note: At the time of posting, I haven't read any of the books in any challenge (wouldn't be much of a challenge if I'd already finished them all). The fact that a book is featured in a challenge is not necessarily an endorsement. Please see the results lists for my actual recommendations, and feel free to check my Goodreads for more detailed reviews of any book I've read.
Fall Reading Challenge 2024
Just a little bingo board with four challenges per category. Get four in a row or complete all sixteen.
Reading the Rainbow Challenge
There are a lot of orientations and genders in the world, but diversity is welcome here. I'm trying to find a book for each of the following umbrella terms:
* Agender
* Aromantic
* Asexual
* Bisexual
* Biromantic
* Demigender
* Demisexual
* Gay
* Gender fluid
* Gender Nonconforming
* Intersex
* Lesbian
* Nonbinary
* Pansexual
* Panromantic
* Polyamorous
* Straight (ha! Just kidding; it's no challenge to find straight characters)
* Trans-feminine
* Trans-masculine
* Questioning
I don't know if I'll find them all in the following book list, but I'll let you know once I find out ;)
Reading the Rainbow: the Results
In June 2024, I read 25 books tagged as queer. I finished a few in May and July as well, and I'm including them so that I can give you a more complete list if you're looking for specific tags.
It was easy to find books tagged as LGBTQ+. It was much harder to find specific identities. I was unable to locate a few of the more specific identities, namely pansexual, panromantic, and demigender. It was also ridiculously hard to find a clean book with polyamorous representation, but I did my best here. I assume some of the characters I read about might have identified with these labels, but the author chose not to mention it specifically. Additionally, a few of the books I read had more than one queer character, and for the sake of not cluttering up this chart too much, I have only placed them on one sticker.
All books listed below are either 4- or 5-star rated, and most are highly recommended, particularly as having good representation of the given identity. There were more, particularly for the lesbian category. For complete reviews and even more queer book recommendations, please see my Reading the Rainbow shelf on Goodreads.
* Agender Puzzleheart by Jenn Reese
* Aromantic Dear Wendy by Ann Zhao
* Asexual How To Be Ace by Rebecca Burgess
A-Okay by Jarad Greene
* Bisexual I'll Be the One by Lyla Lee
* Biromantic Imogen, Obviously by Becky Albertalli
* Demigender The Lock-Eater by Zack Loran Clark
* Demisexual Before We Were Blue by E.J. Schwartz
* Gay Small Town Pride by Phil Stamper
* Gender fluid Just Shy of Ordinary by A.J. Sass
* Gender Nonconforming Transmogrify (anthology ed. G. Haron Davis)
* Intersex Cattywampus by Ash Van Otterloo
* Lesbian Swan Lake by Rey Terciero
The Mighty Heart of Sunny St. James by Ashley Herring Blake
* Nonbinary Gooseberry by Robin Gow
Flowerheart by
* Pansexual
* Panromantic
* Polyamorous The Guncle by Steven Rowley
* Straight (seriously, there's one in every book)
* Trans-feminine Ciel by Sophie Labelle
* Trans-masculine The House that Whispers by Lin Thompson
* Questioning Cruzita and the Mariacheros by Ashley Granillo
Ace-Spec April Reading Challenge 2024
The Results
While I'd never recommend a book I didn't love, these books are also rated very strongly on how well the asexual representation was done. A few books didn't make the following list of winners simply because the ace rep was poorly done or nonexistent.
Most Reassuring: Ace: What Asexuality Reveals about Desire, Society, and the Meaning of Sex
Most Quirky: Convenience Store Woman
Cutest: Planning Perfect
Most Powerful: So Let Them Burn
Most Re-read by Sirah: Summer Bird Blue
Most challenging: The Tiger and the Cage
Most Fun: The Trouble with Robots
(comments on the last 2 books still pending)
Winter Reading Challenge 2023/2024
Winter is classically the perfect time to get cozy with a book, and there are so many delightful snow-themed stories to choose from! A few of these are rollovers from last year, but I've added some new ones as well. I've also committed to 30, since that seems more doable, as evidenced by last year's challenge. I'll update this list as needed and remove any that aren't suitably snowy so you only get the best most crystalline reads ;)
The Results
Most Tragic: Brother's Keeper
Best Audiobook: The Doldrums
Best Use of Legends: The Girl Who Speaks Bear
Best Mystery: Greenglass House (Malamander is also very mysterious)
Most Empowering: One Jar of Magic
Excellent Narrative Style: The Rise and Fall of Mount Majestic
Hardest to find: The Snow Girl
Best Friendship: Winterfrost
Spooky Challenge 2023
Now, I know these aren't all spooky, but the blend of magic, monsters, danger, and mystery feels just right for this time of year.
