I'm finally ready to share my pics for my 2025 bookish awards! These are some of the books I was most entertained by last year and I hope y'all will give them a try.

The award for "Book I Couldn't Put Down" goes to You Should Have Been Nicer To My Mom by Vincent Tirado!

The drama was delicious and I felt so seen by the storytelling. For those who have read my previous reviews, this probably isn't surprising to you!

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The award for "Book I'm Still Thinking About" goes to A Tropical Rebel Gets the Duke by Adriana Herrera!

Some folks may be surprised by the fact that I chose a Romance novel for this award, but IYKYK. This Historical Romance uses the context surrounding our MC's stories in such a powerful way that you might have to sit with yourself for a little while when you finish reading it.

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I've got a three-way tie for the "Spiciest Romances" of 2025:

I Accidentally Hooked Up With A Vampire by Jessica Cage, Blood & Brujas by Mikayla D. Hornedo, and All Superheroes Need Photo Ops by Elizabeth Stephens.

This was a hard decision to make and I almost threw in I Got Abducted by Aliens and Now I'm Trapped in a Rom-Com by Kimberly Lemming for good measure. These novels had me speechless (many times)!! If you haven't read anything by these authors (and Kimberly Lemming), I suggest you add their backlogs, babes.

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My indecision plagued me for my "Most Fun To Read" books of 2025, too. I ultimately went with A Man for Mrs. Claus by Rebekah Weatherspoon, A Witch's Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna, and The Princess and The P.I. by Nikki Payne.

These authors had me kicking my feet, giggling, and getting butterflies all story long! They gave me mystery, yearning, and safe spaces.

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Despite that, I have to say that my choice for "Coziest Novel" of the year goes to Only Lovers in the Building by Nadine Gonzalez.

I'm a sucker for found family, but add in the location, the romance, and the beautiful writing and I'm sold. This Afro-Latina represented us so well!

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Last but definitely not least, my award for "Most Surprising Stories" of 2025 goes to:

Blood Slaves by Markus Redmond, When The Tides Held the Moon by Venessa Vida Kelley, Lucha of the Forgotten Spring by Tehlor Kay Mejia, and Beasts of Carnaval by Rosália Rodrigo.

These were the stories I didn't know I wanted! They were original, vivid, and kept me hooked. They may not be everyone's cup of tea but they hit just right for me.

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Thank you to all of the authors who worked so hard to write these books and get them out in the world. They've brought readers (and librarians) like me outlets to rage, feel safe, and find ourselves. Keep doing what you're doing because it matters!

My December reads were a mash-up of books I've been meaning to read for a while and some holiday treats! I read 10 books, all by and about South Asian, Latine, and Black folks, this past month. Let's get into my mini reviews:

M.A.Y.A was an entertaining dystopian novella! With a unique take on the multiverse and inclusion of shapeshifters, the story had plenty of visuals to transport the reader. 

I found the plot pretty cool but wasn’t a fan of M.A.Y.A constantly thinking she’s not worthy or deserving of love. It didn’t really make sense to me but I suppose love isn’t usually logical. Although this is a fated mates story, I didn’t feel much chemistry between the MCs outside of the sex scenes. It seemed like a lot of their time together was focused on Isaiah talking about protecting her and cherishing her while she thought about what freedom meant to her and whether she was worthy of this life with Isaiah. I also didn’t like his nickname for her, “tiny warrior.” Im not sure why, so take that with a grain of salt!

In all, it was an interesting concept but not my fave execution.

*Note: This is a story from the After the End: A Dystopian Romance Collection. They are all sold out right now and I'm not sure when/if they will open the e-books up to folks who want to purchase it outside of the Kickstarter page.

Puerto Rico Strong is a fantastic graphic novel anthology that I wish I read sooner. 

The stories are heartfelt and I felt emotional reading them, at times. The artwork is also incredibly moving. I highly recommend this book to everyone!

Once again, I am in love with a Jessica Cage book. I Accidentally Hooked Up with a Vampire is hilarious and superrrrrr steam, so I had a blast reading it. The audiobook is wonderful, too!

Whitney, an art dealer, is primed for a promotion when her boss ends up letting her go instead. The firm benefitted from her expertise until one of Whitney's most recent clients goes AWOL. Our girl tries to keep it together during her friend's party but ends up meeting a hot hot hottie named Domingo who happens to be the gallery owner...and a vampire.

If Black vampires and Monster Romance sounds enticing to you, I think you NEED this book!!

Lucha of the Forgotten Spring is an amazing ending to its duology! It picks up where book 1 left off, Lucha is still set on destroying the extremely addictive olvida to protect the people of Robado from self-destruction. 

Addiction is a heavy topic to include in YA but I think Mejia did it well. Lucha started reevaluating her understanding of this condition and developed empathy for those suffering from this addiction in the Night Forest, but now she's faced with actively being in community with them. I loved the battles, romance, and reflection in this book. 

If I were a bookseller, I'd probably put this duology on display next to The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins and Bitter by Akwaeke Emezi.

Her Night With Santa is the whirlwind sapphic romance I didn't know I needed! The alternate universe of Santa, magi, toymakers, and runners is clever and I had a lot of fun living in it ever so briefly.

