iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Sara @ice-elf.bsky.social · 10/07/2026

Sort of dying in the heat - it's far too hot to concentrate on anything (Guess who forgot about BlueSky again)

Sara @ice-elf.bsky.social · 30/12/2025

It’s time for me to flail about the books I’ve read this year. 125 in total, and I can’t ever narrow it down to a top 10, so here is my top 15. Fantasy heavy, queer, weird. Key takes from this? I like messy boys, murder mysteries, and complex fantasy systems. Books listed in order of reading.

Sixteen Souls by Rosie Talbot
YA paranormal fantasy featuring seers and (disappearing!) ghosts in contemporary York, with a sweet m/m romance
Diverse cast of characters, including a mc who uses prosthesis, a transmasc love interest, and queer side characters
First in a completed duology

Sorcery and Small Magics by Maiga Doocy
Whimsical, cosy fantasy romance in an intriguing world, with a fun magic system, a slow-burn m/m romance and a diverse cast of side characters
Two rival wizards bound together by an illegal curse have to work together to fix it – much to their mutual displeasure
First in trilogy

When the Tides Held the Moon by Venessa Vida Kelley
Charming fantasy romance set in 1910s NYC, with a beautifully written romance and a found family dynamic
Puerto Rican blacksmith joins a Coney Island sideshow and falls in love with the star exhibit: a captive merman
Standalone – with stunning illustrations from the author

The Paper Boys by D.P. Clarence
Adult contemporary romantic comedy featuring two rival journalists from very different papers working together on a major political expose
Opposites attract, rivals-to-lovers m/m romance between the son of a media mogul and an ordinary working class lad
Standalone story / First in interconnected series

Strange Beasts by Susan J. Morris
Paranormal fantasy centred on a secret society of monster hunters, with seeds of a future sapphic romance
Jonathan Harker’s daughter teams up with Moriarty’s daughter to solve a case in turn-of the century London and Paris
First in series

In Memoriam by Alice Winn
Adult historical fiction set in WWI and following two boys who leave their idyllic boarding school for the front
A harrowing portrayal of war and its effects combined with a bittersweet queer romance
Standalone

Lady Eve’s Last Con by Rebecca Fraimow
Sci-Fi romantic comedy combined with a madcap heist, featuring Disaster Lesbians being gay and doing crimes
Conwoman tries to scam the guy who broke her sisters heart, ends up falling for his sister – oops?
Standalone

A Sorceress Comes to Call by T. Kingfisher
Fantasy retelling of ‘The Goose Girl’ with a middle-aged protagonist, an eerie horse, and geese
Team of competent middle-aged women help a teenage girl escape her abusive mother
Standalone

The Lilac People by Milo Todd
Historical fiction centred on the trans experience in 1930s and 1940s Germany, including the continued persecution experienced following the end of WWII and the liberation of the camps
Beautifully written and incredibly timely; carries hope in a time of brutality
Standalone

Don’t Let the Forest In by C.G. Drews
YA botanical horror set in a prestigious boarding school, centred on a queer autistic boy dealing with trauma, bullying, and his love for his best friend
Toxic romance between two complex but loveable characters raging against the constraints of society
First in series

The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty

Historical fantasy set in the 12th century Arabian Gulf, with a diverse cast of middle-aged pirates reuniting to save the child of an old crewmate
Sweary middle-aged female narrator relates tale, with many complaints about her bad knee and the inconvenience of teenagers
First in series – sequel due for release in 2026

The Darkness Outside Us by Eliot Schrefer

YA sci-fi romance in which two boys from enemy nations are sent on a rescue mission to the first off-world colony on Titan and are forced to work together
Gripping, twisty plot with mature themes, including loneliness and hope - should resonate with an adult audience despite the ages of the characters
First in completed duology

Hazelthorn by C.G. Drews

YA botanical horror set in a gothic mansion, with an messy m/m relationship – what if the Secret Garden had teeth and chose to bite back?
Lonely autistic boy forbidden from leaving the manor teams up with the boy who once tried to kill him to discover who killed their abusive guardian
Standalone

Cage of Starlight by Jules Arbeaux

Fantasy with an excellent magic system and a diverse cast, including an asexual protagonist, with a tender slow burn romance at its heart
A healer is forced to use his powers to serve the army and ends up stranded in enemy territory with a captor with secrets of his own
Standalone

The Raven Scholar by Antonia Hodgson

Plotty political fantasy set in a complex world with a diverse cast, most of whom are 30+ and have earned their competence
A solitary scholar is forced to participate in a contest for the throne whilst solving the murder of her predecessor
First in series

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Lundlaeva @lundlaeva.bsky.social · 22/12/2025

I was missing my beloved Barbara last night, so it seemed a good time for a doodle ... Fun fact, @ice-elf.bsky.social and I saw a drag queen perform in this dress recently (minus gloves) and I was completely derailed thinking of Barbara in it, so that was the inspiration. #BarbaraLasagna

Sketchy coloured pencil drawing on a lilac post-it note: a waist-up portrait of drag queen Barbara Lasagna (played by George Rexstrew in the film Pismo Beach). She is wearing a red velvet dress with ruching at the hips and white fur at the turtleneck collar and three-quarter sleeve cuffs. Her hair is in voluminous auburn curls with a big black flower pinned above her forehead, and her face is made up with striking eye shadow and red lipstick. Her eyes are closed as she croons into an old-fashioned microphone that she is cradling in her red gloved hands. She's got a golden-yellow light glow around her.

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Sara @ice-elf.bsky.social · 05/12/2025

I am having feelings about Heated Rivalry. FEELINGS.

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Sara @ice-elf.bsky.social · 20/11/2025

Really enjoyed Wicked For Good (Saw a double bill tonight, watching as nature intended) 💗💚

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Sara @ice-elf.bsky.social · 19/11/2025

This was SO good, folks. 660 pages. Started Sunday, finished tonight, and I want to go back and read it again. First book in a long time that has managed to floor me with a twist.

The Raven Scholar by Antonia Hodgson. A purple-black raven spreads its wings, behind it a city looms.

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Sara @ice-elf.bsky.social · 13/11/2025

I'm going to have to try and pick a top ten reads from 2025 soon, aren't I, but I keep reading absolute bangers. 😭😭😭

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Sara @ice-elf.bsky.social · 13/11/2025

Four left! Stumped on tree clock, blanket, the season holiday books, and the social calendar... Happy to trade clues on the others, if I can remember what they were, haha #Hiddenbooksgame

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Sara @ice-elf.bsky.social · 13/11/2025

This year's #HiddenBooksGame is hard. Only on 12/20 and stumped on the rest. I guess this is the danger of many reading queer spec fic. :(

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Sara @ice-elf.bsky.social · 26/10/2025

Cannot wait to see the whole film 😍

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Sara @ice-elf.bsky.social · 26/10/2025

Holy Hell - this book was good. Dark and weird and I'm going to be cycling through various interpretations of that ending for some time.

Cover of Don't Let the Forest In by CG Drews

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Sara @ice-elf.bsky.social · 17/10/2025

Watching 911 live is incredibly stressful. I spent too long having the next episode, and now I have to wait.

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Sara @ice-elf.bsky.social · 19/09/2025

This is amazing!!!!! 😍🥰

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Anke Eissmann @khorazir.bsky.social · 19/09/2025

Charles looking after Edwin: Payneland art inspired by the touching #DeadBoyDetectives fic A Coda to Hell, Redux by @ice-elf.bsky.social archiveofourown.org/works/55976581 #SaveDeadBoyDetectives

Ink and watercolour art showing Charles comforting a distressed Edwin. Both are on the floor in front of a bookshelf.

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Sara @ice-elf.bsky.social · 22/07/2025

Rare post: but I've done my voice in screaming at the football They don't make it easy, do they?

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Sara @ice-elf.bsky.social · 31/05/2025

I liked some of the things there, hated others. #DoctorWho

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Sara @ice-elf.bsky.social · 17/05/2025

Top three Italy Latvia Sweden #Eurovison

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Sara @ice-elf.bsky.social · 17/05/2025

At this point, I'm convince Europe needs to do a witch ritual every year to appease a demon and we cleverly disguise it as #Eurovision.

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Sara @ice-elf.bsky.social · 17/05/2025

Tonight is the night of curvy blondes that could step on me #Eurovision

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Sara @ice-elf.bsky.social · 03/05/2025

Oh this was great! So bloody funny!

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Sara @ice-elf.bsky.social · 03/05/2025

Tonight in Manchester...

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Sara @ice-elf.bsky.social · 21/03/2025

Have never been more excited for a short film. George Rexstrew, you are stunning 😍

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Sara @ice-elf.bsky.social · 16/03/2025

Books I've read this year vs books from my tbr I should have read this year. This is fine...

A book journal page showing the covers and star ratings of 26 books

A book journal page showing a set of bookshelves with 100 books writing to be coloured in. Two are.

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Sara @ice-elf.bsky.social · 08/03/2025

@angelzlt.bsky.social @etmuse.uk @lundlaeva.bsky.social I do not like this new reality where I have to wait for episodes of 911...

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Sara @ice-elf.bsky.social · 01/03/2025

Oh my God, they are teammates

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Sara @ice-elf.bsky.social · 26/02/2025

Oh, I'm genuinely a bit upset about Michelle Trachtenberg 😢 Buffy was the first big show that I loved and she was so young. Only three years older than me.

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Sara @ice-elf.bsky.social · 18/02/2025

I've seen the film. I've listened to the album. I know the plot. I WAS STILL NOT PREPARED.

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Sara @ice-elf.bsky.social · 17/02/2025

One of the highlights of the day. Ate this on a certain bench in St James' Park...

