Half English, half-French, whatever first language comes to mind. Book recommendations I got, haven’t read the books yet. Sorted by author name. Moitié en français, moitié en anglais, j’écris dans la première langue qui me vient à l’esprit. C’est des recommandations qu’on m’a données, je n’ai pas lu les livres que je cite. Trié par nom de l’autaire.
Table of contents
TOC {:toc}
Lexicon / Lexique
ràd = “radar à diversité”, “diversity radar”.
mc = main character / pp : personnage principal
sc = secondary character / ps : personnage secondaire
queer = any sort of LGBT+ rep / représentation LGBT+
To-Be-Read Pile / Pile à lire
the Unbeatable Squirrel Girl comics
Hawkeye comics (as recommended by IzumiBarton on Twitter):
Hawkeye Freefall 2020~~ — “it’s the best Hawkeye solo comic! they captured his characteristic so well and it’s a quick and simple read. If anyone wanted to start on their Hawkeye comic journey, this is a good start.”~~ (read, loved it)
Hawkeye Fraction~~ — “As a Hawkeye fan, this is the bible for u. No joke. This comic is the game changer for his journey. Many good thing came from this, Lucky, his apartment, his neighbour, the purple aesthetic…U will still admire the comic even yr not a Hawkeye fan.”~~ (read, loooooved it)
HawkeyeVsDeadpool — “ok, this is my favourite among all, this is my first comic that got me into the hawkeye club lol DP really enhanced Clint quirks so much and I love both of them working together. And don’t get me started on DP lifted up his mask for Clint so he can read lip”
“a collection of seven fantasy stories in which transgender and nonbinary characters subvert and fulfill gendered prophecies. These prophecies recognize and acknowledge each character’s gender, even when others do not. Note: No trans or nonbinary characters were killed in the making of this book. Trigger warnings and neopronoun pronunciation guides are provided for each story.” (Ana Mardoll)
Books
Ace of Spades, Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé
ràd: POC characters
“An incendiary and utterly compelling thriller with a shocking twist that delves deep into the heart of institutionalized racism, from an exceptional new YA voice. Welcome to Niveus Private Academy, where money paves the hallways, and the students are never less than perfect. Until now.”
the author wrote a stucky fanfic and this is a book about “snarky antiheroes, Machiavellian lesbians, and enemies to lovers”, so i’m thinking yes!
added: 19/10/22
The wrong end of the telescope, Rabih Alameddine
tags: trans mc, POC
a “grown-up” book about the refugee camp in Lesbos, Greece, about the kids and the adults and the friendships evolving there. The main character is trans and well-written, but the story doesn’t revolve around her transness nor her queerness.
author’s description: “Rooted in my love for Quebec City and an exploration of aromantic identities in relationships, this follows an aro bigender baker who moonlights as a thief and the demisexual investigor on his tail–the one who happens to be his cute new customer. Keep your snacks at hand.”
added: 09/01/23
The Last Cuentista, Donna Barba Higuera
rad: poc mc
recommended by S. Mirk. “This novel is absolutely my jam. As a meteor heads toward Earth, a Mexican-American girl escapes to a new planet with her scientist parents. But very bad news: their spaceship is taken over by fascists who want to erase all of Earth’s culture to make everyone the same in their new world. It explores some of the themes I was trying to get at in my graphic novel Open Earth, but does so much better, in my opinion!”
added: 30/01/24
Counting Down With You, Tashie Bhuiyan
ràd: POC cast
“features a Muslim, Bangladeshi protagonist who falls in love with a gasp white boy and double gasp doesn’t want to become a doctor. […] If you are into wholesome romance, soft girls, seemingly bad boys with a heart of fluff and gold, and a story about courage in small acts, this book is for you.” (Mis Hashmi)
The Cruel Prince, Holly Black
by the author of the Spiderwick Crhonicles, which I loved as a teen!
According to a friend: “C’est de la fantasy (pas ma came) mais le résumé m’a rendue curieuse : 3 jeunes filles sont enlevées pour aller vivre au Royaume des Faes (dont l’une d’elle est la fille d’un des personnages importants). Elles subissent le rejet des créatures qui les méprisent en tant qu’humaines mais elles n’ont pas dit leur dernier mot…”
Loki, Melvin Burgess
ràd: gender-bending mc (Loki)
tags: Norse mythology
“a truly fine book on this mythological villain, telling their own tale. A great example of how it can be done, other than redemption arcs.” (soukyan)
added: 09/05/23
The Dragon with a Chocolate Heart, Stephanie Burgis
tag: cozy slice-of-life fantasy
V loved it: “I cannot stress enough how much this is exactly the same genre as Baldree’s LEGENDS & LATTES but for kids. Absolutely delightful book that made for a wonderfully chilled-out read. There is nothing not to love about a dragon who gets transformed into a human girl and decides to become an apprentice chocolatier.”
Also the author wrote a prequel: “A Chocolate-Flavored Bargain is a fluffy fun YA romantic prequel, starring Aventurine’s mentors Marina & Horst back when they first met” (you can read before or after the main book)
added: 09/01/23
Moontangled, Stephanie Burgis
ràd: sapphic mcs
tags: cozy fantasy, sapphic romance novella
recommendation by Reeds Rainbow: “This is a cosy fantasy that has such warmth to it, from the first page. Add onto that a romance that grabs you from Caroline and Juliana’s first on-page meeting, and you have basically the perfect read.”