Farnaz Castillo is stuck in the Caribbean after finding out that her flight to join her family on a ski trip was cancelled due to bad weather. Thanks to her uncle, one of the kings of the magi, Farnaz gets to stay in a luxurious beach villa owned by Santa.

In this universe, Santa is a role passed down through the Kringle family, so the current Santa is Kristina Kringle. Kristina arrives at her getaway earlier than usual & discovers Farnaz having quite the time in her extra large bed! Cue the steam!!!!

If you haven't already, you better add this delicious novella to your TBR.

The Toy King is my favorite book in the Toy Runner series! I loved learning more about this world through Valente and Kessina. 

It helps that Valente Correa is probably one of THE HOTTEST male MCs I've read!! Yes, he's "proper fit" but Valente is also incredibly understanding, caring, & sweet. He usually leads the toy run for the House of Correa so he's a bit grumpy when he's instructed to go & fetch his brother's future bride from her family's castle in the Andes. The "future bride" Kessina isn't particularly interested in marrying anyone but is willing to take the leap just to find her freedom after a sheltered life. Naturally, these two get stranded in a snowstorm for a couple of days, giving them some time to think about their options...

What are you still reading this review for? Go read this book!!

If you're looking for a book that feels like a hug & makes you giggle, look no further! Like The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches, Sangu Mandanna's latest book, A Witch's Guide to Magical Inkeeping, is about a young woman who is isolated from the magical community.

Sera Swan used to be one of the most powerful witches in Britain until she lost most of her magic in an effort to resurrect her Aunt Jasmine when she was a teen. After breaking this taboo, Sera is basically shunned by her community. As an adult, she helps Jasmine run a magical inn where misfits end up when they really need it. She's been trying to find ways to restore her power w/ no luck yet until a person from her past Luke Larsen, a handsome magic historian, ends up at her inn with his little sister in tow.

With a cast of whimsical characters AND a talking fox, this novel is perfect for relaxation as well as filling your cup.

A Novel Christmas is a cozy Black Romance for folks who want something w/ that Hallmark movie vibe. It’s got the small town feel on lock. The only difference is this novel has some explicit content 😏

Although I thought the story was cute, it wasn’t what I’d hoped for because of the pacing & a few scenes.

If you’re looking for a super smutty Christmas treat, Run Darling is the perfect novella for you. In fact, this is probably the kinkiest of the Toy Runner series! Arabella & Rhine are freaks & they don’t care who knows it. Yes, there a little bit of plot, but this book is mainly about them satisfying the desires they’ve had building up for a while. 

A Man for Mrs. Claus has the perfect mixture of whimsy, romance, & smut!

In this novel, Tiffany Saint-Nicholas aka Mrs. Claus runs just about everything in the North Pole. She is the constant in this realm but she must pick a new Mr. Claus every time her current one decides to move on (to heaven). While each Mr. Claus she’d paired with had been pleasantwork with & good friends to her, Tiffany craves a partner who loves her. Luckily, she's got five men in the running.

Dominic, a former firefighter who recently died in a car accident, is chosen as a possible Santa in the afterlife. As soon as he sees Mrs. Claus, the man is down bad! Tiffany also feels some kind of way about this hunk of a man but knows that she must choose a partner who is right for everyone in the North Pole, not just her.

These two are adorable & I loved almost all of the side characters. Once again, Rebekah Weatherspoon hit me in the heart w/ her heartfelt & funny storytelling. Don't wait to pick this book up!

I hope these reviews give you some reading inspiration. Let me know if you've read any of these books and what you thought of them in the comment below.

I don't know about y'all, but I've been screenshotting new releases every time I see them on Instagram! Between those and the books I've seen popping up on Netgalley, I was able to figure out which new books I'm excited to check out this year. Here's what I've got my eyes on:

The Starseekers by Nicole Glover

According to the publisher, this is "a stand-alone historical fantasy set in the world of The Conductors, in which the space race of the mid-20th century will be determined by magic...if not murder." This makes sense since the magic system is directly tied to the constellations. The cover and description also connect the story to Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly, which was a fascinating book to me. I'm currently finishing up The Undertakers (Murder and Magic #2)!

Muñeca by Cynthia Gómez

The cover of this novel caught my eye right away! The description says this is "a vivid, surreal Gothic about a queer, Latine, working class witch who sets out to rescue a bespelled heiress and loses control of her powers and her heart in the process." I've been loving Latine Gothic novels, thanks to authors like Silvia Moreno-Garcia and Isabel Cañas. Hopefully, this one will be another gripping read.

Goldenborn by Ama Ofosua Lieb

The cover of this book says, "Love, lies, and legacy–all tangled in a trickster's web," which makes me excited because it makes me think of Anansi, the West African trickster of lore. So I was pleased when I read the description, "When 17-year-old Akoma Addo stumbles into a world of ancient gods and modern magic, she’ll have to choose between saving her father… or staying true to everything she’s ever believed." I love that! Also, this novel takes place in San Francisco’s AfricaTown, which I've haven't read about before.

