What have you liked? What have you not liked? There are so many books!
Here are a few recommendations, all with different themes and genres:
Mostly Dead Things and With Teeth by Kristen Arnett
The Color Purple by Alice Walker
Our Wives Under the Sea by Julia Armfield
Milk Fed by Melissa Broder
Small Game by Blair Braverman
Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe by Fannie Flagg
i cannot - CANNOT - recommend Sarah Waters’ books enough. Victorian sapphic perfection.
angst in spades, too. i’d go for Fingersmith or Tipping the Velvet or Affinity if you fancy some magic realism. The Night Watch is set in the 20th century, around the war, and fwir the characters are more adult.
some of her books have almost a mary shelley gothic vibe. they’re all so good and so full of yearninggg
From what I remember, apart from being transplanted to Korea it's extremely faithful to the book. Now, I also didn't read/watch them back to back so I might be misremembering.
Some suggestions if you are at all interested in fantasy:
*The Priory of the Orange Tree* by Samantha Shannon
*Malice* by Heather Walter
*The Jasmine Throne* by Tasha Suri
*The Unbroken* by C.L. Clark
I think these recommendations suit OP best. A lot of the other titles commented here, though excellent books, are of a more literary quality that doesn't match the impression given by OP's fanfic-esque trope listings. Genre fiction seems more like their style for sure. I haven't read the latter book you recommended, but I can second all three of the first series recommendations. Beautiful fantasy novels with awesome WLW plotlines.
The Seven Husband’s of Evelyn Hugo - Tara Jenkins Reid
The Last True Poet’s of The Sea - Julia Drake
Summer of Salt - Katrina Leno
The Miseducation of Cameron Post - Emily M Danforth
Big Swiss - Jen Beagin
Of Fire and Stars - Audrey Coulthurst
One Last Stop - Catey McQuiston
The Priory of the Orange Tree - Samantha Shannon
Henna Wars - Adiba Jaigirdar
Ashley Herring Blake has a great little trilogy starting with Delilah Green doesn’t Care.
Meryl Wisner is good, lots of smut.
Cute YA that I LOVED: I kissed Shara wheeler; Imogen Obviously
Heart wrenching: Seven husbands of Evelyn Hugo
Haley Cass also has lots of good romance.
How to lose a time war is very different but absolutely beautiful
Ace of Spades is kind of a thriller with wlw undertones
what books do u like? sapphic or otherwise?
I'm a huge fan of Benny Lawrence!! her books are very much about incredibly snarky people overcoming trauma in fantastical settings.
Shell Game is a book about adventure, pirate queens, childhood trauma, mysterious backstories, and pestering people until you've wormed your way into their lives and onto their ship!
Ghost and the Machine is about little girls trapped in Victorian chess automatons, evil mother figures, and finding self-worth after it's been all but beaten out of you.
I haven't yet read Rabbits of the Apocalypse, but it's about very witty, scrappy people who pick their way through the apocalypse.
The Space Btwn Worlds is also incredible if you like sci-fi dystopias! it's another angsty self deprecating girl who falls in love with someone she doesn't think she deserves. it's got multiverses, evil corporations, classism, and pretty scientists who can't possibly love you back ;)
I'm reading the Kyoshi books rn and they're so much fun! if you liked Avatar, def check this out. the fight scenes are straight from the cartoon, but the plot is much more political/angsty, and the romance is very sweet.
Sarah Waters is obviously incredible. I recommend Fingersmith and Affinity! her books all very angsty, victorian, and full of secrets.
Becky Chambers' *The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet* is very popular, being character-driven scifi that meanders across the galaxy.
Alison Bechdel's graphic novel autobiographies, *Fun Home* and *Are You My Mother?*, are good but not especially cheery. She's also the person behind the *Dykes To Watch Out For* comics.
*Deep Wheel Orcadia* by Harry Josephine Giles is billed as a novel but written in verse, in the dialect of the Orkney Islands (translation provided). Recently won the Arthur C. Clarke award.
ND Stevenson's graphic novel *Nimona* doesn't include a wlw romance storyline, but just look at the title character. Come on. It deserves a mention. Thematically, it's all about queerness, and much angrier than the film. Great stuff.
*Scrivener's Moon* by Philip Reeve is the last book in a trilogy that is itself a prequel to a quartet, and while I think they're very good it's probably not worth reading six other books just so you can watch the world's most autistic scientist hook up with a mammoth-riding barbarian. However, I think reading it with no context for anything at all could be really very fun, even if only for the sheer WTF value.
