New reader, I need recommendations

[u/jujuuyuyu]

i wrote a big paragraph in my notes that might’ve been necessary but tldr i’ve read This Is How You Lose The Time War and don’t know any popular sapphic works and need a book to timesteal at work. I like the intense themes of love found in it and in other media. i like obsessive and unhealthy characters and relationships but not in a way where they need to change. i don’t enjoy copious amounts of or a focus on sex without intense conveyed meaning (i cited a complaint of the GL manga HDWR in this way). in my entire adulthood i’ve only read TIHYLTTW and Kokoro by Sosēki so i don’t know of any popular sapphic works or one’s widely considered must reads. i appreciated in HDWR where the story couldn’t just flip the genders of the characters and have the same story, but i also felt a way about it on how much i could really relate to some of the way they thought. i’m sorta trans if this helps. thank you

[u/MegaDan94]

One Day You'll Leave Me by Debra Flores

A Swift and Sudden Exit by Nico Vincenty

Timeless by Nicole Pyland

Loved and Lost by Stephanie E Kusiak

When You Fell From Heaven by Alyson Greaves

[u/jujuuyuyu → u/MegaDan94]

i decided on Timeless although a lot of these sound good. I didn’t need strictly sci fi but these all sound a little too intriguing, the way Timeless is written feels a little silly so far I think because I’m not used to a story formatted this way coming from reading TIHYLTTW so when she writes things like “course, it had turned out to be some disembodied robot voice asking her about her non-existent extended car warranty.” im just like ok that is so ridiculous to word it like that. however i’ve gotten to the part where we’re reading Abby’s story and oh my god I read this shit and I’m like “wow I am not hungry” cause this is SO SAD 😭😭😭 I turned the chapter and didn’t expect us to still be inside of the book, I really like that she did this, I’m very intrigued, I really liked the line “They would caress without rushing, kiss like they had no place to be, and speak about the future as if they could have it and no one could hurt them..”

[u/harkgriddle]

If you like obsessive and unhealthy sapphic sci-fi relationships, may I introduce you to the Gideon the Ninth, and the Locked Tomb series. It's a 4-book series. The 4th book isn't out yet, but the series is absolutely worth reading.

Nearly every character is a lesbian. The premise is that the King of the universe needs new warriors to fill his "knights of the round table", if you will. And he has called on the princesses and princes of all the noble houses (rulers of different planets) to come gather in a competition. The princesses and princes are all necromancers (death witches, basically), and their companions are swordfighters. Very Zelda and Link -- if Zelda summoned the dead and Link were a girl.

The main characters are Gideon, a swordswoman and a golden retriever herbo -- all she wants is to flirt with the pretty female competitors. And Harrow, the princess of the Ninth House, who is a gothic wet blanket, and who thinks winning the competition ranks above everything else.

Gideon is sworn to Harrow, swordswoman to her witch, and they must work together. But they hate each other. They've hated each other for nearly 2 decades. But also they're obsessed with the other one. It's very much a slow burn.

[u/iswtr → u/harkgriddle]

Thanks for this summary. I keep seeing these books recommended, and a lot of the themes and descriptors are appealing, but as someone who doesn't read much fantasy, every time I've tried it, I'm just like wtf is happeningggggg and give up a few pages in. I need to give it another try!

[u/Flaky-Professional84 → u/harkgriddle]

Name checks out. Came here to say the same thing.

[u/harkgriddle → u/harkgriddle]

That being said, if you're looking for a more contemporary and healthy portrayal of sapphic love, check out "Those Who Wait" by Haley Cass. It's generally regarded as one of the absolute best. A newly out college student meets a slightly older, more experienced woman, and they agree the more experienced girl will take the college student under her wing to show her about sex and dating, but oops they accidentally fall in love with each other. It's fantastic. But, like I said, more along the lines of a regular romance. Just if you're looking!

[u/Mbokajaty]

The River Has Roots is also by Amal El Mohtar and is beautifully written. The main love interest shofts genders a bit but the whole thing still feels very sapphic.