The Changeling, Jennifer Butterworth (1st book of a saga)
ràd: m/f/nonbinary romance
tags: fantasy
blurb: “fantasy triad romances set in a secondary world where the king of the fairies has been mucking about disastrously in the human world, and goblin king’s court and an assortment of cheesemaking priests must set things to rights.”
added: 09/01/23
The Queen of Rhodia, Effie Calvin [bought the ebook]
ràd: pan & fat mc, F/F
tags: fantasy, sapphic
“Après leur mariage deux princesses élèvent un bébé dragon (oui c’est aussi génial que ça en à l’air).” (Planète Diversité)
City of the Plague God, Sarwat Chadda
ràd: POC mc, Muslim mc
tags: fantasy
Presented by Rick Riordan! An epic adventure based on the Epic of Gilgamesh! With a Muslim main character! Rec’d on Mis Hashmi’s list.
The School for Good and Evil, Soman Chainani (eBook)
ràd: sapphic
lovely cover, teen book about a magic school and two girls that seem angelic and goth, but in reverse.
“A secretive dragon, an abandoned baby, the impetuous daughter of an Emperor, and a (surprising) smattering of Chinese recipes. Joyce Chng has a vivid descriptive style, and Xiao Xiao is a winning protagonist. I received this as a gift when I was sick, and it was a light and easy read, the perfect thing to enjoy while convalescing.”
romance épistolaire avec plein de sexyness et de rebondissements, si je me rappelle de ce qu’en a dit shad
added: 09/05/23
I Wish You All the Best, Mason Deaver
ràd: nb mc
protagonist c-o as nb and is thrown out. “At turns heartbreaking and joyous, this story is both a celebration of life, friendship, and love”
Viendra le temps du feu, Wendy Delorme
ràd: pp saphiques
recommandé par Planète Diversité. “Il y a d’un côté une société totalitaire aux frontières closes, bordée par un fleuve, et sur l’autre rive les vestiges d’une communauté de résistantes inspirées des Guérillères de Monique Wittig. Une dystopie sur la sororité, l’émancipation des corps et éco-féministe.”
one of Decolonize Your Bookshelf ‘s favorite author
added: 09/01/23
Cloud Cuckoo Land, Anthony Doerr
French review: “le petit garçon fan d’Athena que j’ai été est très fan” “Régulièrement comparé à Cloud Atlas pour son ambition et sa structure, c’est une belle réflexion sur la postérité, sur ce qui nous rends humains, et sur l’empreinte (les empreintes) que nous laissons sur notre planète et dans la vie de nos semblabes.”
added: 31/12/23
The Sound of Stars, Alechia Dow
Black, demi and fat mc
l’amitié entre une humaine et un alien qui doivent sauver l’humanité.
Out of My Mind, Sharon M. Draper
ràd: mental disability, physical disability
mc has mental & physical disability (cerebral palsy), apparently it’s good.
The Keeper’s Six, Kate Elliott
ràd: 60 yo mc
tags: contemporary fantasy, multiverse
“a fantastically fun fantasy novella about an older woman getting her gang back together to adventure through the multiverse & save her adult son.” (stephanie)
added: 10/01/23
Axiom’s End, Lindsay Ellis
Erika Moen’s favorite prose book she read in 2020. (and highly recommended by Hank Green as well) (and a beautiful cover)
Chosen. Again., J. Emery
ràd: ace mc
tags: fantasy, playing on the trope
recommended by Claudie: “What if a portal fantasy world’s Chosen One was called again … more than a decade later? Delightful book that plays with a dozen different fantasy tropes, sometimes writing them striaght, sometimes flipping the script. Lots of baggage between everyone!”
added: 09/01/23
Des milliards de tapis de cheveux, Andreas Eschbach
“Je l’avais acheté y a longtemps car considéré comme classique mais je n’avais jamais sauté le pas, quelle erreur ! Il faut dire que le 4ème de couverture n’est pas si emballant. Ce livre est facile à lire, assez court mais d’une grande richesse je trouve.\
On accroche très vite à ce livre qui nous décrit un univers social particulier. On ne suit pas le roman à travers les yeux d’un ou plusieurs héros mais successivement à travers les yeux de différentes personnes “ordinaires” et sur plusieurs année, donnant à ce roman une saveur que je trouve très sociologique (je ne sais d’ailleurs pas si je l’aurai autant apprécié y a quelque année du coup, ou pas de la même façon). En effet en lisant ce roman je pensais aux concept de violence symbolique, domination symbolique (domination incorporée).”
also recommended by a friend of mine
added: 27/08/23
bought: 2023
We Hunt the Flame (book 1 of the Sands of Arawiya series), Hafsah Faizal
ràd: Arabian mc
“Inspired by ancient Arabia, the novel tells the story of a hunter who disguises herself as a man in order to travel into a dangerous forest and restore magic to her people.[11] Faizal set the story in a world reminiscent of ancient Arabia, avoiding ties to South Asian cultures that she states are often wrongfully entwined with stories about the Middle East.”
The Voyages of Cinrak the Dapper, A.J. Fitzwater
tags: found family, pirates
ràd: lesbians
“collection of linked pirate stories about a dapper lesbian capybara pirate and her crew, who are very much a found family.” (Clundoff)
The Tamir’s Triad, Lynn Flewelling
ràd: trans sc
tags: fantasy
de la fantaisie, ça ne parle pas de transidentité à proprement parler mais c’est tout comme (un perso se révèle trans et c’est très bien traité). Merci Zelda.
Seasons of the Lukoi (Book 1: Winter of the Owl), Iris Foxglove
talks about depression and regret and the lives you haven’t lived and it sounds amazing!
official summary: “A library between life and death where a woman who has had her own mental health difficulties ends up [after] doing something stupid. And all the books in the library are different versions of her life if she had lived her life a different way.”
Reminds me of My Real Children (Jo Walton) and Life After Life (Kate Atkinson)!
