Sally Bend's Blog, page 8

Reading From The Inside by Sophia Turner

Title: From The Inside
Author: Sophia Turner
Publication Date: January 17, 2025 by Transistance Press
Genres: Erotica
Representation: Transgender, Lesbian

For a first collection, From The Inside is a wonderful thing. Sophia Turner dips her pen into a number of different genres, coloring all of her tales with imagination. What connects them all is the strength of the characters, but what makes them memorable is the themes she explores.

One of the first themes that struck me is that of sacrilege, which plays into my favorite stories in the collection – Ex Inferis, the supernatural tale of a transgender woman who casually summons a transgender demon with a very erotic, very blasphemous prayer. The Lady Of The House has something of sacrilege to it as well, with the reading of erotica very sermon-like, but I’ll have more to say about it with the next theme. Thorns In Her Side is the last story I’d place under this theme, a pastoral kind of fantasy about faith, religion, and the difference between soul and spirit.

The next theme that resonated with me is that of submission, which takes the form of pet play (The Best Dog In the Universe and Cat Got Her Tongue) and dollification (The Lady Of The House and To Heal The Mind). These are stories that explore the need to submit . . . to give up all control . . . to be cared for and commanded . . . and there’s a sincerity to them that tells me Turner understands the role very well. The Lady Of The House was a particular favorite of mine, and a story I would love more of.

The last theme I wanted to touch on, and this is probably the only one that legitimately warrants a content warning, is gender dysphoria, as confronted in the title tale, From The Inside.  Wow, this was a powerful tale, and just so well-done. You don’t need to be transgender to appreciate it, but if you are . . . well, you’ll sympathize with the anxiety as much as you celebrate the healing.

There were a couple of stories that just didn’t grab my attention, but I expect that of any collection, and the ones that I enjoyed, I enjoyed immensely. If you’re up for some smart, sexy, meaningful erotica, From The Inside is well worth the read.

Rating:

Tasting The Revenge of Captain Vessia by Leslie Allen

Title: The Revenge of Captain Vessia
Author: Leslie Allen
Publication Date: October 4, 2024
Genres: Fantasy
Representation: Transgender, Lesbian

A vampire pirate queen, her (mostly) queer crew, and transgender princess.

Swashbuckling action, vampire mayhem and bloodshed, and moments of queer romance.

A historical fantasy, some vampire horror, and deep threads of a political thriller that weaponizes religion.

Yes, The Revenge of Captain Vessia really is all of those things (and more), but thanks to the strength of her character and the depth of her themes, Leslie Allen makes it all work. This is a truly immersive work of fantasy, one in which you’ll easily find yourself fully invested, wrapped up in the characters and their world. Part of what makes it so powerful is how it begins, as we see young Claire Vessia captured by the navy, mistaken for command when she was barely crew, tortured and beaten, and then cruelly toyed with by a woman who promises freedom . . . but with a terrible price.  We know how badly she was wronged, we see how deplorably she was treated, and we understand why she holds a grudge that drives her forward.

And yet, at the same time, we see what a strong, capable captain she becomes when she owns the charge of piracy, rising above her abuser to build a crew that’s like family. Allen juxtaposes motives and emotions aplenty here, forcing the reader to confront the good and the bad of our pirate captain, especially under the gaze of Princess Moira. This isn’t grimdark – there’s still hope, still love, still promise – but it’s unsettlingly honest about the horrible things we can do even in the name of something good.

If I were to have one complaint about the book, it’s that I would have liked to read more perspectives, just to understand how the deliberate construction of an entire faith was orchestrated to bring an empire to the brink of ruin. It’s fascinating stuff, and makes for some big ‘ah-hah’ moments near the end, but it also makes the villains very one-sided. For a story that’s so deep and diverse, I would have liked to see a little more humanity amongst Moira’s people.

That small quibble aside, this was a fantastic read. There’s an early lull between Vessia escaping the noose to Moira coming on scene around the 25% mark, but from there on out, it’s a fast-paced, emotional, exciting, compelling read to the finish. I freely admit, I stalled in that lull, putting the book down for a bit, but when I got back to it and encountered Moira, I finished the whole damned thing in a day.

