A lot of people have been finding this blog by way of a post I made a couple of years ago on My Favourite Novels With a WLW Focus , so I thought I’d do a refresh with new books I’ve enjoyed subsequently. Here are my additions from over the last two years!
6 Times We Almost Kissed (And One Time We Did) – Tess Sharpe
Normally, such a romancey-sounding title would have me heading for the hills (and, combined with the cover, it almost did), but I really adored Tess Sharpe’s The Girls I’ve Been, which I recommended in my last WLW book post. Ultimately, I’m so glad I pushed forward. The book follows two teenage girls whose mums are best friends, as they navigate loss, parental health, trauma, healing from trauma, and a whole lot of “almosts” in their remote California setting. It’s a slow-burn that totally delivers, and has a lot more substance than what the title might initially suggest.
Breaking Legacies – Z.R. Reed
I found this fantasy novel deep on a Reddit thread and it hits well on both notes: as a WLW novel and as a fantasy novel. Sometimes I feel like I let my standards slip for the gay, but that is not the case here. A little “avenge my family” here, a little “acquire powerful magical abilities” there, a little “I think we’re more than friends” – it hits on all notes. Follow Kiena, one the realm’s best hunters, as she tracks down a princess (can you see where this is going?) and embarks on an epic hero’s journey that sees her uncover and overcome great treachery.
Forget Me Not – Alyson Derrick
There’s nothing like a little amnesia-induced “learn how (and who?) to love” again romp. The story follows teenage Stevie, who loses years of her memory due to a freak accident, as she re-discovers who she is, who she loves, and who she should leave behind from her conservative, rural town. Alyson Derrick’s solo debut is beautifully written, and I hope she has many more novels to come!
The Oleander Sword – Tasha Suri
I found this sequel to The Jasmine Throne, which took me to over half-way through to really get into, a far superior novel cover-to-cover. The sequel into the action right away (as sequels tend to do) and develops the characters, and their relationship to each other, much more thoroughly. This novel sees protagonists Priya – a former maidservant now imbued with great power – and Malini – the rightful heir to the throne – navigating murky waters (sometimes, quite literally) as they find strength and power in each other, and in their respective causes. The quest to bring peace to the empire and overcome the maniacal rule of Malini’s evil, a-hole brother continues!
Comes in Waves – Ana Hartnett
This book is definitely more romance-skewing than others (as the name might suggest), but after reading Fourth Wing everything seems tame now. Juliette and Breezy meet in the small beach town of Coral Bay as young teenagers and form a friendship – and then the start of something more. Juliette’s family are property developers who come into town each summer as they explore opportunities to looking to commercialize, while Breezy is a life-long resident opposed to making sweeping changes to her beloved town. Their lives fork them down different paths only to have their world’s collide again some 16 years later. An enjoyable summer read full of beach town vibes and slew of enjoyable supporting characters whose dialogue I’m not rushing over to get back to the mains.
