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Bradley

@bookishbrad

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Here for queer books and the drama.
📍Toronto, Ontario, Canada 🇨🇦
📚57 / 50 books in 2026

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The Library at Hellebore by Cassandra Khaw (@casskhaw )

First of all, I needed a dictionary for some of these words, but GORRYYYYY. My god. 😭

There are SO many timeline jumps, and sometimes it felt like whiplash. I appreciated the chapters being labelled “Before,” but I honestly have NO idea how much time has actually passed between everything. Maybe that’s just me being dumb, but I definitely had moments where I was trying to piece together the timeline.

That said, I started getting into the groove of the writing style about halfway through, and I appreciated how much context the “Before” chapters gave us. We’re meeting these characters at graduation without really knowing their history, so having those glimpses into the past makes sense, especially when it comes to Joannah.

The scene with Ford and Minji… JESUS CHRIST. I genuinely don’t know what else to say about that.

And the garden scene with the figs and Rowan? VERRRRY cool. This isn’t just a magic school story. It’s something much stranger, darker, and more twisted than that.

The ending was VERY… mindfucky. I don’t fully understand the “After” section, if I’m being honest, but GOOD LORD. This was a wild, gory, messy ride, and I am absolutely going to be thinking about some of those scenes for a while.

Definitely not a cozy little magical academia read. 🫠 I kept replaying @alyssaedwards_1 “what the fuck is going on in here on this day”

#TheLibraryAtHellebore #CassandraKhaw #DarkAcademia #CosmicHorror #Bookstagram taken in Toronto, Ontario by @bookishbrad

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39 minutes ago

He’s So Possessed with Me by Corey Liu

I’ve been leaning away from YA lately, but this was GOOD. Hella creepy, with some genuinely well-done entities and relationships that I ended up getting really invested in.

I especially loved watching the relationship between Colin and Ren change and evolve. The way growing up, figuring out who you are, and being influenced by outside forces all play into their relationship was such a great part of the story. It works so well as a horror element, but it also feels very real to life. We’re all shaped by the people and things around us, sometimes in ways we don’t even realize.

Also, can we talk about Old Man Twink? He was crass, fun and exactly how you’d imagine an old queen in touch with the spirits would be. 😂 Absolutely loved him.

And I wasn’t expecting this to take place in Toronto! Having a horror story set somewhere so familiar made everything feel that much more immersive. There’s something extra creepy about imagining all of this happening in places you actually know.

Another great spooky, creepy read for October! I’d recommend this one for sure!

#HesSoPossessedWithMe #CoreyLiu #YAHorror #HorrorBooks #bookstagram taken in Toronto, Ontario by @bookishbrad

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6 days ago

Manhunt by Gretchen Felker-Martin

I went through my TBR and found books that would be perfect for October spookiness, and good LORD, what a wild ride this was.

This was so gory, so graphic, and SO GOOD. Every time I thought things couldn’t possibly get any crazier, they did. And somehow, all those little details that seemed insignificant at first kept coming back later. I normally don’t love multiple POVs, but it worked SO well here. You really have to pay attention!

I want to say like so much more about this bonkers plot line and characters, but I don’t want to spoil anything. Just know that men turn into monsters (aren’t we mostly already? LOL), and women and trans people are fighting to survive in a world that’s gone completely off the rails.

And the estrogen? Let’s just say there are some VERY interesting sources. 👀

Absolutely unhinged, deeply disturbing, and exactly the kind of batshit book I want to be reading in October. If body horror, gore, and trans horror are your thing, add this to your TBR!

#Manhunt #GretchenFelkerMartin #QueerHorror #TransHorror #bookstagram taken in Toronto, Ontario by @bookishbrad

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8 days ago

The Pumpkin Spice Café by Laurie Gilmore

I found this at a thrift store ages ago and was waiting for fall to start it! And it gave me exactly what I wanted, a fun, cozy romance that was an easy read. I’d call this a bit of a palate cleanser book, something light and fun to pick up between heavier or bigger reads.

You think you know exactly where the story is going, but then there’s a little twist that I genuinely wasn’t expecting! Nothing too wild, just enough to keep things interesting.

