The Ballad of Jacquotte Delahaye

Happy Tuesday, bibliophiles!

This past week, September 16-23, has been Bisexual Visibility Week, and today, September 23rd, is Bisexual Visibility Day! See me. I’m right here. Well, in your screen. Along with my Latine Heritage Month post, this is another one that I’ve neglected to do some years since it comes at a slightly dicey time in the school year, but I probably shouldn’t be neglecting, since it, y’know, directly correlates to my identity. Oops. A little embarrassing, but once again, no time like the present.

Every year. Every year, I swear to god. I’m much less online than I used to be, but from what I see snatches of, every other year, some discourse comes back about whether or not bisexuals are actually “queer enough” or if straight-passing bisexuals are allowed at pride, or something equally meaningless. (Also, I feel like everyone debating the latter should remember that Brenda Howard, a bisexual woman, was a key figure in creating Pride events and rallies as we know them here in the States.) Just seeing flashes of whatever’s going down on TikTok makes me lose a year off my life. But it brings up a point that I’ve often thought about when it comes to the queer community: the infighting needs to stop. Please. There’s no sense in playing the oppression olympics amongst ourselves, especially when the threats against the LGBTQ+ community at large are so much more pressing. Also, please stop being weird about bisexual people. This is coming from somebody who’s had the privilege of not experiencing any direct biphobia, thankfully, but has heard it in real life directed at friends and loved ones, as well as seeing it run rampant on the internet. All of this petty fighting is a distraction from what’s really happening: not long after they removed the word transgender from the Stonewall National Monument website, they removed the word bisexual from the “history and culture” section. As of now, they’ve since reinstated it (though the absence of trans people remains glaring…love to all my trans siblings, in light of, well, everything), but it sends a clear message: they’re bent on cutting our community up until they can conveniently erase it from American history. And we will not be erased.

To all of my fellow bisexuals: you are bisexual enough. No matter your relationship status, attraction, or partner, you will always be bisexual. Nobody can dictate your identity but you. Not the internet, not the people in your life—nobody. There is no one central bisexual experience, but every individual experience under the sun is valid, so long as you want to claim it. You’re the captain of this ship, and you are bisexual enough. And you are loved. I don’t know about you, but I’ve loved being bisexual in the nearly seven years (Jesus, has it been that long?)

For my lists from previous years, click below:

Let’s begin, shall we?

🩷💜💙THE BOOKISH MUTANT’S BOOKS FOR BISEXUAL VISIBILITY WEEK (2025 EDITION)🩷💜💙

FANTASY & MAGICAL REALISM:

Gwen & Art are Not in Love – Lex Croucher | YA | high fantasy, romance | ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Patricia Wants to Cuddle – Samantha Allen | Adult | paranormal, urban fantasy | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Lost Story – Meg Shaffer | Adult | magical realism, romance | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The First Bright Thing – J.R. Dawson | Adult | historical fiction, magical realism, paranormal, romance | ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
The Girl, the Ring, & The Baseball Bat – Camille Gomera-Tavarez | YA | magical realism, romance | ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Saints of Storm and Sorrow – Gabriella Buba | Adult | high fantasy, romance | ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

SCIENCE FICTION:

Redsight – Meredith Mooring | Adult | space opera, space fantasy, disability | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Stars Too Fondly – Emily Hamilton | Adult | space opera, romance | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Road to Ruin – Hana Lee | Adult | dystopia, romance | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Salvation Gambit – Emily Skrutskie | Adult | thriller, romance | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Under Fortunate Stars – Ren Hutchings | Adult | space opera, romance | ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Catherine House – Elisabeth Thomas | Adult | thriller, historical fiction, dark academia | ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
To Be Taught, If Fortunate – Becky Chambers | Adult | novella, speculative fiction | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

REALISTIC AND HISTORICAL FICTION:

or “dear god, how do almost all of these books have pink/purple pastel covrers?”

A Bánh Mì for Two – Trinity Nguyen | YA | romance | ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Roll for Love – M.K. England | YA | romance | ⭐️⭐️⭐️.75
If You Still Recognize Me – Cynthia So | YA | contemporary, romance | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Some Girls Do – Jennifer Dugan | YA | coming of age, romance | ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
The Loudest Silence – Sydney Langford | YA | coming of age, disability | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Stars in Their Eyes – Jessica Walton and Aśka | YA | graphic novels, romance, disability | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Margo Zimmerman Gets the Girl – Brianna R. Shrum and Sara Waxelbaum | YA | romance | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A Scatter of Light – Malinda Lo | YA | historical fiction, coming of age | ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
The Ballad of Jacquotte Delahaye – Briony Cameron | Adult | historical fiction, romance, disability | ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Navigating With You – Jeremy Whitley and Cassio Ribeiro | YA | graphic novels, romance, disability | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Amelia, If Only – Becky Albertalli | YA | contemporary, romance | ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

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 books by bisexual authors? Let me know in the comments!

Today’s song:

MICHELANGELO DYING IS UPON US, LET’S GOOOOO

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

Happy Monday, bibliophiles!

Once again, I dropped off without warning, so apologies for that. But I just started school and moved into a new apartment, so I haven’t had much time to squeeze in some blogging. (Never mind the fact that I also have a short story due tomorrow and it’s only about 3 weeks into the semester. Whee!) This post has been written in advance, so that’s why you’re seeing it here. Chances are, I’ll probably be radio silent for a little while longer as I get my stuff fully together. But for now, here’s a recap of the latter half of my summer!

Let’s begin, shall we?

GENERAL THOUGHTS:

I’m one of those people who, even in the face of an expanse of free time (summer), easily gets restless and anxious. The solution was there all along…employment. I helped out with some online summer classes, which was a wonderful way to give some structure to my summer and provide something to break up the routine. And when the class ended, I’m proud of myself for committing to not slipping back into my anxiety before school started. When I look back at the person I was a year ago…well, I want to give her a hug, first off, but I’m so proud of the progress I’ve made since then. Anxiety really had taken ahold of me, and little by little, with the support of my wonderful family and friends (thank yous are due) and the work I’ve put in, I’ve been learning to take the reins back. There’s no feeling quite like seeing measurable progress in yourself. It’s worth it to try, is all I’m saying.

My obligatory temperature check on American politics might be pointless at this point, as the thermometer reached its hottest point long ago and the glass has all but shattered. I’d prefer not to dwell on it much. As a birthday treat, I stayed off the news for the whole week, and I’m continuing the streak. Some days the spirals get me, but I’m fighting like hell to make sure that they don’t take my sanity away and make me vulnerable to complete, utter helplessness. All I can say is for everyone to take care of yourselves. I love you. My heart goes out to everyone, but especially those in Washington D.C., Minneapolis, and Chicago.

And oh my god…I guess when I’m doing these 2-month wrap-ups, I forget that so much can happen in 2 months! Crazy, right? Superman? A massive ray of light in a dreary landscape of gritty superhero movies. Hope is punk rock. Saving squirrels is punk rock. (If anything, see it just to see Nicholas Hoult seething after Superman saves some kids.) Fantastic Four: First Steps? The first MCU movie I’ve enjoyed—genuinely enjoyed—in years. The world needed all that Silver Age goofiness (and Cousin Thing). I had the immense privilege of seeing Wilco twice, and both nights were spectacular! And Car Seat Headrest…I’ve already rambled enough about it. I crode. (See my accounts below scattered amongst the various July Sunday Songs posts.) I dyed my hair another crazy color. I finished knitting a whole scarf yesterday. I played guitar, I drew, I read, I wrote…I’m trying everything to keep the art in my life, even if only a smidge every day.

And I took another trip around the sun. I feel so grateful to be closing another chapter and starting a new one. I don’t want to jinx it, but I have a feeling that my senior year of college (how the HELL did that happen?? 😭) will be a good one. I’ll try to approach it in the same way that I’ve approached decorating my new place: putting in the work to making a space that I love. If anything, I ended August celebrating my birthday, laughing and eating cake, surrounded by people who I cherish. I have to remind myself, always, that even if I don’t see it, that I’m surrounded by love.

JULY READING WRAP-UP:

I read 16 books in July! Though there were a handful of misses, I read a ton of fantastic books for Disability Pride Month. The last book I read this month (On Earth As It Is on Television) unexpectedly blew me out of the water.

2 – 2.75 stars:

You, Me, and Our Heartstrings – Melissa See (⭐️⭐️.5)
The Words in My Hands – Asphyxia (⭐️⭐️.75)

3 – 3.75 stars:

How to Tell When We Will Die: On Pain, Disability, and Doom – Johanna Hedva (⭐️⭐️⭐️)
Ab(solutely) Normal: Short Stories That Smash Mental Health Stereotypes – edited by Nora Shalaway Carpenter and Rocky Callen (anthology) (⭐️⭐️⭐️)
Something More – Jackie Khalilieh (⭐️⭐️⭐️.5)
Can’t Spell Treason Without Tea (Tomes & Tea, #1) – Rebecca Thorne (⭐️⭐️⭐️.5)
Under This Forgetful Sky – Lauren Yero (⭐️⭐️⭐️.5)
Out on a Limb – Hannah Bonam-Young (⭐️⭐️⭐️.5)
The Two Lies of Faven Sythe – Megan O’Keefe (⭐️⭐️⭐️.75)

4 – 4.75 stars:

The Dispossessed – Ursula K. LeGuin (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)
The Loudest Silence – Sydney Langford (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)
All the Noise At Once – DeAndra Davis (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)
The Ephemera Collector – Stacy Nathaniel Jackson (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)
Redsight – Meredith Mooring (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)
Open Throat – Henry Hoke (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.25)
On Earth As It Is on Television – Emily Jane (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.75)

FAVORITE BOOK OF THE MONTH: On Earth As It Is on Television – 4.75 stars

REVIEWS:

SUNDAY SONGS:

BONUS:

The Bookish Mutant’s Books for Disability Pride Month (2025 Edition)

AUGUST READING WRAP-UP:

I read 14 books in August! Thankfully, I only read two books that I really didn’t care for, and there were tons of wins throughout the month: monsters in space, a surprisingly emotional story about sea monsters and Pokémon-obsessed children, and the great Brian Eno.

2 – 2.75 stars: