Trope Time – Immortal and Witch

A graphic featuring an ebook cover of Phantom and Rook by Aelina Isaacs. Text captions surround the cover describing different tropes. 'Have we met before?' 'Hunt based on the secret' 'Magic Tattoos' 'I won't forget you again.' 'Grumpy Owl' 'Immortal x Hedge Witch' 'Retired Hero, Now What?' 'Found Family'

Phantom and Rook is a queer urban fantasy romance following a retired hedge witch and a mysterious immortal that is cursed to be forgotten by all those who know and love him.

We have found family, magical tattoos, starting over later in life, and lots of healing. It is the first in a series, a toe dip into the magical world of Levena and all of its mysteries.

Phantom and Rook’s ebook is free at (most) of your favorite retailers, and is also available in paperback and audio.

January Reads

Look at me, listening to new books! I even conquered a paperback that’s been on my shelf for awhile now.

The To Kill a King series was full of ups and downs, I wanted to smash most of their heads together and the second one is likely my favorite because eldest child syndrome intermixed with a dragon for the win.

And yeah … I finished the Big Bad Wolf series, again. Can’t get enough Dayton and his wolf.

I am nearly done with the Perilous Courts series by Tavia Lark, I realized partway through Bodyguard that I had in fact already listened to it but continued on anyways. Love these books, and Betrothed especially.

Sorcery and Small Magics was recommended to me by several people, and MY GOODNESS what a book. It is so well written, beautiful, and just a heck of a good time.

American Hippo is like if OFMD had a baby with a heist movie and was parented by an old western, and babysat by hippos.

Lastly, I couldn’t start the year off without the Doomsday fellas. Gareth and Jos are my favorite, but Luke and his grief gets me every time.

Plans for 2026

We return to the magickal world of Levena this year with a sassy star and their grumpy vampire. You do not need to have read the first two books to read Mochizuki and Xlato as it focuses on a different couple, but it helps with the 🌜lore🌛

For reading this year, it’s almost indie all the way for me. There are quite a few I have been wanting to get to, and some that I’ve started and need to finish. Especially the ones already on my shelves.

2025 in a Nutshell

Commence the 2025 Wrap Up!
I published my first historical fiction and ran my first Kickstarter, and participated in an anthology with the Right Here Write Queer Podcast. I also was nominated in the Indie Ink Awards!

For reading, there was a lot of rereading (and rereading again in the case of the Big Bad Series) but I did discover a lot of new favorites and other stories I really enjoyed. There was only a few that I didn’t care for as much.

Stay tuned for this year’s hopes and dreams!

Indie Ink Awards 2025

My urban fantasy and historical fiction were nominated for the Indie Ink Awards!

Phantom and Rook, the first in my Levena series, made it as a finalist last year and it makes me so happy to see Matsdotter and Adrastus getting love and attention this year! And my beloved gay explorers, in a category that is so very fitting.

You can vote for your favorite indie books beginning on Monday, December 15th. Check out Indie Story Geek to learn more. 🎉✨️📚

Nonbinary November

Nonbinary November. The Heartbreak Bakery by A.R. Capetta. My Best Friend's Honeymoon by Meryl Wilsner. Realistic Fiction by anton solomonik. Murder in the Dressing Room by Holly Stars. Both/And by Denne Michele Norris. A Mutual Connection by Kay Claire.
Nonbinary November. Rabbit Chase by Elizabeth Lapensee. River of Teeth by Sarah Gailey. An Offer Fae Can't Refuse by Lou Wilham. Liquid City by A.C. Buchanan. Junker Seven by Olive J. Kelley. Model Home by Rivers Solomon.
Nonbinary november. An Unsuitable Heir by K.J. Charles. Too many Stars to Count by Frances M. Thompson. Blackfish City by Sam J. Miller. The Seep by Chana Porter. You and I Collide by E.A.M. Trofimenkoff. The Ballad of Aidy and Leftie by SJ Whitby.
Nonbinary november. Heart of Iron by C.M. Alongi. Sir Callie and the Dragon's Roost by Esme Symes-Smith. The Rebel Foxes by Noah Hawthorne. The Thread that Binds by Cedar McCloud. A mean Piece of Water by Jes McCutchen. Hammajang Luck by Makana Yamamoto.
Nonbinary november. Lark and Kasim Start a Revolution by Kacen Callender. Valerin the Fair by Rien Gray. The Mirror Season by Anna-Marie McLemore. Grand Slam Romance by Ollie Hicks and Emma Oosterhous. Mask of Shadows by Linsey Miller. The Many Half Lived Lives of Sam Sylvester.
Nonbinary november. Phoenix Extravagant by Yoon Ha Lee. Dawn of the Obsidian Sun by RN Barbosa. What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher. She Who Earned her Wings by Micah Iannandrea. The Forgotten Lyric by Carolina Cruz. Silver under Nightfall by Rin Chupeco.
Nonbinary November. Baker Thief by Claudie Arseneault. Key Lime Sky by Al Hess. Glowrot by Beatrice Lebrun. The Awakening of Lora Abernathy by MJ Anthony. Ariah by BR Sanders. Tethered by TJ Williams.
Nonbinary November. Homegrown Magic by Jamie Pacton and Rebecca Podos. Before we Were Trans by Kit Heyam. Tar Hollow Trans by Stacy Jane Grover. A World Worth Saving by Kyle Lukoff. Rainbow Black by Maggie Thrash. Crossing by Pajhim Statovci.

November plays host to many reading challenges this month, and it’s National Native American Heritage month. I’ll do my best to fit in as many recs as possible !

This week, let’s take a look at some queer books with nonbinary characters, or written by nonbinary authors. I’ve read a few of these, but there are so many good ones here I’m looking forward to.

Any favorites you’d like to share?