And the animal names?! A llama named Harry Styles? Incredible. Pop-star silkie chickens? I died. 😂

Also, one of my favorite laugh-out-loud moments towards the end: “There were actual ‘boos’ as they left the room. These people really needed to get a hobby.”

Honestly, anyone who grew up in a small town would know this could and probably does happen in real life 😂

A cute, cozy little read that did exactly what I needed it to do. I’ll definitely keep an eye out for the rest of the series while I’m out thrifting!

#thepumpkinspicecafe #lauriegilmore #CozyRomance #RomanceBooks #bookstagram taken in Toronto, Ontario by @bookishbrad

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13 days ago

Boys Come First by Aaron Foley (@aaronkfoley )

“Just call me Sissy-phus, I guess.” 😂 Dominick had me laughing out loud on page one!

In all seriousness, this was definitely a more difficult read for me personally because of the conversations around gentrification and experiences that I can’t personally speak to, but I really appreciated getting the different perspectives from each of the main characters. We don’t learn and grow if we’re not made to face some uncomfortable truths. I learned something from all of them, and I think that’s what made the story so interesting.

Overall, I really enjoyed this! There were so many laugh-out-loud moments, as well as some really difficult moments that each of these men go through and I was invested in these characters, their own personal development and their relationships with each other.

They made Detroit seem small and very community oriented and I also had very similar thoughts on the downtown core when we went in 2019 for a few days. There was a reference to a pie shop and my first thought was Sister Pie but my frame of references in Detroit is very limited!

I’m a big fan of a HEA, but what I especially appreciated about this ending was that it focused on friendship rather than making everything about romantic relationships. Sometimes your people are your people, and that can be the happy ending too.

#boyscomefirst #aaronfoley #queerfiction #blackqueerfiction #bookstagram taken in Toronto, Ontario by @bookishbrad

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14 days ago

Goodbye September!

It was definitely an eventful month, from a crazy storm that almost caused a flooding event in our home (my back is still sore from that LOL) to a great trip out to Edmonton to visit my fav girls, September was nothing short of excitement.

Some really fun reads to some mega spicy reads, looking at you @greysonvaleauthor, (Obsidian was WILD and so good, thank you for the copy!) I couldnt possibly pick a fav read of the month but definitely appreciate all the love on the posts ❤️

Been listening non stop to Petal by @arianagrande and a lot of Three Two One hy @lennonstella this past month. And of course, Kpop Demon Hunters reentered the rotation for the girls and I’m not complaining haha

What were some of your fav reads of September?

#readingwrapup #septemberwrapup #bookstagram #bookreviewer #queerreads taken in Toronto, Ontario by @bookishbrad

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16 days ago

The Sunbearer Trials by Aiden Thomas (@aidenschmaiden )

So so good!! Even though I read this a while back, I still think about it!

I loved the world building in this. Gods, magic, the Sunbearer Trials, and a diverse cast of characters that made this world feel so alive. And the queer representation throughout the entire novel? LOVE to see it. 🌈

Teo is such a fun character to follow, especially as he gets thrown into these trials where everything is suddenly on the line. There’s competition, friendship, magic, drama, and just enough chaos to keep me flying through the pages.

And that ending… the twist was not something I saw coming. I love when a book can genuinely surprise me, and this one definitely did.

Five stars from me. I really enjoyed this one and I definitely need to prioritize the sequel!! Maybe even do a reread lol

#TheSunbearerTrials #AidenThomas #QueerFantasy #FantasyBooks #bookstagram taken in Toronto, Ontario by @bookishbrad

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18 days ago

Darius the Great Is Not Okay by Adib Khorram (@adibkhorram )

This book was beautiful. Like, quietly beautiful.

I loved how much space this book gives Darius to just be. He doesn’t magically figure everything out, and nothing feels neatly wrapped up, but there’s so much tenderness in watching him begin to understand himself a little better.

And Sohrab. 😭 Their friendship was everything.

Reflecting on this now, with everything happening in Iran, definitely gives parts of Darius’s story an extra weight for me. There’s something really heartbreaking about reading about someone discovering and connecting with a place that feels like home while knowing how much that place is going through right now.

This was one of those books that left me sitting there after I finished it just thinking about it. Beautiful, heartfelt, funny in the right places, and full of so much love.

Yeah. This one got me. And I still need to read book two!

