Hello beautiful readers! We come to you with some great queer reads this week, including some cozy aroace science fiction, some steamy M/M contemporary, and more!

✨ BOOK OF THE WEEK ✨

Shoot Your Best Shot

Alex Pendragon

Sign up for Alex’s newsletter for a free short story!

Contemporary

Spiciness / Heat Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

Representation: Queer, Questioning, Bisexual

Freshman Chase is desperate for some time to himself. Taking care of personal business is hard enough when you're nineteen and painfully shy, never mind when your pleasure preferences require balancing upside-down. The chance of getting caught in his dorm room isn't the only precarious part of his playtime. A side-hustle housesitting gives Chase the opportunity he's been thirsting for, only to run headlong into Elias. Handsome, sexually-omnivorous, and breathtakingly blunt, the beguiling older guy instantly triggers Chase's prey instinct. How can he run, though, when Elias' hedonistic confidence steamrolls Chase's indecision so addictively? When Chase's roommate stumbles on their secret play, he doesn't need to pry about what Chase is into: the answer's abundantly clear on his face. And once that messy truth is out, Chase's weakness for power play and exposure are about to get put to the test. The intentions are good but the aim can be questionable, in this high-heat queer coming-of-age erotica.

Regular Price: $3.99

Itchio || Elsewhere

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The Loves of Her Life

Sage Donnell

Romance, Cozy

Spiciness / Heat Level: 🌶️

Representation: Lesbian, Sapphic, Bi

Three amazing women. Two great loves. One impossible choice. Hayden’s neurodivergence means that she struggles in social situations, but when she met Lizzie everything felt right with the world. They fell in love, got married, and moved abroad. When Lizzie was kidnapped and presumed dead, Hayden’s whole life fell apart. Thoughtful, creative Kira picked up the pieces of Hayden’s broken heart and gave her a second chance at love. Now, after three wonderful years together, they’re ready to take the next step. That is, until Lizzie shows up, alive and well with nowhere to go except home to the woman she still considers her wife. Overjoyed and overwhelmed, Hayden stalls for time by agreeing to go on five dates with each of the loves of her life before choosing. But the choice is unbearable. Secretly, she has another plan, one which could mean a happy ending for all of them – if she can just make it happen.

Discounted Price: $0.99 || Regular Price: $4.99

Amazon

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HEART OF THE Covenant

S. L. Dove Cooper

Science Fiction, Cozy

Spiceness / Heat Level: 🍭

Represenation: Aromantic, Asexual

In Heart of the Covenant, five stories explore ties of friendship, family and culture, embracing our differences and our similarities.

Having applied to be an ambassador for her people within the Galactic Covenant, Hedriar has relocated to Cerulean Station, one of the Covenant's largest residential stations. There, she'll spend the next years sharing her own culture and learning about the Covenant's as part of an exchange programme between the two.

Hedriar may not have the most detailed of plans of what, or even how, to share the aspects of her culture that matter most to her, but she's got enthusiasm, family and new-found friends at her side. She'll figure it out, and along the way she'll learn that what people value most may not be so different at the core.

Heart of the Covenant is a cosy, low-stakes science fiction collection with a strong focus on slice-of-life narratives.

Regular Price: $3.99

Itchio

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Mazarin Blues

Series: Hep Cats of Boise #1

Al Hess

Spiceiness / Heat Level: 🌶️ 🌶️ 🌶️

Representation: Gay, Bisexual, Asecual, Non-binary, Achillean

Introvert Reed Rothwell is part of a subculture of art deco enthusiasts, pushing back against bland mainstream society and its mandated technology. Stuck with an AI assistant in his head is bad enough, but when he's inflicted with a forced upgrade to a new beta version, named Mazarin, the navigator starts to take on feelings and opinions of his own.

When rumors spread of beta navs turning on their pilots, Reed is determined not to become a victim. Mazarin hasn't become violent yet – the AI is sympathetic and understanding – but with beta participants coerced into slitting their own throats, it's only a matter of time before Reed is next. The AI megacorporation already has an unhealthy interest in Reed, and all the beta testers who have sought help for their navigators have disappeared.

Desperation drives Reed further into the art deco subculture, where he meets a handsome bad boy named Jax, who is not only the exact kind of romantic support Reed needs right now, but he has connections to illegally terminate Reed's AI. But Mazarin has never tried to harm Reed – he loves Reed.

Grappling with ridding himself of intrusive technology, the morality of hurting his self-aware AI, and avoiding the attention of a company that wants to sweep Reed's existence under the rug might be too much for one hep cat to handle.

FREE / Pay What You Want

Itchio

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CHAMELEON MOON

Series: Chameleon Moon #1

RoAnna Sylver

Dystopian, Science Fiction

Spiciness / Heat Level: 🌶

Representation: Aromantic, Asexual, Queer, Trans, Lesbian

The city of Parole is burning. Like Venice slips into the sea, Parole crumbles into fire.

The entire population inside has been quarantined and left to die – directly over the open flame. Eye in the Sky, a deadly and merciless police force ensures no one escapes. Ever. All that's keeping Parole alive is faith in the midst of horrors and death, trust in the face of desperation... and their fantastic, terrifying, and beautiful superhuman abilities.

Regan, silent, scaly stealth expert, is haunted by ten years of anxiety, trauma and terror, and he's finally reached his limit. Evelyn is a fearless force on stage and sonic-superheroic revolutionary on the streets. Now they have a choice – and a chance to not only escape from Parole, but unravel the mystery deep in its burning heart. And most of all, discover the truth about their own entwining pasts.

Parole's a rough place to live. But they're not dead yet. If they can survive the imminent cataclysmic disaster, they might just stay that way...

Itchio || Amazon

Discounted Price: $0.99 || Regular Price: $4.99

🎧 This book is also available as an audiobook

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Bundle Corner 🎁

Disaster Lesbians in Fantasy for Lesbian Visibility Week

Forget chosen ones, we want disaster lesbians! Lesbian forest witches making a mess of things, lesbian space goddesses causing destruction, lesbian rebels plotting to overthrow the king, lesbian warrior princesses determined to take the crown or destroy the world trying, lesbian priestesses seeking the powers of life and death!

Contains multiple books from sapphic author, Dax Murray, including:

• A Lake of Feathers and Moonbeams (Indie Ink Awards Finalist 2023)
• Shades and Silver (Indie Ink Awards Finalist 2023)
• Stars and Soil (Indie Ink Awards Finalist 2024)

Snag it on Itchio for $15.00 Regularly $30 for all items! 50% off!

🎧 Some books in this bundle have audiobook versions available elsewhere.

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We will be back on the 26th with nearly 30 books on April 26th to celebrate Lesbian Visibility Day! If you have a book you feel belongs, it’s not too late to submit it! Simply fill out the form before the 25th to have your lesbian book included! All genres and heat levels welcome. Thank you so much for your continued readership. We love bringing you discounted and affordable queer books every week.

Hello wonderful readers of queer literature! I asked Alex Harvey-Rivas if they would mind sharing a little bit about the inspiration for the setting of their upcoming sapphic fantasy novel, The Distance Between Stars and Salt. To my joy, they agreed! Today is also the official cover reveal for the book, too! Isn’t it great? If you recognize the art style, that’s because the artist is Eva I, who’s had other covers featured here, too! Anyway, I’ll let Alex take it from here!

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I have been desperate to write a Maltese-inspired work for several years now. My nanna (grandma) was born in Floriana on the main island of Malta and grew up there before immigrating to Canada. From there, she had my mother, who in turn immigrated to the States and had me. Along the way, thanks to the tenuous relationship my mother has to her parents, our knowledge of Malta eroded to a terse exchange of emails and a couple of small relics. As such, research evaded me for a while; despite having been occupied by numerous nations over its history, the amount of writings on Malta is much fewer when compared to some of its surrounding neighbors. Worse still, I had to fine-tune many of my search terms, lest I end up getting information about the dog breed instead (though it is here I note that I also had those growing up). As cute as the dog breed might be, they were not where my attention was aimed.

Still, when I was delivered the first iterations of an idea for The Distance Between Stars and Salt by a doting partner of mine, I quickly found myself devolving into a three-week long research fugue, throwing spaghetti at a wall and scanning every link, Youtube video, and podcast episode I could find. Additionally, I contacted my nanna for the first time in many years. Strand by starchy strand, this novel began to emerge.

Most of the Maltese influence is front-loaded in the first handful of chapters. Due to the structure of the novel, it is in parts a travelogue, so our main characters arrive at and see glimpses into a handful of islands and their corresponding cultures. The island of il-Zedina, where the story starts and ends, is our Maltese analogue. I wanted to steep us in as much of this environment as possible, so I threw in as many miscellaneous aspects of the island that I could. All throughout the novel, you will see references to well monsters, flooding streets, luzzu, pastizzi, gostra poles, the Saints (including a fantasy version of Saint Paul—-Malta loves Saint Paul), Maltese funerary customs, il-bizzilla, and much, much more.