Rating:

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Seeing Red (Market) with Dharma Kelleher

Title: Red Market
Author: Dharma Kelleher
Publication Date: February 1, 2023 by Dark Pariah Press
Genres: Thrillers & Crime
Representation: Transgender

As much as I love Jinx Ballou, reading these thrillers takes an emotional toll – as it should. Dharma Kelleher refuses to shy away from the violence and injustices facing the transgender community, confronting the darkness in our society head-on. Red Market was published two years ago, and not only has it aged exceptionally well (to my sorrow), but it’ ha’s even proved prescient in many ways. The threat of arresting parents and doctors for supporting transgender children likely seemed a bit Orwellian in early 2023, but as we know now, it’s frighteningly real.

Let me back up a bit, though, as that’s a secondary plot and not the main focus on the novel. What Red Market is really about is the illegal harvesting of organs from the poor to extend the lives of the rich and the web of conspiracies and violence required to keep such activities running. Jinx gets involved in it all while trying to apprehend a doctor for jumping bail, but what starts as a simple bounty hunter assignment soon leads to murder, a federal investigation, and more.

That, combined with the story of a young transgender girl and her mother hiding from both a violent father and DCS, makes for a very busy book that honestly feels a bit scattered at times, leading to some uneven pacing, but it’s for a good cause. As always, whether she’d combatting transphobia or racism, Kelleher engages the reader’s sympathies even as she stokes their anger, giving them no choice but to become emotionally involved. It’s a nail-biting read in so many respects, and if I had a dollar for every time I cursed out some arrogant jerk in a badge . . . well, I’d have enough saved up to pre-order the next book!

While Red Market wasn’t my favorite of Jinx’s adventures, I’d still wholeheartedly recommend it for anyone looking for a strong thriller with a kick-ass heroine and (perhaps more importantly) a conscience.

Rating:

Stacking the Shelves & The Sunday Post

Stacking The Shelves (Reading Reality) and The Sunday Post (Caffeinated Reviewer) are both blog memes about sharing the books we’re adding to the shelves and sharing news of the week ahead.

New Purchases

Picked up a couple of new books this afternoon. First up Wooing the Witch Queen by Stephanie Burgis, which I had as an e-ARC, but this is so good it warrants a physical copy! Also new to the shelves this week is Raiders of the Lost Heart by Jo Segura, the first in a series of archaeologist romances!

For Review

This week saw a physical copy of The Last Vigilant by Mark A. Latham arrive on the doorstep, a new epic fantasy set in a world where magic is forgotten, monsters lurk in the dark woods, and honorable soldiers are few.

Currently Reading

Finishing up my month of reading all Canadian as a show of solidarity against the giant orange troll and his Nazi sidekick, and also wrapping up the Trans Readathon in honor of the Trans Day of Visibility.

The Revenge of Captain Vessia by Leslie Allen is both Canadian and transgender, so it was a perfect fit for the month; The Uncrowned King by Michelle West is fully Canadian and a great read; while Red Market by Dharma Kelleher is fully in the transgender category – author, protagonist, and several supporting characters.

Weekend Freebies – Queer & Kink Erotica

Well, if it’s another weekend, then it must be time to bend our hearts and minds around preparing for the week ahead, and how better to do that than with some Weekend Freebies!

Every weekend I search through the free titles on Amazon, looking for those that might interest visitors to the ruins. Even if you don’t have a Kindle, you can still download the titles through one of Amazon’s free reading applications.

Please do be sure to check the price before downloading anything, as most freebies are limited time offers, and some are specific to certain regions.

Enjoy!

Can’t-Wait Wednesday (Canadian Edition): Kay & Czerneda

Can’t-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted here to spotlight and discuss the books we’re excited about that we have yet to read. Generally they’re books that have yet to be released. Find out more here.

In light of the political madness creeping North from the orange tyrant, I’ve been focusing exclusively on Canadian authors this month, so let’s continue the trend with some Canadian SFF royalty in Guy Gavriel Kay & Julie E. Czerneda!

Written on the Dark

by Guy Gavriel Kay
Fantasy
May 27, 2025 by Ace

Both sweeping and intimate, a majestic novel of love and war that brilliantly evokes the drama and turbulence of medieval France

Thierry Villar is a well-known—even notorious— tavern poet, familiar with the rogues and shadows of that world, but not at all with courts and power. He is an unlikely person, despite his quickness, to be caught up in the deadly contests of ambitious royals, assassins, and invading armies.

But he is indeed drawn into all these things on a savagely cold night in his beloved city of Orane. And so Thierry must use all the intelligence and charm he can muster as political struggles merge with a decades-long war to bring his country to the brink of destruction.

As he does, he meets his poetic equal in an aristocratic woman and is drawn to more than one unsettling person with a connection to the world beyond this one. He also crosses paths with an extraordinary young woman driven by voices within to try to heal the ailing king—and help his forces in war. A wide and varied set of people from all walks of life take their places in the rich tapestry of this story.

A new masterwork from the internationally bestselling author of All the Seas of the World, A Brightness Long Ago, and Tigana, Written on the Dark is an elegant tour de force about power and ambition playing out amid the intense human need for art and beauty, and memories to be left behind.

A Shift of Time

by Julie E. Czerneda
Fantasy
July 22, 2025 by DAW

The 4th book in the Aurora Award–winning Night’s Edge series returns readers to a rich and atmospheric fantasy world

Perfect for readers of Charles de Lint, Naomi Novik, and Katherine Arden, A Shift of Time is a charming, heartwarming, hopeful fable

Summer has arrived in Marrowdell, but its wild magic is out of sorts. Bannan, returning from his sister’s home in Vorkoun, steps through Jenn’s special crossing to find the village has disappeared. Something is deeply wrong within the edge—and with the Verge. Soon the youngling dragon Imp returns from that magical realm with a dire message: turn-born are missing.

Deep in the mines of Ansnor, turn-born are being trapped and killed. The rest are in hiding, as each crossing destabilizes the Verge, releasing chaos even the sei cannot control. Time is shifting. Bannan, caught between realms, must accept the help of an ancient power, feared by dragons and greater than sei, but at what cost?

Jenn, meanwhile, rushes to Ansnor to find Bannan and fix what’s breaking in the Verge, but she’s in danger, too. For in the edge, those who hunt magic and those with gifts grow bold, and as the only turn-born filled with pearl and the magic of the sei, Jenn Nalynn is the greatest prize of all.

Stacking the Shelves & The Sunday Post

Stacking The Shelves (Reading Reality) and The Sunday Post (Caffeinated Reviewer) are both blog memes about sharing the books we’re adding to the shelves and sharing news of the week ahead.

New Purchases

A whole stack of used book purchases this week. I grabbed the two Exiles books by Melanie Rawn for a vacation reread in April – and, who knows, maybe that’ll bring some literary mojo to make the long-awaited third book a reality! Since I started reading The Uncrowned King as part of my read Canadian pledge this month, I also picked up the next 2 Sun Sword books by Michelle West. And, finally, to feed my longing for more classic/high fantasy, I grabbed Black Trillium and Blood Trillium, the first two books in the shared Saga of the Trillium world by Bradley, May, and Norton.

For Review

A few review titles this week, starting with a physical copy of Six Wild Crowns by Holly Race, “A captivating epic fantasy filled with dragons, court politics and sapphic yearning, perfect for fans of The Priory of the Orange Tree and House of the Dragon.” Like I could possibly resist that pitch!

On the digital front, I also landed copies of Ravenloft: Heir of Strahd by Delilah S. Dawson (which I actually grabbed the day before Dawson was announced as the inheritor of Shannara, simply because I’ve always loved the D&D Ravenloft setting) and Ladies in Hating by Alexandra Vasti (drawn by the lure of a Regency romance with swoony, steamy, sapphic love between Gothic novelists).

Currently Reading

Still reading all Canadian this month in a show of solidarity against the giant orange troll and his Nazi sidekick. If you missed it, I posted my review of Direct Descendant by Tanya Huff earlier in the week.

I’m progressing well on The Uncrowned King by Michelle West, but it is a thick, complex read that demands undivided attention, so I’m balancing it with easier reads. The Revenge of Captain Vessia by Leslie Allen has been my walking read for the week (since we’ve got some Spring-like temperatures), and I’m entirely captivated by its blend of piracy and vampires.

I’ve also got Magic Casement by Dave Duncan (the first of his traditional/high fantasy series, A Man of His Word) and The First Collected Tales of Bauchelain and Korbal Broach by Steven Erikson (the shorter novellas of his Malazan saga) on hand for paperback portability.

Weekend Freebies – Trans Tales & Gender Bending Books

Well, if it’s another weekend, then it must be time to bend our hearts and minds around preparing for the week ahead, and how better to do that than with some Weekend Freebies!

Every weekend I search through the free titles on Amazon, looking for those that might interest visitors to the ruins. Even if you don’t have a Kindle, you can still download the titles through one of Amazon’s free reading applications.

Please do be sure to check the price before downloading anything, as most freebies are limited time offers, and some are specific to certain regions.

Enjoy!

Getting Queer and Cozy with Direct Descendant by Tanya Huff

Title: Direct Descendant
Author: Tanya Huff
Publication Date: May 20, 2025 by Orbit
Genres: Cozy Horror | Queer Romance
Representation: Lesbian

I’ve been a fan of Tanya Huff since I first discovered her Vicki Nelson books back in my Forever Knight days, and her Quarters series back in my Xena: Warrior Princess days. She’s one of those authors I am always excited to see appearing on the shelves, so when I saw advance copies of Direct Descendant were available, I jumped at the chance.

I can honestly say this is one of the most unique stories I’ve come across in recent memory. The cover blurb promises cozy horror that’s creepy, charming, snarky, and queer all at once, but just how perfectly this delivers on all of that is delightful. It could have gone so wrong so easily. Seriously, coming out of the first few chapters, I found myself feeling tense, worried that the incongruous tones would become exasperating or infuriating, but Huff’s confidence, her unwavering commitment to the story, navigates any such pitfalls.

Lake Argen is a small town in Northern Ontario that’s equal parts Twin Peaks and Dog River, and to say it has its share of secrets would be an understatement. There’s something in the water (literally), a dead ground upon the hill, a mysterious basement, a remarkable silver mine, a coven of witches, and a quartet of servants of the Dark. Most everyone in town is related through the founders of the town, and visitors either find themselves keenly interested in staying . . . or finding it altogether forgettable.

The story opens with a magical sacrifice that promises dark (or should that be Dark) days ahead, but while that takes its time to develop, it shifts into a missing person’s mystery that introduces the meet-cute sapphic romance that pulls it all together. Along the way, we meet the residents of Lake Argen, including children who gleefully challenge shadows with silver-tipped skewers. It’s as bizarre as it sounds, but it all fits . . . all meshes . . . and all makes sense. By the time we meet the cute little tentacled beastie who may just hold the key to it all, we’re so committed to seeing Cassie and Melanie work out, we’ll accept anything that moves us deeper into the Dark.

Were this not cozy and cute, I’d say the pacing was a bit off, but really, it moves how it needs to, and the uneven pacing is more a result of genres mixing that any narrative weakness. More importantly, for a story to which horror and romance are so important, the relationship challenges are well-resolved and the climax – often a weak spot in the genre – more than pays off.

Rating: 1/2

My sincere thanks to the publisher for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Can’t-Wait Wednesday (Canadian Edition): To Please Her by Elena Abbott

Can’t-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted here to spotlight and discuss the books we’re excited about that we have yet to read. Generally they’re books that have yet to be released. Find out more here.

In light of the political madness creeping North from the orange tyrant, I’m going to be focusing exclusively on Canadian authors this month – with Elena Abbott both Canadian and Queer!

To Please Her

by Elena Abbott
Romance | Erotica
May 13, 2025 by Bold Strokes Books

Sabrina Doyle doesn’t have time for romance. Working two jobs, she’s resigned herself to having a life only after she’s achieved her goals. The universe has other ideas, as a chance meeting—and a spilled coffee cup—introduces her to Delilah Holte, who seems to be everywhere Sabrina needs to be.

Now Sabrina can’t keep Delilah off her mind, despite how much she tries. As Delilah leads her into the world of BDSM, Sabrina discovers a new submissive side to her sexuality. But Delilah only promises her one night: one night of play, of fun, of pleasure.

Sabrina isn’t sure she can handle just one night. And worse, Delilah isn’t in town for long. Desperate to please her, Sabrina must decide: miss out on the opportunity of a lifetime or pine for the woman who tempts her with such pleasure.