Payback’s a Witch, Lana Harper
ràd: bi mcs
Alex: Roman de fantasy sur des sorcières américaines contemporaines et bisexuelles, avec vengeance contre le méchant ex à la clé, un régal
The Name-Bearer, Natalia Hernandez
ràd: POC author and mc
from the book blurb: “A story of magia, warrior women, found family and love - and not accepting who you are told to be, but embracing who you are destined to become.”
“Dans une romance érotique, du respect du consentement, pas de psychophobie ni de putophobie? Oui, ça existe ! Stella, 30 ans, est une capitaliste économètre brillante (elle créée des algorithmes de recommandations d’achats grâce aux fameuses Big Data). Bref, elle est riche et indépendante. Mais, étant autiste, elle a d’énormes difficultés avec les relations humaines et romantiques. Elle prend ça comme un problème de maths : il suffit qu’elle s’entraine ! Elle engage donc Mickael, un escort-boy, pour apprendre à être un bon coup… Évidemment, c’est une romance, ces leçons ne vont pas se passer aussi cliniquement que prévu.”
The Silo Trilogy, Hugh Howey (Wool, Shift, Dust)
recommended by Erika Moen: “All of the titles I listed above are good reads, but the one(s?) that truly sucked me in and would not let go was(were?) the Silo Trilogy. Oh maaaannnnnnnnnnnn. oh MAN. I love me some post-apocalyptic fiction that’s all about how society restructures itself and continues to move forward (as opposed to post-apoc stories that are just an excuse to have people behave monstrously to each other). Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel is one of my most favorite books ever because it’s not only about society moving forward but also humanity’s inherent need to create and maintain art, no matter what state the world is in. Just. Auhg. My fucking heart.”
added: 07/01/24
The Wrong McElroy, KL Hughes
ràd: sapphic
“une romance lesbienne précipitée par une très belle amitié, noël dans une famille nombreuse imparfaite (mise face à son racisme) mais où chacun sort grandit. Si « The Happiest Season » vous a déçu.e cela devrait combler le manque! Ça se lit bien, les persos sont attachants, les deux CO sont touchants et heureux… et c’est pas un happy end habituel!” (recommandé par Meor)
Time and Soul, Genevieve Huffman
ràd: queer, author is nonbinary
from their website: “Time and Soul is a touching sci-fi work that ponders the embrace of difference, the value of love, and the possibility for redemption. Its world building is complex, and it’s livened with touches of humor.”
“Time and Soul is their first novel and offers a beacon of positivity for the trans community.”
added: 10/09/23
Hani and Ishu’s Guide to Fake Dating, Adiba Jaigirdar
ràd: QPOC mc, sapphic
“it has Bangladeshi and Muslim representation AND it’s sapphic. AND it has Bengali (Indian) rep. This whole mix just soothes my Bengali heart. I haven’t yet read HANI AND ISHU but knowing Adiba’s style I know this is going to make me laugh and cry.” (Mis Hashmi)
The Bruising of Qilwa, Naseem Jamnia
ràd: nb aro ace mc, queernormative world
tags: fantasy, main character is a healer
recommended by Claudie: “Fantasy novella set in a Persian-inspired queernormative world, THE BRUISING OF QILWA follows Firuz, a nonbinary aroace healer and blood magic user, as they unravel the mystery of a new diseases. Lush and intense, this incredible story packs so many layers of queerness, political strife, community and family.”
ràd: they/them author, China-inspired setting, bi mcs, throuple
recommended by V and many others, it’s sci-fi in a Chinese setting, the author says it’s Pacific Rim meets The Handmaid’s Tale, they love anime and Chinese history and tradition, it seems wild and perfect!
The Fifth Season trilogy, N. K. Jeminsin
tags: sci-fi, fantasy
“it’s an interesting blend or hybrid of scifi and fantasy. but not in the way shadowrun does it (just mix tropes), but uh… hm. to elaborate would be a spoiler!”
“it has big weather stuff and sciency powers”
(Agate) it’s fantasy, not really about transidentity even though some characters are trans. And there’s a random mention of someone not having access to HRT because of some problem, and it’s well written
added: 2023
If It Makes You Happy, Claire Kann
ràd: Black, fat and queer mc
“pendant l’été et avant d’entrer à la fac, une jeune fille participe à un concours de cuisine.”
“a hopepunk climatefiction series about a 2050 world of rolling pandemics, turtle bots, and an intrepid power engineer solving a mystery on her power island.” – Susan
added: 09/05/23
Zara Hossain is Here, Sabina Khan
ràd: bisexual, Pakistani, Muslim mc
“this book will be exploring some grim realities – that of hate crimes, racism, and the difficulties of being an immigrant from a Muslim country in America.” (Mis Hashmi)
back cover: “While dealing with the Islamophobia that she faces at school, Zara has to lay low, trying not to stir up any trouble and jeopardize their family’s dependent visa status while they await their green card approval, which has been in process for almost nine years. But one day her tormentor, star football player Tyler Benson, takes things too far, leaving a threatening note in her locker, and gets suspended. As an act of revenge against her for speaking out, Tyler and his friends vandalize Zara’s house with racist graffiti, leading to a violent crime that puts Zara’s entire future at risk.”
