The Two Lies of Faven Sythe – The Bookish Mutant

Happy Thursday, bibliophiles!

Here in the U.S., June is Pride Month! You know the drill. I hate how bittersweet these posts are, and the bitter keeps growing. I see the beauty of this month and our queer community, but I can’t help but shrivel from the reminders that there have been repeated attempts to take queer books off the shelves across the country, and that the trans community here in the states has been under attack more than ever. My heart truly, truly hurts for all of us. I hurt. Of course, here I am, being cisgender in my cushy blue state with an openly gay governor, but nonetheless, I hurt whenever any other member of the queer community is hurt.

I’ve been an out and proud bisexual for almost eight years. Not long, in the grand scheme of things, but these years have taught me so much about queer people and the LGBTQ+ community. If there’s anything that I see in us, it’s our tenacity. No matter the slew of hateful legislation and rhetoric, we always come back stronger than ever. If there’s anything that the queer community doesn’t do, it’s back down in the face of a threat. In spite of the never-ending threats from outside and inside (the infighting never stops, y’all need to be normal about each other, please), we are like dandelions pushing through the cracks in the pavement: we never surrender, and we continue to bloom in the face of adversity.

But here’s the thing. I don’t like having to be this resilient. I don’t think any of us do. But if there’s anything to take solace in, it’s that our community is so strong and diverse that there will always be someone fighting. Yes, we all have to do what we must, but it’s important to remember that simply surviving, just being, is resistance in the face of the government wanting the public to believe that we aren’t worthy of the same rights as everybody else and that our stories are not fit for public consumption. You don’t have to be out and proud. All you have to do is be.

So here’s my annual pride month recommendations list of queer books from a variety of genres and backgrounds. I’ve compiled all kinds of books from various sexual orientations and gender identities, as well as backgrounds (queer people of color, disabled queer people, queer immigrants, etc.). Hopefully there’s something for everyone. (As always, if I’ve mistakenly identified anything on this list, please let me know! I’m only human.)

Now, more than ever, it’s crucial to support the LGBTQ+ community (especially the trans community, who are under attack more than ever) in whatever way you can. If you want to show your support them monetarily, here are some great organizations to donate to:

This is a non-exhaustive list, and I encourage you to seek out organizations in your area! There are so many wonderful people across the country (and the world) doing great work for the LGBTQ+ community.

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:

When the Tides Held the Moon – Venessa Vida Kelley | Adult | gay/demisexual MC, gay LI, mlm relationship | POC, historical fiction, romance | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Can’t Spell Treason Without Tea – Rebecca Thorne | Adult | lesbian MC, lesbian LI, nonbinary SC | cozy fantasy, disability, romance | ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Somadina – Akwaeke Emezi | YA | queer MC, several queer/trans SCs | POC, high fantasy, romance | ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Funeral Songs for Dying Girls – Cherie Dimaline | YA | sapphic MC | POC, disability, paranormal, urban fantasy, romance | ⭐️⭐️⭐️.75
Lady’s Knight – Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner | YA | sapphic MC and LI, wlw relationship | epic fantasy, romance | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Call Forth a Fox – Markelle Grabo | YA | bisexual MC, sapphic LI, wlw relationship | high fantasy, romance | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Library of Broken Worlds – Alaya Dawn Johnson | YA | sapphic MC and LI, wlw relationship, several queer/gender-nonconforming SCs (queernormative world, widespread use of neopronouns) | space fantasy, romance, POC | ⭐️⭐️⭐️.75
Direct Descendant – Tanya Huff | Adult | lesbian MC, several queer SCs | paranormal, urban fantasy, romance | ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

SCIENCE FICTION:

The Two Lies of Faven Sythe – Megan O’Keefe | Adult | sapphic MC and LI, wlw relationship, several queer SCs | space opera, romance | ⭐️⭐️⭐️.75
The Ephemera Collector – Stacy Nathaniel Jackson | Adult | sapphic MC | dystopia, disability, POC | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Redsight – Meredith Mooring | Adult | bisexual MC, sapphic LI, wlw relationship, several queer SCs | space opera | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Of Monsters and Mainframes – Barbara Truelove | Adult | nonbinary MC, sapphic MC, sapphic SC | horror, space opera, space fantasy | ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Failure to Communicate – Kaia Sønderby | Adult | bisexual/polyamorous MC, queer/poly SC, several queer SCs | space opera, disability | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Strange Bedfellows – Ariel Slamet Ries | YA | transmasc MC, queer LI, mlm relationship | disability, romance, POC | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Red Star Rebels – Amie Kaufman | YA | bisexual MC | thriller, romance, hard sci-fi |⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Murder by Memory – Olivia Waite | Adult | sapphic MC, wlw relationship, various queer SCs | cozy mystery, novella | ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Ancestral Night – Elizabeth Bear | Adult | lesbian MC, various queer SCs | disability, space opera | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Interstellar Megachef – Lavanya Lakshminarayan | Adult | lesbian MC, wlw relationship, several queer SCs | cozy sci-fi, POC, space opera, romance | ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Volatile Memory – Seth Haddon | Adult | sapphic trans woman MC, sapphic LI, several queer SCs | novella, romance | ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Unexploded Remnants – Elaine Gallagher | Adult | trans woman MC, several queer SCs | space opera, novella | ⭐️⭐️⭐️.75
A Swift and Sudden Exit – Nico Vincenty | Adult | bisexual MC, lesbian LI, several queer SCs | time travel, romance, dystopia |⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
The Infinite Miles – Hannah Fergesen | Adult | sapphic MC and LI, several queer SCs | time travel | ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
A Big Ship at the Edge of the Universe – Alex White | Adult | sapphic MC and LI, wlw relationship, several queer SCs | space opera | ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
The Obake Code – Makana Yamamoto | Adult | queer MC, nonbinary LI, several queer side characters | thriller, dystopia, romance, POC | ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

REALISTIC/HISTORICAL FICTION:

The Loudest Silence – Sydney Langford | YA | aroace MC, bisexual MC, several queer SCs | POC, disability, coming of age | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Ballad of Jacquotte Delahaye – Briony Cameron | Adult | bisexual MC, several queer SCs | POC, historical fiction, disability, romance | ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Open Throat – Henry Hoke | Adult | queer, gender non-conforming MC, queer LI | animal POV, literary fiction, novella | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.25 *
Amelia, If Only – Becky Albertalli | YA | bisexual MC, bisexual SC, several queer SCs | romance, coming-of-age | ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
If We Were a Movie – Zakiya N. Jamal | YA | sapphic MC and LI, wlw relationship, nonbinary SC, aroace SC | POC, romance | ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Giovanni’s Room – James Baldwin | Adult | gay MC and LI | classics, literary fiction |⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
According to Plan – Christen Randall | YA | nonbinary, bisexual MC, bisexual LI, queer relationship, several queer SCs | disability, romance | ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
The Golden Boy’s Guide to Bipolar – Sonido Reyes | YA | bisexual MC, lesbian, gay, nonbinary, and bisexual SCs | POC, disability, coming of age | ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 **

*it’s worth noting that the main character of this novella is a mountain lion, but I feel like it still counts.

**the cover for The Golden Boy’s Guide to Bipolar has not yet been updated to reflect Sonido Reyes’s name change.

ANTHOLOGIES (VARIOUS GENRES):

Being Ace: An Anthology of Queer, Trans, Femme, and Disabled Stories of Asexual Love and Connection – edited by Madeline Dyer | YA | various queer identities throughout, with a focus on the asexual/aromantic spectrum | science fiction, fantasy, disability, POC | ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
We Will Rise Again: Speculative Stories and Essays on Protest, Resistance, and Hope – edited by Karen Lord, Annalee Newitz, and Malka Older | Adult | various queer identities throughout | speculative fiction, sci-fi, fantasy, nonfiction essays, feminism | ⭐️⭐️⭐️.75
A Healthy Interest in the Lives of Others – Teresa Carmody | Adult | various queer identities throughout | literary fiction | ⭐️⭐️⭐️.75

NONFICTION:

Hijab Butch Blues: A Memoir – Lamya H. | Adult | POC, memoir, religion, feminism | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Borderlands/La Frontera: The New Mestiza – Gloria Anzaldúa | Adult | POC, essays, poetry, feminism | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Messy Roots – Laura Gao | YA | POC, graphic novel, memoir | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Ace: What Asexuality Reveals about Desire, Society, and the Meaning of Sex – Angela Chen | Adult | POC, nonfiction, sociology | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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:

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: