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What bookish activities do you do? - Sapphic Sunday
Published 17 days ago • 4 min read
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Hello Reader,
Last week I talked a little about the masc/butch rep in sapphic fiction and got some interesting responses which I have included at the end of this email in the Community section. Make sure to check those out.
This week I was pondering bookish activities that are not reading. I can think of a handful of them such as, sorting your library, taking photos of your books, setting up reading nooks or spaces, shopping for new reading accessories like book bags or kindle covers.
Do you partake in any bookish activities that are not reading and if so what are they? I am curious.
CHAMPS
This was a week of reminders about perks like free ads (authors) and favourite badges (super and hero tiers) plus there is a new poll.
REVIEWS
This week we have four new reviews including a murder mystery, opposites attract romance, ghost story and what may be an anti-romance.
And remember, if you are a BIPOC author of sapphic books then you can get a free new release on TLR. You can book it through the link on this page of the website and see what qualifies as a new release.
Keep art in the hands of humans and reject AI.
Have a beautiful Sunday,
Sheena
Thanks for reading. If you want to help me keep spotlighting sapphic stories, join our TLR champions on Patreon.
These are the latest reviews from TheLesbianReview.com - click on the cover or title of the book to read the full review. The great thing about reviews is that we read books and share ones we like, upping the chances of you finding only the best books out there.
Bid Number Nine by Julia Briz is a European murder mystery with a romantic subplot that will keep you guessing until the last few pages.
From our review: “ It is a complex, tension-filled story that will keep readers guessing most of the way through.”
No Price Tag by Lindie du Toitis a lovely opposites-attract sapphic romance.
From our review: “Opposites attract is one of my favorite tropes, and No Price Tag does a great job of showing just how different Carmen and Victoria are while also taking the time to build a believable connection between them.”
The Ghosts of Greenville by Gerri Hill is a compelling supernatural ghost story that will hook you from the opening page.
From our review: “Greenville itself almost becomes its own character and I found myself wanting to visit there. Just maybe not near the anniversary of the fire.”
I Am Danvers by Kate Kaminski is about a woman who craves order and structure and encounters only chaos and deceit.
From our review: “I wrote in my notes that this book feels like an anti-romance. There is a lot of ugly in this tale, hard against better feelings and motivations”
In case you missed last week's reviews, here they are again.
The Rookie by SR Silcox is a light, fluffy book about the beautiful game of soccer, with a subplot of romance.
From our review: “This is a great light read for younger readers, or for those who enjoy a parable about overcoming bullying coaches and learning to believe in yourself.”
The Devil She Knows by Alexandria Bellefleur is a thoughtful, contemporary, devilishly amusing romance.
From our review: “I really enjoy Bellefleur’s writing. This is the second book of hers I have listened to, and I enjoy the pacing of the story, the twists and turns, and unexpected gems that appear throughout.”
Girlfriend Goals by Clare Lydon is a romance full of witty quips, deep attraction, and touching moments that are bound to make even the hardest heart squeeze.
From our review: “Lydon gave us a story that feels like real people in a very fun, high stakes setting of the Euros football tournament. Then made the leads friends in the past, now enemies of a sort, and forced their proximity.”
Begin Again by Sara Radley brings young lovers together again after fifteen tortuous years of hurt and recriminations.
From our review: “The author invites the reader to follow along with Sam as she falls back in love with Alex by having the reader fall in love with her too.”
These are some of the responses I got about the masc/butch rep. Enjoy. Cheyenne blue says:
Fantastic masc representation in Finding Rory by Charlie Geoffrey. The story takes us along Rory’s journey of gender identity and presentation as she finds her true self. Well written masc lesbian rep. Read the author note. 😊
I really recommend it. 😊
Julie says:
Sheena, what about Chris Brent in A Touch of Temptation by Julie Blair? Probably my fave example - so far! There is always the enigmatic/unnamed narrator/MP in Mrs S by K Patrick and then Parker Reinhart in One Weekend in Tahoe by Jaime Clevenger. Yes, I am getting round the genres! Julie 🌸
Brey Willows says:
I agree that we need lots of masc/butch rep, and I love seeing it. As Ally and Brey every one of my books features varieties of butch characters, many with traits from the butch women in my own life. My favorite is Shawn, a short, neurodiverse butch in Fragments of the Heart.
I don't know if you've read any of Missouri Vaun's books but they also have great butch characters. So does Jesse Thoma.
Join Our Review Team!
We’re looking for a passionate reader (or a few) to join TLR as a reviewer. If you love books (and audiobooks), can commit to writing a review every week or so, and enjoy being part of a friendly, book-loving team — we’d love to hear from you.
Extra Info:
This is a volunteer position.
Previous writing experience is a bonus, but not required. What I am looking for mostly is the ability to put words to your thoughts and to order it in a way that makes sense. Without the use of AI.
You’ll get access to plenty of free books and audiobooks to review.
You will also get a chance to share great books with fellow readers and shape the way we discuss sapphic fiction.
There is a trial period with some mentorship that involves editing and the back and forth of reviews.
Interested? Get in touch and tell me a bit about your reading tastes.
Download the images in this email to ensure the best reading experience. Make sure to whitelist our email address so we don't end up in your spam folder. Hello Reader, This week I took an afternoon off and went to the beach with my kindle. I had a lot of fun just lying in the shade and reading while the waves rolled in and people buzzed around. Getting out of my comfort zone and typical routines of where and when I read was good for my soul. Yes the beach is nice but going the the park or...
Download the images in this email to ensure the best reading experience. Make sure to whitelist our email address so we don't end up in your spam folder. Hello Reader, There are so many books jammed into this email that I am just going to quickly say, thank you for reading. You make the world a better place because when you read you learn skills like empathy. So, give yourself a high five for being a cool person who reads. Enjoy all the new books this week and have a beautiful Sunday, Sheena...
Download the images in this email to ensure the best reading experience. Make sure to whitelist our email address so we don't end up in your spam folder. Hello Reader, I have been pondering masculine-presenting sapphic characters recently and wondering if we are seeing fewer of them in sapphic fiction than we used to. And are going to see rep that is different to the stoic silent type who opens doors for others and builds things with their hands? I love that we have butch women, studs and...