Swordheart, T Kingfisher
ràd:
rec’d by Veo Corva! It’s the book that introduces Zale (their fav character). “T Kingfisher writes some of my favourite romance stories. The characters are older, the world is amazing, and they have this amazing combination of humour, sweetness, and sometimes a touch of horror. I think nearly all her main characters are canon bisexual and many of the supporting characters are queer!” (30/09/21)
Shake Things Up, Skye Kilaen
�ràd: bi, pan, polyam characters
tags: contemporary polyam romance
added: 09/05/23
The House in the Cerulean Sea, T.J Klune
ràd: gay mcs, fat mc, M/M + #ownvoices
“The House in the Cerulean Sea est un roman sur une famille qui se trouve, c’est une lecture douce qui a envie de montrer que les gens ne sont pas toujours ce qu’on croit et qu’il y a du bon dans chacun d’entre nous.” (Planète Diversité) (“pipou mais style assez maladroit” d’après M)
La petite fille au bout du chemin, Laird Koenig
bouquin préféré de l’enfance de Flo
Ascension, Jacqueline Koyanagi
tags: sci-fi, queer & disabled rep
ràd: queer, WOC mc with a chronic illness
as one review on Goodreads puts it: “main character is a queer woman of colour, grappling with a debilitating chronic illness in a context of poverty, has a difficult relationship with her sister and starts to fall in love with another awesome female character who is polyamorous. IN SPACE.”
also she’s a “sky surgeon” aka a mechanic and that’s my favorite sci-fi job ever
added: 19/10/22
Babel, RF Kuang
tags: magic, linguistic stuff
recommended by rmd (fr): “Au milieu du 19e siècle, l’angleterre domine le monde grâce à un système de magie assez particulier nécessitant la maitrise complète de plusieurs langues, ce qu’elle a grâce à l’étendue de son empire et à son institut de traduction unique situé à oxford.
C’est un roman impressionnant sur plusieurs points, mêlant politique impérialiste, racisme et lutte anticoloniale grace à un système de magie original et bien pensé. L’autrice est aussi traductrice et cela amène une grande richesse et une grande maîtrise au roman et à sa narration, en faisant une œuvre aboutie et dense. “
added: 09/05/23
I Never Liked You Anyway, Jordan Kurella
ràd: polyamory
tags: mythology-related
“muse-ical modern romp through the Underworld and Eurydice’s recollections of dating Orpheus”
“Eurydice is still processing the disastrous relationship that sent her into the land of the dead almost as soon as she was married to the brilliant love of her life, Orpheus. She’ll tell you how he swept her off her feet and how their polyamourous group swept each other up in music, art, and art theory and a life of creation from destruction, mostly just destruction. Eurydice is dead and failing all her classes, and she knows Orpheus is coming to get her out.”
added: 09/05/23
We Are Okay, Nina LaCour
grief, loneliness. Fave book of Planète Diversité.
The Unspoken Name, A.K. Larkwood
recommended by Tamsyn Muir, author of Gideon the Ninth
the book summary says: “a stunning debut fantasy about a young priestess sentenced to die, who at the last minute escapes her fate; only to become an assassin for the wizard who saved her.”
added: 03/12/22
Ancilliary Justice, Ann Leckie
tags: sci-fi
recommended by shad (among many others) “c’est de la SF, qu’on suit une histoire sur plusieurs périodes différentes, du coup pendant longtemps on tourne avidement les pages car on ne sait pas comment tous les bouts de fil rouges vont finir par se rejoindre…
Gros coup de coeur aussi pour la narration qui utilise du neutre féminin, c’est incroyable. Même en sachant que c’est parce que la narratrice “ne voit pas les genres”, ça m’a donné l’impression d’un univers essentiellement peuplé de femmes sans que le propos soit “une société matriarcale”.”
“ça parle de care. De solitude. De comment trouver la force de vivre quand on a tout perdu, qu’on s’est vu arracher ce qui faisait notre identité.”
added: 09/05/23
bought: 29/07/23
Untethered Sky, Fona Lee
V’s recommendation: “Falconry but with rocs is already an amazing concept and it’s really brought to life in this story. Very much a story of obsession, trauma, and the pain of loving something that can never love you back. In some ways a very small story, in spite of the high stakes and giant monsters. Lee dwells in the practicalities and process of flying rocs in a way that is fascinating.”
Phoenix Extravagant, Yoon Ha Lee
ràd: they/them mc, Asian world, queernormative world
Apparently the story of a painter who just wants to paint but ends up employed by the government and discovers a big secret.
The Unbalancing, R.B. Lemberg
ràd: autistic, nb, queer mc
tags: fantasy, Masto author
“world-building deeply rooted in neurodiversity, queerness, nonbinary identity, and transness. The story follows two lovers, a poet and a starkeeper, as they simultaneously fall for each other while their island home approaches a fated doom. (As you might guess from that description, The Unbalancing is a loose retelling of the Atlantis myth). This fantasy book really has it all, from complex diverse characters, a unique magical system, careful explorations of the intersections of queer and neurodivergent identities, romance, lyrical writing, and more!” – Autostraddle
added: 09/05/23
Every Day, David Levithan
ràd: trans characters
recommended by Noah and Baz! “It’s about someone who wakes up in a different body (someone else’s body) every day. And then they fall in love.
The first book is from their perspective, the second is the same story, but from hers.
(The third switches between perspectives and is the stuff that happens after. There’s also another, short book that has some stories about before they meet)”
added: 29/05/23
Sweet fruit, sour land, Rebecca Ley
“Un post-apo britannique où la nourriture et l’énergie sont rationnées. Je l’ai lu il y a quelque temps, je ne me souviens plus de tout, mais une description de la première fois où l’héroïne goûte des pêches vient de me revenir en tête. J’ai rarement lu quelque chose d’aussi poignant.” (meli-melo)
Elatsoe, Darcy Little Badger
ràd: aroace POC mc
tags: contemporary, fantasy, YA
rec by claudie: “Contemporary fantasy YA with a Lipan Apache aroace teenager as its hero, the most delightful ghost dog, and some of my favourite parent-teen relationship in books! I adored this book (and Darcie’s writing in general)”
straightforward and sweet, a queer love story plus a quest. Asian characters and Chinese-inspired universe. (rec’d by @mcmoots, also by Planète Diversité)
A Court Of Thorns And Roses, Sarah J. Maas
tags: fantasy
regular YA fantasy but apart from being desperately straight, seems like a very nice read!