The Results
Spookiest: Spirit Hunter
Unique: The Faerie Godmother's Apprentice Wore Green
Best World Building: A Deadly Education
Best Supplementary Content: Witchlings
Want something zippier? Try these
Autumn Graphic Novels
The Results
Funniest: Aster and the Accidental Magic
Prettiest Artwork: Sorceline (though Mamo is also gorgeous)
Spookiest: The Ojja Wojja
Cutest: Basil and Oregeno
Most mysterious: This Was Our Pact
Most magical: Estranged
Highest rated: Snapdragon
A-Spec April 2023
A-spec can refer to autism spectrum or asexual spectrum. Both offer great options of books to read, and I'm excited to jump into this year's selections.
The Results
This year's challenge was a bit disappointing with most books being merely average. A few highlights
Of the Wild by E Wabheim was everything I was hoping for when I first saw the cover. It's beautiful, and you should read it.
Aces Wild by Amanda DeWitt is a fun story. I particularly liked the way that it explores a variety of ways to be Ace.
Winter Tide by Ruthanna Emrys surprised me the most! When I read "Lovecraftian," I was not expecting a poignant tale of love and loss, but you'd better believe that I'm finishing this trilogy.
Hazel's Theory of Evolution by Lisa Jenn Bigelow has the average middle school drama, but it's paired with a unique perspective that make it cozy to read.
I didn't hate That Inevitable Victorian Thing, Vespertine, The Kindred, or This Song Is Not Meant for You, but they don't really stand out. I didn't get to start Beyond the Black Door during April or May.
Honorable Mention:
I didn't read this book during April, but it's such a touching book, I want to encourage you to read it if you're either a young person discovering asexuality or a parent/friend trying to understand what it's like.
Just Lizzie by Karen Wilfrid gets started as Lizzie discovers the word "asexual" in her science textbook and realizes it might apply to her as well. But not everyone understands, and many suggest it's just a phase. After all, Lizzie is only in eighth grade. Maybe she'll grow out of it? Besides, her new identity might be the result of trauma after what happened to her mom last year. But Lizzie is determined to figure out her identity.
Winter Reading Challenge 2022
This winter, I have 52 winter-themed books (or at least they have wintery covers ;)
Why 52? Because that's precisely how many cards are in a deck. I'll be picking a new card each time I finish one, and I'll be sure to let you know if I find any winners!
