Sister Outsider – The Bookish Mutant

🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍🌈The Bookish Mutant’s Books for Pride Month (2025 Edition)🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️

Posted on June 2, 2025June 6, 2025 by madeline @ The Bookish Mutant

Happy Monday, bibliophiles!

Here in the U.S., June is Pride Month! I usually start off these posts with something about how the world is slowly getting kinder to queer people, but that, as always, the shadows of homophobia and transphobia loom large. Well…Christ, it sure is looming larger than ever. Misinformed voters have decided that they’re perfectly content to return us to an administration that has already required passports to revert to the carrier’s assigned gender at birth and has been emboldened to toy with the idea of repealing the right to same-sex marriage. Of course, here I am sitting on my comfy couch in my comfy blue state of Colorado that thankfully has a) a gay governor (shoutout to Jared Polis), and b) enshrined the right to same-sex marriage in the constitution, but that doesn’t mean that my heart doesn’t constantly ache. All of us in the queer community are deeply interconnected. What hurts one of us hurts all of us.

Book banning across the country has disproportionately targeted queer books, deeming the presence of such subjects in children’s, middle grade, and YA literature as pornography and grooming. And god forbid that a drag queen commits the incredibly sexual and predatory act of…[checks notes] reading picture books to kids at libraries. Republicans have their priorities twisted. That’s old, old news by now. Books and libraries were never meant to be war zones, but fascists have made it their mission, then and now, to declare the right to information and new ideas as the most dangerous threat to their power. This goes for books both queer and non-queer. But the power of queer books can’t be overstated. Even I, who grew up in an incredibly supportive, accepting environment (biggest thank you imaginable to my wonderful family for being that way), was enlightened and comforted when, in the short period when I was closeted, I found bisexual characters in books that reflected my story and my feelings. Queer literature is revelatory, and it saves lives. For queer people, it gives them the comfort that they aren’t alone. For others, it gives them a glimpse into perspectives that they might not have otherwise considered, and compels them to empathize with people who are different than them.

So this pride month, and all year round (as always), when you think of what you can do to support the LGBTQ+ community, consider picking up a book. Support queer authors. Buy from queer-owned bookstores, because they tend to be pretty cool places. Support your local library (because they need it now more than ever)—checking out queer books shows them that they’re in demand, and that encourages librarians to keep on shelving them. For us book bloggers and other social media-oriented folks: keep on reviewing and shouting out books. And for all of us: no president, no government, and no legislation can take away your queerness. No one has that power but you. Your queerness is revolutionary and beautiful. Keep on being queer.

So here is my annual list of great LGBTQ+ reads from all sorts of genres, backgrounds, and identities. If I’ve mistakenly identified something about a book’s representation, please let me know! I’ve mixed YA and Adult books here, and I’ve also added a nonfiction section for the first time, as I’ve done with my other recommendation lists.

A refresher on my key:

MC: Main character

LI: Love interest

SC: Side character(s)

For my posts from previous years, click below:

Let’s begin, shall we?

🌈THE BOOKISH MUTANT’S BOOKS FOR PRIDE MONTH (2025 EDITION)🌈

FANTASY:

Includes paranormal, magical realism, horror, and genre fusion(s)

The River Has Roots – Amal El-Mohtar | Adult | queer MC, gender nonconforming LI | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
The Water Outlaws – S.L. Huang | Adult | sapphic MC, gender nonconforming MC | ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
The Library of the Unwritten – A.J. Hackwith | Adult | pansexual MC, bisexual SC, sapphic SC | ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
The Nightward – R.S.A. Garcia | Adult | Queer MC, queer and trans SCs | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Lost Story – Meg Shaffer | Adult | bisexual MC (x2), asexual MC | ⭐️⭐️⭐️.75
Someone You Can Build a Nest In – John Wiswell | Adult | sapphic/asexual MC, sapphic LI | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Freshwater – Akwaeke Emezi | Adult | gender nonconforming/sapphic MC |⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
To a Darker Shore – Leanne Schwartz | YA | demisexual MC, lesbian SCs | ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
The Sun and the Void – Gabriela Romero Lacruz | Adult | sapphic MCs | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Girl, The Ring, & The Baseball Bat – Camille Gomera-Tavarez | YA | bisexual MCs (x2), asexual MC | ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Death’s Country – R.M. Romero | YA | polyamorous MCs (f/f/m), bisexual SCs |⭐️⭐️⭐️.75
Sixteen Souls – Rosie Talbot | YA | gay MC, trans LI, several queer SCs | ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Gwen & Art are Not in Love – Lex Croucher | YA | bisexual MC, gay MC, gay & sapphic SCs | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Patricia Wants to Cuddle – Samantha Allen | Adult | bisexual MC, lesbian SCs | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

