Do you love romance but feel intimidated by long fantasy series? Are you looking for diverse queer representation beyond the typical male/male romances? This episode of We Read Smut is your cozy guide! I'm joined by Ally of Ally's Shelf, the creator of the viral "100 Days of Queer Fantasy" series, to discuss how to dive into fantasy without the huge commitment. We cover amazing standalone and interconnected series recommendations, the definition of cozy fantasy, and how Ally uses her reading to track diversity across sapphic, asexual, and achillean representation.

Ally is a queer and disabled bookstagrammer who strives to promote BIPOC, queer, disabled, and indie voices in literature. From adult to YA, series to standalone, cozy to epic, she'll read just about any fantasy book you recommend. Her content consists of book reviews, short form videos, challenges, readathons, and book recommendations, but her favorite part is her yearly "100 Days of Queer Fantasy Series." In addition to her own Instagram she is a writer for Readin' Magazine. When she's not reading, you can find her gaming with her husband, hanging out with her four cats, or making music.

Key Takeaways

• Cozy Fantasy is Your Entry Point: If high stakes and world-saving epics overwhelm you, cozy fantasy is the solution. These books focus on mundane life, like an adventurer opening a coffee shop (like Legends and Lattes), rather than complex world-building.
• Standalones for the Commitment-Phobe: Stop worrying about starting a seven-book saga! Look for fantasy standalones or interconnected series (where books can be read in any order) to ease yourself into the genre.
• The Nuance of Queer Representation: Ally ensures her reading goes beyond surface-level representation by tracking specific identities, including sapphic (femme-presenting love stories), achillean (male-presenting love stories), and the asexual spectrum (ace, aro, demi).
• How to Score ARCs/ALCs: Learn Ally's best strategies for getting advanced reader copies (ARCs) and advanced listener copies (ALCs), including using NetGalley, applying through indie authors' Google Forms, and signing up for author newsletters.

It's time to read for a window and a mirror by exploring diverse identities across all genres! If you're ready to start your queer fantasy journey, check out Ally's series on Instagram or TikTok by searching Ally's Shelf.

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