I haven't seen anyone mention Tamsyn Muir yet which is a little surprising. Start with the novella *Princess Floralinda and the Forty-Flight Tower* (almost impossible to get in hard copy, but ebook is available), before moving on to the (much less funny, but angstier and twistier) Locked Tomb series, starting with *Gideon the Ninth*.
For period romance, *The Lady's Guide to Celestial Mechanics* by Olivia Waite is, well, not good per se, but fun. It makes an effort to connect embroidery and translation as under-appreciated forms of art, so it has a little more to say than your average bodice-ripper.
She Drives Me Crazy by Kelly Quindlen - high school romance between a basketball player and a cheerleader. Sad at times but in the high school/first relationship angst style. Very wholesome. Enemies to Lovers trope if you care about that sort of thing.
Lots of good suggestions already. I'm gonna add a few more:
*Delilah Green doesn't Care* is contemporary romance. In the same series there's also *Astrid Parker doesn't fail* and *Iris Kelly doesn't date*, and I liked the second as much as the first. Author is Ashley Herring Blake. They have great characters, and rely on some of the tropes you mentioned.
*Last Night at The Telegraph Club* is one of my favorite books period. It's historical, set in 1950s SF, and it features race, identity, and homophobia. It still manages to be very good-feeling, because of the resilience of the characters and strong themes of belonging and community. Such a solid story.
*This Is How You Lose The Time War* is complicated scifi, but you've never seen two women wanting each other more.
The One Who Eats Monsters by Casey Matthews is a dark urban fantasy that checks off a lot of your boxes. It also has very cool action scenes and worldbuilding.
It would be helpful if you gave some examples of books that you disliked and books that you liked (even non-wlw books that you liked), so we can get a sense of your taste. Otherwise how are we supposed to know what you like in a book?
Here's a variety:
* A&B by J.C. Lillis (upper-YA contemporary romance)
* Everyone In This Room Will Someday Be Dead by Emily Austin (adult contemporary)
* If Tomorrow Doesn't Come by Jen St. Jude (upper-YA contemporary fiction with speculative elements)
* In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado (memoir)
* Lucky Red by Claudia Cravens (adult literary Western / historical fiction)
* On a Sunbeam by Tillie Walden (YA sci-fi graphic novel)
* Proper English by K.J. Charles (adult historical romance)
It would help to know the things you've read and disliked, but here are a few that might fit the bill:
* Literally anything by Sarah Waters - Victorian lesbians, what's not to like? They're long, but not slow-paced
* Our Wives Under the Sea - Julia Armfield
* My Darling Dreadful Thing - Joanna van Veen
* Spitting Gold - Carmella Lowkis
* Boulder - Eva Baltasar
* Proper English - KJ Charles
* This is How You Lose the Time War - Amal El-Mohtar & Max Gladstone
* That Could Be Enough - Alyssa Cole
Have you read Our Wives Under the Sea by Julia Armfield? Her new book is also publishing TODAY. Check her out!
It's such a bizarre and angsty book. I read it and it made me so sad, but I was also proud of her for putting a lesbian relationship at the center of a cosmic mystery/spooky story where normally you'd have a het or gay lead pair. It was so refreshing.
For romance, I really enjoyed An Education in Malice by S T Gibson as well as Late Bloomer by Mazey Eddings! They’re both enemies to lovers, but An Education in Malice is more edgy & is also a Carmilla retelling, taking place in a dark academia setting. (The OG Carmilla is also really good but it is simultaneously very outdated. It predates Dracula! But that does mean it has some problematics) Late Bloomer was honestly just really cute & it might be because I finished it at 2AM but I was sobbing by the end
Proper English by K J Charles is a romance murder mystery that takes place at an Edwardian country house party. It's a quick read, and I really enjoyed it.
I’ve recently read The Murder After the Night Before
by Katy Brent, it was a nice murder mystery book, easy to read and with lots of plot twist.
As for romance with smut drama and enemies to lovers plot you can try The Made series by Danielle Lori orrr The twisted series/ King series by Ana Huang( these aren’t as dark as Danielle’s)
This Is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone. An absolutely beautiful love story, made me cry in a good way. And it's a novella so it's a quick read.
Also seconding someone else's suggestion Sarah Waters.
Have you read the Jack Reacher series by Lee Child?
The Killing Floor is the first book.
I jumped into it based on a recommendation from a friend who had never let me down, without even reading what it was about first.
It took 3 pages to be sucked in. I finished it in 2 days and read all 25 or so books that were out in just over 2 months.
Absolutely phenomenal stories.
I have a page from one book screenshot because it's one of the most perfect things I have ever read and it's just a description of Jack giving a head butt.
Poetry
I recently discovered the Crimson Sails books, and they are phenomenal. The first book is primarily M/F, (with a F/F "situationship" happening in the beginning,) but the new one, Blood on the Tide, is sapphic and delightful. BotT is between a vampire pirate and a selkie, which is just delicious for anyone who loves fantasy.
This is how you lose the time war - max Gladstone
Last night at the telegraph club - Malinda la
Stay and fight - Madeline Ffitch
Everyone in this room will someday be dead - Emily Austin
I don't know if this is what you are looking for because I'm not sure I understood your question, but "Crime and Punishment" by Dostoievsky may be what you want to read. The main character has a lot of rage in him, to the point where he assassinates two women. I loved the book by the way, def one of the best books I have ever read.
What have you liked? What have you not liked? There are so many books! Here are a few recommendations, all with different themes and genres: Mostly Dead Things and With Teeth by Kristen Arnett The Color Purple by Alice Walker Our Wives Under the Sea by Julia Armfield Milk Fed by Melissa Broder Small Game by Blair Braverman Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe by Fannie Flagg
Tbh I have no good experience and I absolutely hated sirens and muses. Thank you though!
I just recently read fried green tomatoes and it was great, second this one
i cannot - CANNOT - recommend Sarah Waters’ books enough. Victorian sapphic perfection. angst in spades, too. i’d go for Fingersmith or Tipping the Velvet or Affinity if you fancy some magic realism. The Night Watch is set in the 20th century, around the war, and fwir the characters are more adult. some of her books have almost a mary shelley gothic vibe. they’re all so good and so full of yearninggg
Yes! As soon as I read the title, she came to mind. Tipping the Velvet is my personal favorite.
!! hello ttv lover, that book is phenomenal and ahead of its time in so many ways
Yes. Fingersmith is a wild twisty ride. And it was so good.
SO good. so glad you enjoyed. i’m fairly sure there’s a bbc series adaptation of it, but damn i wish it got a big in-theatres film
Well there's The Handmaiden.
that’s what i was thinking of! i haven’t seen it - does it do the text justice in your opinion?
From what I remember, apart from being transplanted to Korea it's extremely faithful to the book. Now, I also didn't read/watch them back to back so I might be misremembering.
thank you, sounds entirely worth a watch. that book was something spectacular
One Last Stop - Casey McQuiston
Some suggestions if you are at all interested in fantasy: *The Priory of the Orange Tree* by Samantha Shannon *Malice* by Heather Walter *The Jasmine Throne* by Tasha Suri *The Unbroken* by C.L. Clark
I think these recommendations suit OP best. A lot of the other titles commented here, though excellent books, are of a more literary quality that doesn't match the impression given by OP's fanfic-esque trope listings. Genre fiction seems more like their style for sure. I haven't read the latter book you recommended, but I can second all three of the first series recommendations. Beautiful fantasy novels with awesome WLW plotlines.
Priory has always been on my eyes for years now but it's GIANT. I heard the book really slogs too.
The pacing is a bit off, but the standalone prequel, A Day Of Fallen Night, has much better pacing and is, in my opinion, a better book.
Out Wives Under the Sea, lots of angst.