SCIENCE FICTION:

Includes dystopia, speculative fiction, & genre fusion(s)

Ocean’s Godori – Elaine U. Cho | Adult | queer MC, queer, polyamorous SC | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Last Gifts of the Universe – Riley August | Adult | nonbinary MC | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.75
You Sexy Thing – Cat Rambo | Adult | queer MC, nonbinary LI, various queer SCs | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
The Seep – Chana Porter | trans woman/lesbian MC, several sapphic & queer side characters | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.25
The Stardust Grail – Yume Kitasei | Adult | nonbinary MC, asexual SC, polyamorous SC | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Vela – Becky Chambers, Yoon Ha Lee, S.L. Huang, and Rivers Solomon | Adult | trans woman/lesbian MC, nonbinary MC, sapphic SCs, nonbinary SCs | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Floating Hotel – Grace Curtis | Adult | nonbinary MC, lesbian SC, bisexual SC, pansexual SC | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Stars Too Fondly – Emily Hamilton | Adult | bisexual MC, lesbian LI, trans woman SC, nonbinary SC | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Why on Earth: An Alien Invasion Anthology – edited by Rosiee Thor and Vania Stoyanova | YA | various queer/trans MCs and SCs (anthology) | ⭐️⭐️⭐️.75
Countess – Suzan Palumbo | Adult | lesbian MC | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Catherine House – Elisabeth Thomas | Adult | bisexual MC | ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
A People’s Future of the United States – edited by Victor LaValle and John Joseph Adams | Adult | various queer/trans MCs and SCs (anthology) | ⭐️⭐️⭐️.75
Finna – Nino Cipri | Adult | queer MC, nonbinary MC | ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Hammajang Luck – Makana Yamamoto | Adult | agender lesbian MC, lesbian LI, trans man SC, trans woman/lesbian SC, lesbian SC | ⭐️⭐️⭐️.75
Time and Time Again – Chatham Greenfield | YA | lesbian MC, nonbinary lesbian LI, several queer SCs | ⭐️⭐️⭐️.75

REALISTIC FICTION

Roll for Love – M.K. England | YA | bisexual MC, lesbian LI, asexual SC | ⭐️⭐️⭐️.75
Desert Echoes – Abdi Nazemian | YA | gay MC, gay LI, several queer SCs | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Love Letters for Joy – Melissa See | YA | panromantic asexual MC, pansexual LI, bisexual, lesbian, and gay SCs | ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
If You Still Recognize Me – Cynthia So | YA | bisexual MC, lesbian, sapphic, bisexual, gay, and nonbinary SCs
Ander & Santi Were Here – Jonny Garza Villa | YA | nonbinary MC, queer LI, bisexual, grey-ace, and lesbian SCs | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Can’t Take That Away – Steven Salvatore | YA | genderqueer MC, bisexual LI, gay, lesbian, and pansexual SCs | ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Some Girls Do – Jennifer Dugan | YA | bisexual MC, lesbian MC, trans, pansexual, and gay SCs | ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Stars in Their Eyes – Jessica Walton and Aśka | YA | bisexual MC, nonbinary LI | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Navigating With You – Jeremy Whitley and Cassio Ribeiro | YA | lesbian MC, bisexual MC | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Oye – Melissa Mogollon | YA | lesbian MC | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Between Perfect & Real – Ray Stoeve | YA | transmasc MC, lesbian, bisexual, gay, trans, and nonbinary SCs | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A Bánh Mì for Two – Trinity Nguyen | YA | bisexual MC, sapphic LI | ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

NONFICTION:

All Boys Aren’t Blue – George M. Johnson | ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Sister Outsider: Essays and Speeches – Audre Lorde | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Stonewall Reader – edited by the New York Public Library | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Welcome to St. Hell: My Trans Teen Misadventure – Lewis Hancox | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Bi: The Hidden Culture, History, and Science of Bisexuality – Julia Shaw | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Gender Queer: A Memoir – Maia Kobabe | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic – Alison Bechdel | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Strong Female Character – Fern Brady | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Fire Never Goes Out: A Memoir in Pictures – N.D. Stevenson | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK! Have you read any of these books, and if so, what did you think of them? What are some of your favorite queer books that you’ve read recently? Let me know in the comments!