Avis de Gaby sur le tome 2 : “On m’avait dit que cette série c’était que du cul et pas de plot, on m’a menti 😅. J’aime beaucoup le côté “famille choisie” de ce tome en tout cas, Feyre me plaît toujours autant, il y a des réflexions fort salutaires (surtout pour les ados) sur l’amour et ce qu’il nous pousse à sacrifier alors qu’on ne devrait pas. Bref, c’est chouette, et ado j’aurais été totalement accro”
added: 16/07/23
The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches, Sangu Mandanna
tags: cozy fantasy
ràd: South Asian author and protagonists
Rec by Decolonize Your Bookshelf: “Take Bewitched, add in the antics of a Ryan Reynolds rom-com, and spice it up with diverse and inclusive characters.”
Dans la maison rêvée, Carmen Maria Machado
Recommandation de Eva, sur recommandation de Meor et du reste de la librairie les mots à la bouche. Parle d’une relation toxique et lesbienne.
“C’est autobiographique, et c’est raconté via une succession de très courts chapitres qui sont tous titrés “la maison rêvée à la manière de [insérer un descriptif]”, ce qui permet à l’autrice d’emmêler une narration chronologique de son histoire (racontée au tu) avec des réflexions faites par elle plus tard (au moment d’écrire, pendant qu’elle fait des recherches, ce questionne sur l’importance de représenter aussi les personnes queer dans leurs imperfections, au risque de nier leur humanité) (raconté au je). Cela lui permet aussi d’expérimenter des genres littéraire pour mieux cerner les choses, sous leurs différentes coutures (mention spéciale au chapitre “à la manière d’un livre dont vous êtes le héro”)
Bref : j’ai toujours pas fini de tout démêler mais je peux déjà dire que je recommande+++”
“un ado va passer les vacances d’été avec son crush” (Planète Diversité)
Indestructible Object, Mary McCoy
ràd: bi and polyam mc
a story about romance in a meta level, like the mc has a podcast about love. And then she falls in love!
added: 19/10/22
When the Moon Was Ours, Anna-Marie McLemore
ràd: QPOC characters & author, queer mc, trans mc
“my favorite from Anna-Marie McLemore (who is one of my all-time favorite authors). It features a queer Latina girl and a trans Pakistani boy!” (QPOC Book List)
bought: 29/07/23
The Last Days of Rabbit Hayes, Anna McPartlin
a book about grief that manages to be funny and emotionally devastating at the same time.
added: 14/11/22
Belle Révolte, Lindsey Miller
ràd: biromantic ace mc with sapphic romance
rags: magic academy, cross-class life swaps
“one of many aspec books Linsey Miller has blessed us with (not but like, do check her whole catalogue!). If you love magic academy settings and characters swapping out their lives while a revolution brews, this is a solid read!”
Cloud Atlas, David Mitchell
supposed to be even better than the Wachowski movie
added: 31/12/23
Les chroniques de l’érable et du cerisier, Camille Monceaux (eBook)
je ne sais rien de ce bouquin mais le livre papier est très très beau
”[Le personnage principal est une femme] bisexuelle de couleur, la quarantaine, et atteinte d’un TOC qui l’empêche de jeter quoi que ce soit. On trouvera aussi du fanatisme religieux et une interrogation sur la vie en communauté très intéressante. Il est encore trop rare aujourd’hui de rencontrer un personnage principal dans la quarantaine, atteint d’une maladie mentale tel que les TOCS, très courants dans la vie réelle, mais peu visibles en littérature. Planetfall n’est pas un roman de science-fiction classique, plein d’action, mais il n’en est pas moins absolument passionnant.”
Outlawed, Anna North
recommended by Shay Mirk: “a Western romance with gender play, shout outs, and abortion activists. All very fun, in my opinion”
Très gros coup de coeur lecture d’Armalite. “Ça faisait bien longtemps que je ne m’étais pas identifiée à une héroïne autant qu’à El. “I love having existential crises at bedtime, it’s so restful.” Le système de magie est original et très détaillé; l’école Scholomance m’horrifie autant qu’elle me fascine, et les tactiques de survie auxquelles doivent recourir les élèves donnent des frissons dans le dos. Si vous lisez l’anglais et aimez le genre Dark Academia, ne passez pas à côté!”
Recommandation d’Alex Sirac également : “I accidentally binge read the Scholomance trilogy this week, and it was glorious. a heroine whose life curse is that she’s deeply unlikeable, and who stopped even trying. an extraordinarily powerful and socially clueless sidekick. bisexuals! evil plots to take over the world! linguistics!?”
added: 2021
Jollof Rice and Other Revolutions: A Novel in Interlocking Stories, Omolola Ijeoma Ogunyemi
“The Nigerian author’s American debut follows four women, Nonso, Remi, Aisha, and Solape, who have known one another since they were students in an all-girls boarding school. Their bond as students grows and is solidified, but the choices they make as young women have a ripple effect into their adulthood. Exploring their lives after school from Nigeria to the United States, and the relationships they maintained, Jollof Rice and Other Revolutions is an ode to female friendship, resilience, and the twisty journey toward finding fulfillment.” (Shondaland)
Un roman bouleversant sur la quête de soi, le poids de la religion et des traditions et la force éperdue de l’amour (deux fillettes tombent amoureuses dans un Nigeria en proie à la guerre civile).
