LGBTQ Archives - A Literary Escape

SFINCS Review: Bloemetje by Amanda McNeil

Published on September 20, 2023September 24, 2023 by Celeste2 Comments

Today I have a review for the novella BLOEMETJE by Amanda McNeil. It’s a retelling of Thumbelina in a queernormative world in which humans are colonizing Venus because Earth is dying. BLOEMETJE incorporates heavy topics such as climate change, corporate control, and colonialism, among others.

This review is brought to you by my participation in the Speculative Fiction Indie Novella Championship (SFINCS). SFINCS, pronounced “sphinx”, is a yearly competition to recognize, honor, and celebrate the talent and creativity present in the indie community. It’s a sister competition to both SPFBO and SPSFC, and it highlights greatness in the novella format in all areas of speculative fiction (fantasy, science fiction, horror, etc.). I am part of Team Behind the Musings. You can find out more about us here.

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ARC Review: He Who Drowned the World by Shelley Parker-Chan

Published on August 28, 2023August 27, 2023 by Celeste9 Comments

Today’s review is about HE WHO DROWNED THE WORLD by Shelley Parker-Chan. It’s the final book in The Radiant King duology. As such, my review contains spoilers for SHE WHO BECAME THE SUN. This is a brilliant and satisfying ending that explores the power of grief and sex as well as identity. It is much darker than the first book and contains elements that some may find triggering.

Author: Shelley Parker-Chan
Series: The Radiant Emperor #2
Age Category: Adult
Publisher: Tor Books
Publish Date: August 22, 2023
Print Length: 496

Want to support local bookstores? Buy a copy of He Who Drowned the World on Bookshop.org!*

*These are not affiliate links and I do not make a commission from any purchase made using these links.

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Book Review: Her Majesty’s Royal Coven by Juno Dawson

Published on July 17, 2023July 6, 2023 by Celeste6 Comments

Today’s review is about HER MAJESTY’S ROYAL COVEN by Juno Dawson. The premise of this book sounded interesting and I’d heard that there’s a good amount of LGBTQ representation. Unfortunately, the presentation fell flat for me for many reasons.

Author: Juno Dawson
Series: Her Majesty’s Royal Coven #1
Age Category: Adult
Publisher: Penguin Books
Publish Date: May 31, 2022
Print Length: 448

Want to support local bookstores? Buy a copy of Her Majesty’s Royal Coven on Bookshop.org!*

*These are not affiliate links and I do not make a commission from any purchase made using these links.

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Summer of the Cicadas by Chlesea Catherine

Book Review: Summer of the Cicadas by Chelsea Catherine

Published on June 12, 2023June 11, 2023 by Celeste1 Comment

Today’s review is about SUMMER OF THE CICADAS by Chelsea Catherine. It’s a novella-length soft horror story about a cicada “invasion,” confronting loss, and becoming a leader.

Author: Chelsea Catherine
Series: None
Age Category: Adult
Publisher: Red Hen Press
Publish Date: August 18, 2020
Print Length: 160

Want to support local bookstores? Buy a copy of Summer of the Cicadas on Bookshop.org!*

*These are not affiliate links and I do not make a commission from any purchase made using these links.

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BBNYA Blog Tour: These Violent Nights by Rebecca Crunden

Published on March 9, 2023March 9, 2023 by CelesteLeave a comment

Today I bring you my book review of THESE VIOLENT NIGHTS by Rebecca Crunden. THESE VIOLENT NIGHTS placed 11th in the final round of the 2022 Book Bloggers Novel of the Year Award (BBNYA).

BBNYA is a yearly competition where book bloggers from all over the world read and score books written by indie authors, ending with 15 finalists and one overall winner. If you are an author and wish to learn more about the BBNYA competition, you can visit the official website or Twitter @bbnya_official. BBNYA is brought to you in association with the @Foliosociety (if you love beautiful books, you NEED to check out their website!) and the book blogger support group @The_WriteReads.

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