Score by Kennedy Ryan

Let's be real, Kennedy Ryan is an autobuy author for me. I love the Skyland Series and Reel was amazing. I'm pumped to read another book in the world of Reel! After I read the blurb below, I was completely sold. We've got a second-chance romance between a world-class musician and an award-winning screenwriter as they are forced to reconnect over an epic Harlem Renaissance biopic. swoon

Bound by Fury by Noelle Monét

This cover is gorgeous and one thing I'm loving in BIPOC fiction lately is the emphasis on ancestral magic and southern folklore! Read this description: "Legendborn meets The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina in this captivating contemporary fantasy debut about a teen whose newly awakened magical abilities send her searching for answers at an elite boarding school that has a mysterious connection to her family’s history." HELLO!?! That sounds amazing.

Before We Burn (Born from the Ashes, #1) by Ophelia Reign

I saw some exciting promos on the author's IG and decided to add this mysterious book to my list. Before We Burn follows ex-assassin Marzana, who teaches young vamps how to control their hunger, power, and rage, until her academy is raided by humans and her pupils are taken. Intriguing!

To Ride a Rising Storm by Moniquill Blackgoose

This pick was inevitable! I read To Shape a Dragon's Breath twice and loved it, so I've been waiting for news of book 2 for a while. Anequs has passed her first year at Kuiper’s Academy with flying colors and is ready for a break back on Masquapaug with her dragon Kasaqua and close friend Theod. Unfortunately, her notoriety brings an Anglish presence pressing to control her people. As if Anequs would let them have the chance! If you have a hard time with language in Fantasy books or even just want to make sure you have the pronunciation correct, I highly recommend the audiobooks for this series.

Heir of Prophecy by Analeigh Sbrana

I loved Sbrana's Lore of the Wilds duology so it's no surprise that I wanted this book as soon as I saw it on her IG. The cover is amazing and the description has me floored. Audra, the female MC, is kidnapped by Fae to be trained as a soldier by the Priestesses at their cult-like school. They are looking for the Heir of Prophecy but Audra isn't going to just accept her fate as their prisoner while they search.

The Summer Girlfriend by Kristina Forest

A fake summer fling?! Fake dating romances give me life and I don't care who knows it. I loved the Greene sister series, so I think this will be right up my alley.

Blood Rising (Volume 2 of The Blood Saga) by Markus Redmond

Blood Slaves was one of the best books I read in 2025 and the ending was the perfect set-up for book 2. I can't wait to read it!

Honey by Imani Thompson

I feel like this book is gonna be a bit cathartic for many WOC in academia. Our MC is bored with her PhD program, work, and the crappy men in her life. Then, she accidentally kills one of them, a problematic professor, and feels a little more alive. She's been researching, writing, and teaching about feminism and racial solidarity for a while, but now it feels extremely useful. Of course, her stint of righteous murders can't continue forever...

The Jellyfish Problem by Tessa Yang

"A marine biologist makes the discovery of a lifetime when called to rescue the inhabitants of a small Maine island being menaced by a giant, glowing jellyfish in this richly imagined, wholly original debut." That sounds hella whimsical and like it might be weirdly scary which is intriguing!

Until The Clock Strikes Midnight by Alechia Dow

Listennnnnnn, I enjoy Alechia Dows books but the promos for this one have me locked in. "The Good Place meets the Brandy version of Cinderella in Until the Clock Strikes Midnight, a cozy, romantic fantasy from award-winning author Alechia Dow." Yes, please!

Aicha by Soraya Bouazzaoui

I was scrolling on IG minding everyone's business when I saw this queenly book cover and internally gasped. They say not to judge a book by it's cover so here's the description: "Aicha is the story of Morocco's warrior goddess, her strange magic, fierce rebellion, and devastating romance."

The Lust Crusade by Jo Segura

I've loved Jo Segura's first two books, Raiders of the Lost Heart and Temple of Swoon, so I know The Lust Crusade will give me that wonderful mix of archaeology, romance, and intrigue. On top of that, the female MC is a librarian (like me)!

Burn Down Master's House by Clay Cane

Since the plantation fire last year, I've felt inspired more and more by stories of resistance on those plots of Hell on Earth. I think this novel will be perfect for that. "Sparked by individual acts of resistance among those enslaved across the American South, their seemingly disparate rebellions fuel a singular inferno of justice, connecting them in ways quiet at times, explosive at others." I love that it follows multiple people seeking justice!

Fire Sword and Sea by Vanessa Riley

This novel is a new take on the "life of the legendary seventeenth-century pirate Jacquotte Delehaye." You might remember that I read The Ballad of Jacquotte Delahaye by Briony Cameron last year, which was very entertaining, so I'm looking forward to reading another about this fascinating figure.

The Art of Loving You (The Forever Falling Series) by Natasha Bishop

A beautiful cover and some of my fave Romance tropes: friends to lovers, he falls first, second-chance romance, Black joy, forced proximity, right person, wrong time. I'm in!

Witch Queen Rising by Savannah Stephens

Look at that baddie on the cover! This novel is about an outcast witch in New Orleans named Seraphine Barreau who can "feed on magic and make it her own." After her mother dies under mysterious circumstances, Barreau becomes the ruler of the same people who misunderstood her. I love stories like this!

Devil of the Deep by Falencia Jean-Francois

"Lu watched the love of his life walk the plank and sink into the inky-black depths of the sea. Nnenna was dead . . . or so he thought." Ooop! We've got another Black pirate adventure on our hands and I'm so down. In Devil of the Deep, a pirate, a fleet officer, and a mermaid who "must choose their loyalties, find their courage, and race to protect the island from false gods and forces of evil--or risk unleashing an ancient curse that could destroy them all."

