Isaiah Roby's Blog: MI Book Reviews, page 61

Branded by the Pink Triangle

Before the rise of the Nazi party, Germany, especially Berlin, was one of the most tolerant places for homosexuals in the world. Activists, including Thomas Mann and Albert Einstein, campaigned openly for the rights of gay men and women, and tried to repeal the old existing law against homosexuality. But all that would change when the Nazis came to power and existence for gay people turned into one of fear. Raids, arrests, prison sentences and expulsions became the daily reality. When the...

Best Lesbian Erotica of the Year, Volume 5

Testing the boundaries of pleasure and pain . . . To be so full of longing you ache for release . . .  Coming to climax without a single touch.

The fifth volume of the Best Lesbian Erotica of the Year anthology series explores and expands on the very definition of eroticism with a diverse mix of queer, non-binary, trans, and polyamorous #ownvoices that will have you quivering with delight and wondering what more you can exploreno matter how you identify. More than just steamy sex stories,...

Blazewrath Games

This was a lovely diverse novel about what (to me as someone who has no idea about sports) was basically dragon football.

How to Train Your Dragon  meets  Quidditch through the Ages  in this debut fantasy, set in an alternate contemporary world, in which dragons and their riders compete in an international sports tournament.

Lana Torres has always preferred dragons to people. In a few weeks, sixteen countries will compete in the Blazewrath World Cup, a tournament where dragons and their riders...

Best Women’s Erotica of the Year, Volume 6

“Bold, audacious and unexpected, these twenty scintillating stories will take you on a journey of exploration and empowerment between the sheets and beyond.

From a mermaid’s quest to quench her earthly desires and a weary traveler indulging her lust along the Scottish coast, to a sexy escape room and a motorcycle club, there’s something here for every passion.

With contributions from popular authors Shelly Bell, Zoey Castile, Jeanette Grey, Mia Hopkins, Katrina Jackson, Elizabeth SaFleur, ...

Ritu Weds Chandni

“Little Ayesha is all excited for her favorite cousin Ritu’s wedding. She can’t wait to dance in the baraat ceremony! But not everyone is happy that Ritu is marrying her girlfriend Chandni. Some have even vowed to stop the celebrations. Will Ayesha be able to save her cousin’s big day?

This vibrant book sets the story of a same-sex couple struggling to gain acceptance against the colorful backdrop of an Indian wedding.”

I got an ARC of this book.

Get your tissues ready. Ayesha is th...

Red, White, and Whole

“A heartbreakingly hopeful #ownvoices novel in verse about an Indian American girl whose life is turned upside down when her mother is diagnosed with leukemia.

Reha feels torn between two worlds: school, where she’s the only Indian American student, and home, with her family’s traditions and holidays. But Reha’s parents don’t understand why she’s conflicted—they only notice when Reha doesn’t meet their strict expectations. Reha feels disconnected from her mother, or Amma, although their names...

Dark Archives: A Librarian’s Investigation Into the Science and History of Books Bound in Human Skin

“On bookshelves around the world, surrounded by ordinary books bound in paper and leather, rest other volumes of a distinctly strange and grisly sort: those bound in human skin. Would you know one if you held it in your hand?

In Dark Archives, Megan Rosenbloom seeks out the historic and scientific truths behind anthropodermic bibliopegy–the practice of binding books in this most intimate covering. Dozens of such books live on in the world’s most famous libraries and museums. Dark Archives exh...

The Pirate of Fathoms Deep

The second and once more delightful installment of the Tales of the High Court series, this time featuring an irritable Commander and a pirate who’s trying to be a better man.

High Commander Lesto Arseni is the most feared man in the Harken Empire. None but the High King dares risk his wrath—and a pirate who once punched him in the middle of the imperial pavilion. A pirate who later snuck away with Lesto to an empty room, touched him in ways far more memorable. And then immediately bolted lik...

The Greatest Superpower

“As summer draws to a close, 13-year-old Jorge wants nothing more than to spend his days hanging out with his fellow comic book-obsessed friends. But then his parents announce they’re divorcing for a reason Jorge and his twin brother never saw coming—their father comes out as transgender.”

I got an ARC of this book.

Two things I need to state before I get into reviewing this book: I am trans and I have been a fan of Alex Sanchez since I was in late middle school/early high school.

...

Terror of Breakspear Hall

“What excruciating tortures await them within Breakspear Hall?

Simone and her brother are con-artists. They target the rich and corrupt, making them pay for their crimes. One night, after pursuing a mark to a casino, Simone is attacked on the street. In the aftermath, the two siblings find themselves spirited towards Breakspear Hall. A gothic mansion whose master has tried everything to keep visitors out.

From her first glance of this dark, foreboding building, Simone knows it could spell ...