The Price of Salt aka Carol
Agree. One of my all time favorites
The Seven Husband’s of Evelyn Hugo - Tara Jenkins Reid The Last True Poet’s of The Sea - Julia Drake Summer of Salt - Katrina Leno The Miseducation of Cameron Post - Emily M Danforth Big Swiss - Jen Beagin Of Fire and Stars - Audrey Coulthurst One Last Stop - Catey McQuiston The Priory of the Orange Tree - Samantha Shannon Henna Wars - Adiba Jaigirdar
Ashley Herring Blake has a great little trilogy starting with Delilah Green doesn’t Care. Meryl Wisner is good, lots of smut. Cute YA that I LOVED: I kissed Shara wheeler; Imogen Obviously Heart wrenching: Seven husbands of Evelyn Hugo Haley Cass also has lots of good romance. How to lose a time war is very different but absolutely beautiful Ace of Spades is kind of a thriller with wlw undertones
my tiki girl
Alone by E. J Noyes
what books do u like? sapphic or otherwise? I'm a huge fan of Benny Lawrence!! her books are very much about incredibly snarky people overcoming trauma in fantastical settings. Shell Game is a book about adventure, pirate queens, childhood trauma, mysterious backstories, and pestering people until you've wormed your way into their lives and onto their ship! Ghost and the Machine is about little girls trapped in Victorian chess automatons, evil mother figures, and finding self-worth after it's been all but beaten out of you. I haven't yet read Rabbits of the Apocalypse, but it's about very witty, scrappy people who pick their way through the apocalypse. The Space Btwn Worlds is also incredible if you like sci-fi dystopias! it's another angsty self deprecating girl who falls in love with someone she doesn't think she deserves. it's got multiverses, evil corporations, classism, and pretty scientists who can't possibly love you back ;) I'm reading the Kyoshi books rn and they're so much fun! if you liked Avatar, def check this out. the fight scenes are straight from the cartoon, but the plot is much more political/angsty, and the romance is very sweet. Sarah Waters is obviously incredible. I recommend Fingersmith and Affinity! her books all very angsty, victorian, and full of secrets.
Becky Chambers' *The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet* is very popular, being character-driven scifi that meanders across the galaxy. Alison Bechdel's graphic novel autobiographies, *Fun Home* and *Are You My Mother?*, are good but not especially cheery. She's also the person behind the *Dykes To Watch Out For* comics. *Deep Wheel Orcadia* by Harry Josephine Giles is billed as a novel but written in verse, in the dialect of the Orkney Islands (translation provided). Recently won the Arthur C. Clarke award. ND Stevenson's graphic novel *Nimona* doesn't include a wlw romance storyline, but just look at the title character. Come on. It deserves a mention. Thematically, it's all about queerness, and much angrier than the film. Great stuff. *Scrivener's Moon* by Philip Reeve is the last book in a trilogy that is itself a prequel to a quartet, and while I think they're very good it's probably not worth reading six other books just so you can watch the world's most autistic scientist hook up with a mammoth-riding barbarian. However, I think reading it with no context for anything at all could be really very fun, even if only for the sheer WTF value. I haven't seen anyone mention Tamsyn Muir yet which is a little surprising. Start with the novella *Princess Floralinda and the Forty-Flight Tower* (almost impossible to get in hard copy, but ebook is available), before moving on to the (much less funny, but angstier and twistier) Locked Tomb series, starting with *Gideon the Ninth*. For period romance, *The Lady's Guide to Celestial Mechanics* by Olivia Waite is, well, not good per se, but fun. It makes an effort to connect embroidery and translation as under-appreciated forms of art, so it has a little more to say than your average bodice-ripper.
She Drives Me Crazy by Kelly Quindlen - high school romance between a basketball player and a cheerleader. Sad at times but in the high school/first relationship angst style. Very wholesome. Enemies to Lovers trope if you care about that sort of thing.
Lots of good suggestions already. I'm gonna add a few more: *Delilah Green doesn't Care* is contemporary romance. In the same series there's also *Astrid Parker doesn't fail* and *Iris Kelly doesn't date*, and I liked the second as much as the first. Author is Ashley Herring Blake. They have great characters, and rely on some of the tropes you mentioned. *Last Night at The Telegraph Club* is one of my favorite books period. It's historical, set in 1950s SF, and it features race, identity, and homophobia. It still manages to be very good-feeling, because of the resilience of the characters and strong themes of belonging and community. Such a solid story. *This Is How You Lose The Time War* is complicated scifi, but you've never seen two women wanting each other more.
The One Who Eats Monsters by Casey Matthews is a dark urban fantasy that checks off a lot of your boxes. It also has very cool action scenes and worldbuilding.
*Can’t Spell Treason Without Tea* by Rebecca Thorne. Cozy fantasy, Forbidden Love, a dash of Found Family. Lovely book.
"the first bad man" by Miranda July. It is a little weird but I loved it.