Today’s song:

lindsey…please tell me this is a sign that you’re cooking something…

That’s it for this year’s pride recommendations! Have a wonderful rest of your day, and take care of yourselves!

Books

A Reading List for the Coming Four Years | Books for Rising, Resisting, and Keeping the Hope

Posted on January 20, 2025 by madeline @ The Bookish Mutant

Happy Monday, bibliophiles…sort of. We’re in for a long four years.

It’s already been said what a slap in the face it is to have Trump sworn in on the day we normally set aside to commemorate Martin Luther King Jr., one of America’s preeminent champions of civil rights. (I’m sure the administration will find some way to spin it in their favor, the same way that Trump spun the Women’s March. Eurgh.) I’m grieving. I will continue to grieve, so long as our country is once again helmed by a tyrant who uplifts the wealthy and bigoted while the marginalized are squashed underfoot. My processing this won’t end until we get him out of office (because I refuse to believe that this is the end), and that’s okay.

But today, as with most of the activity on this blog, I’d like to talk about books.

Anyone who has even had a semblance of a pulse on the news in the last five years or so has seen the increased hateful rhetoric surrounding books—particularly those concerned with promoting diverse voices. Mass book bans have swept the country, with everything from the most innocuous picture books to critical feminist knowledge being stricken down across the board, all in the name of “protecting the children.” The process of objecting to a book is frighteningly simple and straightforward, leading to bans on the basis of misinformation—just look at the time Amanda Gorman’s The Hill We Climb was challenged after a single complaint…and attributed to Oprah Winfrey (ah, yes, because all Black women are the same person, apparently). Apologies for the strong language here, but to quote a great button that I have on one of my jackets, “you know these fuckers banning books don’t read shit.” It’s true. Rarely do those in charge of banning, especially those in the highest offices in the country, consider the actual contents of the books—they simply get a whiff of anything that smells to them of D.E.I. or the “woke groomer agenda” and try to smite it out of the public consciousness.

It was never about the children. The majority of the books that are being banned to “protect children” aren’t even aimed at children. And even if they are, it’s only for superficial reasons—inclusions of, god forbid, diverse perspectives (LGBTQ+, POC, disabled, etc.) or acknowledgments that maybe, just maybe, America is not perfect and has never been perfect. It truly is dangerous. We’ve seen how the Trump campaign was built on twisting and exaggerating lies about this country, feeding its supporters that we must go back to some nonexistent, golden age. Of course it never existed, but the way that they do it is by blocking off access to information on all levels—perpetuating lies and attacking those who spread the truth. Book bans are how this is done at the largest level; it starts with the very youngest, and they claim to “protect the children” as they restrict their access to learning about how this country—and the world—truly is. The regimes that put blinders on its populations—especially the ones banning or burning books—never land on the right side of history.

I believe that the best way that you can combat this deliberate shielding of the truth is to read. In a world where the ruling class relies on you being complacent enough to accept their lies as fact, reading is the ultimate form of rebellion. We read to learn: about other kinds of living, other kinds of people, and possibilities in the imaginations of people you know nothing about. Literature is the site of change because it shows us this possibility—if you can imagine an alternative world, you can put it into action. When you feel powerless, remember that you have boundless knowledge at your fingertips.

So I’ve compiled this reading list for anyone looking to rebel. I’ve gathered books of all age levels and from all kinds of diverse voices that Trump and his cronies would have you believe neither matter nor exist. Whether your stance is to directly fight the power or quietly rebel by imagining a way out, there are books here for you. Fiction and nonfiction, here are the tools you need to combat misinformation, bigotry, and hatred—and have a great read, too.

A READING LIST FOR THE COMING FOUR YEARS | Books for Rising, Resisting, and Keeping the Hope

FOR THE FIGHT:

These are the books about resistance, in the real world and in imagined worlds. If you need the motivation to stand up and fight for your rights and the encouragement to not pull punches when doing so, these are the books for you.