The Missed Connection by Tia Williams

This Romance is about a boss casting agent named Sasha, who, despite her typical thorniness around men, believes she might have found her soulmate on a flight to Paris. They miss their chance to exchange contact info but Sasha isn't going to give up that easily. As she enlists her work friend to help her search, Sasha realizes that she accidentally sent the email to the entire company and now they are also on the lookout. This sounds hilarious and wholesome!

Charmed and Dangerous by Shelly Page

"A teen mystic will do anything to solve a series of love-related magical mishaps plaguing her high school, including fake dating her boss's daughter, in this charming sapphic romance." Sounds adorable!!!

The Case of Elmwood Ranch by Deanna Grey

Romance and a haunted house? I'll take that!"A legacy paranormal investigator, loner horse rancher, and a haunted house."

The Bridge Back To You by Riss M. Neilson

"Exes discover they’ve both inherited the restaurant they love..." Tis' the year for second-chance romance, it seems! I'm looking forward to this one because I love a good foodie Romance, especially with a deep emotional connection.

Death Card by Jasmine Smith

The cover drew me in but this description made me wanna pre-order it: "A dark contemporary fantasy featuring witchcraft, tarot, death, and a bit of romance that's perfect for fans of Immortal Dark and Cinderella Is Dead."

The Starter Ex by Mia Sosa

Mia Sosa is an autobuy author for me because she always knows how to mix the perfect amount of hilariousness with tender and sexy romance. I know The Starter Ex won't let me down because the description has me hooked already. Vanessa Cordero had a side gig where she'd date your crush and annoy/scare the hell out them so they'd see how much of a catch you really are. Now, Vanessa's sister is asking her to do the same to Jason Torres, a "certified commitment-phobe" she has her eye on. The problem is, Jason actually wants a temporary ridiculous girlfriend so his mom will stop trying to get him to the altar. Uh oh!

The Other Moctezuma Girls by Sofia Robleda

"In sixteenth-century Mexico, a fearless young woman strives to uncover the secrets her mother kept as the last Aztec empress in a sweeping historical epic by the author of Daughter of Fire." Sounds like a fascinating novel!

The Rhythm of Raine at Dawn (Perfect Muse, # 1) by Aricka Alexander

This looks like a cute sapphic romance. Raine Williams, a choreographer, posts a video to R&B artist Dawn Anderson's newest hit and it goes viral. So viral that the musician herself reaches out. Then, she realizes that Dawn isn't only interested in her choreo...

Cleopatra by Saara El-Arifi

"Cleopatra tells her own story in this evocative and sensuous historical epic from the bestselling and award-winning author of Faebound and The Final Strife." As someone who used to be obsessed with Ancient Egypt, I think this will be a really cool take on the story of Cleopatra VII.

The Re-Do List by Denise Williams

I feel like this book will be a great palette-cleanser after reading Fantasy or Horror."Willow experienced all her big firsts with her high school sweetheart. Now, reeling from their very public breakup, she wants to get a re-do on those important moments. While dog-sitting for her brother during his deployment, she has a chance to start over and spending time with his best friend gives her the confidence to start checking items off her “Re-Do list.”

As you can see, I'm really hype about Fantasy, Historical, Romance, and Horror this year. I only realized after compiling this post that I don't have many men on the list and that was totally unintentional! If you know of any books by men of color and/or queer men you think I'd enjoy based on this list, please share!

Did any of these books catch your eye? What are you excited to read this year?

I finally had a chance to sit down & pull together my reviews for the books I read in November, so let's jump right in! I read 6 books by and about Black, Latine, and Indigenous queer folks. I was really in my anthology bag this past month, which means I have plenty of new to me authors to check out! Here are the books I read and my reviews of each:

This horror anthology has a lot of fantastic stories within! One of my faves is "The Brides of Devil's Bayou" by Desiree S. Evans which is about a girl named Aja who returns to her family home in Louisiana for her 19th birthday despite the alleged curse on her family.

All of the stories are captivating and perfectly creepy! Some have sci-fi elements or magical realism, while others feed on modern experiences like "Black Girl Nature Group" and "Queeniums for Greenium!"

This is a great book to add to any collection.

Scout's Honor is a dark yet playful paranormal story that is great for folks who have ever wondered what it would be like to have a girl scout-esque organization in which girls take down monsters feeding on human emotions. The plot was original and I loved the way Prudence thought about her role as a former ladybird scout as she trained the newbies. Her compassion and instinct to hold onto humanity made her a worthy MC.

There were just a couple of things that made this book a bit hard for me to enjoy sometimes: the pacing and repetitiveness. It felt like the story spent a bit too much time on world-building and not much on the chemistry between Prudence and her boyfriend. There were also times when I sped up the audiobook to get through the slower/repetitive dialogue.

I recommend this book to teens (and anyone else) who is intrigued by this review!

We Belong is a beautiful addition to my (small, but mighty) collection of graphic novels! Many of the stories are filled with community, love, and joy. I love that there are plenty of stories that don't center around hardship and take place in queer-normative worlds or spaces. More of this, please!