Dis-moi la nuit, Saul et Leslie Pandelakis
tags: sci-fi, novella
“Comme dans le roman de Saul “la séquence aardtman”, j’ai ressenti une empathie pour les personnages et été embarquée par l’histoire et les réflexions sous-jacentes. Bref, c’était chouette !” (Julie)[https://pouet.chapril.org/@JulieBrillet/110239176139147788]
added: 09/05/23
“Les Hygialogues de Ty Petersen”, Saul Pandelakis
“Ty Petersen, expatriée française, travaille dans le Centre, à New York. Son travaille consiste à discuter avec un des extraterrestres arrivés sur Terre plusieurs années auparavant au travers d’un hygiaphone, afin de percer les mystères de leur langue et de leur culture si différente de la nôtre, au cours d’hygialogues exigeants et complexes.” “impossible de parler de ces Hygialogues sans évoquer le travail extraordinaire de son auteur sur la langue parlée et écrite de ces sunđuz (à prononcer « soundjouze ») faisant la majorité du sel conceptuel du roman. C’est vertigineux, c’est beau, c’est impressionnant” (Laird)
added: 31/12/23
A Declaration of the Rights of Magicians, H. G. Parry
recommended by Shelley Parker-Chan (author of She who became the sun)
Editor’s note: “Both wonderfully ambitious and achingly intimate, Parry’s second novel A Declaration on the Rights of Magicians has a sweeping scope in a magically infused 18th century. If you enjoy historical fiction, fantasy, well-paced mystery, political intrigue and absolutely splendid characterization, this alternative history is your next read.”
“Torrey Peters provides an emotionally charged whirlwind to her readers through flawed yet ceaselessly lovable characters. […]This storyline unfolds hard, over three hundred pages that make you grimace, laugh, cry, and ponder over the conflicts of gender identity.” (LindsayTheLibrarian)
book cover: “A whipsmart debut about three women–transgender and cisgender–whose lives collide after an unexpected pregnancy forces them to confront their deepest desires around gender, motherhood, and sex. Reese almost had it all: a loving relationship with Amy, an apartment in New York City, a job she didn’t hate. She had scraped together what previous generations of trans women could only dream …”
Les demoiselles d’honneur préfèrent les kilts, Betty Piccioli (Kobo eBook)
ràd: queer characters, very feminist writer
J’aime beaucoup Betty Piccioli et ce livre est un livre sur la sororité avec plein de personnes LGBT, et ça trashe les TERFs aussi !
Witchmark, C.L. Polk
ràd: gay romance
from the book blurb: “a stunning, addictive fantasy that combines intrigue, magic, betrayal, and romance.”
frim Publishers Weekly’s praise: “set in an alternate early 20th century in an England-like land recovering from a WWI-like war, blends taut mystery, exciting political intrigue, and inventive fantasy”
True Grit, Charles Portis
“J’ai eu envie de le lire après avoir vu le film des frères Coen, et c’est aussi bien. C’est même épatant de voir à quel point les dialogues, qui étaient pour moi très Coen, sont tirés tels quels du bouquin. Pas encore fini, mais c’est du bonheur d’écriture.” (panais)
La goûteuse d’Hitler (Le Assaggiatrici), Rosella Postorino
“un texte envoûtant qui, en explorant l’ambiguitié des relations, interroge ce que signifie être et rester humain”. (Alexture)
très belles couvertures, coup de cœur de colunadoc côté romans ados.
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, Taylor Jenkins Reid
ràd: Cuban mc, bi mc, lesbian li, gay sc
Le livre préféré de Planète Diversité. Sa chronique : “Evelyn Hugo est d’abord Evelyn Elena Herrera, cubaine et bisexuelle. Et elle est prête à dénoncer le sexisme, la misogynie et le racisme d’Hollywood. C’est un livre fort et Evelyn Hugo est un personnage très moderne que j’ai aimé de plus en plus au fil des pages. Vous allez l’adorer et la détester. L’histoire de Monique Grant est celle d’une femme métisse fraîchement séparée de son mari qui va prendre exemple sur Evelyn Hugo et va prendre de force ce qu’elle veut. Un meilleur travail. Un divorce. On voit l’impact qu’à l’histoire d’Evelyn sur Monique et j’ai trouvé ça génial.”
Black Sun, Rebecca Roanhorse
tags: fantasy
recommended by Shonalika. Set in something similar to the Americas pre-colonisation, very refreshing setting, very different imagery/symbols/mythology than the usual tolkien-esque fantasy. Solid and well-designed characters.
“Eric et Morgan sont nés le même jour, dans le même hôpital. Ils sont meilleurs amis depuis toujours. Mais à mesure qu’ils grandissent, leurs secrets les séparent. Morgan est mal dans sa peau ; ne se sent pas garçon. Eric ne s’affirme pas, de peur de déplaire à son père tyrannique. Tous deux changent, ils se soutiennent puis se séparent… Parviendront-ils à se retrouver ?
‘Merveilleusement écrit, Birthday est une pierre de plus à l’édifice grandissant de la littérature trans, mais aussi de la littérature générale. “ Booklist
Celle dont j’ai toujours rêvé, Meredith Russo
ràd: trans mc
“Plein de moments très beau mais l’histoire et le style sont plutôt basiques. Ça raconte la vie d’une femme trans qui change de lycée suite à une agression avec plusieurs flash back autour de sa transition. Style young adult, dans son lycée personne ne sait qu’elle est trans.” (Rec: Mila)
bought: 29/07/23
Melt my Heart, Bethany Rutter
ràd: fat & bi mc, POC love interest, F/F romance
“une romance d’été sur une femme qui se découvre bisexuelle”
And They Both Die At The End, Adam Silvera
ràd: gay mc
The story is based on the biggest spoiler (we know from the start that both characters will die at the end); I’m very curious to see how they’ll live the last day of their life.