♥
1. Kingdom of Ash and Briars
2. Spinning Silver
3. Snow and Rose
4. Frostheart
5. Odd and the Frost Giants
6. Winterfrost
7. The Evil Wizard Smallbone
8. The Very, Very Far North
9. The Poet's Dog
10. Winterhouse
J. Icefall
Q. Greenglass House
K. May B.
1. Kingdom of Ash and Briars
2. Spinning Silver
3. Snow and Rose
4. Frostheart
5. Odd and the Frost Giants
6. Winterfrost
7. The Evil Wizard Smallbone
8. The Very, Very Far North
9. The Poet's Dog
10. Winterhouse
J. Icefall
Q. Greenglass House
K. May B.
♦
1. The Lost Frost Girl
2. The Sound of Stars
3. The Bear and the Nightingale
4. The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street
5. The Rise and Fall of Mount Majestic
6. Iron Hearted Violet
7. Everywhere Blue
8. Words in Deep Blue
9. The Candle and the Flame
10. The Sea in Winter
J. The Reason I Jump
Q. The Ocean at the End of the Lane
K. The Doldrums
1. The Lost Frost Girl
2. The Sound of Stars
3. The Bear and the Nightingale
4. The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street
5. The Rise and Fall of Mount Majestic
6. Iron Hearted Violet
7. Everywhere Blue
8. Words in Deep Blue
9. The Candle and the Flame
10. The Sea in Winter
J. The Reason I Jump
Q. The Ocean at the End of the Lane
K. The Doldrums
♣
1. The Mermaid, the Witch, and the Sea
2. The Polar Bear Explorers Club
3. Midnight in Everwood
4. Things in Jars
5. The Thieving Collectors of Fine Children's Books
6. The Little Shop of Found Things
7. Conceal, Don't Feel
8. Anya and the Dragon
9. The Deepest Blue
10. House of Salt and Sorrows
J. How the Penguins Saved Veronica
Q. One Jar of Magic
K. Splinters of Scarlet
2. The Polar Bear Explorers Club
3. Midnight in Everwood
4. Things in Jars
5. The Thieving Collectors of Fine Children's Books
6. The Little Shop of Found Things
7. Conceal, Don't Feel
8. Anya and the Dragon
9. The Deepest Blue
10. House of Salt and Sorrows
J. How the Penguins Saved Veronica
Q. One Jar of Magic
K. Splinters of Scarlet
♠
1. The School Between Winter and Fairyland
2. Beasts and Beauty
3. A Many Feathered Thing
4. On Looking: Eleven Walks with Expert Eyes
5. The Girl Who Speaks Bear
6. Hazel Bly and the Deep Blue Sea
7. Millie Maven and the Bronze Medallion
8. The Midnight Library
9. The Gilded Girl
10. The Comeback: A Figure Skating Novel
J. You Don't Have To Learn Everything the Hard Way
Q. Winter Garden
K. Nevertell
2. Beasts and Beauty
3. A Many Feathered Thing
4. On Looking: Eleven Walks with Expert Eyes
5. The Girl Who Speaks Bear
6. Hazel Bly and the Deep Blue Sea
7. Millie Maven and the Bronze Medallion
8. The Midnight Library
9. The Gilded Girl
10. The Comeback: A Figure Skating Novel
J. You Don't Have To Learn Everything the Hard Way
Q. Winter Garden
K. Nevertell
The Results
During winter 2022-2023, I read 28 books off this list, leaving 24 still covered in snow.
Top 5 from this challenge
The Very Very Far North: An absolutely charming tale of a polar bear named Duane who loves to sleep, eat, and explore.
Winterhouse: The perfect hotel mystery, brimming with themes of family and a touch of magic.
The Reason I Jump: Answers to common questions about autism, written by a 13-year-old autistic boy.
How the Penguins Saved Veronica: An old lonely woman is trying to decide how to leave a legacy and discovers a penguin research center that needs her help—or is it the other way around?
On Looking: A series of essays on what we notice and why.
Other notable mentions
Book I'm most disappointed I didn't read: Midnight in Everwood
Book that came up that I just didn't feel like reading: Deepest Blue
Most disappointing: Millie Maven and the Bronze Medallion. A story of a girl who's whisked away to an alternate universe where she must pass a series of trials to get into an elite academy (is described as the perfect mix of Harry Potter and Hunger Games but "safe." But it actually has a lot of seriously questionable content).
Least wintery: The Ocean at the End of the Lane: A boy meets his neighbors, who aren't quite what they appear, and he gets caught up in an ancient story of good vs evil. Spooky, but no snow.
Most snow: Nevertell: A girl lives at a prison camp, but she's desperate to find her grandmother so she can free her mother, but as she battles the cold, she discovers that there's something special about her.
Scariest: Things in Jars: A scientist has discovered a rare live specimen who might just be a mermaid, but collectors and showmen are willing to resort to underhanded methods to steal it from him, leaving it up to a washed-up female detective to stop anyone from harming the child.
Most Festive: The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street: The five Vanderbeeker children are to be evicted from their apartment right after Christmas, so they make a plan to convince their landlord to like them.
Funniest: The Evil Wizard Smallbone: A boy runs away from home and finds himself trapped by an evil wizard, but the longer he lives there, the more he realizes that he might have the means to save himself and the whole town.
Longest: Spinning Silver: (seriously, this book was 200 pages in before anything happened) A collection of characters are caught up in an ancient battle between the snow fae and the fire demons.
Shortest: The Poet's Dog (a novel in verse): Two children are rescued by a dog and learn that the dog needs rescuing too.