Which leads me to a cultural choice that I made: the inclusion of the Maltese language. I cannot speak Maltese, but part of my research led me to places I can start (as well as a ton of Maltese musicians, including a rapper who performs entirely in Maltese). That said, roughly 500,000 people are capable of speaking the language around the world. It isn't endangered at this point in time, as endangerment is considered based on the rate of speakers in a population and, as of 2012, 98% of the country of Malta could speak the language. Fun fact, that's about as much of the country is registered Roman Catholic! In any case, Maltese is the official language of Malta and used prolifically there, so it only made sense for me to include the language in my novel itself. It's peppered throughout the novel and I've included a glossary in the back with translations (and also explanations of some in-world concepts)

That's also why I decided to include Saints, by the by! Initially, I intended to craft the island of il-Zedina without the influence of Roman Catholicism, but the religion is as deeply-baked into Malta's culture as much anything else and I quickly found myself in a corner. Saint Paul needed to be referenced, due to his importance on the island, but how do you reference a saint where there are no Saints? Thus, I devised a whole magic system based around the Saints, compiling a list of Saints important to Malta and whitling them down to a list of people I could base some magic off of. It's a system oft-mentioned but rarely used—-and you'll find out why when it's eventually shown!

A couple of fun facts before I leave, because I'm constantly finding new fun things to include: did you know there is a turn-based card game based around Maltese monsters? It's called SWAR and is a siege-style game made by a company called Troll-Pressed Papers. I've included a link to their original indiegogo campaign. Another fun fact: there are structures called dolmens, which is a type of megalithic structure comprised of a large stone balanced on two other stones.Think of a giant stone table. Dolmen exist all over the world and often, their purposes appear to be funerary in base. They even exist in Malta! However, there is no archaeological evidence to tell us what the dolmen in Malta were used for! There's just giant stone structures there that... exist? And no one knows why. I think that's fascinating.

I hope by now it is clear how passionate this project has made me. There are many aspects of my heritage in this novel. There are also plenty of things that I made up for the sake of fantasy. Due to the nature of my research, there are plenty of things I struggled to verify or wasn't completely certain on, and in those cases I erred on the side of whatever would work the best within this setting. My hope is that I have done a well enough job enmeshing everything to craft something believable and to do justice to the island nation my mother's family hailed from.

Time will tell, I suppose.

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Learn more about The Distance Between Stars and Salt.

Unable to wait? Alex has several other works available, including a great sapphic dark-academia A Sharper More Lasting Pain available at Itchio and other retailers!

You can Find Alex Harvey-Rivas on Itchio, KoFi, Patreon, BlueSky, Threads, Instagram, or sign up for their newsletter!

#AuthorSpotlight #AlexHarveyRivas

Cool news for this week: Going foward, books that have audiobooks available will have a notation of that fact! We can’t guarantee that the audibook versions of the books featured here will be available at a discount as authors and publishers have very little control over audiobook prices, but we want to make sure our readers who prefer audiobooks know when a book at least has one available! Keep your eye out for the 🎧 emoji!

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✨ BOOK OF THE WEEK ✨

Blade Broken

Series: The Echelon, #1

Niranjan

Get a free short story when you join Niranjan’s newsletter

Fantasy

Spiciness / Heat Level: 🍭

Representation: Bi, Asexual, Demisexual, Polyamory

A spy lurking in the shadows, a nation on the verge of an invasion, a man desperate to protect his home. Lucian is the Blade of Castrial, the kingdom's spymaster and first line of defense, lauded for his success in repelling an invasion from Garaner. But the war has left Castrial's economy in shambles, and when the neighbouring kingdom of Sarian musters their armies and sends spies into Castrial, Lucian realises two things: they have a spy in their midst, and they can't afford the cost of fighting off another invasion. And if that wasn't trouble enough, there is Alaric, the Shield of Castrial and the only man in the Echelon whose power is equal to Lucian's. Returned from banishment like the vengeful spirit of their long-lost relationship, Alaric carries a deep-set grudge against Lucian, a grudge that may well be justified. Lucian’s desire to protect his nation is nearly equal to his wish to reconcile with Alaric, but if he cannot get his act together and convince the Shield to work with him, Castrial will fall. Blade Broken is a queer, sword-and-sorcery fantasy and the first book in The Echelon Series. If you love flawed characters, betrayals and redemption, and gritty worldbuilding with lots of political machinations, you will love this book.

Regular Price: 4.99

Ko-Fi || Amazon || Kobo || Elsewhere

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Form Facsimile

Vix Martin

Poetry

Spiciness / Heat Level: 🌶️🌶️

Representation: Bi, Queer, Non-binary

Explore a year of poetry brought to life through the experiences of being something different, something unloved, something... nonhuman. Traumatic moments sit alongside those of ultimate ecstasy to illustrate the whiplash of living as a Queer AFAB creature with BPD and Autism from the Bible Belt of the southern US. Join Vix Martin inside the pages of their deeply personal, unflinching, and spiritual debut solo collection.

Regular Price: PWYW or Free

Itchio

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BUNDLE CORNER – Tons of books for one price!

Soulmates in Fantasy by Niranjan

Multiple fantasy books including:

• Colliding Forces
• Curse of Souls (2024 BBNYA finalist)
• The Dragon and the Mage

Queer soulmate science fantasy books where magic and technology co-exist

Bundle Price: $9.99 for 3 books! – Snag it on Itchio!

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Indie Autism Month Bundle hosted by Vesper Doom

Including:

• Aubrey Ennis's Name Her Holy
• Kara Jorgensen's The Reanimator's Heart
• Vesper Doom’s The Binding of Bloom Mountain
• DN Bryn’s Once Stolen
• and more!

Support autistic authors during Autism Month! Most of the books in this bundle feature queer protagonists in queer-norm worlds!

$10 for 10 Books! Snag it on Itchio!

🎧 Note: Some books in this bundle have audiobook versions available elsewhere.

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Magic and Mysteries Bundle by Niranjan

• Blue
• Out of the Blue
• Spaces of Silence
• Magical Mayhem
• The Mansion

Solving mysteries in a fantasy setting and themes of friendship and found families. Four of the books are very openly queer!

Bundle Price: $8.99 for 5 books; Snag it on Itchio!

🎧 Note: Some books in this bundle have audiobook versions available elsewhere.

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That’s it for this week! Stay tuned as we have an extra special spotlight and cover reveal coming up on Friday!  

Hello, lovers of queer lit! We’re back with over a dozen books featuring queer characters! Romance, mystery, and monsters! We hope you find your next favorite book!

✨ BOOK OF THE WEEK ✨

Repercussions – A New Dawn

Brad Allison

Romance, Thriller, Contemporary

Spiciness / Heat Level: 🌶️🌶️

Representation: Gay, Bi

In the wake of a tragic loss, a man finds himself grappling with loneliness and a web of secrets, supported by his closest friend. Together, they confront a mysterious woman whose presence threatens to unravel everything they hold dear. As they pursue the truth, they face the echoes of their past and ponder whether the chaos will pave the way for new beginnings and the revival of love, or if they must endure the consequences of their actions. Follow Mike Hartford as he copes with the loss of his beloved Tad Brinkley, while Tad’s killer cunningly integrates herself into their circle, weaving a web of deceit and vengeance.

Amazon

$3.99

 

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Their Search for Ms. Right

Friends for Life #1

Janet Lee Smith

Romance

Spiciness / Heat Level: 🌶️

Representation: Lesbian

Best friends since fifth grade, Ana, Becky, and Michelle have been through it all—school crushes, heartbreaks, and the realization that they’re all looking for love in the same place. But after years of fleeting romances, they’re ready for something real. Now in their late twenties, successful in their careers but still missing that special someone, they embark on a quest for true love. Will they find the Ms. Right they’ve been dreaming of, or will they be tempted to settle for Ms. Right Now?

Amazon || Kobo || Elsewhere

Free

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Case for Love

WPU Romance Series #3

Candi Tab

Romance

Spiciness / Heat Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

Representation: Lesbian, Bi, Sapphic, Queer

One unforgettable night. One impossible situation. Brooke, a driven single mother and lawyer, never expected to find passion in the arms of a stranger at a bar. But their connection is undeniable, and they surrender to an electric night of desire. Months later, her world is turned upside down when she walks into her new legal clinic and comes face-to-face with Emma, one of her law students, and the woman she shared that unforgettable night with. Suddenly, their casual fling becomes a minefield of forbidden desires and ethical dilemmas. Bound by professional ethics and the fear of jeopardizing her career, Brooke and Emma must keep their distance. But the chemistry and attraction is undeniable, threatening to ignite with every stolen glance and whispered word. As Brooke and Emma navigate the complexities of their situation, life throws Brooke a curveball when her ex re-enters the picture, stirring up old wounds. Can they overcome the obstacles that stand in their way and find a love that defies all odds? Or will their Case for Love be dismissed before it even has a chance? This

Amazon

$5.99

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Shades of Spring

Shades of Spring #1

Niranjan

Join Niranjan’s newsletter for a free short story—Light and Shadow!

Fantasy

Spiciness / Heat Level: 🍭

Representation: Bi, Non-binary, Gay

A dangerous prophecy, the survival of a whole world at stake. A prophecy spoken by the Halvard Seer before his death warns of the end of the world, one which will come to pass unless the Halvard, Cailern, and Wizards can work together to prevent it. But the Halvard and Cailern had never seen eye to eye and the Halvard Chief, Leymon, has a past with the Cailern queen, Sylvania, that he cannot let go of. Sylvania and her husband, Bresson have kept the Cailern united for years, but when they receive a message from the wizards, their hard won peace is about to end. Worse, secrets that Sylvania has kept for years are in danger of coming to light, threatening the foundations of her marriage. When creatures from the prophecy attack and fatally injure Bresson, only Leymon has the power to save him. But can he let go of past hurts and betrayals to save him or will he risk the fragile alliance with the Cailern and condemn the world to destruction? Shades of Spring is an epic fantasy novel and the first in the Shades of Spring series. If you like world ending stakes, magic, mysterious prophecies, hidden identities, flawed characters and emotional conflicts, you will enjoy this book. Buy Shades of Spring today to unravel a prophecy.

