Sapphic September TBR!

Hello, friends!! Landice at Manic Femme is hosting a sapphic readathon for the month of September and I cannot wait to participate!! A friendly reminder that Brittany and I are hosting a weekend long sapphic readathon on the 12th and 13th as well, so it’s just a month filled with sapphic content and I cannot wait!!

I have no idea what my TBR for my own readathon is going to be (lol), but it will likely feature some of these books because we love knocking two things out at once! My TBR and watch plans will be up probably the week of the readathon because we love last minute planning and also because it will depend on what reading has gotten done up to that point. Anywho, let’s just jump into my TBR.

I will say it is extremely unlikely that I will read all of these books because I just started school and took on more kids to watch during the days so I will have less time for reading, but a girl can dream. This is my dream.

Prompt: myth or fairytale retelling – Gretel by Niamh Murphy

I have had this novel on my kindle for a while and always look at it when I am looking for a short read (its just about 90 pages? I think?) but have yet to actually pick it up, so this readathon seemed like the perfect time. Also, it seems that I don’t have any sapphic myth or fairytale retellings on my TBR, so if you have any you want me to add to it, please drop them below!!

Indie or small press author: Cute Mutants, Vol 1 by S.J. Whitby

I was lucky enough to be sent a copy of this by the author and I cannot wait to jump right into it, it looks really good and all of the reviews are glowing, plus the first line of the summary is too relatable.

“My name is Dylan Taylor, human incarnation of the burning dumpster gif, and this is my life.”

Adult book: Plain Bad Heroines by Emily M. Danforth

If you’re new here, hi, my name is Arin and I am obsessed with The Miseducation of Cameron Post by Emily M. Danforth. That being said, I am still very plainly in disbelief that I got a physical arc of this book. I need to read it, but it is like,,thick,, and that kind of scares me. That and the fact that it is adult horror, but I will get over it and read it this month. It will happen. I am determined.

Backlist title: These Witches Don’t Burn by Isabel Sterling

I have owned this book since the weekend of my birthday last year (I know bc I bought it with a friend when we were hanging out for my birthday, trust me, I don’t normally remember), so my goal is to read it before my birthday this year (the 13th!) so that it hasn’t sat on my shelf unread for a year. I just got the audio from my library, so between the audio and my physical copy I think I can do it. I hope, at least.

Enemies/rivals to lovers: Crier’s War by Nina Varela

We are going to all collectively pretend that the reason I haven’t read this yet is because I haven’t wanted to read it until I can read the sequel right after. It is definitely not that I am just semi scared because I am bad at reading fantasy because it requires brain cells and I don’t have those most of the time. Anywho, the sequel will be out in September and it is the group read, so I should probably read this. I have it as a predicted five star and really think I will enjoy it, so we’ll see.

Group read: Iron Heart by Nina Varela

I obviously haven’t read the first book in this series to know what this is about, but I have heard that this one is even gayer and has casual sapphic worldbuilding and I am very into that. I guess I am just really grateful that this readathon is actually forcing me to read this duology (I think it’s a duology? I haven’t heard anything about a third book?) because I really do think I will enjoy it even if it requires all of my brain cells.

Let a friend choose your read: The Henna Wars by Adiba Jaigirdar

None other than the lovely Brianna choose this for me to read from my unread sapphic books shelf on goodreads! I have been on the wait list for this at my library since it came out and still haven’t gotten it (despite being first in line? for two months?) and it is out of stock on most websites, so I will be cracking and buying the ebook but I am certain it is worth it. Also, please admire that cover if you haven’t already.

Contemporary romance: Hot Dog Girl by Jennifer Dugan

I started this book and read the first twenty or so pages last August and really enjoyed it, but then I started school and everything went to hell and I had to return it to the library. But!! The ebook was on sale the other day and I couldn’t resist, so I am excited to read some more of this (and hopefully finish it lol)! It seems short, cute, and sweet, so I may save this for Sapphic Saturday and Sunday, but who knows man. Check back in a week or so to find out.

Format you read the least: The Avant Guards, Vol 2 by Carly Usdin

I had no idea that volume two of this series came out this year, but I now that I do, I have to read it! I may need to reread the first one to refresh, but either way I am so excited. I struggled with what format to use for this prompt as I read audiobooks, ebooks, physical books, and graphic novels pretty consistently, but in the end I decided I have probably read the least graphic novels hence this tweet.

New or new to you author: The Lady’s Guide to Celeste Mechanics by Olivia Waite

I will have two Olivia Waite books on this TBR as we will see, but I haven’t read anything by her yet, so I am counting it. My best friend (Brianna, from earlier) read this last month and enjoyed it so I am looking forward to it.

Though hopefully I don’t run into the issue where I just stare at the cover instead of reading bc pretty women again, but there is a decent chance of that happening.

Has been on your TBR too long: Annie on My Mind by Nancy Garden

This book has been on my TBR since I started reading sapphic books (on purpose) last year because it was one of the first to be recommended to me on twitter. Since then, I have put it on at least three TBRs and even checked out a physical copy from the library twice even though I own the ebook. Have I read it though? Negative. If I do not read this book next month please feel free to yell at me, that will be the only way I actually read it.

By a sapphic literary icon: Fingersmith by Sarah Waters

I didn’t have many ideas for who to chose for this prompt, but I have heard/seen that anything labeled as “for fans of Sarah Waters” is just coded for being gay so I thought it worked.

This has been on my TBR since one of my favorite podcasts, Queer As Fact, did a Queer As Fiction episode on this book and its movie adaptation, so I think it’ll be really fun to read this then go relisten to that episode when I can actually understand what on earth they are talking about.

Quick read, novella or graphic novel: Carmilla by J. Sheridan Le Fanu

This is another book that I am reading because of Queer As Fact, they did a Queer As Fiction episode on this as well and even though they literally ran through the entire plot and analyzed it and detail and I listened to the whole thing, I still think this could be a cool quick read. Plus, I mean, it is one of the first sapphic things published (??? I think??) and it inspired the web series Carmilla which I really enjoy (or like, at least the first season, that is all I have watched).

Historical fiction/romance: The Care and Taming of Wapish Widows by Olivia Waite

Look pals, Olivia Waite is back. Here is to sapphic historical romances (she says as if she has read any ever).

I have an ARC of this that I still haven’t read despite the fact that it has already came out, but that just means I can listen to the audiobook as I follow along with the ebook which will make it easier for me to comprehend and therefore review. Yes, I am just making excuses for me not reviewing things like I should.

Opposites attract: Once Upon a Princess by Clare Lydon and Harper Bliss

I have honestly heard zero things about this book, but it is a sapphic princess romance so I am all over it. If you didn’t know, I really like sapphic things and the royalty trope (I have no idea on the second one, I think I never really left my disney princess phase) so I am actually pretty excited to read this book I have never heard of. Also, it was one of the few things that popped up when I googled sapphic opposites attract books so we will take what we can get (but also give me your recommendations).

Sci-fi/fantasy with a romance subplot: The Scapegracers by Hannah Abigail Clarke

I don’t really know if this counts for this prompt and if it doesn’t I’ll just add on something else as well, but I have an arc of this and really need to read it before it comes out.

All I know about this is that it is about sapphic witches and that all of my friends have been loving it and giving it five stars. I have honestly never read any witchy books other than like Harry Potter but I have always loved Sabrina the Teenage Witch so maybe this and my other sapphic witch book on this TBR will spur a rewatch.

Okay I have been rambling for way too damn long and this post is about 1800 words so I will call it a day now. But, before I go, have you read any of these? Are you participating in Sapphic September? Let’s chat in the comments!!