Romance, Contemporary Romance, Sports Romance, Enemies-to-Lovers, Found Family, Trans Main Character

Contains Depictions Of: Mentions of large spiders

Other Notes: Page Powars' next book is his adult debut, a cowboy romance! Reins and Restraint comes out April 27, 2027!

Links: Storygraph | GoodReads | Pagebound | PagePowars.com

But I Hate Him will be released on  August 25, 2026, and is available for pre-order!

I received an advanced copy of this book for free, thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan. The above are my honest feelings about the book provided..

[pagesandpothos]

Moss'd in Space by Rebecca Thorne

Official Summary:

Torian Razner finally bought a starship, and contrary to Amelia’s assessment, it was not “a meteoric sign of stupidity.” Sure, the alien starship may have been abandoned for a century, and it may be covered in moss now… but it’s Torian’s ticket to freedom, regardless of what her ex… ah, captain… said. Except Torian’s first flight reveals a surprise passenger: the moss is actually an organic computer with a snarky attitude and serious abandonment issues. The target of its loathing? The immortal alien who built it (and then parked the starship, with Moss inside, and forgot about it). The same alien who just found Torian and accused her of “stealing” the ship. It’s entirely possible that Amelia was right about this meteoric stupidity.

My Thoughts:

Torian just bought the only spaceship she could afford so she can visit humans' only terraformed planet, in hopes of moving her ill sister there. Moss, the sentient moss that covers most of the interior of the ship, is excited to finally be leaving the space station on which it was abandoned. Okay, maybe it wants to find its former owner so it can toss him out of the airlock, too. 

Torian is a great main character: she's kind, optimistic, and she has a goal that makes her easy to root for. Moss is hilarious; I was expecting it to be sweet or maybe even a mentor-like guide for Torian. Instead, it's a little bit of a jerk, but in a seriously charming and funny way. In the author notes, Rebecca Thorne says that Murderbot inspired Moss, and I think that definitely comes through. Like Torian, Moss has its own goals (besides throwing its former owner out the airlock), and the two work together to ensure they can both accomplish them. 

There are multiple queer romances in this book; the one that gets the most focus is a Sapphic romance between Torian and Amelia, a woman with whom she's had a complicated relationship. The two have a lot of tension over things that have happened between them, but it's clear that they both still have strong feelings for each other. I'm really looking forward to seeing how their romance continues to develop in future books in this series. I already adore their dynamic! 

The biggest relationship in this book is the friendship between Torian and Moss. It is the heart of the Found Family that develops between them and a unique cast of new friends that they meet along their journey. The book has so many queer and misfit characters! I truly fell in love with every one of these, and I can't wait to see how they grow over the series. 

This is very much a cozy sci-fi, but it does have stakes, and there is even a small space mystery. This is one of my favorite parts of this author's cozy books: there's just enough intrigue, long-term plot, and character motivations that keep the pace from feeling slow or meandering. 

One final thing I have to mention is that if you, like me, love and keep houseplants, there are some scenes in this that you will love. Moss' disdain for the potted plants on its ship and its recounting of their thoughts and complaints are so funny. This whole book felt like it was meant for those of us who love taking care of plants and then curling up to read a good book. 

This is the kind of book that will leave you smiling every time you pick it up. It's a feel-good story with humor and hope. This is my favorite kind of cozy fantasy/science fiction, and I am genuinely excited for the next book in this series!

My Rating: 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌗 (4.5/5 stars)

Pages: 352 (Kindle Edition)

Tropes/Tags: Science Fiction, Cozy Sci-Fi, Queer, Sapphic, Slow Burn

Contains Depictions Of: Classism, Abandonment, Chronic Illness

Links: Storygraph | GoodReads | Pagebound | RebeccaThorne.net

Moss'd in Space will be released on June 30, 2026, and is available for pre-order!

I received an advanced copy of this book for free, thanks to Netgalley , Macmillan, and Bramble. The above are my honest feelings about the provided book.

[ See Everything I’ve Read in 2026 ]

[pagesandpothos]

Hold Me Like A Grudge by Celine Ong

Official Summary:

When a fierce rivalry between two professional wrestlers heats up beneath the spotlight, neither man can fight the attraction burning between them, in this steamy sports romance. From death-defying stunts to campy character gimmicks, everything in the world of professional wrestling is an act. Asher Ross’s hatred for Caleb Knight, however, is not. When Asher finally gets drafted to Global Elite Wrestling’s main roster and is thrown into a feud with Caleb for the World Championship title, he’s hell-bent on making Caleb’s life a living nightmare. But as both men trade barbs and blows across arenas, they’re each surprised to find their chemistry is so electric, it can’t be just for show. Through rehearsals, training sessions, and injuries, Caleb’s icy walls begin to thaw, revealing the real man hidden behind the cruel person GEW has molded him into. An unlikely truce blossoms into feelings neither want to deny, but, set in old ways, the company won’t let them be seen as anything more than bitter rivals, both in and out of the ring. With the risk of their forbidden romance upending their lifelong dreams, Asher and Caleb grapple with what they truly want in an industry known to erase queerness from its history, and square up against the hardest challenge yet: how much of their hearts they are prepared to give up, and if they are willing to fight to leave a legacy of their own.

