A new year means more reading wrap-ups. I’m happy that I successfully completed twelve months of these articles last year, and am excited to continue it into 2026.
While my reading levels might be a little lower now that I’m teaching some English classes, I am going to strive to carve space for personal reading. I’ll be including any books I read for teaching, too, even though they will all be considered re-reads.
It may seem like a light January for me, but I did also read three sapphic novellas I won’t be including in this article, which brings my actual first month total to seven.
4. Cuckoo by Gretchen Felker-Martin
Published June 11, 2024
Rating: 2 stars
Genres: Horror, Thriller, Queer, LGBTQ+, Transgender, Adult
Summary: Seven queer kids are sent to a remote conversion camp in the desert the summer of 1995, where an evil lurks. It wants their soul and their skin. Our narrators might survive it, but they leave Camp Resolution as changed individuals. Sixteen years pass before the scarred survivors of that summer are called upon to end the horror before it’s too late.
I wanted to love this book; the concept was so intriguing. Instead, it was a slop of a million characters with constant torture (psychological and physical) and sex, with the lines even blurred a bit sometimes. A lot of the more graphic scenes were uncomfortable and not in a “this book is so good it makes my skin crawl” way. I stubbornly pushed through the story even though I could’ve DNF’ed it about half-way through, when it was clear the story was dragging. I’m not sure if “extreme horror” isn’t for me, or if it’s just a bad story and writing. I don’t usually find myself bothered by body horror (I even have another book this month considered body horror that I liked) but this was on a gross level. Also, as a lesbian, it felt like the story had something against lesbians. I’d caution anybody that goes into this book to look up trigger and content warnings.
3. i don’t think i’m straight by Isabella Dorta
Published January 6, 2026
Rating: 4 stars
Genres: Poetry, Sapphic, Lesbian, Coming-of-Age, Coming Out, LGBTQ+
Summary: Poet Isabella Dorta seeks to explore coming-out and self-acceptance in the book’s engaging poems, bringing comfort to the new generation. It aims to bring courage and warmth to their readers, regardless on if they’re in or out of the closet.
Poetry is not usually my cup of tea, but this came highly recommended by a close friend who loves the author. I think this book has some beautiful language in it, with deep moments that I connect with from my own life growing up lesbian. While our experiences differ, the core stays the same: scared, joyful, awed, defensive. Some parts were repetitive (and not always in the good way) and the imagery could be expanded upon even more. When the imagery was REALLY good, though, it twisted my insides. I’m happy to own it and have read it. I definitely want to go back one day and highlight my favorite parts!
2. Don’t Let the Forest In by C.G. Drews
Published October 29, 2024
Rating: 4.25-4.5 stars
Genres: Horror, Fantasy, Gothic, LGBTQ+, Ace Rep, Young Adult
Summary: High school senior Andrew Perrault writes warped twisted fantasies that he finds comfort in. The only person who grounds him in reality is Thomas Rye, a boy with ink-stained fingers and auburn curls, who draws the fantastical nightmares of Andrew’s stories. When Andrew returns to Wickwood Academy for his final year, his twin sister Dove keeps him at a cold distance and things at the academy keep going wrong. Something is even up with Thomas, whose abusive parents have disappeared and who keeps going to the woods at night. Soon, Andrew follows his friend into the forest to find monsters come to life. Together, they battle them every night and their obsession for each other grows.
My mind still spins when I think about this book. I’m not sure what to make of it. It’s messy and chaotic and depressing and hurtful. I spent a long part of this hoping Andrew and Thomas would make it out to their happy ending. I also spent a long time confused and not understanding why Dove wasn’t around or what happened the previous year. It was all according to the author’s plan, of course. The writing was phenomenal, all gooey and musky. The tragedy was thick with the smell of moss and feel of thorns. I could see this being a favorite of troubled, drowning queer teens (which I love with my whole heart) and I’m thankful for the asexual representation.
1. The Selkie’s Curse by Vivien Nash
Published January 9, 2026
Rating: 4.5-4.75 stars
Genres: Fantasy, Pirates, Romance, Sapphic, LGBTQ+, Adult
Summary: Riley expected the Moonshadow to be another quick con, but she quickly realized it was more: acceptance and the potential for love in the first mate, Sable. Except, when she tried to repay the kindness of the crew by freeing their captain, Calla, from her curse, she messed everything up. She lost Sable, and Calla may never forgive her, nor does Riley think she should. Calla became her long-feared nightmare, a mixture of human and selkie. Now, she chases after Sable who has taken the Heart that caused it all. Riley and Calla are desperate to get Sable back and must learn to trust each other to achieve it.
I read the first of this ongoing trilogy, Virelai’s Hoard, as an eARC last year in July and absolutely loved it (it even made it into my top ten sapphic reads of 2025). So much so, I interviewed the author on their debut. Those aside, The Selkie’s Curse was an exciting sequel to start off my 2026 reading year. I fell more deeply in love with Riley, Calla, and Sable. Watching the bond grow between Riley and Calla, until they snapped together, was perfect. Their struggles with loving themselves ring so true for myself and people I know. I can’t help but love self-sacrificing sapphics, too, and this book is plenty full of it. The new twists introduced had me on the edge of my seat. My only “ehhs” come from a bit of the organization. Some side plots are not followed all the way through or fleshed fully out. Even if it doesn’t feel as cohesive as the first one, the emotions are worth it. I’m waiting (im)patiently for the finale!
Check out last year’s monthly wrap-ups: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December