Itchio || Amazon || Kobo || Elsewhere

$4.99

 

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Synthetic Sea

Franklyn S Newton

Romance, Science Fiction, Mystery

Spiciness / Heat Level: 🌶️🌶️

Representation: Bi, Non-binary, Trans masc

A glittering city of eternal twilight, a troubled cybernetic lounge singer, a grieving PI on the case... In the distant future of planet cracking, VR distraction, and corporate greed, private detective Ryoma LeBeau takes what seems to be a simple job on the opulent casino planetoid of Scylla. Captivated by a chance meeting with the cybernetic musician Guin, he finds himself drawn to the smoky anachronistic lounge bar where they perform. But it seems there's a lot more to both Guin and this case and Ryoma can't help but pull at the threads of mystery leading him to the depths of conspiracy and memory. Synthetic Sea is a cyberpunk noir entwined with T4T queer romance, great for fans of Neuromancer, Ghost in the Shell, and Philip D Dick novels.

Itchio || Amazon || Kobo || Elsewhere

Discounted Price: $3.99 on Itchio || Regular Price: $4.49

 

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She Was Monstress Volume One: An Anthology of Monster Women

She Was Monstress (Anthology Series) #1

Edited by: Robin Jo Margaret

Featuring stories from: Robin Jo Margaret, Coral Alejandra Moore, A.J. Torres, Sofia Rose, Joanne Kwan, Freddie A. Clark, Chelsey J. León, Lila Gwynn, Noelle Upton, Chloe Slate

Romance, Fantasy, Paranormal

Spiciness / Heat Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

Representation: Sapphic, Queer

Nights of pleasure with demons. The intimate whispers of forest nymphs. The allure of creatures from the depths of the sea. A mechanical lady in a steampunk London. Ten authors have joined to craft incredible stories of love, acceptance, and desire, centering terrifyingly beautiful monster women and the people who aren't afraid to love them.

Amazon

$4.99

 

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Quincunx Volume 4

Quincunx #4

Steph Shangraw

Fantasy

Spiciness / Heat Level: 🌶️

Representation: Pan, Other, Genderfluid, Sapphic, Ace

Isekai with a pansexual gender-fluid paramedic MC! I woke up in a vaguely game-like world. It turns out that it's peaceful and celebrates diversity and creativity, and I really wish I could just stay, but I have family and a girlfriend, and my job needs me. My new friends think there's one chance for me to get home, visiting 5 special sites in turn. None of us expected that each one would give me a new form I can take and actual magic I can use in it! But this awesome world has two great shadows over it, people who got here before me. They have some really strong and unsettling magic of their own, and for some reason they keep trying to stop me from reaching those sites. We're in the fourth and final volume of a 310K-word journey, and the consequences of decisions are really making themselves felt!

Itchio || Ko-Fi || Patreon || ScribbleHub

$5.00

 

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The Star-Crossed Empire

Maya Darjani

Science Fiction

Spiciness / Heat Level: 🍭

Representation: Asexual, Gay, Pansexual

For fans of Lois McMaster Bujold, David Weber, and KB Wagers. Get swept away into a lush and romantic space opera that transcends time, untangles court intrigue, and spans the entire Galactic Whorl. A Republic soldier A reluctant Emperor When love and duty collide, who wins? Layla is a patriotic soldier of the Altainan Republic. And patriots don’t ally themselves with rival empires. But when she reencounters the handsome imperial noble she fell in love with years before, she falls again. Hard. And she decides: she’s going to marry that man. Duty be damned. Unfortunately, he’s also the new Valharan Emperor. And their planets are about to go to war. As tensions rise between the two worlds, Layla’s attempts at neutrality go awry. She finds herself unsafe and threatened, a foreigner no matter where she lands. Eventually, instability in their isolated galactic community leaves it ripe for invasion. Layla has to overcome her dual loyalty and end this war for once and for all–before the Whorl goes up in flames, and she loses the man she loves.

Itchio || Amazon || Kobo || Elsewhere

Discounted Price: $0.99 || Regular Price: $3.99

 

 

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BUNDLE CORNER

Lots of books in one affordable package!

Series Bundle: The Elite and the Rogues

Get all five books in the award-finalist Elite and the Rogues series by Niranjan at a 40% discount! $15.99 for 5 books!

Grab it on Itchio!

·         The Elitist Supremacy

·         Rise of the Resistance

·         Fractured Alliances

·         Lingering Discord

·         The Final Conflict

 

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Indie April Sale

Ace and Aro focused speculative fiction, discounted in celebration of Indie Author April. Queer stories in ebook, interactive fiction and comic format by a queer author from the Global South. Get 10 stories for $10! Saving over 60%!

Snag it on Itchio!

 

Notable stories:

·         Journey Home: Amara e Luiza are two witches that live in a queerplatonic relationship. When Luiza decides to embark on a journey throught the galaxy in a quest for the lost fortress of Laura, the Dragon Queen, she ends up finding more than expected, while Amara follows her footsteps, hoping it's not too late.

·         Crystalline: When Michelle gets a letter from the grandmother she just lost with the keys to her farm hotel and a request to protect a magic artifact, she has to choose if she'll follow in her grandmother's footsteps or make her own path.

·         Favorite: Camila only wanted to escape the heat and spend the day with her friend, Aline. But the friend had other plans and Camila, being aromantic, needs to make a choice.

 

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Queer Fantasy with Dragons

Queer dragons by Niranjan! $7.99 for 3 books! Save over 30%!

Snag the bundle on Itchio!

Novels include:

·         The Dragon and the Mage

·         Gelid Islands

·         The Flame of the Dragon's Oath

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Thanks so much for checking out the awesome books this week! Stay tuned, because later this month we will be celebrating Agender Pride Day and Lesbian Visibility Day!

If you’re an author who wants to see their books, serials, or interactive fiction featured here, make sure to check out our scheduling site: booking.queerbooksweekly.com.  

 

No fools here, today! Just fab deals!

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✨ Book of The Week ✨

Only Mostly Dead

Series: Afterlife Incorporated

Alli Temple

Get a gree short story —Cattus Interruptus—when you join Alli Temple’s newsletter!

Paranormal

Spiciness / Heat Level: 🍭

Representation: Lesbian, Non-binary, Pansexual

No one tells you how much paperwork there is after you die. I expected to wake up on a cloud where angels played harps and fed me grapes. Instead, I’m a ghost stuck in suburban Toronto. The only one who can see me is an unemployed grim reaper who'd rather play video games. Turns out the business of dying is a train wreck. But if there was ever a girl boss who could get it back on track, it’s me. All I need is a little help from my new roommate, whether they want to be involved or not. Nothing at Afterlife Incorporated moves quickly and if I don’t find a way out soon there won’t be anything left of me to cross over. They say death can be easy, but being only mostly dead sucks.

Discounted Price: $0.99 || Regular Price: $5.99

Amazon || Kobo || Apple || Google Play || B&N

Also By Alli Temple: Uncharted

The Pirate & Her Princess

Come sail away with Princess Georgina, Captain Cinder and the crew of the Crimson Siren in this sapphic fantasy adventure!

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Bundle Corner – Tons of books, one low price.

Xine Fury: The Complete Collection

Xine Fury is a transgender author who focuses on LGBTQIA-friendly sci-fi and fantasy. This is a collection of all of Xine Fury's novels (so far).

Notable Works:

• Bloodhunters volumes 1-3
• Geek Cutes
• Rainbow Nightmares
• Gender Rolls
• Nomads of Zyden

Snag for $15 on Itchio

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Queer Vampires Bundle

All four of my vampire books, all queer!

Notable Works

• There's Always a Morning
• Whispers in the Dark
• Life Remains Bleeding Gold

Snag on Itchio for $9.99, a discount of 54%

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ARC Corner in QBW – Free books before they are released!

The Killing Song

Felix Graves

Fantasy, Horror

Spiciness / Heat Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

Representation: Achillean, Gay, Lesbian, Queer, Sapphic, Trans masc, Asexual, Agender, Nonbinary, Aromantic, Pansexual, Butch

Romada, a fiercely independent water nymph who captains the pirate vessel the Guardian, is looking forward to retirement. After sailing the seas for over 50 years with her siren girlfriend, Neiara, as well as with her adoptive big brother, Injago, for the five decades prior, she's tired of the high-stakes life. Unfortunately, the high-stakes life isn't done with her or her loved ones yet. When the crown prince of Ostrana is assassinated by a siren, the elven kingdom responds by rounding up every known siren and shipping them off to internment camps. Soon after, Injago and Romada mistakenly lead Neiara into a trap that tears her away from them, and Romada succumbs to a depressive darkness that has threatened her mind since childhood. It's up to Injago to keep the crew and the ship safe and steady on the path to finding and rescuing Neiara. As time goes on, Romada and Injago realize that no one else is willing to find and liberate these camps. They have a choice to make. They can attempt to free all sirens of their wrongful imprisonment, or abandon these lost souls in reckless pursuit of their stolen family member. Only one thing is certain: this won't have a happy ending.

Request on Book Sirens

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Thank you for another great week of queer lit! If you are an author yourself, we just uponed up submissions for our Agender Pride event and our Pansexual and Panromantic Pride event in May. Make sure to check our book page for more details so your book can be included!

The year continues on but queer lit never stops! Here are a few of the awesome books released this month!

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Blue, like don't forget about me

Series: Wildflowers of Deliverance

Sarah B. Elisa

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Romance, Contemporary

Spiciness / Heat Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

Representation Gay, Bi, Aromantic, Asexual

Theodore Spinoza is angry twenty years after Nash thought he saw him for the last time. Considering the funeral and the broken promises looming between them—rot-riddled and long past fixing—the animosity isn't surprising, but it seems nobody clued Teddy in on the ruined state of things. Or maybe they did and he blew past the warning signs same as when they were kids, all stupid determination and unbridled confidence. Nash should know better than to get caught up in him again after how things ended, but Teddy's storm winds stir fresh vitality into his stagnant life and the tempest tastes like a second shot at something special.

Regular Price $4.99

Multiple Retailers

Release Date: 2025-03-26

Content Warnings: Sexual content (brief but there!)

 

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Nomads of Zyden

Xine Fury

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Fantasy, Romance

Spiciness / Heat Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

Representation: Lesbian, Non-Binary, Transgender Man

When a tribe of ghoulish monsters wipes out her mountain clan, a fierce warrior named Marta sets out on a mission of revenge. But while she grew up fighting giant beasts in the frigid wastelands, she isn’t prepared for the culture shock of meeting people from the lowlands. During her epic journey she befriends a jester, a fairy, and a woman with whom she shares a magical bond. Together they take on a much larger quest in which they must explore ancient temples and fight ruthless monsters, all to retrieve a set of artifacts that will help them defeat an all-powerful evil. Their time is short and the fate of the world hangs in the balance.

Regular Price: 4.99

Itchio || Multiple Retailers

Release Date: 2025-03-05

Content Warnings:

Violence

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We Interrupt This Transition

Kerry Ann Boyko

Contemporary

Spiciness / Heat Level: 🍭

Representation: Lesbian, Questioning, Trans fem, Gay, Asexual, Agender, Genderfluid

A reality show so exploitative, it was never supposed to happen. British showrunner Sam Culver and semi-retired game show host Jimmy Howard pitch their latest project to the Garden Alpha streaming service. To make their real proposal look good, they throw in a deliberately outrageous idea: Woman Up!, a reality show where cisgender men compete to transition for a million-dollar prize. They never expected executive Daria Bryant to say yes. Now, Sam and Jimmy are stuck producing the most controversial reality show of the decade—dodging scandals, wrangling contestants, and desperately trying to keep their careers intact. We Interrupt This Transition is a sharp-witted queer comedy that skewers the absurdity of reality TV, media exploitation, and gender politics. It's a book for trans readers who love to laugh—and for anyone who enjoys biting satire.

Regular Price: $7.00

Itchio || Amazon

Release Date: 2025-03-01

Content Warnings:

It uses the F-word. There's also some transphobia.

 

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Flesh and Bone

Arden Powell

Subscribe to Arden Powell’s newsletter and recieve bonus epilogues or join the Patreon for even more!

Horror, Romance, Historical, Paranormal

Spiciness / Heat Level: 🌶️

Representation: Achillean

A short mm horror-romance novella set in the Canadian Wild West of 1889. One month ago, Everett did something unforgivable. Now, he and his partner Marshall are paying the price. As they drive their cattle west to a ranch in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, something stalks them under the light of the full moon. Haunted by a lifetime of shame, Everett’s guilt over what he did with Marshall is coming to eat him alive. Equally dangerous is the monster following him, which will sink its teeth into anything and anyone. After it gores Everett, he begins to feel that same awful hunger for himself. If Everett wants to survive the night, it's not only the monster he needs to fight. It's his own bloodthirsty urges that want to tear him apart. Worse, they’ll tear Marshall apart just as easily. Marshall would do anything for Everett: his best friend, and the man he has secretly loved for years. Now, he doesn’t just have to save Everett from the creature hunting them. He has to save Everett from himself, and that might mean putting a bullet through Everett’s skull before the man he loves becomes something unrecognizably monstrous.

Regular Price

2.99

Itchio || Amazon || Kobo || Smashwords || B&N

Release Date: 2025-03-26

Content Warnings:

Graphic descriptions of gore and violence, loss of limb, self-harm and self-mutilation including cannibalism, suicide ideation, animal harm to livestock, homophobia including slurs.

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13 COUNTY ROAD 666

Series: Trailer Park Cryptid

 

C.L. McCollum

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Paranormal, Horror, Cozy, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Romance

Spiciness / Heat Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

Representation: Bi, Queer, Sapphic, Lesbian, Trans Fem, Achillean, Non-Binary

It’s the full moon again, and that means Melanie Smithson’s job just got a lot harder. She’s got a demon boss, a drunken werewolf tearing up the place, a long-time crush on her straight trans girl best friend, a toxic witch-with-benefits situation, and brand new interest in the aforementioned drunken werewolf. But Mel’s relationship problems are hardly her worst problems. A stranger appears on the property after a vicious attack by what looks like a rogue werewolf, but may be something even more sinister. Worse yet, one by one, Mel’s tenants turn up possessed and violent, forcing Mel to kill in order to protect herself and her other residents. Mel has to track down the one responsible for all the carnage before she risks losing one or more of the people she cares about. But finding that killer may not save her from a monster much closer to home, and that confrontation may change Mel in ways she could never predict.

Regular Price: $5.99

Discounted Price: $4.99

Direct from Author || Bookshop || Kobo || Amazon

Release Date: 2025-03-06

Content Warnings:

Urban fantasy typical violence and bloodshed; biphobia/transphobia/acephobia from a member of the queer community, depiction of depression, mention of cannibalism, some queer deaths (but largely queer cast so not the single ‘bury your gays’ trope).

 

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Community Witch

Ash Kreider

 Join Ash Kreider’s newsletter for the latest updates!

Romance, Fantasy, Contemporary

Spiciness / Heat Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

Representation: Bi, Non-binary, Trans fem, Ace, Demi

Hallmark, movie – but make it gay and fantasy: Aspen Fahey is a non-binary aspiring community witch and failed witchfluencer living in downtown Toronto. When their aunt dies and leaves them her house and witching practice on beautiful, idyllic Vancouver Island, their life unexpectedly turns into a Lifetime movie: early thirties enby leaves the big city (including their toxic partner and the job they hate) to move to a beautiful small town, has meet cute with beautiful stranger before running into The One That Got Away. But can they navigate the hard work of building healthy relationships while juggling their responsibilities as town witch? Or will the trauma of their ex’s emotional abuse ruin the best thing that’s ever happened to them?

Regular Price: 8.99

Direct from Author || Itchio || Kobo || Smashwords

Release Date: 2025-03-10

Content Warnings:

Discussions of emotionally abusive relationships, anxiety, and on-page depiction of a panic attack

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What a great selection of new releases! We’ll be back tomorrow with our weekly deals and steals—we PROMISE no pranks!

Today is Trans Day of Visibility, and even if Google and Apple removed the day from their calendars, we are still celebrating! Today is a day to celebrate the courage of those who came before and the tenacity of those in the present and hope for those in the future.

Today, Queer Books Weekly celebrates by bringing you over two dozen books featuring trans characters!

Community Witch

Ash Kreider

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Romance, Fantasy, Contemporary

Spiciness / Heat Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

Representation: Bi, Non-binary, Queer, Trans fem

Aspen Fahey is a non-binary aspiring community witch and failed witchfluencer living in downtown Toronto. When their aunt dies and leaves them her house and witching practice on beautiful, idyllic Vancouver Island, their life unexpectedly turns into a Lifetime movie: early thirties enby leaves the big city (including their toxic partner and the job they hate) to move to a beautiful small town, has meet cute with beautiful stranger before running into The One That Got Away. But can they navigate the hard work of building healthy relationships while juggling their responsibilities as town witch? Or will the trauma of their ex's emotional abuse ruin the best thing that's ever happened to them?

**Price: $**8.99

Multiple Retailers

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Complete Vigilauntie Justice series

Elliott Hay

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Mystery

Spiciness / Heat Level: 🍭

Representation: Trans fem, Queer, Lesbian, Pan

Killer grans take on south-east London! What do scammers. serial killers, and tax fraudsters all have in common? They’re all about to fall victim to this quartets of grans. Bringing together two full-length novels and two short stories, this bundle will have you cheering on the killers as they take down those who would prey on their community. Friends in Need (Vigilauntie Justice #0.5) What will these grannies do when murder’s not an option? A Bit of Murder Between Friends (Vigilauntie Justice #1) Every day, Baz, Peggy, Carole, and Madge get together to knit, drink tea, and dole out death to keep the streets of south-east London safe. All Tea, No Shade, and a Bit of Murder (Vigilauntie Justice #2) Murder’s never been such a drag. The Unveiled Lady (Vigilauntie Justice #2.5) What’s a bit of blackmail between friends?