L’incivilité des fantômes, Rivers Solomon
ràd: autaire noir⋅e et nb
parle de classisme (les blancs aisés, les noirs pauvres) dans un vaisseau spatial
I’m probably never reading this book because Solomon’s books are very dark, but i’m still putting the recommendation out there
Fat Girl Dances with Rocks, Susan Stinson
ràd: fat mc
“the prescient and heartfelt story of a fat teen reckoning with queerness, grief, and departure from the violently fatphobic, homophobic, ableist worldviews she was raised to believe. Stinson writes with immense care and unabashed eroticism.” (Cavar)
The Jasmine Throne, Tasha Suri + her Books of Ambha duology
ràd: Brown author
rec’d by Veo Corva! “All of them are abslutely gripping fantasy that spins out these vast, beautiful worlds but makes the stories and stakes so deeply personal. I’m especially excited to see a sequel to THE JASMINE THRONE. It’s a stunning epic fantasy and has revived my long-lapsed love for the subgenre.”
coming-of-age story set in Bronze Age Britain with a disabled character
Chameleon Moon, RoAnna Sylver
queer disabled mcs, polyamory, anxious ace character
Recommendation from Claudie: “Queer disabled superheroes and hop in the face of despair. Plots within plots, complex character dynamics, various ways of dealing with trauma, and a hefty dose of polyamory. I LOVE this book so much. It’s an incredible ride, with characters that stole my heart. 6-7 years later, it remains an all-time favourite.”
added: 09/01/23
Sitting Pretty: The View from My Ordinary Resilient Disabled Body, Rebekah Taussig
ràd: disabled mc
highly recommended by Loke: “Taussig’s writing is really good and a pleasure to go through. It’s a perfect primer to get acquainted with the fight for disability rights: Taussig’s personal anecdotes really place you in her shoes for a few brief, painful moments, and make you really understand why, for instance, kindness as a microaggression can be so awful. […] Her work is also extremely inclusive, also mentioning at times black, trans and non binary bodies as examples of bodies who don’t fit the description of what a normal body is in our societies.”
on preorder until February 2021, seems like a cool fantasy book? Plus the author is named Sam so I like it
Combien de pas jusqu’à la lune ?, Carole Trébor (eBook)
ràd: pp racisées, que des femmes
Même sujet que le film Hidden Figures, parle des calculatrices noires de la NASA qui ont participé à rendre possibles les premières missions spatiales.
Another Life, Sarena Ulibarri
tags: solarpunk, novella
“The founder of a peaceful eco-village gets a 23&Me type test but for reincarnation: it tells who you were in a previous life. The result threatens to upend her whole community.”
“Sarena Ulibarri’s sun-drenched story of reincarnation, resilience, and renewal truly shines, granting us a convincing solarpunk future full of hope that another life could one day be ours.” Lauren C Teffeau
added: 09/05/23
The Weight of It All, N.R. Walker
ràd: fac mc, M/M romance
“une romance feel-good M/M entre un homme gros et un coach de sport” (Planète Diversité)
Lifelode, Jo Walton
tags: slow fantasy
ràd: polyamory
what meli-melo said (in French): De la fantasy toute tranquille à la fin de l’été, dans un monde où le temps ne s’écoule pas à la même vitesse selon qu’on vit à l’ouest ou à l’est.
Où on y lit les meilleures descriptions de plats qui cuisent, les arrangements d’une famille polyamoureuse heureuse, et où on se demande comment échapper à la colère de la déesse du mariage.
The Thief, Megan Whalen Turner
recommended by Maia Kobabe in eir list of favorite books of 2023. “this six historical fiction series straddles the YA/adult divide. Set in a fictional Mediterranean world, it centers around a character blessed by the Thief God whose actions have ripple effects which end up shaping the political landscape of multiple countries. I don’t want to say more because each book tends to have a twist ending, but if you want to bask in an ancient Greece like setting with clever characters who will win your heart, I highly recommend these.”
Recommandé par Jonas : un peu comme NPC, une héroïne en Birmanie en Asie du Sud-Est qui se retrouve dans un jeu vidéo, très chouette.
System Apocalypse, Tao Wong
ràd: East Asian & bi mc
tags: LitRPG
“It’s apocalypse via the Earth being absorbed by a Galactic Scale MMO.” (sparkledragon) :D
added: 09/05/23
The Storied Life of AJ Fikry, Gabrielle Zevin
ràd: POC author
tags: cozy
Recommended by Decolonize Your Bookshelf: “had me laughing and crying the whole way through. Shop owner loses wife and finds an abandoned baby dropped off inside his store. This story will stick with me for a long time. It was a cozy, emotional, and heartwarming read that I think is perfect for just about anyone.”
Comics
Karoo, BD de Bézian d’après Steve Tesich
Panais : “Une merveille qui explore autant les relations père-fils que les questions du vieillissement, du génie et de ce qui reste. Le dessin a un parti-pris graphique très fort (noir et blanc avec des rehauts clairsemés, une couleur différente par ambiance). Parmi les meilleures choses que j’ai lues (et relues) ces dernières années.”
The Times I Knew I Was Gay, Eleanor Crewes
recommended by @geraniumlottery
added: 12/11/22
La Différence Invisible, Julie Dachez et Mademoiselle Caroline
ràd: autism, disability
une BD-témoignage sur l’autisme par une meuf autiste, que alexq trouve très pertinente et sensible
Corps Vivante, Julie Delporte
“Ça cause d’amour, de sexualité, de violence, de cheminement personnel & de culture. C’est super tissé texte-dessin-intime-politique, c’est émouvant af, graphiquement époustouflant, mais on s’en fiche un peu au fond, en vrai c’est juste un bouquin bouleversant. Ma meilleure lecture 2023 (& j’ai déjà lu des trucs très très cools).” – Léo Henry
added: 09/05/23
La Parenthèse, Élodie Durand
autobiographie, montre bien toute la sensibilité de l’autrice et son rapport à l’autre.
