WLW Wednesday is a weekly blog series originated by Sasha and Amber @ Sasha and Amber Read. Every week or two, they share about their recent wlw reads. This is their second week and my first, so I will start with what I have read since August 5th, 2020. Also check out Arin @ Tomes of Our Lives for her post! Thanks to Arin, I now know that Sasha and Amber are welcoming other bloggers to join WLW Wednesday, too! Is this sapphic solidarity?
I will be posting either weekly or biweekly, depending on how many wlw books I have read during that time. Note that this is not a weekly wrap-up as I do read books that are not sapphic. Those will show up in my monthly wrap-ups but not here.
Let’s see how this goes.
I read 5 sapphic books, including one novella. For more book info on Goodreads, click on the covers.
While My Heart Beats by Erin McKenzie
Finished on 9 Aug 2020. Review on Goodreads.
I just love historical sapphic romances where there are a lot of yearnings and the main characters are confused. There is something beautiful about being curious about your own sexual/romantic attraction and slowly trusting the other party to feel the same way you do them. Ellie and Johanna are so adorable I almost forgot they were literally in a war. Set in WWI, While My Heart Beats is a lovable story that made my heart ache in all the right places.
Moon Fever (The S.P.E.A.R. Mission Files #2) by Ileandra Young
Finished on 15 Aug 2020. Review on Goodreads.
I love the first book Both Ways. Danika is an agent with the highest vampire killing rate. She is also a questionable character who makes a lot of impulsive decisions. I found book one exhilarating and had high hopes for Moon Fever. Sadly, Danika does not grow as a character and becomes an even more infuriating person. At some point, I wondered why her friends, especially her vampire girlfriend Rayne, are still putting up with her. That being said, I am still invested in the plot and want to read the next installment.
Ileandra Young is a Black British author and the main character Danika is also Black. This is the first and currently only adult wlw series I have read that is not by a white author.
Evie and the Pack-Horse Librarians by Laurel Beckley
Finished on 15 Aug 2020. Review on blog.
This very cute fantasy novella features a city girl being banished into the countryside. Evie takes up the job of being a librarian and deliver books to rural families on a horseback. It is an enjoyable and quick read featuring a wonder cast of LGBTQ+ characters. Marketed as romance, it does not really read like so. Apart from that though, Evie and the Pack-Horse Librarians is a cheery novella worth a try.
On the Square (University Square #1) by Brenda Murphy
Finished on 17 Aug 2020. Review on blog.
The best thing about this book is the Asian-American representation*. I don’t think Murphy is Asian, but the way she crafts the story of Mai Li, one of the leading lady, is very honest and clearly well done. The only downside, which is pretty big for a romance, was the romance itself. I think Dale and Mai both need more time to reach their HEA/HFN but I still rooted for them. On the Square is cute and the characters are wonderful, so I am really looking forward to more Murphy’s books!
* I am Taiwanese and not Asian-American, so even though I think Mai’s storyline is great, this does not mean it truly reflects the experience of being Asian-American.
The X Ingredient by Roslyn Sinclair
Finished on 18 Aug 2020. Review on Goodreads.
A lot of readers seems to shelf The X Ingredient as erotica. While there certainly are a lot of steamy sex scenes, the romance is great, too. I don’t usually enjoy ice-queen, age-gap, office romance, but Sinclair somehow makes it work for me. The power balance between PA Laurie and her boss Diana is wonderful, so I am totally sold when it comes to their relationship. This one is probably NSFW.
Have you read any of these books? What sapphic books did you read this week? Comment what you think!
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4 Comments
dianthaa
Oh I love this meme! I will be joining for sure!
These books sound great, I’ll be trying out Both-Ways and Evie and the Pack-Horse Librarians for sure, hadn’t heard of them at all before.
Hsinju @ Hsinju's Lit Log
Both books are very fun to read with Both Ways more intensely adventurous than Evie. I hope you’ll enjoy them! And yayyy, I’ll be looking forward to your WLW Wednesday reads!!
E. @localbeehuntersnook
I need to hop on this meme as well! Maybe next month!
Great reads — I’m checking out the first two and adding them to my TBR!
Hsinju @ Hsinju's Lit Log
YES! I’m so looking forward to that!! Thank you, E.! And I hope you’ll have fun with them both!