Price: 9.96 (GBP) or 11.96 (EUR/CAD/USD)

Discounted Price: 6.99 (GBP) or 8.99 (EUR/CAD/USD) – additional discount with newsletter signup

Purchase Direct from Author

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Starship Teapot series

Si Clarke

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Science Fiction, Cozy

Spiciness / Heat Level: 🍭

Representation: Aromantic, Asexual, Non-binary, Trans fem

Intergalactic kidnappers! A chatty horse! Sentient glitter gas! And a dog! Impending destruction, oppressed minorities, runaway shapeshifters, and greedy carpark attendants … these are just a few of the things Lem and her dog, Spock, face in their new life in space. Four great novels for one low price! This bundle is a must read for fans of Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet, and Discworld. The Left Hand of Dog (Starship Teapot #1) When Lem and her dog retreat from the city for a few days, they don’t expect to wind up aboard the starship Teapot with adorable alien bounty hunters. Judgement Dave (starship teapot #2) This time, the universe puts the cat in catastrophe… Consider Pegasus (Starship Teapot #3) A secret unicorn, a desperate family, and a cop dead-set on hunting them down. Frozen Heck (Starship Teapot #4) Stranded in deep space ... but at least they have donuts. Packed with preposterous scenarios, quirky characters, and oodles of humour, the Starship Teapot series tackles complex subjects such as gender, the need to belong, and the importance of honest communication. Perfect for fans of Charlie Jane Anders, Becky Chambers, and Martha Wells. This series will show you that the universe is a very strange place indeed.

Regular Price

17.96 GBP or 21.96 (EUR/CAD/USD)

Discounted Price

11.99 GBP or 14.99 (EUR/CAD/USD) – additional discount with signup

Buy Direct from Author

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Someone Else's Shoes: FF Cinderella Retelling

Aldrea Alien

Join Aldrea Alien’s newsletter and get a free short story.

Romance, Fantasy

Spiciness / Heat Level: 🍭

Representation: Lesbian, Sapphic, Trans fem

Stepping out in borrowed shoes has never been so dangerous. Stripped of her inheritance as a child by a greedy stepmother, Alla’s future hovers between drudgery and slavery. Having spent years toiling in the mansion that was once her happy home, tending to her stepmother’s every whim, she has long since put aside any thoughts of a better future. When a chance encounter in the marketplace leaves her with an invitation to the upcoming ball, her only opportunity to play out an old dream of seeing inside the palace walls is by being someone she’s not. A farce that could see her executed or sold. But will she be able to maintain the illusion once she meets Princess Viktoriya?

Regular Price: 99c

Available at multiple retailers

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Princess of the Pomegranate Moon

Emily Wynne

Science Fiction, Fantasy

Spiciness / Heat Level: 🌶️🌶️

Representation: Bi, Lesbian, Non-binary, Queer, Trans fem, Sapphic, Trans masc

In the Season of Shadows, a silver light is cast by a moon crowned with an ominous rainbow mist—the Pomegranate Moon. A small, fearful village crouches below, hidden in the shadow of a forbidden sacred mountain rumored to be the gate to Faerie. Out of the darkness emerges Elsinore—a dancer in a brightly colored dress and rainbow shawls. While she drums a hypnotic beat and dances with floating flames, the townsfolk watch and wonder over her origin and identity—mysteries Elsinore herself seeks the key to. A hallowed priestess and sorceress, Elsinore has spent a lifetime embracing the woman she has always known herself to be. But deep within, the painful enigma of her youth keeps her shackled to the past, haunted by guilt and grief. Disregarding the whispers and ancient warnings, Elsinore descends into the heart of the Mountain, seeking the final truths of her identity. Will Elsinore uncover what she needs to become whole, or will she lose herself to the Mountain?

Regular Price: $18.99 (paperback), $5.99 (epub)

Purchase Direct from Author || Bookshop.org || Itchio || Philly Aids Thrift Bookstore || Barnes and Noble

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Argentum in Aqua

Finn McLellan

Fantasy

Spiciness / Heat Level: 🌶️

Representation: Achillean, Bi, Asexual, Gay, Lesbian, Queer, Trans masc, Sapphic

All student magician Jonathan Fest wants is to keep his head down and finish out his first year of university without failing his exams too badly. Unfortunately for him, fate and the two secret societies warring in the shadows of the city have other plans. Enter stage left Archer, a gentleman scholar with a past a good deal more chequered than his present would suggest; Sabbat, a thief and assassin whose loyalty to the few people he counts as friends is as unshakeable as his temper is fiery; and Viola, lady’s maid, bodyguard, and surrogate big sister to the only daughter of the most famous family of magicians in Sacaan. Thrown together by a series of unexplained events, the four magicians soon find themselves facing down a cunning adversary and an escalation in the shadow war which could spell disaster not just for them, but for the city as a whole. Penny dreadfuls, it turns out, are a lot less fun when you’re in one. Argentum in Aqua is an ongoing LGBTQ+ gaslamp Gothic fantasy serial (planned as a trilogy, we're currently right at the end of the second book) which you can read for free on my site – you can also download the current draft of the first book from itch.io. Expect vampires, werewolves, magic, rooftop chases, plenty of tea, and a whole lot of swearing.

Regular Price Free!

Direct from Author || Itchio

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A Sharper, More Lasting Pain

Alex Harvey-Rivas

Fantasy

Spiciness / Heat Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

Representation: Achillean, Lesbian, Non-binary, Queer, Sapphic, Trans masc,

After their girlfriend’s best friend is wounded in a monster attack, Simone Allard stumbles across a plot much deeper than they anticipated. As they work to find a cure to their own forming illness and find out the truth, one question remains: how was Nadia involved in this? Nadia DuPont doesn’t know how much time she has or even what is ailing her, but it all gets more complex after meeting Simone on a field trip. As they both work to find a cure to her ailment, all Nadia is certain of is she's on the path to ruin.

**Regular Price: $**3.99

**Discounted Price: $**1.99

Itchio || Available at Multiple Retailers

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Structural Integrity

Tabitha O'Connell

Romance, Fantasy, Cozy

Spiciness / Heat Level: 🌶️

Representation: Achillean, Trans masc, Asexual, Gay

Messenger boy Kel never expected to strike up a romance with a government official. But Yaan lacks the self-important snobbery of the others, seeing Kel as more than just a pretty face. Living with him in the city’s plush government complex is everything Kel could want: no more expenses, kitchen workers and resident animals to befriend, and of course seeing Yaan every day. Even if Yaan does spend most of his time working or worrying about work, and seems to have forgotten that they used to have actual conversations… When the city decides to tear down the iconic theater building in Kel’s old neighborhood, Yaan’s indifference toward his pleas to help save it forces Kel to confront his growing unhappiness. In the aftermath, both will have to decide whether their relationship is salvageable.

Regular Price 0.99

Itchio || Ko-Fi || Amazon || Multiple Retailers

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Best Friends' Promise

Issy Waldrom

Romance, Paranormal

Spiciness / Heat Level: 🍭

Representation: Lesbian, Sapphic, Trans fem

What are best friends for, after all? Getting us turned into vampires. Best Friends are forever, are they not? Time spent together, bonds formed, promises made. No matter how fantastical they might seem, how far-fetched. But friendships can change as time takes its toll, and people change. Miyako might be a bit lost in life. She's come out as trans, is studying in the hopes of doing something with her life, and perhaps wishing that things could be different. But Luna is still her best friend, and when she gets invited to go to a concert with her, to see Luna's favourite band and crush, what she doesn't expect is the offer to be turned into a vampire alongside Luna, because she wants her there with her. Of course, there is no way that she was ever going to refuse. Decisions, made on impulse or not, have their consequences. Especially when it means that she's thrown herself into a hidden aspect of society. Sure, she might have the body she'd only been able to dream about, but now she's involved with a wider group of people, has to prove herself to her family, and there is darkness at the edges. And why does she have to have feelings for that one hot vampire who was an absolute bitch to her. Even if she is exactly her type, and perhaps there might be more to it all. A trans, sapphic, new adult vampire romance about the strength of friendship and family, of throwing yourself into something blindly, and of love and all that it comes with.

Regular Price: $6

Itchio || Multiple Retailers

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Heart's Claim

Issy Waldrom

Fantasy, Romance

Spiciness / Heat Level: 🍭

Representation: Lesbian, Sapphic, Trans fem

When two worlds touch, for only the briefest of moments, the effect is far more reaching than anyone realises. Especially for two woman for whose contact was just as brief as the event. After a lot of struggle, Elara is finally starting to forge the life that she wants. To write, share her stories, and be accepted for who she is. And find true love. Though that last one seems very much like a dream, something that she pens, but that will never happen to her. Even if the events of the Convergence still haunt her mind. Riley is a dragon, one of those from the other side who was caught up in the Convergence. A rather dominant force, all things considered. While humanity is largely unaware of her existence and oblivious to her true nature, this side is now as much her home as the other. Not that she’s complaining. She’s enjoying this life that she now has. Mostly. Except that fate decides that they should meet again, their lives becoming intertwined in ways that neither of them imagined, and suddenly things start surfacing. Thoughts, desires, dreams. And a growing attraction. Yes, there is chemistry between them. Or is it something more? A claim was made after all... A low angst sapphic shifter romance about learning to follow your heart, of magic, dragons, and two rather different worlds. One just like our own, and the other, of fantasy.

Regular Price: $6

Itchio || Multiple Retailers

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Esper and the Witch

Issy Waldrom

Mystery, Romance, Paranormal

Spiciness / Heat Level: 🌶️

Representation: Lesbian, Sapphic, Trans fem

The world is a dark and terrifying place, even when it is filled with beauty and wonder. At least it seems that way to Alex. Life was simple once, where you could just glide along on its currents, make do and have a sliver of contentment. But now he’s being plagued by a recurring dream, and forced to confront things he’s been avoiding. And that’s ignoring all of the changes. And Esper, well Esper really has no clue at all about what is going on around her. But she’s not going to take the blame for that. An unfamiliar location, strange blue messages, and to top it all, apparently she has just awoken. A sapphic trans and litrpg story of coming to terms with one’s self, friendship, and discovering what’s around you, with a backdrop of the modern world and hidden magic.

**Regular Price: $**5

Itchio || Multiple Retailers

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What Lies Within

Issy Waldrom

Fantasy, Romance

Spiciness / Heat Level: 🍭

Representation: Bi, Pansexual, Trans fem, Other

Life is not easy. Even if, on the surface, it seems that way. Fraser has magic, and is part of the esteemed Guardians of Humanity. He is a member of one of the founding families of said Guardians, and an elite spellsword, trained and deadly. He even has a best friend, whom he’s known for most of his life, who has always been there with him. But beneath all of that, Fraser’s life is a mess. He’s lost access to his magic, his parents are controlling and domineering, wanting him to be someone that he knows he is not. And worst of all, he knows that what they have planned for him, he is completely against. It doesn’t help that he doesn’t know what he wants either. Who he truly is. This is Fraser’s story. A trans tale of self discovery, of romance and learning the depth of relationships, of fighting for your place in the world, and perhaps even the truth behind the origin of magic. Note that this story features a closed group polyamory relationship (f/f/f/m).

Regular Price: 5.5

Itchio || Multiple Retailers

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Dawn Weaver

Issy Waldrom

Fantasy

Spiciness / Heat Level: 🍭

Representation: Lesbian, Sapphic, Trans fem

An ancient evil stirs in the kingdom of Avaraline, and the fate of all life in a world blessed by magic hangs in the balance. The Guilds and Clans, who hold the power of the lands, are ill equipped to deal with the unknown threat, with corruption spreading through their ranks. Not that this is of any consequence to Izen, a young man struggling to survive in a dying village, and Myne, a talented young Dragon rider seeking to prove herself. That is until the infamous Witch is sensed near his village and Izen becomes intertwined in world of the Dragon riders. Literally, with the magic awakening in him too. The complication, is that only females can be riders. This is the first book in the Soul Flames series, and is the prequel Soul Flames volume 1.

Regular Price: 3.99

Itchio || Multiple Retailers

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Soul Flames vol 1

Issy Waldrom

Fantasy

Spiciness / Heat Level: 🍭

Representation: Lesbian, Sapphic, Trans fem

The demon king has been defeated, and a devastating war averted. The kingdom of Avaraline is on the slow road to recovery with Alysia at the helm. Velvet sleeps, wrapped in magical crystal, Myne inactive, unwilling to do anything without her lover, the previous cost too high and too raw for them both. But things are far from over. Ignoring that the demon king's retinue are still at large, and the neighbouring kingdoms are restless because of what had transpired, the world is stirring, the winds of change are blowing, the world on the brink of another evolution, the consequences of which will be more far reaching than anyone realizes. Destiny however has plans of its own. Chris, a young man discovering the truth about himself, and Rachael, a young woman hiding who she is, are both about to find themselves intertwined in the fate of the world. When secrets come to the surface, the results can be far beyond what either party considered. Especially when they hail from an earlier age... A sapphic trans story of finding oneself, of building relationships, and of getting intertwined in the schemes of beings known as the Ancients.

Regular Price: 5

Itchio || Multiple Retailers

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From The Inside

Sophia Turner

Science Fiction, Romance, Fantasy, Horror, Dystopian, Paranormal, Contemporary

Spiciness / Heat Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

Representation: Lesbian, Trans fem

Ten tales of trans lesbian goodness. These stories cover a variety of topics and styles, at times funny, at other times emotional and intimate. With plenty of spice to go around.

Regular Price: 4.99 AUD

Itchio || Amazon

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She Who Brought the Storm

Vaela Denarr & Micah Iannandrea

Fantasy

Spiciness / Heat Level: 🌶️🌶️

Representation: Lesbian, Non-binary, Sapphic, Trans fem, Other

Dragons rule in secret, known only to a few chosen humans—and Rhi, who strikes a deal with a dragon: Servitude for protection. Rhi is small, anxious, and gifted with magic that disables them more than it helps—Powerful magic, which many would stop at nothing to obtain. In their desperate search for safety, Rhi turns to none other than one of the secret dragon masters of Habitat Seventeen, Laura, Lady of Ash. Exposing Rhi’s forbidden knowledge could garner Laura the recognition and allies she needs. Instead she offers them a choice: She will shield them from their pursuers, and they’ll be her hunting dog. Loyal, obedient, and exactly what she needs to deal with a pervasive monster situation in her territory before the other Starborn catch wind of it. Rhi tentatively agrees, but the plan is complicated by the watchful eye of Calia, a bloodthirsty dragon with much to gain from their failure. And Rhi, grappling with their magic and desperately angling for control, doesn’t realize that being with Laura will put them closer to danger than ever before until it’s too late.

Regular Price: 5.99

Itchio

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She Who Earned Her Wings

Vaela Denarr & Micah Iannandrea

Fantasy, Romance

Spiciness / Heat Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

Representation: Lesbian, Non-binary, Sapphic, Trans fem, Other

Love is the sharpest of blades, and a fallen star can undo even a dragon. When stars fall from the sky, pulled down by ancient magic, Laura of the Ash Clan is determined to protect her territory. Accused of breaching Starborn law by dragons seeking an advantage, she relies—begrudgingly—on Calia, a dragon with whom she shares deep familiarity and history, one who is unafraid to face assassins and brave an ancient forest of necromantic rot. But in the end it is Laura who rules, and she who must protect what’s hers—even at the cost of her own heart. Nomi’s druidic pilgrimage, her long awaited chance to see the world, begins with her in the wrong place at the wrong time. Alone and far from home, she finds refuge with Laura of the Ash Clan, ruler of a vast forest. But Laura has her own troubles—conspiracies, secrets and heartbreak—that occupy her, and before long Nomi finds herself drawn not to the road, but to Laura and the beautiful dragon devoted to her. As more stars fall and long-dead secrets are clawed from the grave, Laura and Calia take comfort in Nomi’s curious excitement for their world. But the world of the Starborn is not as bright as it seems. Danger lurks in the shadows, and a fallen star can undo even a dragon.

Regular Price: 5.99

Itchio.io

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The Gift of Blood

Vaela Denarr & Micah Iannandrea

Fantasy, Paranormal, Contemporary

Spiciness / Heat Level: 🌶️

Representation: Lesbian, Non-binary, Sapphic, Trans fem

Monsters are real, and Ryann is one of them. Chosen as a weapon in a war that is not her own, she finds an outlet for her anger in the fighting pits beneath Toronto, and on the hunt for the vampires that changed her. Whatever the cost, she’ll take back her life, her control—or make them fear the hunger they’ve roused in her. Burdened by monstrosity, Meg, assassin of the Scorching Dawn, drowns her pain in the blood of her enemies. When the call comes to slay the monster whipping the city’s beasts into a frenzy, she welcomes the hunt. And in Ryann, she finds a violent thirst for blood—and the opportunity to feed her own. Shadows surround the city. The beasts within cower as the foundations writhe. Drawn to one another by a mutual hunger, Ryann and Meg must learn to trust each other—or perish in the dark.

Regular Price: 7.99

Itchio

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Behind the Mask

Felix Graves

Cozy, Horror, Contemporary

Spiciness / Heat Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

Representation: Lesbian, Trans fem, Sapphic, Bisexual

A Modern Sapphic Retelling of trans Perseus x Medusa Sese has worked hard to make sure she and her mother, Dana, could have a good life far away from the toxic influences of her mafia boss father. After Sese finds out that her parents have reconnected despite her best efforts, her father offers her a deal: complete three tasks for him, and he'll leave her and Dana alone for good. The tasks? Embezzlement, arson, and one measly murder. It's nothing Sese hasn't done before, and nothing she can't handle...so long as she doesn't get too distracted by a chance encounter with her ex-girlfriend. Sese and M. Gorgo parted on amicable terms rather than attempt a long-distance relationship, but now the botanist is back, and she covers her face with a mask. What is M hiding? Will Sese and her mother ever be truly free?

Regular Price $1.49 USD

Discounted Price : Free or Name Your Price on Itch.io

Itchio || Multiple Retailers

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NeurodiVeRse

MJ James

Join MJ James’ newsletter for a free short story!

Science Fiction

Spiciness / Heat Level: 🍭

Representation: Aromantic, Non-binary, Asexual

NeurodiVeRse is a near fiction sci-fi novel with an autistic, non-binary, aro/ace MC. After being kicked out of the house in high school Jupiter is looking for a place to belong. Fired from their job after moving across the country they are ready to give up, when they receive an invitation to a mysterious job interview. One that required a VR headset that is only rumored to exist. Is this the chance they have been waiting for? Available in audiobook.

