You don’t expect to open a fantasy romance novel only

A triangle requires each corner to connect to two others, so if you have a romance where there are two of three parties who don’t have feelings for one another, what you actually have is a love angle. Xiran

CW: violence, suicidal ideation, discussion and references to sexual assault (though no on-page depictions), alcohol addiction, torture, physical and emotional abuse, trauma, foot binding  

Cohosts Anne and Lizzy discuss Lev A.C. Rosen's Lavender House, the first of the Andy Mills historical mystery series. Andy is a recently fired- and outed- detective in 1950’s San Francisco. As he tries to navigate what to do next, the matriarch of a mysterious family asks him to investigate a murder. As Andy begins to discover the secrets of the family, it helps him come to terms with his own. Topics discussed include found family, the ties that bind, and the precarious position of living when your existence is illegal. While society and laws have come a long way in many countries, there are still too many where LGBTQ+ people do not have the freedom to be who they are and to love who they love.

CW: Homophobia, slurs, hate crimes, suicidal ideation, police brutality

A Psalm for the Wild-Built is described as ‘a novella for seekers of small comforts,’ a sentiment that cohosts Ashley and Em seem to agree with in this episode’s discussion. In a gentle future utopia, a tea monk named Sibling Dex and a robot named Mosscap search to find the answer to the question, “What do people need?” Purpose, personhood, and meaning are all central to this cozy fantasy. Topics discussed include later-than-normal career changes, burnout, and the enjoyment of a well-developed fictional world.

America, 1954. Lily Hu and Kathleen Miller explore their long-hidden sexualities in a lesbian bar called the Telegraph Club. But when the Red Scare and racism threaten the lives of Lily and her father, Lily and Kath must risk everything for their love. Hosts Annika and Bailey discuss being gay in the 1950s, coming to terms with your sexuality, and the age old question: are they being friendly or are they flirting?

If you're interested in reading Last Night at the Telegraph Club after listening to this episode, consider borrowing it from your local library or purchasing it from an independent bookstore!

Reese is heartbroken when her girlfriend Amy detransitions and becomes Ames, leaving her in a self-destructive loop of sleeping with married men. But when Ames accidentally gets his new lover Katrina pregnant, he tries to orchestrate a scheme for the three of them to raise the baby together as their own type of family. Join Em and Lisa as they discuss Torrey Peters’ compelling yet controversial novel, with discussions including the varied life experiences of trans people, the burden and gift that is family, and the importance of questioning our own assumptions.

If you're interested in reading Detransition, Baby after listening to this episode, consider borrowing it from your local library or purchasing it from an independent bookstore!

In a Reading the Rainbow first, cohosts Lizzy and Em interview Michael Ausiello, author of the heart-breaking memoir Spoiler Alert: The Hero Dies. Michael graciously shares about his writing process, the shock of having his memoir made into a feature film, Smurfs, and, of course, memories of Kit, his late husband, a Millersburg, PA native. Listen with a box of tissues at the ready.

If you're interested in reading Spoiler Alert: The Hero Dies after listening to this episode, consider borrowing it from your local library or purchasing it from an independent bookstore!

Kamai is a Soulwalker – she can travel into people’s souls

If you're interested in reading Beyond the Black Door after listening to this episode, consider borrowing it from your local library or purchasing it from an independent bookstore!

Andrew and Eddie did everything together, until Eddie’s

If you're interested in reading Summer Sons after listening to this episode, consider borrowing it from your local library or purchasing it from an independent bookstore!

Tired from a life of bloody battles, Viv puts down her sword and picks up a coffee cup. But starting a café in a fantasy world isn’t easy, especially with Viv’s long list of rivals… and the fact that nobody around her even knows what coffee is. Amber, Ashley, and Jamie team up to discuss this Dungeons & Dragons themed slice-of-life sapphic fantasy in a conversation that encompasses the prevalence of stereotypes, what constitutes a “dollop of romantic froth,” and the purpose of a lady’s stocking when making coffee.

If you're interested in reading Legends & Lattes after listening to this episode, consider borrowing it from your local library or purchasing it from an independent bookstore!