Although a few of the stories were hard to follow, I think this is a solid anthology. Each story/piece includes a brief artist/author bio, which is great for those of us who like to follow artist's work online.

I recommend this book to folks who love visual arts and/or need to see Black queer folks thriving.

Love After The End is a fantastic anthology that should be a must-read for lovers of Speculative Fiction!

I absolutely loved almost every story in this book, which is impressive because I usually don't favor anthologies as they tend to lack the space to explore their themes as much as full-length novels.

It felt so good to read queer-normative stories that center resistance and community.

My fave stories are How to Survive the Apocalypse for Native Girls by Kai Minosh Pyle and Seed Children by Mari Kurisato.

Skyn by Nikki Payne is a humorous and sexy take on dystopian sci-fi!

Fawl is a regular degular woman who spent her life living in the Underground while dreaming of feeling the real sun on her skin. When her ex leaves her for her stepsister, Fawl is devastated & angry. They’d been working to get the money/upgrades to leave the Underground together for years & suddenly her future is ripped away. Not one to give up so easily, Fawl agrees to spy on an Elite family of emotionless cyborgs to finally touch some grass. In a twist of events, she ends up married to one of the sons, who happens to have an obsession with her skin.

I love Nikki Payne's writing because her characters always have hella funny & relatable internal monologues. There's jokes, philosophical questions, super sexy scenes, & a revolutionary heart. I think this is one of my fave stories from the After The End project.

Taken is a wild ride from the start!

Rhen is an artist who was recruited to be a part of a project to re-establish/repopulate the Earth after the devastating fall of civilization. Each of the participants were placed in pods programmed to wake them after 11,000 years. Our MC wakes up early thanks to a malfunction in the system. She faced w/ a couple of choices: Live out her life alone in the bunker or take a risk by leaving. Rhen decides to leave & finds out that there are some humanoid creatures who take her w/ them. She has an undeniable attraction to one of them & they're bound to one another, but she can't quite leave her old life behind just yet...

This novella was very entertaining to me! I think Rhen is funny & the storyline is clever. Spice-wise, I'd say this is about 3.5 out of 5 chili peppers. If you're looking for a fun, short, and steamy monster romance, you should pick this one up!

I know I left y'all hanging & I apologize 😅
Here are the rest of the books I got with the birthday giftcards my friends gave me:

A Man for Mrs. Claus by Rebekah Weatherspoon
I love her books & when I saw the cover of this 1 on her IG, I knew I had to get it!

New Worlds, Old Ways: Speculative Fiction Tales From The Caribbean edited by Karen Lord
I found this book when I was helping a student w/ research.

The Best of All Possible Worlds by Karen Lord
Another book inspired by that research appointment. I also love stories with a multiverse.

The Chainbreakers by Julian Randall
Julian Randall is one of my autobuy authors.

Blood Moon by Britney S. Lewis
I've been waiting to get this book for a while! I'm all in on Black vampire stories.

They Thought They Buried Us by Nonieqa Ramos
This book has been on my TBR for a while as I'm always trying to find more books by Puerto Rican & queer authors.

We Will Rise Again: Speculative Stories and Essays on Protest, Resistance, & Hope edited by Karen Lord, Annalee Newitz, & Malka Older
Okay, so I'm on a Karen Lord spree 😂 but y'all know I LOVE speculative fiction soo whatever!

This Is The Only Kingdom by Jaquira Díaz
More Puerto Rican Fiction 😍

Are any of these books on your TBR?

The fact that October is over already has me feeling discombobulated, but the fact that I read 9 books last month is next level! It's been another rough year and I've noticed that my reading pace has consistently been up to 6 books a month until now. My guess is that I got my hands on a lot of amazing new reads, felt the spirit of my fave season take hold, and my mood was cooperating with me (for once).

Anyway, let's get into my reviews:

(S)kin by Ibi Zoboi

YA Contemporary Fantasy • Novel-In-Verse

(S)kin is a vulnerable yet powerful story that blends Caribbean folklore w/ themes of colorism, self-image, & more.

This story has 2 POVs: 15-year-old Marisol & 17-year-old Genevieve. Marisol moved to Brooklyn w/ her mom who is a soucouyant, a creature who sheds their human skin & flies into the sky as a fireball to seek out a victim to drink blood from. Her mom is stern & controlling which adds to the isolating experience of being a newly arrived immigrant. When her mom suddenly gets a job as a nanny to Genevieve’s twin half-siblings, her behavior becomes stranger. Genevieve’s skin condition had been worsening until the nanny arrived which triggers suspicions too strong to ignore.

This story was short but punched me in the feels! As someone raised by Caribbean folks, I recognized the pain & confusion that can come from seeing an elder show more affection towards one child over another due to colorism.

I feel like (S)kin allows the reader to work through & release these emotions just as much as the characters do.

Burn Down, Rise Up by Vincent Tirado

Queer YA Horror/Thriller

I didn’t want to put this book down! Burn Down, Rise Up is an ode to the Bronx & the people who made it home.

