Gah I think Tumblr ate my ask! If you're seeing this a second time I'm really sorry lol. I'm one of those burned out former gifted kids who used to be passionate about reading before the burned out part came into play. Recently I've decided to get back into reading. I'm immensely pleased to see that there's a lot more options for queer book lovers these days, but I'm kind of daunted by the fact that most books seem to be trilogies or longer. Do you have any standalone recs? If it helps, I like fantasy, angst, and time travel. Some whump too is nice. If it's queer that's a hundred times better (especially if it's transmasc and/or polyam). Extra extra wow factor if the characters are Chinese or Southeast Asian. Thank you for your time and all the good work you do!
Ah thanks for letting me help with this! I hope I can find a book you like 😊
Some queer stand alone scifi:
This is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar & Max Gladstone is a time travel novella of sapphic robots(?) falling in love against enemy lines. Definitely a bit abstract and poetic, so maybe not the simplest read, but if you're in the mood for something atmospheric and dramatic, you might like this book.
The Space Between Worlds by Micaiah Johnson is sapphic and doesn't involve time travel, but it is about hopping to other realities for a corporation.
The Art of Saving the World by Corinne Duyvis is another one to do with alternate realities, though it blends genres a bit too. The main character is questioning, and most likely bi (like her alternate selves).
The Darkness Outside Us by Eliot Schrefer is a scifi mystery in space. Definitely some whump in this! And not time travel, but a bit of a time.... element.
A Complicated Love Story Set in Space by Shaun David Hutchinson is about three kids who wake up on a space ship god knows where. There's a big meta element and time loop element as well.
The Echo Wife by Sarah Gailey is an adult scifi, and not queer. It's about cloning and murder, and is very short. This is hands down one of my favorite books, so if you have any interest in either of those things, I definitely recommend.
The Electric Kingdom by David Arnold is also not queer, but has a big time element to it, and is a very layered, twisty end of the world story. If you can currently take things that involve plagues, then you might like this story.
Some queer fantasy:
Burn by Patrick Ness is an alternate universe story where dragons live alongside(ish) humans, and it's also a prophecy story. Of the three main characters, one is gay.
Before We Disappear by Shaun David Hutchinson is also an alternate universe story, this one queer friendly historical. There's some whump in this, and magical powers being used to help a magician-con man.
Chosen Ones by Veronica Roth is a great stand alone if you like chosen one stories, and their deconstruction. This one isn't queer.
The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern is a portal fantasy stand alone with a queer MC and is very layered and atmospheric. I wouldn't call this angsty, but it's definitely bittersweet.
Unfortunately, all the Asian-led SFF I would love to rec is part of a series :( But if you do find yourself wanting duologies in the future, Iron Widow,
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