#dariusthegreatisnotokay #adibkhorram #queerYA #bookstagram #queerreads taken in Toronto, Ontario by @bookishbrad

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22 days ago

Icebreaker by A.L. Graziadei (@a.l.graziadei )

Hockey, complicated friendships, competition, feelings, and two guys trying to figure out what the hell they actually want? I was immediately locked in.

I really liked watching their rivalry slowly turn into something else. I thought it could run into Heated Rivalry territory, but it really didn’t at all. There’s hockey, family pressure, mental health, friendships, social media drama, and Mickey trying to figure out whether he actually wants the future everyone has planned for him. The scene between him and his parents towards the end felt so right. It was beautifully written.

The mental health stuff was handled really well, and I appreciated that it wasn’t just there as a plot device. Mickey actually had to work through some shit.

It was emotional without becoming too heavy, had enough drama to keep me hooked, and I was absolutely invested by the end.

Another hockey romance that has me thinking maybe I need to stop pretending I’m not becoming a hockey book person, because I definitely still have at least one more on my physical TBR shelf watching me write this review. 😬🥰🙃

#icebreaker #algraziadei #queerromance #queerbookstagram #bookreview taken in Toronto, Ontario by @bookishbrad

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24 days ago

I Got Abducted by Aliens and Now I’m Trapped in a Rom-Com by Kimberly Lemming (@kimberlylemming )

What the - and I mean this in the best way - fuck did I just read?? LOL this was so fun!

I found this randomly at a value village and having read another Kimberly Lemmings book (That time I got Drunk and Saved a Demon) I knew I had to immediately grab it and this did not disappoint.

As the title suggests, Dory was abducted by aliens but what that title doesn’t suggest is that the aliens resemble owls, and there are a fuck ton of dinosaurs and she also has TWO mates who are also aliens but VERY different aliens (there is knotting in this LOL), who are also bisexual, and is essentially in a breeding program to grow a new population on this new planet.

This is crazy, and fun, and VERY sexy, oh myyy. The steamy scenes were very descriptive and yummy. I don’t know much about the female anatomy but … good lord, kind of sounds like fun?? LOL

If kooky sexy times are up your alley, I definitely suggest giving this one a go!! And if you’ve read it, what are your thoughts on tails? LOL and yes, the pink T-Rex that my nieces had was really meant to be, and yes, I left her pearl necklace on!

#kimberlylemming #igotabductedbyaliensandnowimtrappedinaromcom #spicyfantasy #romcom #bookstagram taken in Edmonton, Alberta by @bookishbrad

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a month ago

The Road to Tender Hearts by Annie Hartnett (@annie_hartnett )

“Here you are, Pancake thought. I’ve been looking everywhere for you.“

I started this in Toronto and finished it on the way to Edmonton and wow, this was the wildest road trip I have ever read about! If something could happen, it would! Thankfully, my journey was quick and easy!

Something about this book felt somewhat magical or fantastical in a fun, strange and sad way. I really enjoyed the dark humour that all the characters had, especially PJ. Luna and Ollie were so sweet and the character arch between Sophie and PJ was really wonderful. And I’m sorry, Pancake really stole the show, the orange cat who paraded as an agent of death, so so fun and wild.

And the last few chapters?? I flew through it! Luna got what she wanted but not in the way she thought and so did PJ in a way. I was also wondering about his house so I really enjoyed that even little loose ends were tied up!

I definitely recommend you take a ride down this wild, twisted ride! Be ready for an interesting take on the topic of death, because it’s mentioned in almost every chapter with almost all interactions this family has with their many side quests.

#theroadtotenderhearts #anniehartnett #bookstagram #bookreview #roadtrip taken in Edmonton, Alberta by @bookishbrad

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a month ago

Oh August, you were a sad one.

While I read great books, and had a great time reading them, Aug 25th is when we had to say goodbye to our old man, Max.

He had been with my partner since he was a puppy, born in 2007! When we met, Max was my little buddy from day 1. I was the nighttime cuddle buddy, the treat giver and the poop & pee cleaner but I wouldn’t have traded a moment for anything.

We’ll meet you again one day ❤️

#augustreads #augustwrapup #torontorreaders #bookstagram #readsofaugust taken in Toronto, Ontario by @bookishbrad

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2 months ago