No one can explain the string of mysterious disappearances in the Bronx over the past year which isn’t surprising since Black & Brown folks going missing doesn’t seem to be concerning to the police. When a mold-like disease takes hold of Raquel’s mom & her crush Charlize’s cousin vanishes shortly after, she begins to think they are linked. As the teens question what is really behind it all, they learn that the folks who disappeared didn’t follow the rules of the Echo Game, an urban legend tied to subway systems. Terrifyingly, the friends have to play the game in order to save their community from an evil lurking in a twisted version of their home.

This story is spellbinding, in part because the characters feel so real. Raquel’s parents are divorced, she’s questioning her feelings, & trying to juggle a lot on top of school. I especially love the way Tirado brought the complicated feelings a lot of Caribbean folks have about Christianity vs. religions like Santería & Vudú into the story. There’s so much to explore here, so y’all should get your hands on this novel ASAP!

Blood & Brujas by Mikayla D. Hornedo

Queer Adult Dark Romantasy

Hot Hot Hot! Blood & Brujas is an amazing example of Romantasy done well! It took me a minute to start reading it because the text was a bit small, but the audiobook helped me get immersed in this world & I quickly became addicted.

Dayanara is a badass warrior woman but when an enemy army suddenly decimates the Caldera army of brujas & knocks her unconscious, her mother & Acna offers her hand in marriage to the vampire king to secure peace. Daya wakes to find out that she is bound by a spell that keeps her & the king from harming each other, as much as she would like to knock his head off. Now, they have to convince their kingdoms that this is the best way to preserve the peace.

This all sounds a bit like the typical marriage of convenience trope, but Hornedo is clear that this is a "why choose" story. Daya is headstrong, so she's not the type to just do what she's told, which makes for a really fun & twisted tale.

Lightning in Her Hands by Raquel Vasquez Gilliland

Contemporary Adult Romantasy

This follow-up to The Witch of Wild Things, delivers a spicy romance w/ depth & humor, & compassion.

Teal Flores reaches out to estranged bestie Carter in desperation because she needs a date to her ex’s wedding. The thing is, they are estranged because Teal hopped into a relationship w/ said ex almost immediately after making out w/ Carter a little while back. Of course, She’s incredibly stressed about this situation & hasn’t been able to control her gift for a while. Her emotions keep triggering volitile weather. Carter is aware of it all & decides to make a deal. Teal will become his (fake) wife so that he can receive his inheritance. What could possibly go wrong between 2 people w/ unresolved romantic tension?!

I think that Gilliland handles Teal’s bipolar disorder w/ care & I’m glad it is never seen as something to fix. The focus of this story is on her relationships w/ Carter, her sisters, her mother, & herself. Despite how heavy that is, the author injects a lot of charm & perfectly timed (dirty) humor throughout the story, which I love! If this sounds like your vibe, I encourage you to read both of the books in this series!

Lucha of The Night Forest by Tehlor Kay Mejia

Queer YA Dark Fantasy

Lucha of the Night Forest was darker than I expected it to be but I loved it! Mejia writes characters with depth & never talks down to readers despite the themes of neglect, poverty, and drug abuse which I appreciated. Kids experience these things everyday & I hope they might feel seen/draw strength from books like this one.

Our MC is determined to keep her family afloat by taking some dangerous jobs. Just when she thinks she can finally walk away from it all, Lucha must make a decision that could lead to her own freedom or begin another fight for her and her little sister’s survival.

This book was addictive & I think there are a ton of things that made it great. I’m a big fan of plant magic in Fantasy, so that was super cool to see, but the lore of their goddess & world-building kept me locked in. The romance between Lucha & the mysterious acolyte was also really tender. I excited to read book 2!

BAIT by Adriana Herrera*

Queer Adult Dystopian Romance Novella

I’m obsessed w/ the novellas from After the End: A Dystopian Romance Collection! As a huge fan of Adriana Herrera’s books, I decided to start with her story BAIT & was not disappointed.

In this post-apocolypse story, a huge natural disaster sent people into bunkers for 3 decades.The bunker life is all 29-year-old Alma knows since she & her community have been told that the land & air outside are still lethal. Her world is flipped upside down when an act of defiance gets her pushed outside only to find that they had been lied to. Some of Alma’s loved ones rescue her & her libido goes into overdrive as they travel to their homestead through a once desolate landscape.

While there were a few problems w/ typos & the 2nd half of the plot could have been fleshed out more, I really enjoyed BAIT & would absolutely read a full-length novel version of it. Life in the bunker was vivid & I loved exploring the different versions of life “after the end.” This is a great short read for folks who want a super horny mash-up of Silo, Mad Max, & The Last of Us.

Blood Slaves by Markus Redmond

Adult Supernatural Horror & Alternate Hist. Fiction

Did you feel joy when you heard that the Nottoway Plantation burned down? Did you enjoy Sinners? If so, this is the book for you!

In the 1st novel of Markus Redmond’s Blood Saga, we follow the story of enslaved people on a Carolina plantation in 1710. After Willie’s failed attempt to run away, he finds out that his beloved Gertie is pregnant. Although the couple are excited to create their own family after being taken from theirs in West Africa, they are sobered by their reality; this baby will be born into slavery. Gertie believes that running is futile but Willie refuses to accept their circumstances after meeting Rafazi, a Ramangan (African vampire), who has a plan to revolt.

This novel is brutal but extremely satisfying! There’s so many themes thoughtfully woven throughout the story: We have folks who hope that “good behavior” will some day lead them to better lives while others can no longer submit. There’s discussions of colorism, what love should look like, & solidarity w/ a local Indigenous tribe.

Blood Slaves is a fantastic book that I hope y’all will pick up very soon!

Gabriela and His Grace by Liana De La Rosa

Adult Historical Romance

Gabriela And His Grace is a great conclusion to the Luna Sisters Series! I promise, I’m not just writing this because the MC & I share a name

The youngest Luna sister books a trip back to Mexico when a British suitor threatens to ruin her. Unbeknownst to Gabby, the infuriating Duke of Whitfield is heading to her homeland on the same ship. In a desperate attempt to save his family’s estate & regain financial security, Whitfield is visiting a mining project in Mexico that his good friend Sirius (Gabby’s BIL) invited him to join. Despite their years of contention, Gabby & Whitfield find themselves hating each other less & less as their journey goes on.

The tension between these MCs is palpable but their banter & barbs entertained me the most! I loved seeing them put down their verbal weapons and get to know one another. The intrigue surrounding Mexico’s fight against French control grounds the story in facinating history, as well.

I highly recommend this series to readers who love enemies to lovers, period dramas, & revolutionary women.

All Superheroes Need Photo Ops by Elizabeth Stephens (Out Nov 25, 2025)

Adult Contemporary Monster Romantasy

I got an ARC of All Superheroes Need Photo Ops by Elizabeth Stephens & I just wanna start this review by saying...hot damn!!!

Book 2 in the Supers in the City series focuses on Monika, the badass photographer from book 1, & Taranis, the superhero who used to be everyone’s favorite. Taranis hires Monika after seeing her popular photos of the Wyvern but his image becomes the least of her worries when an accidental recording implies that Taranis isn’t actually a “good guy.” Despite this, she is drawn to him. The former golden boy hates humans, but Monika is the 1 person who stirs something inside him that isn’t loathing.

Y’all, this couple is spicy on a whole other level! They’ve got that love-hate relationship w/ undeniable chemistry, mutual respect, & matching kinks. Their dynamic isn’t really my vibe, but I know folks who would eat this up. I enjoyed the action sequences a lot & it was cool getting to know Monika through her interests & family. I’m looking forward to seeing where this series goes next!

Here's to another month of good reading!!

*BAIT is a part of the After the End: A Dystopian Romance Collection.

I'm currently reading Blood Slaves by Marcus Redmond and it got me thinking about the numerous books out there with "blood" in the title. So I pulled together 12 BIPOC books with "blood" in their titles that I thought would be fitting reads for spooky season!

Let's get into them:

Blood Slaves by Markus Redmond

For fans of Ryan Coogler’s Sinners and readers of Victor LaValle, Tananarive Due, Stephen Graham Jones, and Colson Whitehead’s The Underground Railroad, this ingenious reimagining of the vampire origin story set during the early days of American slavery blends alternate history with supernatural horror, as the last surviving member of an ancient African vampire tribe meets a slave desperate for freedom, and together, they lead an army of enslaved people in a cinematically blood-soaked battle for freedom and revenge.

-Penguin Random House

The Last Bloodcarver by Vanessa Le

Nhika is a bloodcarver. A coldhearted, ruthless being who can alter human biology with just a touch.

In the industrial city of Theumas, Nhika is seen not as a healer, but a monster that kills for pleasure. And in the city's criminal underbelly, the rarest of monsters are traded for gold. When Nhika is finally caught by the infamous Butchers, she's forced to heal the last witness to a high-profile murder.

As Nhika delves into the investigation, all signs point to Ven Kochin, an alluring yet entitled physician's aide. Despite his relentless attempts to push her out of his opulent world, something inexplicable draws Nhika to him. But when she discovers Kochin is not who he claims to be, Nhika will be faced with a greater, more terrifying evil lurking in the city's center...

Her only chance to survive lies in a terrible choice—become the dreaded monster the city fears, or risk jeopardizing the future of her kind.

-Macmillan

Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi

They killed my mother.
They took our magic.
They tried to bury us.

Now we rise.

Zélie Adebola remembers when the soil of Orïsha hummed with magic. Burners ignited flames, Tiders beckoned waves, and Zélie’s Reaper mother summoned forth souls.

But everything changed the night magic disappeared. Under the orders of a ruthless king, maji were killed, leaving Zélie without a mother and her people without hope.

Now Zélie has one chance to bring back magic and strike against the monarchy. With the help of a rogue princess, Zélie must outwit and outrun the crown prince, who is hell-bent on eradicating magic for good.

Danger lurks in Orïsha, where snow leoponaires prowl and vengeful spirits wait in the waters. Yet the greatest danger may be Zélie herself as she struggles to control her powers and her growing feelings for an enemy.

-Bookshop.org

Forged by Blood by Ehigbor Okosun

A brilliant new voice brings us a brilliant new epic fantasy novel: Ehigbor Okosun’s first book in an action-packed, poignant duology inspired by Nigerian mythology—full of magic and emotion and set in a highly atmospheric, complex world in which a young woman fights to survive a tyrannical society, having everything stripped away from her, and seeks vengeance for her mother’s murder and the spilled blood of her people.

