f/f books i WILL be reading ~ madeline’s spring tbr

i’ve decided 2020 is the year i will read all the sapphic books! there are so many wonderful wlw books i’ve seen that are releasing in 2020, and i plan to read them. in 2019, i started to compile a list of all the sapphic books i was interested in reading, but i did not get around to reading most of them. 2019 was a bad reading year, most unfortunately.

2020 is already looking up, and i’m way ahead of target! time to read all the gay books!! 2020 is also the year of learning to embrace my identity and feel less uncomfy with myself–thus reading all the beautiful f/f books i can.

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01. Ink in the Blood by Kim Smejkal

things that make this book look absolutely delightful:

• “perfect for fans of Leigh Bardugo” FIRST OF ALL,, i know that blurbs cannot be trusted lol, but you all know how i feel about Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom.
• tattoo magic and two girls rebelling against the status quo of their religion
• EXPLORATION OF A PLATONIC RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE TWO MAIN CHARACTERS ♥️💗💓💕💖(i love developed friendships maybe even more than romance)
• on-page trans, enby, f/f, m/m, and bi rep!!!!!
• found family dynamics between a theater troupe

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02. The Midnight Lie by Marie Rutkoski

okokok, i was not a fan of Marie Rutkoski’s more popular book The WInner’s Curse (and following books in the trilogy) because of the slave/master storyline made me feel icky and weird. i also wasn’t super interested, so i didn’t finish the other two books in the trilogy.

i’ve heard the writing of The Midnight Lie is gorgeous, and i’m interested in getting back into Rutkoski’s books (just not the Winner’s trilogy). the book seems to delve into the conception of one’s identity, not just a fantasy world. POC rep, magic, and sapphic excellence!

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03. The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern

The Night Circus is one of my favorite books I’ve ever read even now, five or six years after I read it. i’ve had the audiobook for The Starless Sea for a couple months now, and i’ve been waiting for the absolute perfect time to dive into it when i’m in the magical mood. it also has a full cast (!!) and is a book dedicated to a world full of stories. beautiful and wonderful and queer.

**correction: i think the main relationship of the book might be m/m, but i know there are also sapphic side characters which i am particularly excited about. sorry for that mistake! it is also v exciting to have various queer identities represented in tandem!

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04. The Mercies by Kiran Millwood Hargrave

samantha shannon, my current queen of sapphic fantasy, gave this book five stars. need i say more?

• 17th century Norway!!
• women doing magical things and maybe falling in love!

as it turns out, i am very into vaguely magical, feminist historical fiction (cough CIRCE cough) and this book seems to fit right into this niche! i’ve never really read about scandinavia before either, so this should be exciting.

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05. Queen of Coin and Whispers by Helen Corcoran (April 23, 2020)

another one rated five stars by queen Samantha Shannon. the synopsis doesn’t give me much, but the book looks v political, with plenty of twists and turns. i love a badass spy character (i’m looking at u, inej).

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06. How to Make a Wish by Ashley Herring Blake

let’s take a trip to the backlist. i need to read How to Make a Wish, as well as Girl Made of Stars! i’ve heard Blake’s books are intensely emotional and full of discussion about complex topics relating to gender and sexuality, so i’m in! it turns out that i am less into fantasy recently and more into emotional angst, and both of her books seem right up my alley.

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07. Everything Leads to You by Nina LaCour

more backlist! @avagardenwilder on twitter inspired me to read this because she loves it so much!! it seems soft and wonderful and just what i need during all the stress of coronavirus/final exams.

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due to the coronavirus, i’m not back in New Hampshire for school until mid-April so i will definitely have some time on my hands to read more. i’m excited to spend time with family and read many, many books in the next few weeks (i miss my friends tho).

have you read any wonderful sapphic books lately? if so, pLEASE let me know in the comments!! i am always in the need of recommendations!

-madeline

p.s. if you want, purchase any of these books through the links in this post! i am a book depository affiliate–it doesn’t cost you anything but i get a small commission off your purchase!