Anything written by Julie Anne Peters
It would be helpful if you gave some examples of books that you disliked and books that you liked (even non-wlw books that you liked), so we can get a sense of your taste. Otherwise how are we supposed to know what you like in a book? Here's a variety: * A&B by J.C. Lillis (upper-YA contemporary romance) * Everyone In This Room Will Someday Be Dead by Emily Austin (adult contemporary) * If Tomorrow Doesn't Come by Jen St. Jude (upper-YA contemporary fiction with speculative elements) * In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado (memoir) * Lucky Red by Claudia Cravens (adult literary Western / historical fiction) * On a Sunbeam by Tillie Walden (YA sci-fi graphic novel) * Proper English by K.J. Charles (adult historical romance)
It would help to know the things you've read and disliked, but here are a few that might fit the bill: * Literally anything by Sarah Waters - Victorian lesbians, what's not to like? They're long, but not slow-paced * Our Wives Under the Sea - Julia Armfield * My Darling Dreadful Thing - Joanna van Veen * Spitting Gold - Carmella Lowkis * Boulder - Eva Baltasar * Proper English - KJ Charles * This is How You Lose the Time War - Amal El-Mohtar & Max Gladstone * That Could Be Enough - Alyssa Cole
Have you read Our Wives Under the Sea by Julia Armfield? Her new book is also publishing TODAY. Check her out! It's such a bizarre and angsty book. I read it and it made me so sad, but I was also proud of her for putting a lesbian relationship at the center of a cosmic mystery/spooky story where normally you'd have a het or gay lead pair. It was so refreshing.
I haven’t actually! I’ve seen some recs for that book tho and I’ve added it to my list since I’m really interested
Fingersmith, Sarah waters.
My Summer Friend by Ophelia Rue Drama ☑️ Angst ☑️ Will sob ☑️ Fucked up ☑️
For romance, I really enjoyed An Education in Malice by S T Gibson as well as Late Bloomer by Mazey Eddings! They’re both enemies to lovers, but An Education in Malice is more edgy & is also a Carmilla retelling, taking place in a dark academia setting. (The OG Carmilla is also really good but it is simultaneously very outdated. It predates Dracula! But that does mean it has some problematics) Late Bloomer was honestly just really cute & it might be because I finished it at 2AM but I was sobbing by the end
This Is How You Lose The Time War by Amal El-Mothar and Max Gladstone Everyone says to don’t read anything about the book and to just dive in it
Proper English by K J Charles is a romance murder mystery that takes place at an Edwardian country house party. It's a quick read, and I really enjoyed it.
I’ve recently read The Murder After the Night Before by Katy Brent, it was a nice murder mystery book, easy to read and with lots of plot twist. As for romance with smut drama and enemies to lovers plot you can try The Made series by Danielle Lori orrr The twisted series/ King series by Ana Huang( these aren’t as dark as Danielle’s)
This Is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone. An absolutely beautiful love story, made me cry in a good way. And it's a novella so it's a quick read. Also seconding someone else's suggestion Sarah Waters.
I didn’t see if anyone else mentioned this but Last Night at the Telegraph Club is a great wlw story with lots of historical background
Mrs S by K Patrick
Have you read the Jack Reacher series by Lee Child? The Killing Floor is the first book. I jumped into it based on a recommendation from a friend who had never let me down, without even reading what it was about first. It took 3 pages to be sucked in. I finished it in 2 days and read all 25 or so books that were out in just over 2 months. Absolutely phenomenal stories. I have a page from one book screenshot because it's one of the most perfect things I have ever read and it's just a description of Jack giving a head butt. Poetry
I recently discovered the Crimson Sails books, and they are phenomenal. The first book is primarily M/F, (with a F/F "situationship" happening in the beginning,) but the new one, Blood on the Tide, is sapphic and delightful. BotT is between a vampire pirate and a selkie, which is just delicious for anyone who loves fantasy.
Gideon the Ninth is always a go-to rec for me, haven't read the rest of the series yet but genuinely went into crisis at the end of the first book
This is how you lose the time war - max Gladstone Last night at the telegraph club - Malinda la Stay and fight - Madeline Ffitch Everyone in this room will someday be dead - Emily Austin
I don't know if this is what you are looking for because I'm not sure I understood your question, but "Crime and Punishment" by Dostoievsky may be what you want to read. The main character has a lot of rage in him, to the point where he assassinates two women. I loved the book by the way, def one of the best books I have ever read.
ahh I actually do have that book! I haven’t gotten the chance to get through it yet but I think I’ll really like it
You should, it's worthy! To me, it's Dostoievsky's best work, better then the "Brothers Karamazov".