-Harper Collins

Blood Like Magic by Liselle Sambury

A rich, dark urban fantasy debut following a teen witch who is given a horrifying task: sacrificing her first love to save her family’s magic. The problem is, she’s never been in love—she’ll have to find the perfect guy before she can kill him.
-Simon & Schuster

Blood at the Root by LaDarrion Williams

A teenager on the run from his past finds the family he never knew existed and the community he never knew he needed at an HBCU for the young, Black, and magical. Enroll in the debut of a fresh fantasy series unlike anything you’ve seen before.

-Penguin Random House

The Blood Trials by N.E. Davenport

Blending fantasy and science fiction, N. E. Davenport’s fast-paced, action-packed debut kicks off a duology of loyalty and rebellion, in which a young Black woman must survive deadly trials in a racist and misogynistic society to become an elite warrior.

-Harper Collins

Blood & Brujas: An Elements of Iteria Novel by Mikayla D Hornedo

From the moment Dayanara could wield a blade, she's been used as a weapon for Caldera, a kingdom of fierce brujas. Whenever her mother, the all-powerful Acna, points her in the direction to kill, Dayanara follows.

After centuries of war against the vampire kingdom at their border, her mother offers their king Dayanara's hand in marriage as a truce. Their agreement is bound by magic, and Dayanara must decide if she wants to kill the king, seduce the king, or embrace the union.

On the bright side, the marriage is set to make her the next Acna, granting her all the power that comes with the role. Depending on how much the Goddess Naom gifts her, it could be enough to regain control of her life. Or maybe everything will crumble beyond repair.

-Bookshop.org

Blood Moon by Britney S. Lewis

Legendborn meets The Vampire Diaries, in which an 18-year-old girl is mysteriously accepted into a university in a midwestern town known for its legends about werewolves and vampires...

BLOOD MOON is a dark and thrilling, intensely romantic ride, a fresh take on a werewolf love story for a new generation of paranormal romance readers, and is the first book in a series. It is set against a high-stakes paranormal backdrop—a world ripe with secret identities, rich supernatural lore, and a forbidden romance... that comes with a deadly bite.

https://www.britneyslewis.com/bloodmoon

Bloodmarked by Tracy Deonn

Book 2 of the Legendborn Cycle

The shadows have risen, and the line is law.

All Bree wanted was to uncover the truth behind her mother’s death. So she infiltrated the Legendborn Order, a secret society descended from King Arthur’s knights—only to discover her own ancestral power. Now, Bree has become someone new:

A Medium. A Bloodcrafter. A Scion.

But the ancient war between demons and the Order is rising to a deadly peak. And Nick, the Legendborn boy Bree fell in love with, has been kidnapped.

Bree wants to fight, but the Regents who rule the Order won’t let her. To them, she is an unknown girl with unheard-of power, and as the living anchor for the spell that preserves the Legendborn cycle, she must be protected.

When the Regents reveal they will do whatever it takes to hide the war, Bree and her friends must go on the run to rescue Nick themselves. But enemies are everywhere, Bree’s powers are unpredictable and dangerous, and she can’t escape her growing attraction to Selwyn, the mage sworn to protect Nick until death.

If Bree has any hope of saving herself and the people she loves, she must learn to control her powers from the ancestors who wielded them first—without losing herself in the process.

-Simon & Schuster

Blood Scion by Deborah Falaye

Following one girl’s journey of magic, injustice, power, and revenge, Deborah Falaye’s debut novel, inspired by Yoruba-Nigerian mythology, is a magnetic combination of Children of Blood and Bone and An Ember in the Ashes.

This is what they deserve.

They wanted me to be a monster.

I will be the worst monster they ever created.

Fifteen-year-old Sloane can incinerate an enemy at will—she is a Scion, a descendant of the ancient Orisha gods.

Under the Lucis’ brutal rule, her identity means her death if her powers are discovered. But when she is forcibly conscripted into the Lucis army on her fifteenth birthday, Sloane sees a new opportunity: to overcome the bloody challenges of Lucis training, and destroy them from within.

-Harper Collins

Blood Debts by Terry J. Benton-Walker

Thirty years ago, a young woman was murdered, a family was lynched, and New Orleans saw the greatest magical massacre in its history. In the days that followed, a throne was stolen from a queen.

On the anniversary of these brutal events, Clement and Cristina Trudeau—the sixteen-year-old twin heirs to the powerful, magical, dethroned family—are mourning their father and caring for their sick mother. Until, by chance, they discover their mother isn’t sick—she’s cursed. Cursed by someone on the very magic council their family used to rule. Someone who will come for them next.

Cristina, once a talented and dedicated practitioner of Generational magic, has given up magic for good. An ancient spell is what killed their father and she was the one who cast it. For Clement, magic is his lifeline. A distraction from his anger and pain. Even better than the random guys he hooks up with.

Cristina and Clement used to be each other’s most trusted confidant and friend, now they barely speak. But if they have any hope of discovering who is coming after their family, they’ll have to find a way to trust each other and their family's magic, all while solving the decades-old murder that sparked the still-rising tensions between the city’s magical and non-magical communities. And if they don't succeed, New Orleans may see another massacre. Or worse.

https://tjbentonwalker.com/blood-debts