A People’s Future of the United States – edited by Victor LaValle (anthology) | Adult, LGBTQ+, Sci-fi/fantasy
Squire – Sarah Alfageeh and Nadia Shammas | MG, fantasy
Can’t Take That Away – Steven Salvatore | YA, LGBTQ+, fiction
Your Plantation Prom is Not Okay – Kelly McWilliams | YA, fiction
The Luis Ortega Survival Club – Sonora Reyes | YA, LGBTQ+, fiction
We Are Not Free – Traci Chee | YA, historical fiction
Parable of the Sower (Earthseed, #1) – Octavia Butler | Adult, sci-fi
This Book Won’t Burn – Samira Ahmed | YA, fiction
The Mermaid, the Witch, and the Sea – Maggie Tokuda-Hall | YA, LGBTQ+, fantasy
To Shape a Dragon’s Breath – Moniquill Blackgoose – YA, LGBTQ+ fantasy
Iron Widow – Xiran Jay Zhao | YA, LGBTQ+, sci-fi
Warrior Girl Unearthed – Angeline Boulley | YA, fiction

FOR A BETTER TOMORROW:

Here is something I want to emphasize going forward: it’s important to fight, but not all of us have the strength to do so—and that’s okay! Plenty of people aren’t ready to get out into the streets, and we need to respect that perspective. (This is coming from someone who isn’t quite ready either.) What we need the most in these times is hope, and though there is injustice in these books, they present stories where, despite hardships, joy prevails. They also present vital alternatives to the now—one of the most powerful ways of resisting, in my opinion, is to have the ability to imagine a better tomorrow, whether it’s alternate history, the distant future, or simply a kinder present.

The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet – Becky Chambers | Adult, sci-fi
Brooms – Jasmine Walls and Teo DuVall | MG, LGBTQ+, fantasy/alternate history
Meru – S.B. Divya | Adult, LGBTQ+, sci-fi
The Stardust Grail – Yume Kitasei | Adult, sci-fi
The Reckless Kind – Carly Heath | YA, LGBTQ+, historical fiction
A Phoenix Must First Burn – edited by Patrice Caldwell (anthology) | YA, sci-fi/fantasy
Navigating With You – Jeremy Whitley and Casio Ribeiro | YA, LGBTQ+, fiction
Floating Hotel – Grace Curtis | Adult, LGBTQ+, sci-fi
Chameleon Moon – RoAnna Sylver | Adult, LGBTQ+, sci-fi
A Psalm for the Wild-Built – Becky Chambers | Adult, LGBTQ+, sci-fi
Stars in Their Eyes – Jessica Walton and Aśka | MG, LGBTQ+, fiction
The Sound of Stars – Alechia Dow | YA, LGBTQ+, sci-fi

FOR KNOWLEDGE:

The best way to combat misinformation is to inform yourself. Here are some of my favorite nonfiction books about resistance and feminism and its many facets—race, sexuality, gender, ability, and more. Ranging from revered feminist scholars to more contemporary perspectives, I hope there is something for everybody here.

Sister Outsider: Essays and Speeches – Audre Lorde | Adult, nonfiction
The Stonewall Reader – edited by the New York Public Library | Adult, nonfiction
The Trouble with White Women: A Counterhistory of Feminism – Kyla Schuller | Adult, nonfiction
Our Stories, Our Voices: 21 YA Authors Get Real about Injustice, Empowerment, and Growing Up Female in America – edited by Amy Reed (anthology) | YA, nonfiction
Our Stories Carried Us Here – edited by Julie Vang (anthology) | Adult, nonfiction
Disability Visibility: First-Person Stories from the 21st Century – edited by Alice Wong (anthology) | Adult, nonfiction
How to Argue With a Racist: What Our Genes Do (and Don’t) Say About Human Difference – Adam Rutherford | Adult, nonfiction
Year of the Tiger: An Activist’s Life – Alice Wong | Adult, nonfiction
March, Book One – John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell | Adult, nonfiction

A SELECTION OF GREAT BOOKS BANNED FOR RIDICULOUS REASONS:

Here in the U.S., we’ve seen a deeply disheartening uptick in book bans for a number of reasons—none of them valid. Standing up to book bans is essential in these times, and through it, you can discover some excellent literature, whether they’re classics like Maus and The Bluest Eye or newcomers like The Poet X.