Made me cry: Iron Hearted Violet: Violet isn't a beautiful princess, and when a malevolent presence convinces her to seek beauty, it may mean the collapse of the whole world.
Most magical: The Lost Frost Girl: When frost starts growing on this girl's fingers and she learns she has magical powers, she becomes more determined than ever to figure out who her father is.
For full reviews of any of these books, you can find this challenge on the Winter Challenge 2022 shelf in my Goodreads. (note: I did finish reading all of these books within a year, many of them in my Winter Challenge 2023, above, and some of them have migrated to different Goodreads shelves as a consequence)
October Reading Challenge
It's almost October, and I'm ready for some spooky reads! I don't like them too spooky, but I'm excited to test out this new October reading challenge.
I plan on reading:
Fangs by Sarah Andersen (vampire)
Long Live the Pumpkin Queen by Shea Ernshaw (pumpkin on cover, monster, ghost)
Dream House by Marzia Bisognin (dark house on cover)
The Witch of Willow Hall by Hester Fox (witch)
A Spell of Trouble by Leighann Dobbs (Cat on cover)
The Witching Place: A Fatal Folio by Sophie Love (cozy)
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Seth Grahame-Smith (zombies, classic?)
The Nature of Witches by Rachel Griffin (leaves on cover)
Of a Feather by Dayna Lorentz (owl on cover)
Nightbooks by J.A. White (horror)
The Mysterious Disappearance of Aidan S. by David Levithan (mystery)
Penelope Gilbert and the Children of Azure by Emily A. Steward (owl on cover)
Fly By Night by Tara O'Connor (graphic novel, moon on cover)
The Results!
In October, I read 38 books, knocking out this challenge in the process.
My favorites from this challenge were
The Mysterious Disappearance of Aidan S.
David Levithan
We've all read thrilling portal fantasies full of epic quests and magical worlds, but what happens to the people who are left behind when a child goes through a portal?
This short yet clever book brilliantly explores what it means to trust someone.
Fangs
Sarah Andersen
One day a vampire meets a werewolf at a nightclub and the two start dating. This graphic novel explores little slices of life as the two adjust to being a couple.
I laughed out loud many times to their irreverent and thoughtful banter.
Of a Feather
Dayna Lorentz
Reenie has just been shuffled to another new home while her mom is away at a mental health hospital, and she refuses to trust anyone. Then she learns that her aunt is a falconer, and they accidentally catch an injured owl. With a little care and understanding, both Reenie and Rufus have the chance to heal. Of a Feather is a well-crafted novel full of fun facts and cozy moments.
Long Live the Pumpkin Queen
Shea Ernshaw
Fans of the Nightmare Before Christmas finally get the Sally and Jack wedding they've been dreaming of, followed by a sweet and spooky honeymoon. But things aren't all spiders and magic potions when the happy couple gets back two weeks before Halloween, and the situation goes from stressful to dreadful when a new monster appears in Halloweentown and starts putting everyone to sleep. Sally must find a way to rescue those she loves from this sleepy menace, even if it means leaving everything she knows and loves.
I highly recommend this book for anyone who watches the Nightmare Before Christmas annually. The voice and style is perfect, even if the story itself is a bit fanfiction-ish.
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies
Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith
Imagine taking the original Pride and Prejudice manuscript and inserting zombies wherever possible. It turns out, that's precisely what Seth Grahame-Smith did, to hilarious and remarkably insightful results.
This isn't a book for the faint of heart, as there's a lot of casual cruelty, but it's such a silly bit of satire that one can almost overlook it.
I also really enjoyed these books, which were not on my reading challenge
The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches
Sangu Mandanna
Witches have always had to remain apart from one another, but when Mika Moon is invited to teach three young witchlings, something tells her that it's the right place to be. In moving to Nowhere house, she meets a found family so full of love and belonging that it hurts. But there are secrets even in this cozy atmosphere, and if Mika isn't careful, the whole family could be torn apart.
This one is super sweet and cozy, perfect for fans of the House on the Cerulean Sea, although I agree with the large community of people who are clamoring for a clean version.