I Hear the Sunspot, Yuki Fumino
ràd: disabled mc (Deaf), gay mc
“a story about a Deaf man and another man who falls in love with him & ends up working for a company that helps teach people sign language. The romance usually takes a backseat to discussions of abelism, navigating the gradual loss of ability as a young adult, etc & it’s just…really good.”
Tout va bien, Nina LaCour
recommandé par Planète Diversité
I Will Judge You by Your Bookshelf, Grant Snider
panais: “C’est une BD de bibliophile, entre les petites manies (regarder la bibli des autres, avoir des marque-pages partout) et les rapports aux livres (je le finis ou je le pose ?), c’est charmant et frais, et souvent ça fait faire une pause (un peu comme des haïkus). Bref je recommande.”
rec’d by nocta, website descr: Ample Time is a story that shows that with kindness and acceptance even the most unconfident can learn to believe in themselves and achieve. If you have ever had social anxiety, lost faith that you can succeed or had a giant crush on someone you never thought would look at you twice, I hope this comic reminds you that those things do not define you. …Also if you happen to like girly romance this will be for you.
“ça raconte l’histoire du prince des requins, Siren, qui doit accomplir une prophétie. dans ce monde les prophéties sont liées au phare, un poisson avec des écailles brillantes, quivva dde château en château pours les accomplir. on commence l’histoire au moment où les deux se rencontrent.
c’est un webtoon avec du mystère, de l’aventure, de l’humour, un peu de romance 🏳️🌈
les couleurs sont magnifiques aussi !” — Sapphaos
“un monde où on peut passer d’un corps masculin à un corps féminin comme on veut jusqu’à devoir en choisir un définitivement à 21 ans. Du coup c’est très les trans et nb feels” (clexy)
rec’d by alexq. Not really SFW, has a wonderful range of characters, and notably Woc, a really cool POC lesbian woman in a weelchair, and Watch / the boy, who appears to be non-binary and also have a chronic illness. The story turns around Roomie, a cheearful aromantic woman who loves to party and have sex, and Lillian, an asexual woman who rather sleep & dream or write than meet other people.
Rec by merri: “It’s half a slow-burn gay romance and half an incredible story of magical knights in a modern fantasy world with lots of different cultures.
Most of the cast is lgbt, it’s a world without homophobia or transphobia, but there are other content warnings to share, most of which are listed at the start of storylines. The big thing is that one of the two main character is an indentured servant with a lifelong debt, so basically a slave.
The worldbuilding is great, you can tell the author is fascinated by cultures and languages and has put a lot of thought into every aspect of the world.”
une réécriture moderne du mythe de Persephone avec TOUS LES FEELS. Magnifique visuellement, les personnages sont tellement attachants, recommandé par Sheinicorn
“Growing up is an awkward waltz. Tripping Over You follows Milo and Liam’s steps (and missteps) as they begin a hesitant relationship in their last year of highschool. They must learn to fold each other into their lives (in the midst of major life changes) with as much grace as they both can manage — which, admittedly, could be enormously more graceful.”
La Galerie des sculptures du Petit Palais, Cécilie Champy-Vinas
Exile and Pride: Disability, Queerness, and Liberation, Eli Clare
Pixel Oliver: “Touches on topics of embodiment, dis/ability, environmentalism, queerness, class (including rural/urban distinctions), white privilege, place consciousness, and more. A number of their talks are available online as well and they’re great. “The Ferocious Need for Liberation” and “Brilliant Imperfection” have also been recommended to me.”
Survivre au taf, Marie Dasylva
Marie Dasylva est une coach très connue sur Twitter qui aide les personnes minorisées (notamment racisées) à exiger des conditions de travail décentes et à tenir tête aux remarques (directes ou indirectes). Son travail est désormais un livre !
Stay True, Hua Hsu
recommended by Shay Mirk: “Jutst beautiful writing about death and life after loss. A time capsule from California in the 90s”
My Grandmother’s Hands, Resmaa Menakem
recommended by Shay Mirk: “all about trauma in the body. I think about it every day.”
added: 01/01/24
How to Do Nothing: Resisting the Attention Economy, Jenny Odell
It was strongly anti capitalist, strongly anti colonialist, an ode to paying attention to the people and the nature around you, and to form meaningful bonds outside of the constraints of corporate tech-based means. It also goes on some tangents to talk about art and birds – and it actually got me into bird watching!
de chair et de fer : vivre et lutter dans une société validiste, Charlotte Puiseux
“L’autrice y raconte son parcours de femme handicapée militante, le mettant en perspective avec son analyse qui s’appuie sur de nombreuses sources issues des disability studies. Pour moi qui entrevoit peu à peu la violence du capacitisme, ce livre est une révélation.” – Julie
added: 09/05/23
Daemon Voices, Philip Pullman
collection of essays
“he talks of literature, and writing and youth literature, and of hundreds of things” – rec’d for me by J.
Year of the Tiger: An Activist’s Life, Alice Wong
memoir about disability activism
“Alice Wong has written a vivid exploration into the inner workings of the life of an activist. Wong is the founder and director of the Disability Visibility Project, which fosters an online community aiming to amplify the voices of disabled people while combating ableism. Wong worked tirelessly for years to advocate for this underserved population, and this memoir is the culmination of her resiliency. 2022 was the Year of the Tiger, which symbolizes a pillar of strength in Chinese culture, and it was made better by Wong’s storytelling and how she hopes to continue reminding those with disabilities that they always belong.” (Shondaland)