Gender Queer – Maia Kobabe | Adult, LGBTQ+, nonfiction
The Poet X – Elizabeth Acevedo | YA, fiction
Maus – Art Spiegelman | Adult, nonfiction
Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic – Alison Bechdel | Adult, LGBTQ+, nonfiction
Drama – Raina Telgemeier | MG, LGBTQ+, fiction
The Bluest Eye – Toni Morrison | Adult, historical fiction
The Handmaid’s Tale – Margaret Atwood | Adult, sci-fi
All Boys Aren’t Blue: A Memoir Manifesto – George M. Johnson | YA, LGBTQ+, nonfiction
Juliet Takes a Breath – Gabby Rivera | YA, LGBTQ+, fiction

RESOURCES FOR FIGHTING AGAINST CENSORSHIP:

PEN America – if you’ve been paying attention to efforts against book banning, you’ve likely seen PEN America come up, and for good reason—they are one of the foremost organizations fighting for the rights of authors and journalists, as well as the freedom to read and write.
Authors Against Book Bans – self-explanatory, but this organization has a variety of resources on how you can fight against book bans around the country.
M.K. England (Substack) – although my list didn’t end up containing any of their books (sorry 😬), England has provided a comprehensive list of ways you can fight back against the potential threat of Project 2025 in terms of queer literature for younger (MG and YA) audiences.
SUPPORT! YOUR! LOCAL! LIBRARY! Wherever you are in this country, use as many of your library’s resources as you can! Whether you’re checking out books physically or digitally, or using their non-book services, libraries need all the support that they can get in these coming years.

That being said, this list is by no means exhaustive! I encourage you to look beyond this list to find even more books you love that live up to these principles. Scour the internet and your local library, and you are sure to find many more examples. Let me know in the comments what your favorite books about making change, resisting, and keeping hope are!

Today’s song:

it’s a relevant song for this post, but also, I did just listen to Humanz for the first time over the weekend. Not their best, but this was one of the highlights; as much as I despise Oasis, I do find it poetic that Albarn and Noel Gallagher sang together on this one after having the most ridiculous, decades-long rivalry. (To say nothing of Liam…)

That’s it for this post! Have a wonderful day, and…I know I put this at the end of every post, but please take care of yourselves. I love you.

Uncategorized

The Bookish Mutant’s 5-Star Reads of 2024

Posted on December 30, 2024 by madeline @ The Bookish Mutant

Happy Monday, bibliophiles!

Some years make it difficult to focus on the good things. It would be easy for me to look back at this year and see that it’s been ruled by anxiety, because…well, a good portion of it was. I was incredibly anxious about a number of things this year, I’m on the precipice of some big transitions in my life, and we’re entering a dark time in our country’s history. It can be so all-consuming that I forgot that it did not, in fact, consume all. I do have some pretty proud achievements to count towards myself this year, but most of all, I got through it. Whatever gripped me, whether or not I should have been worrying about it, I got through it. And I’m here. And I’ll be here through 2025.

The amount of books I’ve read gets smaller every year, but it’s allowed me to be more selective. Sure, my 5-star reads shrink every year, but it’s proportional to how much I actually read. I’m more selective now that I have less time to read—that doesn’t mean that bad books slip through, but I feel like the amount of stinkers I’ve read has decreased, and I’ve expanded my DNF criteria to just mean books that aren’t egregiously bad, but that I don’t want to continue with simply because life is short. My 5-star reads this year consisted of the return of old favorites, anticipated sequels, and new-to-me books that blew me out of the water—a diverse patchwork of a rocky but ultimately fruitful year—and they were a part of what made this year good.

NOTE: I will not be including re-reads on this post; I re-read The Galaxy, and the Ground Within as well as the entire WondLa trilogy this year—obvious 5-star reads.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️THE BOOKISH MUTANT’S 5-STAR READS OF 2024⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Crumrin Chronicles, vol. 1: The Charmed and the Cursed – Ted Naifeh – Courtney Crumrin returns…WE ARE SO BACK. | Read my review here!
The Crumrin Chronicles, vol. 2: The Lost and the Lonely – Ted Naifeh – see my comments for vol. 1.
The Crumrin Chronicles, vol. 3: The Wild and the Innocent – Ted Naifeh – again, see above, but this time, add a buff, gay camp counselor named after a Magnetic Fields song. Do wonders never cease…
The Brightness Between Us (The Darkness Outside Us, #2) – Eliot Schrefer – I never thought that a sequel to The Darkness Outside Us was necessary, but Schrefer blew it out of the water with this one. I don’t think the emotional heights of book 1 can ever be reached again, but damn, this one sure came close. | Read my review here!
Radiohead: Climbing Up the Walls – Tom Sheehan – it’s a bunch of behind the scenes photos of Radiohead…do I really have to explain?
Beautyland – Marie-Helene Bertino – a brilliant exploration of alien identity, longing for a home you’ve never had, and being human. | Read my review here!
The Stardust Grail – Yume Kitasei – art theft, creatures abound, and a deeply emotional story of preserving history and friendships. | Read my review here!
The Traveling Cat Chronicles – Hiro Arikawa – essential reading for anyone who has ever loved a cat. Had me crying in my bed. | Read my review here!
Squire – Nadia Shammas and Sara Alfageeh – an unflinching tale of imperialism from the eyes of an eager young girl. | Read my review here!
Sister Outsider – Audre Lorde – Audre Lorde. Need I say more?

HONORABLE MENTIONS (4.5 stars)

TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK! Have you read any of these books, and if so, did you enjoy them as much as I did? What were your favorite reads of the year? Let me know in the comments!

Today’s song:

That’s it for my favorite books of 2024! Have a wonderful rest of your day, and take care of yourselves!

Books

The Bookish Mutant’s Feminist Books for Women’s History Month (2024 Edition)

Posted on March 8, 2024March 6, 2024 by madeline @ The Bookish Mutant

Happy Friday, bibliophiles, and more importantly, Happy International Women’s Day!

Here in the U.S., March is Women’s History Month! In the years since I’ve started making these posts, the amount of attacks on women—in terms of laws attacking our bodily autonomy (as well as the bodily autonomy of trans and nonbinary people) and worldwide violence—has only increased. And amidst all of this turmoil, all I can take from this is that now, more than ever, we need feminism. We need to educate people, we need to help people to become less ignorant about the litany of issues plaguing marginalized groups here in the states and elsewhere. That, to me, is the most insidious consequence of the book bans spreading across the country: you take away a child’s ability to learn about perspectives outside of their own, and you produce an ignorant generation that does not question authority. In the absence of sound authority figures, books, more than ever, are our most valuable teachers.

Another change from my lists in previous years is that since my reading tastes have expanded, I’ve added adult and nonfiction books to this list—all of which I believe are just as valuable to feminism as any other book I’ve included. Enjoy!

For my previous lists, click below:

Let’s begin, shall we?

THE BOOKISH MUTANT’S FEMINIST BOOKS FOR WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH (2024 EDITION)

SCIENCE FICTION:

Parable of the Sower (Earthseed, #1) – Octavia Butler | Adult | Dystopia | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Crane Husband – Kelly Barnhill | Adult | Novella, Dystopia, Magical realism, Retellings | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Meru (The Alloy Era, #1) – S.B. Divya | Adult | LGBTQ+, Romance, Disability | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Ammonite – Nicola Griffith | Adult | Dystopia, LGBTQ+, Romance | ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Cloud Parliament – Olivia A. Cole | YA | Dystopia, LGBTQ+, Romance | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Bitch Planet, vol. 1: Extraordinary Machine – Kelly Sue DeConnick | Adult | Graphic Novels, Dystopia, LGBTQ+ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

FANTASY:

The Monsters We Defy – Leslye Penelope | Adult | Historical Fiction, Paranormal, Mystery | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Siren, The Song, and the Spy (The Mermaid, the Witch, and the Sea. #2) – Maggie Tokuda- Hall* | YA | High Fantasy, LGBTQ+. Romance, Disability | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
VenCo – Cherie Dimaline | Adult | Paranormal, Urban Fantasy | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
To Shape a Dragon’s Breath (Nampeshiweisit, #1) – Moniquill Blackgoose | YA | Historical Fiction, LGBTQ+, Romance, Disability | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Lost Dreamer – Lizz Huerta | YA | Historical Fiction, High Fantasy | ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Everfair – Nisi Shawl | Adult | Alternate History, Steampunk, LGBTQ+, Romance | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

*NOTE: The Siren, The Song, and the Spy is book 2 in a series, but I feel it should be included on this list for the feminist themes included in this book in particular.

