While the year had its share of disappointments, books I disliked or did not finish, it also had some stellar reads that excited, surprised, and intrigued me.
Thrill of the Chase is one of those books that is just about perfectly put together . . . perfectly balanced. It’s got just the right amount of adventure and romance; the right mix of personalities; the right blend of intimate romance and extended family drama; and a near-perfect pacing that keeps you fully engaged, anxiously turning pages to see what’s next.
If you’re new to The Dominion and the Sugilite, it’s a serialized erotic science-fantasy soap opera by B.J. Frazier, set on a female-ruled planet where the power exchange is the foundation of a fantasy-themed society fueled by the magic of gems known as sugilite.
We’re coming to the end of Season 3, and this continues to be one of my favorite guilty pleasures.
The World Within is a trans sapphic romantasy, and if that’s not enough to make your eyes widen and your heart beat a little faster, then you’re a monster, and nothing I can say will fix that (LOL). If, however, you’re even the tiniest bit curious, let me assure you that Dani Finn’s wonderful novel is everything you could ask for – and then some.
To Please Her is a story that’s beautifully told, an easy read that welcomes you in with open arms and holds you close, right through to the end. The cast of support characters is small, but delightful, including one we don’t meet until near the very end who made me smile. The power-exchange relationship is just that – a relationship, not a scene – and the way Abbott explores submission, subspace, and protocol rings true.
Wooing the Witch Queen is, in a word, marvelous. If you’ll allow me a few others, I’ll add magnificent and magical, brilliant and beautiful, and stunning and sensual. Honestly, I have not enjoyed a book like this so much since His Secret Illuminations – and for many of the same reasons, including the powerful Queen and her would-be cinnamon roll boyfriend.
A vampire pirate queen, her (mostly) queer crew, and transgender princess. Swashbuckling action, vampire mayhem and bloodshed, and moments of queer romance. A historical fantasy, some vampire horror, and deep threads of a political thriller that weaponizes religion. Thanks to the strength of her character and the depth of her themes, Leslie Allen makes it all work.
Spyder’s Trouble is the first book of The Lady & The Spyder, a 5-book saga by Korin I. Dushayl that deftly mixes sci-fi action, kink philosophy, and BDSM erotica. It’s a story that works on multiple levels, any of which could stand on their own, but it’s the intersection of them all that makes this so memorable.
Without a Plan is a sweet and sexy romance that soars on the strength of its characters and the sincerity of their relationship. Claire and Zoe are a wonderful couple, coming into the story with some serious trust issues from their own relationships, and that pain is dealt with honestly and openly. Donna Jay imbues her romance with just enough femdom to give it an erotic flair.
In so many ways, Welcome to Dorley Hall feels like a reclaiming of the gender exploration themes that underpin so much TG fiction, dressing them up and allowing them to pass for mainstream readers. It’s a great read, and I’d even argue an important read, but with 2 books to come, the story’s not yet over – much to my delight.
As much as I love Jinx Ballou, reading these thrillers takes an emotional toll – as it should. Dharma Kelleher refuses to shy away from the violence and injustices facing the transgender community, confronting the darkness in our society head-on. Red Market was published two years ago, and not only has it aged exceptionally well (to my sorrow), but it’ ha’s even proved prescient in many ways.
S.B. Milne 
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