The Gingerbread Witch
Alexandra Overy
Maud has always wished she could do magic, but she isn't permitted to, and for good reason. As soon as she attempts one little spell, the good witch she lives with is pushed into the oven of their candy house and the magic holding Maud and her family together starts to crumble. Maud must brave the perilous outside world to recover the first witch's book in order to save everything she loves, but she learns a few things about trust and prejudice along the way.
This is a terribly cozy twist on the Hansel and Gretel story that was truly a joy to read.
Seance Tea Party
Reimena Yee
Lora hosts the most delightful tea parties, so good that her old imaginary friend Alexa shows up. But it turns out Alexa is a ghost who can't grow up, which suits Lora just fine because she's not ready to lose the magic of childhood yet.
There were definitely moments when this book made me cry for the way that growing up means losing something, but this is also a story of hope and new beginnings.
Vampiric Vacation
Kiersten White
The second book in the Sinister Summer series finds Alexander, Theo, and Wil at a mysterious castle spa (caspatle) with the cryptic instructions to "look closer." Yet when the twins take a peek, all the clues seem to be pointing toward a vampire problem in the caspatle! With no one around to trust but each other, the siblings set out to solve the case by being brave and being cautious.
I particularly like the puns in this story, but it surprises me how many thoughtful insights there are in this book about mental health, trust, growing up, family, and responsibility.
Ace-Spec April Reading Challenge
This challenge was originally posted by ASpecApril
April is now A-Spec April
Come back soon to see if I can actually read this many Ebooks or if I should just stick to Print and Audio as my preferred mode of consuming literature.
The Results!
Per my earlier post, I committed to reading 14 books in the month of April which featured asexual characters. Admittedly, they can be tricky to find, but most of the books explicitly feature asexual protagonists. Here are my favorites:
Beneath the Citadel
A gripping fantasy mystery based in a post-apocalyptic world. Five teenagers must uncover the secret of the government's power, but they risk more than their own lives to do so. This book doesn't explicitly feature an asexual character, and the girl who is reportedly ace is one of those shy, uncertain types, which was a bit disappointing. The book was fun to read though!
Elatsoe
The secret of speaking to the dead has been all but lost in this almost-parallel world, but Elatsoe gets a message from her cousin that reveals he's been murdered, and she decides to do whatever it takes to stop it from happening to someone else. Elatsoe doesn't use the word "asexual" but it's pretty obvious that's what she is. This story is masterfully done and brings in just the right amount of representation without getting cluttered up.
Little Black Bird
Wiktoria's telekenetic powers have been nothing but trouble up to this point, but if she can find a way to master them, she might be able to save her world from the vampiric forces that threaten. I was pleasantly surprised by this little-known book set in a small town in Poland. Again, the ace rep isn't explicit, but it's well-done. The plot is exciting and the characters well-crafted. I'm hoping there will be a sequel soon.
Magyk
The castle has been overrun by a dark wizard, but the infant princess went missing, and the sorcerer's apprentice is turning out to be a huge disappointment. Honestly, this one is on my list because I needed something that wasn't YA fantasy. This one is middle grade fantasy, which means it doesn't have much in the way of asexual characters, since the protagonists are all about 10. Maybe they'll discover they're ace later in life, but for now, this is a fun adventure that I'd advise reading for the sake of the brilliant use of an ensemble cast.
Summer Bird Blue
I've already reviewed this book many times. It will always be a favorite. I tried the audio version this time and honestly, I prefer text since the protagonist spends a lot of time thinking, and that's not always clear from the audio book. Beautiful representation of grief and loss with a well-crafted ace protagonist.
The Circus Infinite
Jes is being hunted for his unusual ability to wield gravity and finds himself at a circus on one of the moons far from police jurisdiction. This action-packed story explores so many concepts of abuse, love, power, war, criminalization, and identity while weaving a complex and robust sci-fi world. It was terrifying and beautiful all at once.
Honorable Mentions
I completed all 14 books eventually, and I found a few that I can't say I recommend. The Dragon of Ynys had a lot of promise but the ending was unsatisfying. The Cybernetic Tea Shop was a bit too focused on proving a point and forgot to create a charming story. My Heart to Find had a lot of interesting concepts, but I'm not really into fluffy romances, particularly when I'm looking for asexual representation. Fire Becomes Her is creative and clever, but it felt unpolished. For full reviews of these and other books in the challenge, feel free to check out my reviews on Goodreads.