REALISTIC FICTION:

Your Plantation Prom is Not Okay – Kelly McWilliams | YA | Romance | ⭐️⭐️⭐️.75, rounded up to ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Luis Ortega Survival Club – Sonora Reyes | YA | LGBTQ+, Romance | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Imogen, Obviously – Becky Albertalli | YA | LGBTQ+, Romance | ⭐️⭐️⭐️.75, rounded up to ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Firekeeper’s Daughter – Angeline Boulley | YA | Mystery, Thriller | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Not Here to Be Liked – Michelle Quach | YA | Romance | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.25
So Lucky – Nicola Griffith | Adult | Disability, LGBTQ+ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Forever Is Now – Mariama J. Lockington | YA | Novels in Verse, LGBTQ+, Romance, Disability | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Where You See Yourself – Claire Forrest | YA | Disability, Romance | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A Scatter of Light – Malinda Lo | YA | Historical Fiction, LGBTQ+, Romance | ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

NONFICTION:

Sister Outsider – Audre Lorde | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A Black Women’s History of the United States – Daina Ramey Berry and Kari Nicole Gross | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Disability Visibility: First-Person Stories from the 21st Century – edited by Alice Wong | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.25
Invisible: How Young Women with Serious Health Issues Navigate Work, Relationships, and the Pressure to Seem Just Fine – Michele Lent Hirsch | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Wake: The Hidden History of Women-Led Slave Revolts – Rebecca Hall | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I’m Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness – Austin Channing Brown | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK! Have you read any of these books, and if so, what did you think of them? What are your favorite feminist books? Let me know in the comments!

Today’s song:

never thought I’d go through this whole album bc I was so Kate Bush’d out in 2022 but this one’s fantastic almost all the way through

That’s it for this list! Have a wonderful rest of your day, and take care of yourselves!

Monthly Wrap-Ups

February 2024 Wrap-Up 🫀

Posted on February 29, 2024 by madeline @ The Bookish Mutant

Happy Thursday, bibliophiles! Happy Leap Day too, I suppose.

Already the end of February, huh? Good riddance honestly. Not that I had a bad month, but I’m just ready for all this gross, slushy weather to be over with.

Let’s begin, shall we?

GENERAL THOUGHTS:

February’s definitely still been busy, but now that I’m more used to my schedule and able to keep myself on track, it’s all good. Things are getting into gear with my classes, I’ve been able to make time to write and make art and hang out with friends, and the weather is starting to warm up. Key word is starting. We’ve had snow almost every Friday or weekend without fail for…probably a month or two? Colorado. The meteorological indecision never ends. But luckily, other than that first week, I’ve been able to blog somewhat steadily.

Reading has been similarly good—sadly, most of the books I’ve read for school so far haven’t been my favorites (apologies in advance to all the Jane Austen fans here), but other than that, there have been very few misses! I also shifted my focus to books by Black authors this month for Black History Month, and I’ve read both familiar and new-to-me authors and had tons of fun. I also ended up having two five-star reads in a month, so I’d call it good! I’m glad that I’ve been able to keep up my reading schedule, because there’s so many books I’m excited to read soon! A whole bunch of holds from Libby have been pouring in, all of which I’ve been eagerly anticipating…

Other than that, I’ve just been cranking out tons of writing, drawing here and there, watching Abbott Elementary, BEEF (absolutely SHAKESPEAREAN lemme tell you), The Bear (ngl I’m mostly just in it for the needle drops), and Constellation (WHAT IS GOING ON 😀), and being in a near-constant state of being on my toes since I never know when we’re gonna get dumped with snow.

Oh, and I think we have the best possible end to a month that I’ve had in several months…BABE. WAKE UP. NEW ST. VINCENT JUST DROPPED. WE’RE GETTING THE ALBUM, TODAY’S THE DAAAAAAAAAAAY

APRIL 29TH CANNOT COME SOON ENOUGH.

READING AND BLOGGING:

I read 17 books this month! Definitely more than I expected to read, but I’m about at the point in the year where I’m familiar enough with my schedule that I can squeeze in more time for reading. There were definitely a few stinkers in the mix, but I had not one but two five star reads this month, which was pretty incredible! My eternal thanks to Audre Lorde and R.F. Kuang.

2 – 2.75 stars: