profiterole_reads

In no particular order. These are only books I've read and enjoyed. There are more out there and I will add them to the list as I make my way through them.

1. Everything for Everyone: An Oral History of the New York Commune, 2052–2072 by M.E. O'Brien and Eman Abdelhadi: speculative activism fiction written in the form of non-fiction, with many non-binary characters and two trans women.
12 interviews cover the political, economic, social, health and climate crises of the mid-21st century, then the insurrections that led to establishing communes all over the world, with a focus on NYC.

2. 2033: The Year Things Fell Apart by Rebecca Doll and James Gordon: speculative activism fiction, with a polyamorous lesbian protagonist + several trans/enby characters.
This 2024 release follows a woman with an IT job resisting fascism from the inside, while other characters are resisting it from the outside. Note that the plot gets really dark towards the end.

3. This Book Won't Burn by Samira Ahmed: activism against book banning (mostly books by LGBT and/or POC authors), with some f/f + a probably aroace character (YA).
This 2024 release follows an Indian American Muslim girl who fights against the book bans in her high school library. It doesn't shy away from the possible retaliations of the fascist side.

4. Something to be Proud of by Anna Zoe Quirke: LGBT and disability/neurodivergence activism, with non-binary characters and a gay boy + some f/nb (YA).
This novel follows a chaotic bisexual on the autism spectrum who starts the Ardenpool Academy Activist Society in order to organise a fully accessible Pride festival. The group also works on getting gender-neutral bathrooms at their school.

5. [French] Tant qu'il le faudra by Cordélia: LGBT activism, with characters all over the LGBTQIAP+ spectrum + some m/m and f/f.
This is my favourite French series. It follows a group of diverse people who write a queer magazine. It's a brilliant mix of activism, romance, humour and drama.

6. Unbecoming by Seema Yasmin: abortion activism, with some f/f (YA).
This 2024 release follows an Indian American hijabi girl and a Palestinian American Muslim girl who decide to write The Texas Teen's Guide to Safe Abortion. Then, the former discovers that she's pregnant. Even with all this information, it's going to be a tough road getting the illegal pills she needs.

7. [French] Nos elles déployées by Jessie Magana: feminist activism, with some f/f + a non-binary character.
This novel follows three women over two time periods: in 1974, the fight for abortion in France, and in 2018, the demonstrations for economic justice, then against climate change in France, as well as the protests for Bouteflika's resignation from the presidency in Algeria.

8. [French] D'un trait de fusain by Cathy Ytak: ACT UP activism, with some m/m (YA).
This novel follows a French high school girl in 1992, who finds out that one of her gay friends is HIV+. Together, they will join ACT UP.

9. My Government Means to Kill Me by Rasheed Newson: ACT UP activism, with many queer men and one lesbian (a lot of sex scenes).
This novel follows a gay Black man in 1980s New York City, who starts as an activist with a rent strike, then helps dying AIDS patients and becomes one of the original members of ACT UP.

In no particular order. This is content I've read and watched in 2023, not necessarily content released in 2023.

Books

1. Notorious Sorcerer by Davinia Evans: fantasy with some m/m. The protagonist travels to other planes for alchemical ingredients and ends up having to learn greater workings. I love the Byzantine vibe of the worldbuilding.

2. The Daughters of Izdihar by Hadeer Elsbai: fantasy with some f/f. Two women, a waterweaver and an earthweaver, join a women's rights movement. I love the Egyptian-inspired worldbuilding.

3. Reforged by Seth Haddon: m/m fantasy. This King/Paladin novel has a surprising plot. The magic system is very original as well, I especially like the music part of it.

4. The Buried and the Bound by Rochelle Hassan: urban fantasy with some m/m (YA). The hedgewitch protecting the town teams up with a boy cursed to forget his true love and another one trapped as a bondservant.

5. [Spanish] Lazos de Sangre by LR Jeffers: m/m urban fantasy (erotica). This is a series about werewolves and big cat shifters, usually angsty and hot.

6. [French] Meute by Karine Rennberg: urban fantasy with some m/m + another protagonist is aroace and uses sign language. This is a novel about building your own werewolf pack. I think this is my first time encountering 2nd-person narration in French and it works surprisingly well.

7. Cascade by Rachel A. Rosen: science fantasy with mlm and wlw protagonists + no romance. An ecological disaster has freed magic. In Canada, the Party works with a wizard in order to try and save humanity. I love the intricacies of the plot, which skilfully mixes politics, science and magic.

8. Ocean's Echo by Everina Maxwell: m/m science fiction. Telepathy, my favourite trope, done by one of my fave authors! It was even better than I expected.

9. The Deep Sky by Yume Kitasei: science fiction/murder mystery with several non-binary major characters. 80 people from all around the world embark on a one-way interstellar voyage. As they're all required to get pregnant, they're obviously afab, but several are non-binary, with mentions of a trans man.

10. Forget Me Not by Alyson Derrick: f/f romance (YA). This is a very romantic novel about two girls dating in secret until one gets amnesia. I enjoy this trope a lot.


TV shows

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