Regular Price: 4.99

Multiple Retailers

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A Quiet Universe

Kay F. Atkinson

Romance, Science Fiction, Horror

Spiciness / Heat Level: 🌶️

Representation: Lesbian, Trans fem

CERHA is a fabricant, and her job is simple: keep Annalise Fletcher safe, a role she performs dutifully and without fail, as she was designed to. Neither she nor her charge expected that this routine assignment could lead to love, but when feelings begin to bloom, neither see fit to stand in their way, and the two find themselves leading a shared life where both must walk a tightrope, precariously balancing between duty, and what domestic bliss is woven into the spaces remaining. For a time, they are as close to happy as they can manage. Then Annalise vanishes away to the embattled starship 'Upon Silver Tides', leaving a cryptic warning in her wake, and CERHA finds herself frantically in pursuit, on an illegal mission to save her objective-turned-lover and bring her home alive. She isn't sure what she'll find. But what awaits is a web ensnaring both wayward lovers, far more tangled than either could possibly know, and lurking upon this forsaken vessel is a descent into insanity that will force CERHA to confront the bleak truth at the heart of her function.

Regular Price: $5

Discounted Price: $2.50

Itchio

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A Sea of Silence

Kay F. Atkinson

Romance, Science Fiction, Horror

Spiciness / Heat Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

Representation: Lesbian, Trans fem

Ten years following the disaster aboard the starship Upon Silver Tides, the fleet has changed, and not for the better. Mortality makes the greedy desperate. Wealth begins to pool as those hungry for opportunity exploit the vulnerable to climb a once-ossified social hierarchy, while those who fall away from the gold rush with nothing to show for it become vicious, always in search of another victim upon which to inflict their anger. People who just want to live their lives are a perfect mark, in a world where anything but your soul can be stolen and sold back to you at a profit. People like Annalise Fletcher, and her wife, a fabricant called Sarah. But something is festering, as those with hungry eyes take freely from anyone weaker than themselves; something that will sweep the whole of the fleet away, and burn gilded castles to ash. The end of everything. Sarah and Annalise will be given the change they've been praying for, but they may not like the shape it takes.

Regular Price: $5

Discounted Price: $2.50

Itchio

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Awakenings

Claudie Arseneault

Join Claudie Arseneault’s newsletter for City of Spires bonus materials and short stories

Fantasy

Spiciness / Heat Level: 🍭

Representation: Aromantic, Asexual, Non-binary, Queer

As the city’s eternal apprentice, Horace has never found a clan to belong to. E has joined Trenaze's guards with hopes to finally earn eir place during eir trial day at the Great Market—that is, until the glowing shards haunting the world break through the city's protective dome. Armed with a sword and too little training, Horace doubts in eir ability to defend the market-goers. But eir last stand is interrupted by a mysterious elven figure who can dissipate the shards with a single, strange sentence: your story is my story. From the moment it is uttered, Horace knows the sentences holds true for em, too—and when the elf collapses in the middle of the market, e carries them to safety. After an afternoon of board games in their quiet, sharp-witted company, Horace is ready to follow this elf as they seek the forest that haunts their dreams, and answers to the confounding events at the Market. Their story is eir story, and e is willing to confront the dangers of the road to hear their laugh again and finally feel like e belongs. Awakenings is the first of nine novellas in a fantasy adventure blending cozy fantasy vibes and D&D style side-questing, imbued with an aspec-focused queernormative world and strong platonic bonds.

Regular Price: 2.99

Discounted Price: 2.55 (itchio only)

Itchio || Multiple Retailers

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The Cat and the Brat

D.T. Brandt

Romance, Fantasy

Spiciness / Heat Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

Representation: Achillean, Gay, Trans Masc, Bi, Non-Binary

What happens when unstoppable grump meets immovable sunshine? Samiel is trying to keep his head down, but the other castle guards are keen to remind him he isn't worthy of the job he'll probably inherit: his father's as captain and royal confidant. Of course, keeping his head down is not how they'd put it; Samiel's defensiveness is spiky, and keeps even his most likely allies at a distance. When Prince Rapuska of Tyria, a Felien, arrives at the guard corps as a diplomatic envoy to Corniss, his highest priority is getting the lay of the land. His most readily available source of information there is his new roommate: the enigmatic Samiel. Even with this chance at a fresh start, Samiel tries to keep Rapuska away so the prince’s reputation isn’t tarnished by association with him. Rapuska sees Samiel’s fire differently, however—as a keenness and conviction that may be exactly why he’s still positioned for the future he is. Their mutual concern starts small, but when Samiel is sent to accompany Rapuska back home to Tyria for the Queen’s birthday they find the whole capital has entered Felien heat season and their feelings for each other are pushed to their limits.

Regular Price: 4.50 USD

Discounted Price: Free/Pay What You Want

Itchio

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Blood Samples

Xine Fury

Science Fiction

Spiciness / Heat Level: 🍭

Representation: Trans fem, Trans masc

Blood Samples is a prequel to the Bloodhunters series, and is a collection of six short stories set in a sci-fi universe.

Regular Price: $0

Multiple Retailers

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A Lake of Feathers and Moonbeams

Dax Murray

Fantasy

Spiciness / Heat Level: 🌶️🌶️

Representation: Non-binary, Lesbian, Bisexual, Pansexual, Trans fem

Strange things can be said of the forest that spans the border of two kingdoms long at war. An evil sorcerer has made it his dominion, or an elegant enchantress has claimed it as her domain and grants wishes to those who chance upon her, or maybe the forest is guarded by an ancient and wrathful spirit. But Katya calls the forest home, living a life of magic and charms with her partner Ivan.

But a threat looms over their forest, some darkness and danger that Ivan swears to protect her from. Katya finds herself caught up in a web of grudges and deception spanning generations, but most dangerous of all is the beautiful princess who stumbled into their woods. A princess who sets Katya’s heart fluttering with both desire and fear.

As forces rally to rescue the princess or go to war, Katya must take measure of her own powers and decide what she is willing to sacrifice. Will she retreat to the safety of what's familiar or give up everything she knows to spread her wings and fly?

Direct from Author || Itchio || Amazon || Elsewhere

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Thank you so much for being a part of the Queer Books Weekly community. We hope you found your next favorite read!

Another week, another awesome list of LGBTQIA books at affordable prices! Make sure you read to the end, cause there’s a bonus with a hot tip on getting dozens of books for less than a dollar each in preperation for the Trans Rights Readathon.

✨ BOOK OF THE WEEK ✨

Idle Hands

Series: The Jackson Grey Situation #1

Aubrey Jones

Fantasy

Spiciness / Heat Level: 🌶️🌶️

Representation: Bi, Queer, Other

Gritty urban fantasy in a neo-noir style, Idle Hands is perfect for readers who yearn for a fast-paced, hard-hitting thriller like a queer-leftist Sandman Slim or Something from the Nightside.

Guaranteed to be cathartic, inspiring reading for our times.

Jackson Grey, PhD did everything right and she's on the verge of a breakthrough in cancer treatment when corporate conspiracy takes it all—her career, her research, her colleagues. Callous profiteers have twisted her cure into a weapon, erasing her future and dooming countless others. Desperate, furious, and alienated on the streets of Philly, Jax makes a deal with an elusive new ally—a supernatural anarchist who says he's the Devil. With growing infernal powers, formidable wits, relentless will, and a custom machine gun, Jax will do whatever it takes to dismantle the engines of her misery and punish the shadowy men who profit from them. Dr. Grey's world is our own, but in Idle Hands, Jones tells a story where pride and pleasure are celebrated. Violence is an answer. And resistance isn’t stoic or pretty—it’s loud, raw, and unapologetic. This is a neo-noir fantasy where rage is power and the monster that goes bump in the night is a woman with nothing to lose.

Regular Price: 5.99

Amazon || Kobo || Elsewhere

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Glass Kanin

Series: Glass Kanin #1

Kia Leep

Join Kia’s newsletter to get a free short story about Kanin & co!

Fantasy

Spiciness / Heat Level: 🍭

Representation: Achillean, Gay, Lesbian, Non-Binary, Ace

As a rising actor, Kanin's body is his career. His identity. His life. All that is taken from him when he dies and is reborn as a bottle of ink. Now living as the heart of a magical glass servant, Kanin's new purpose is to perform a senile wizard's yard work—a role this world's magic system seems intent on enforcing. That might have been manageable if a murderous shadow monster wasn't hunting his very soul. But he's not alone. Teaming up with an elf whose soul has likewise been trapped in a toy octopus, they recruit help from a devilishly handsome rogue and set off on a journey to break the spell that's trapped them in this state. A wizard owns his body. The magic system has determined his fate. A shadow monster wants to control his mind. But as long as Kanin's soul remains his own, he'll fight to win back his autonomy—or die trying. ...Again. Glass Kanin's blend of whimsy, humor, and horror will appeal to Ghibli fans looking for queer characters on a quest for their agency while exploring what it means to be human.

Book 1 will be on sale at $0.99 from March 17th – 23rd, and Book 2 releases on March 18th at $2.99!