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Sara @ice-elf.bsky.social · 17/02/2025

So far this week I have met and hugged the incomparable Jayden Revri, seen Tom Hiddleston, Hayley Atwell and Mason Alexander Park on stage, and met Mason (who is so hot irl) and met a lot of oomfs. And we've just booked tickets to Les Mis, so more good things to come!

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KJ Charles @kjcharleswriter.com · 05/02/2025

Good Housekeeping website (?) has done an article on "fairy porn" (??) which recommends one of my books (???) with specific detail indicating that the writer has read the book BUT NEVERTHELESS repeatedly misgendering the MC to make it into MF (?!?!) www.goodhousekeeping.com/uk/lifestyle...

The Magpie Lord by KJ Charles

One thing guaranteed when you open a KJ Charles novel: her sex scenes are as good as her plotting. Here, she gets the prize for most erotically charged use of a magpie back tattoo in fiction. Lucien Vaudrey is the black sheep of her family who didn’t just inherit a gothic estate and a title, but also a host of deadly enemies. With the help of magician Stephen Day and his dark magic, she must defeat them – and even better if this means winding up tangled in the bedsheets together.

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Sara @ice-elf.bsky.social · 03/02/2025

This radiator bed is the best £25 I've ever spent. She's never out of it.

A white and black cat with a pink nose and long whiskers lying in a grey radiator bed

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Sara @ice-elf.bsky.social · 27/01/2025

I might be reading two books already, but in desperate need of my comfort series. One of the only series I have multiples of... (And yes, I utterly have a type when it comes to favourite couples: brawn x brains, both messed up, utter devotion, solving spooky mysteries...)

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Sara @ice-elf.bsky.social · 26/01/2025

Going to try to make this a more permanent home, so: Hi, I'm Sara. I'm a queer writer from the UK with a love of all things SF, Fantasy and Horror. I'm currently trying to get back into working on my novel whilst being distracted by two cats, an unending tbr pile and the Sims 2!

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Sara @ice-elf.bsky.social · 23/01/2025

I'm halfway through the second book and still loving this series. YA paranormal set in York with so much queer rep (central romance is m/m, one of them is trans, the other is a double amputee most of the side characters are queer, too) and the voice is delightfully northern ❤️❤️❤️

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Sara @ice-elf.bsky.social · 27/12/2024

Annual thread of favourite books, listed in reading order. 1) All the Hidden Paths by Foz Meadows (Political Fantasy w Queer Romance) Sequel to A Strong and Stubborn Endurance. 2) Someone you can Build a Nest In by John Wisell (Fantasy Romance)

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Sara @ice-elf.bsky.social · 25/12/2024

Wishing all who celebrate a very happy Christmas, and if you don't, a pleasant day off!

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Sara @ice-elf.bsky.social · 13/12/2024

You would think that a cat would yell about being stuck in a cupboard, wouldn't you? Not Jasper. No. He just sits there quietly when he can hear me calling him frantically because he's not woken me up for breakfast.

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Sara @ice-elf.bsky.social · 10/12/2024

Every time I pick up a contemporary romance, I think that this might be the one. They sound interesting, but they always lose me. Always. I wish I knew why. I think part of it is the pop culture references, but who actually knows. Anyway, sticking to histroms or romantasy from here on out.

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Sara @ice-elf.bsky.social · 03/12/2024

Spending the evening with a new to me KJ Charles (Unfit for Print), which is always a treat because KJC always delivers on a) the happily ever after for the heroes and b) a fuck you for the villains. Which, sometimes, is all you need.

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Sara @ice-elf.bsky.social · 16/11/2024

Going to spend Saturday quietly relaxing and working on some writing with my BFF. Can I get the 2,500 words I need? Probably not, but I'm going to try.

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Olivia Waite @oliviawaite.com · 16/11/2024

The entire oeuvre of KJ Charles, summed up

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Sara @ice-elf.bsky.social · 14/11/2024

Going to start trying to post here again. Have no idea why I stopped.

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Sara @ice-elf.bsky.social · 01/07/2024

I am supposed to be going out. She knows exactly what she's doing. (And to think. This is the girl who spent her first few weeks with me hiding behind the fridge)

A white and black cat lying on her back and showing off a fluffy white belly and pink toe beans

The same white and black cat with big eyes

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Sara @ice-elf.bsky.social · 22/05/2024

I've gone from writing practically nothing for weeks and then over 10k over three and a bit fics. Thanks for the inspiration, #DeadBoyDetectives.

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Jordan L. Hawk @jordanlhawk.com · 21/05/2024

It's release day for my new historical horror novel FEVER! Two brothers join the stampede for gold, but what they find is something much more deadly. Order direct from me: jordanlhawk.com/collections/... Or get it from other online bookstores: books2read.com/fever-book

Book cover showing a deer skull superimposed over a snowy forest. Cover text: Jordan L. Hawk, Fever. Image background is a gradient from dark gray to black, with white text reading: Releasing May 21, 2024. Klondike gold rush, isolated cabin, con-artist brothers, spooky forest.

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