books to read

Paperbacks in the Sun

/ Noah Hawthorne / Leave a comment
A paperback copy of Phantom and Rook held outside in front of a partially green lawn. The book cover of Phantom and Rook by Aelina Isaacs. On a busy market street in a modern town with tudor architecture a warm glow illuminates the crowds & stores that line the road. There is a seasonal festival, which is evident over this hustle because of the decorations of red & gold bunting and flags crisscrossed cross over head, and sunflowers have been pinned on the beams and roof tops. Between all the people, two men have seen each other. A tall brown man, with a mane of curly black hair, wearing a knitted rainbow duster, looks over his shoulder with the confusion of a clouded memory. He has arms full of shopping in paper bag, herbs, flowers and bottles, he has to be on his way and the crowd is moving, but still he lingers as he looks at the other man. The other man is small, thin, freckled and has a shock of red hair that is firey in the dawn light, he is taking the hood of his green jersey like he is going to pull it over his head, but before he does he looks back at the second man. The heaviness of his heart and thin hope are evident in his face.

I have some beautiful paperbacks of the Adventures in Levena books, and of The Rebel Foxes, available in my bookstore! They are signed, and come with art prints. You can find them here.

A paperback copy of Matsdotter and Adrastus held up in front of a partially green lawn. The cover of Matsdotter and Adrastus by Aelina Isaacs. Two men embrace each other in a warmly lit area between bookshelves. They hold each other as if dancing, and stare adoringly into each other's eyes. The man on the left is short, white, and has trim brown hair. He wears glasses and a brilliant red jacket with black lacing. He smiles wide at his companion. The taller man has waist length black hair and translucent dragon fly like wings extending from his back, and brown skin. He dresses in all black, and has golden lines inscribed into his cheekbones. He stares down at fondly at his companion with a quiet smile.

Adventures in Levena is a cozy urban fantasy series that follows a group of friends as they learn how to love and live later on in life.

A paperback copy of The Rebel Foxes held up in front of a partially green lawn. The cover of The Rebel Foxes by Noah Hawthorne. A woman with brown skin and long curly blonde hair stands defiantly in the center. She wears a leather jacket, tight pants, and a gas mask full of plants. She sprays magical green spray paint to the left and right across a stone corridor. She has a determined look on her face.

The Rebel Foxes is a standalone dystopian fantasy with shape-shifting mutants, a trans polyamorous romance, and eating the rich.

International Asexuality Day

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Ace and Taking Up Space book recs. To be taught if fortunate by Becky Chambers. Cute Mutants by SJ Whitby. Being Ace Edited by Madeline Dyer. He Bears the Cape of Stars edited by Nina Waters. The Bone Witch by Rin Chupeco. Beyond, The Queer Scifi and Fantasy Comics Anthology edited by Sfé R. Monster.
Ace and Taking Up Space book recs. Add Magic to Taste edited by Nina Waters. Phantom and Rook by Aelina Isaacs. The Cybernetic Tea Shop by Meredith Katz. Earth Flown by Frances Wren. The Last Sun by K.D. Edwards. The Faerie Godmother's Apprentice Wore Green by Nicky Kyle.
Ace and Taking Up Space book recs. Of the Wild by E. Wambheim. The Galloway Road by Catherine Adams. Bloody Spade by Brittany M. Willows. We Awaken by Calista Lynne. The Dragon of Ynys by Minerva Cerridwen. Kill your Darlings by L.E. Harper.
Ace and Taking Up Space books recs. Tears in the Water by Margherita Scialla. Stake Sauce by Roanna Sylver. Elatsoe by Darcie Little Badger. City of Strife by Claudie Arseneault. The Ruin of Kings by Jenn Lyons. Werecockroach by Polenth Blake.
Ace and Taking Up space book recs. The Map and the Territory by A.M Tuomala. The Final Curse of Ophelia Cray by Christine Calella. Fallen Thorns by Harvey Oliver Baxter. Dread Nation by Justina Ireland. Common Bonds, edited by Claudie Arseneault. Tell Me How it Ends by Quinton Li.
Ace and Taking Up Space book recs. To be taught if fortunate by Becky Chambers. Cute Mutants by SJ Whitby. Being Ace Edited by Madeline Dyer. He Bears the Cape of Stars edited by Nina Waters. The Bone Witch by Rin Chupeco. Beyond, The Queer Scifi and Fantasy Comics Anthology edited by Sfé R. Monster.

Yesterday was International Asexuality Day, but ace books are good to read all year round. Asexual means a person doesn’t feel sexual feelings or attraction to others, but this is a spectrum and can vary widely from person to person. Note that attraction does not equal romance, and asexual is not the same as aromantic. Some people are sex repulsed, some are not. Some people are sex positive, some are not.

Demisexuality falls under the asexual umbrella, and means a person doesn’t feel attraction until developing a strong connection with a person. Two of my books, Phantom and Rook, and Matsdotter and Adrastus, have demisexual mains.

There are many different shades of Ace, and many different types of stories just waiting for you to read.

The Voice of Wild Places Cover Reveal!

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An ebook cover of The Voice of Wild Places.

The Voice of Wild Places:

A Fabulist Historical Fiction

Cornelius Sawyer is a man of many talents, but forgiveness is not one of them.

Watt Johnson is a man of his word, but not once in his life has he spoken up for himself.

Once connected by the bonds of childhood, threads now severed by the demands of life, the pair are brought together for a once in a lifetime opportunity: an all expenses paid expedition to Brazil, searching for a man the world believes to be long dead, Percy Fawcett. And perhaps, even the Lost City that he was looking for.

Under the guise of doing research work for their respective universities, a reluctant Cornelius and an exhilarated Watt accept the offer and delve into the unknown, trusting no one but themselves. Looking at a map, the route and its dangers seem to be known obstacles which can be easily conquered, a fact that Watt leans on heavily.

But Cornelius is intimately aware that the river has teeth, that the land renders a siren song to those who are desperate to become lost in its mountains and basins. To survive the journey they’ll have to face the enemies within, and trust the other to have their best interests in mind.

After all, the Voice of Wild Places is calling, beckoning the adrift homeward.

The Voice of Wild Places releases on May 6th, 2025. You can read early access chapters on my Patreon!

Cover art illustrated by the incredibly talented Thistle Arts.