**Discounted Price: $**0.99 || **Regular Price: $**4.99

Amazon

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Crushed Hearts

Series: Crushed Hearts #1

Kae Ruby

Contemporary

Spiciness / Heat Level: 🍭

Representation: Bi, Trans masc

All that Emery Theiss wants is to become an English professor, knowing his ADHD medication means his days of running sprints are over. But when the track team star, Beckett Delroy, unceremoniously hits him with a football, Emery's bad luck changes gears. Beckett needs Emery's advice to help his crush warm up to him, and Emery could use Beckett's confidence to win over his best friend and secure his future. But while coming to an agreement is easy, Beckett is the track rival who broke Emery's coveted record, and he can't stop himself from flirting, even with Emery. The charmingly annoying teasing, however, reveals Beckett has a softer side. The more time he spends with Beckett, the less important impressing his crush becomes. Faced with the possibility of losing his chance at his future, will Emery chase love or settle for certainty to ensure his heart isn't crushed?

Regular Price: 2.79 for 30 coins, or free if earned through watching ads.

WattPad

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Of Masks & Men: An M/M Strangers to Lovers Romance Story

Daisy Fairchild

Join Daisy Fairchild’s Newsletter

Romance, Contemporary

Spiciness / Heat Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

Representation: Gay

Marcus is an American in Brazil for Carnivale, expecting… he’s not sure what. But after a heated encounter in an alleyway with a masked man, Marcus finds himself in a cat-and-mouse chase across the city, searching for his mysterious lover. A series of charged trysts leaves Marcus only wanting more: more time, more answers, and more revelations. However, Carnivale has to come to an end — will this affair be over when the sun rises? Discover a heated story of anonymous romance in Daisy Fairchild’s 10K story, Of Masks & Men.

**Regular Price: $**2.99

Direct from Author || Amazon

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Farzana's Spite

Felix Graves

Fantasy

Spiciness / Heat Level: 🌶️

Representation: Lesbian, Bisexual

Life is about as good as it gets for an anxious and depressed bastard stripped of any social benefits of her caste. Farzana has a cushy job, a steadfast best friend, and a mother and younger brother who love her to bits. She was just as shocked as everyone else when Erasto of the House of Violets murdered the royal family in cold blood, and during a live broadcast in the middle of the night no less. But while everyone else was reeling from the loss of their nobility and the news that they now answer to a dictator, Farzana had a slightly more personal crisis going on: Erasto is her long-lost father she had always hoped to meet. Be careful what you wish for. In the bloody aftermath of Erasto’s coup, this traumatized lesbian pixie struggles to find a reason—any reason—to try to survive. And as the kingdom descends further into chaos, one thing becomes clear: if someone doesn’t step up soon to set things right, there won’t be much left worth saving.

Discounted Price: $2.99 on Itchio Regular Price: 3.99

Itchio || Elsewhere

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Chasing Howe

Series: Forging the Stars #1

J.F. Miev

Get a free bonus short story set before Chasing Howe when you join J. F. Miev’s newsletter

Science Fiction

Spiciness / Heat Level: 🌶️

Representation: LGBTQIA+

Aiden had everything—his dream career, a comfortable life and a fiancée he loved. But when she is murdered during a business trip to Mars, his perfect world shatters. An investigation and a trial soon follow, and the space smuggler, Darren Howe, is quickly convicted. However, when no motive is supplied and Howe is given a life sentence instead of the death penalty, things don't add up. No matter how hard Aiden tries, the authorities refuse to explain their decision, leaving him with no choice but to seek the answers elsewhere. Two years later, Aiden secures a job as the warden at Jupiter’s Horizons Space Prison. The plan is simple—find out the truth and kill Howe. But things get complicated when he approaches the charismatic man who awakens in him urges he hasn’t felt in years. The truths Aiden uncovers as he fights the attraction between them will reveal secrets he might not be ready for and make him question everything he knows about the life he’s lived so far. Chasing Howe is an enemies-to-lovers MM sci-fi romance mystery about an ex-architect who will stop at nothing until he avenges the death of his fiancée and the prisoner who will turn his world upside-down. It serves as an easy introduction to the low sci-fi genre and features hidden identities, a generous dose of mystery, high stakes, slow burn, pining, obsession and an intriguing plot.

Regular Price: $4.99

Amazon

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STORIES FOR THE TRANS RIGHTS READATHON

Itch.io Bundle!

$20 for 46 books, or $30 for 73 books!

In honor of the Trans Rights Readathon, over 40 authors and comic artists have joined forces to provide a plethora of options! Check it out on Itch and get all of these books DRM-Free!

Highlights from the Bundle:

• Waking up a Goddess Beats HRT by Fern V. Bedek
• What Lies Within by Issy Waldrom
• Synthetic Sea by Franklyn Newt
• A Vision of Air by Nico Silver
• She Who Brought the Storm by Vaela Denarr and Micah Iannandrea
• The World Within by Dani Finn
• A Lake of Feathers and Moonbeams by Dax Murray
• Kotov Syndrom by S. Morgan Burbank
• In The Care of Magic by Robin Jo Margaret
• Song of the Dryad by Bailey Saxon
• Heart of the Wolf Goddess by Autumn Wolff
• The Unwanted Prophet by Carolina Cruz

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Don’t forget, we’re celebrating Trans Visibility Day here at Queer Books Weekly. If you’re an author with a book with trans characters, please take a moment to submit it to be included in our list!

Hello, wonderful readers! We’ve made it through another week. I hope you picked up plenty of books during last week’s Smashwords sale! But I still have a few more deals for you this week! Enjoy!

✨Books of the Week ✨

The Fae Realm Series

Series Books:

1. The Blessing of the Equinox,

2. The Wolf and the Warlock,

3. The Broken Dragon,

4. The Queen’s Shadow,

5. The Horns of the Hunt

Kathryn Reynolds

Fantasy, Historical

Spiciness / Heat Level: 🌶️

Represenation: Gay, Bi, Pan, Asexual, Aromantic, Trans fem, Lesbian, Non-binary

Welcome to The Fae Realm, where the dead walk, the Unseelie deal in contracts, and the dwarves are threatening civil war. An old, long-defeated evil is stirring, gathering strength once more, and it will take an unlikely group of heroes to thwart him – a kind witch; a dwarven outcast; a pair of star-crossed gay elves; and two very sassy old women.

Regular Price: $2.99 each

Amazon – Including Kindle Unlimited

Grab the books now before the sixth book releases this spring!

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Silver Helix

Series: Silver Helix, Book 1

Xan van Rooyen

Science Fiction, Fantasy

Spiciness / Heat Level: 🌶️

Representation: Non-binary, Bi, Asexual, Trans, Pan, Lesbian, Queer

On the surface, the city of HelsInc appears to have recovered from the war waged between humans and Ethereals, but beneath the scars, the city seethes. The remains of magic festers, causing mutations in human DNA which could give humans Ethereal power—not that the HelsInc government would ever let that happen. The Legion resists, ripping out their neurochips and protesting the mandatory gene therapy for humans with cryptomine in their DNA.

At only 19 years old, Omyn Talvinen isn’t ready to play parent to her kid brother, but with her mom in prison on trumped up charges and her deadbeat dad AWOL, she’s left with little choice. Forced to risk her freedom to pay the rent, Omyn finds herself at the mercy of a pair of cyborg soldiers when they catch her red-handed stealing nanites from a cyberware Salon. But the synths’ powers don’t work on Omyn, and they discover they all share a common memory that they must get to the root of. Wanted dead by the government, Omyn and the renegade soldiers turn to a rebel Legion group with dreams of resuscitating dead magic for help. With the clock-ticking for the synths, Zee-Five and Omyn are forced to confront the secrets of their past and a dark conspiracy that’ll shake the blood-soaked foundations of the city.

Discounted Price: 0.99 || Regular Price: $19.99

Amazon

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Anthem for the Chemical Youth

Series: Silver Helix 1.5

Xan van Rooyen

Fantasy, Science Fiction

Spiciness / Heat Level: 🌶️

Representation: Pan, Trans, Asexual, Non-binary, Queer, Lesbian

Set in the the same Ethereal universe as Silver Helix, to be read as a stand-alone or as a segue between Silver Helix and the forthcoming sequel. When Wraith witnesses first-hand the devastation synthetic magic can wreak on the innocent, he is forced to make a terrible decision: betray his family and everything he thought he stood for, or stand by while the city is sucked into another brutal war between humans and Ethereals.

Regular Price: $1.13

Amazon || Smashwords

Don’t forget to add the next book in the Silver Helix series—Shadow Ascension—to your tbr! Expected release: April 1st, 2025!

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The Fealty of Monsters Volume 1

Series: The Fealty of Monsters #1

Ladz

Fantasy, Horror

Spiciness / Heat Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

Representation: Gay, Lesbian, Non-binary, Queer, Sapphic

A gothic horror, grimdark fantasy retelling of the Russian Revolution in which a stealth vampire learns there's not much he won't do to stop a forever war between humans and vampires.

Discounted Price: $0.99 || Regular Price: $4.99

Itchio || Other Major Retailers

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Thanks so much for another wonderful week in Queer Lit! If you have your own book, serial, comic, or zine you want to have featured here, don’t forget to check out the booking page to get on the list!

With Itchio becoming more popular, and authors organizing itchio bundles more frequently, we’ve added this as an option! We hope to make sure you can take full advantage of events where you can snag multiple books in one swoop!