Sally Bend's Blog, page 9
April 4, 2025
Weekend Freebies – SFF LGBTQIA Romance
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!
April 3, 2025
Wooing (and Being Wooed by) the Witch Queen with Stephanie Burgis
Author: Stephanie Burgis
Publication Date: February 18, 2025
Genres: Fantasy | Romantasy
Representation: Bisexual
Wooing the Witch Queen is, in a word, marvelous. If you’ll allow me a few others, I’ll add magnificent and magical, brilliant and beautiful, and stunning and sensual. Honestly, I have not enjoyed a book like this so much since His Secret Illuminations – and for many of the same reasons.
What Stephanie Burgis has written here is a slow-burn, cozy, and yet high-stakes fantasy romance that is deliciously surprising in so many ways. The Queens of Villainy are the heroes, the monsters (especially the goblins) are cute, and the protagonist is a cinnamon roll of a boyfriend who does a really bad job of pretending to be a dark wizard.
Felix (Fabian) is the kind of protagonist with whom I identify wholeheartedly, and his gender-role-swapped relationship with Saskia makes me feel seen. He’s kind, bookish, good-natured, and loyal, but there’s a hidden strength behind his resilience. Utterly smitten with the Queen, who is the lead in their relationship, Fabian throws himself into a world of magic he knows nothing about and risks both his safety and his freedom to keep her safe. As for Saskia, she is a good woman with a dark reputation and a backstory as tragic as Felix’s. Confidently and openly bisexual, she’s still navigating the fallout of one relationship while easing her way into another. She’s angry and stressed and frustrated, beset by challenges on all sides, but in Felix she finds a safe outlet for her heart.
Morlokk, Mrs. Haglitz, Krakk, the goblins, and the crows are perhaps the oddest found family you’ll ever come across in fantasy, and yet they’re absolutely endearing. It was they who made Saskia’s dark castle a home, and they who make Felix feel welcome. The other Queens of Villainy (Lorelei and Ailana) are more complex characters, women of incredible strength and worrying flaws, and I’m looking forward to getting to know more about them as the series continues.
Wooing the Witch Queen is beautifully written, a breeze of a book that begs to be savored, and I enjoyed it immensely. There’s magic aplenty, books aplenty, and even some mythology that you’d best pay attention to, because it’ll become important by the end. I cannot recommend this highly enough, and as soon as Enchanting the Fae Queen is released, I’ll be first in line to follow Lorelei’s tale.
Rating: 
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
April 2, 2025
Can’t-Wait Wednesday – May Reads
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.
With the first of April having come and gone, it’s time to look ahead to the books I’m most excited about seeing on shelves in May.
Brighter than Scale, Swifter than Flame
by Neon Yang
Fantasy
May 6, 2025 by Tordotcom
With an armored, oath-bound hero reminiscent of The Mandalorian and the Asian-inspired epic fantasy of She Who Became the Sun, Neon Yang’s Brighter than Scale, Swifter than Flame is a stunning queer novella about a dragon hunter finding home with a dragon queen.
Daughter of Tides by Kit Rocha
by Kit Rocha
Fantasy
May 6, 2025 by Montlake
From the author of Consort of Fire comes a scorching romantasy novel full of courtly intrigue and erotic crackle riding the swells of immortal love.
by Emma Newman
Fantasy | Horror
May 6, 2025 by Solaris
A swashbuckling adventure set in a version of Alexandre Dumas’s world haunted by vampires…
by Evan Leikam
Fantasy
May 13, 2025 by Tor Books
An unlikely assassin struggles to escape a legendary bounty hunter in this breakneck fantasy debut that will grab you by the throat—perfect for fans of Joe Abercrombie, R.F. Kuang, and Christopher Buehlman. She killed for a cause. Will she die for it too?
by Brandy Schillace
History| Society & Current Affairs
May 13, 2025 by W. W. Norton & Company
Set in interwar Germany, The Intermediaries tells the forgotten story of the Institute for Sexual Science, the world’s first center for homosexual and transgender rights. Headed by a gay Jewish man, Dr. Magnus Hirschfeld, the institute aided in the first gender-affirming surgeries and hormone treatments, acting as a rebellious base of operations in the face of rising prejudice, nationalism, and Nazi propaganda.
by Elena Abbott
Romance | Erotica
May 13, 2025 by Bold Strokes Books
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.
by Rachel Gillig
Fantasy
May 20, 2025 by Orbit
From NYT bestselling author Rachel Gillig comes the next big romantasy sensation, a gothic, mist-cloaked tale of a young prophetess forced on an impossible quest with the one knight whose future is beyond her sight. Perfect for fans of Jennifer L. Armentrout and Leigh Bardugo.
Amplitudes: Stories of Queer and Trans Futurity
by Lee Mandelo
Fantasy | Science Fiction
May 27, 2025 by Erewhon Books
Revolutionary and visionary, these twenty-two speculative stories edited by Lambda, Nebula and Hugo finalist Lee Mandelo explore the vast potentialities of our queer and trans futures.
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
by K.Q. Watson
Science Fiction
May 31, 2025 by Clippedscape
When angel engineer Zak’s infant son is cast down for being born without wings, he faces Heaven’s cruel mandate: forget, or fall. Clipped, Zak plummets to a broken Earth, where false prophets exploit the faithful, drug lords rule dead cities, and every truth comes with a price.
March 31, 2025
Reading From The Inside by Sophia Turner
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:
March 30, 2025
Tasting The Revenge of Captain Vessia by Leslie Allen
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
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:
March 29, 2025
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 PurchasesPicked 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 ReviewThis 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 ReadingFinishing 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.
March 28, 2025
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!
March 19, 2025
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.
March 15, 2025
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 PurchasesA 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 ReviewA 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 ReadingStill 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.