My Thoughts:

Note: I read an earlier ARC of this late last year. This is now being published independently, with a new cover. My review is an updated version of my earlier review, which you can find here!

I rarely reread books. Of the hundreds of books I've read over my life, I think I've reread maybe 10 or so. I have a long list of books I would like to reread, but I'm always getting too distracted by new books to make time for rereading. I say this because as soon as I saw that Hold Me Like A Grudge was finally (finally!!) being released, I knew I was going to be reading this again as soon as I got the chance! I loved it so much the first time I read it, and I was excited to get to experience it again!

This is a sports romance about two wrestlers. Asher, a rookie, and Caleb, the current belt-holder. Asher and Caleb are paired for a storyline where they will be rivals. This is easy at first since Asher holds a serious grudge against Caleb, but it gets a lot more complicated as they get to know each other. As they grow closer, they have to grapple with restrictive rules that could decide the fate of their relationship and determine whether they stay stars in their sport.

The characters in this are excellent. Asher admired Caleb for years (he had a poster of him above his bed!), but a bad first meeting soured his feelings toward his former hero. Asher is lovable, and as an up-and-comer in the wrestling world, he is so easy to root for. His relationship with his parents and friends is so sweet, and he's incredibly charming and kind. As the son of Singaporean immigrants, Asher also feels like he has a lot to prove to the fans and decision-makers of his sport. He is determined to be a champion and a role model for kids like him.

Caleb is equally lovable. He's the sort of wounded soul that made me want to protect his fictional heart from all the fictional hardships he's going through. He's closeted with estranged parents, and he has almost no friends. He's desperately lonely, and he uses his Ice Prince persona in the wrestling ring as a way to keep everyone at a distance. I loved him from his first POV chapter and just knew this man was going to make me cry my eyes out.

The supporting cast is just as enjoyable and is wonderfully diverse. A great Found Family dynamic develops between Asher and Caleb's fellow wrestlers. I always love the Found Family trope, but this one felt especially meaningful due to Caleb's history.

The romance is full of so much tension. There's the enemies-to-lovers dynamic, of course, but these two are so intrigued with each other from the beginning. Every interaction they have is delicious! The relationship only becomes more interesting, heated, complex, and emotional as it progresses. I was hooked and could not get enough of it the entire time!

Rereading this made me notice a few things that I think could have been improved with more editing, but I still love this book. I cried so much when I first read this, and I found myself getting teary-eyed the second time around, too. I got so emotionally invested in this story both times I read it!

I recommend this to anyone who loves good M/M romances, especially sports romances. I know every new Achillean romance is pitched "for fans of Heated Rivalry" these days, but it really is a great comp for this book. If you're missing Shane and Iliya, give this a read while you wait for season two and Unrivaled; I think you will love Asher and Caleb!

My Rating: 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌗 (4.5/5 stars)

Pages: 332 (Kindle Edition)

Tropes/Tags: Queer, Achillean, Romance, Contemporary Romance, Sports Romance, Enemies-to-Lovers, Found Family, Bisexual Main Character

Contains Depictions Of: Blood, Injuries, Homophobia, Panic Attack

Other Notes: This will be available on Kindle Unlimited on the release date!

Links: Storygraph | GoodReads | Pagebound | WriteWithCel.com

Hold Me Like A Grudge will be released on June 30, 2026, and is available for pre-order!

I received an advanced copy of this book for free, thanks to NetGalley and Solaire Press. The above are my honest feelings about the book provided..

[ See Everything I’ve Read in 2026 ]

[pagesandpothos]

Platform Decay by Martha Wells

Official Summary:

Having someone else support your bad decision feels kind of good. After volunteering to run a rescue mission, Murderbot realizes that it will have to spend significant time with a bunch of humans it doesn't know. Including human children. Ugh. This may well call for… eye contact! (Emotion check: Oh, for f—)

My Thoughts:

This latest entry in The Murderbot Diaries begins with Murderbot and Three at the start of a new mission. We're not certain what the two are up to at first, but all becomes clear once Murderbot goes off on its own to finish their plan.

Its mission involves rescuing a group of humans who are related to Dr. Mensah. Once it finds them, the group is pushed into another rescue mission before they can all get back to safety.

I loved everything about this newest addition to one of my favorite series. Murderbot is especially lovable in this novella. I love seeing it working on communicating and processing its feelings. I also loved seeing it interact with the kids in the group!

There are some developments in this that I'm really looking forward to seeing how they affect things in the future. I also adored the setting and thought it was one of the most interesting areas we've explored in the series thus far.

This novella's plot is fast-paced and exciting, and I got attached to the new characters so quickly. Murderbot continues to be one of my absolute favorite fictional characters ever, and this installment gives it so many great moments. Network Effect remains my favorite book in the series, but this one is now pretty high on my list of favorites! I loved every second of it!

My Rating: 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌕 (5/5 stars)

Pages: 242 (Hardcover Edition)

Tropes/Tags: Science Fiction, Novella, Series

Contains Depictions Of: Violence, Death, Gun Violence

Links: Storygraph | GoodReads | Pagebound | MarthaWells.com

[ See Everything I’ve Read in 2026 ]