Category: LGBTQIA+ Representation - Alyce Caswell - Author

Alyce Caswell - Author

Cheaters & Fake Daters

6/10/2026

Heartbreakers and Fakers by Cameron Lund

Penny had the perfect senior year planned. The most popular guy in school is her boyfriend and the most popular girl in school is her BFF. So why did she apparently cheat by kissing Kai, her BFF's boyfriend, at a party? Penny is hungover and confused. Worse still, everyone KNOWS what she did. Her reputation needs salvaging STAT - and it turns out that people think she and Kai were destined anyway. The solution? Fake date Kai for a while. He seems keen. What could go wrong?

Oh this was so messy. But it was delightfully messy. I say this is someone who normally has no patience of FMCs who cheat. Somehow, Lund made it work. I'm seriously impressed! She understands how teens can be so stupid but are learning and growing, that teens make bad choices but should be allowed to improve themselves instead of wearing a negative label forever. I did see a certain plot development coming early on, sure. Except I was like "oh this is BRILLIANT I love it bring on the extra mess". Anyway, Lund did the impossible and made me enjoy a storyline featuring a cheater. Damn, she's good.

Delighted & Beknighted

22/8/2026

One Knight Stand (Lady's Knight #2)
by Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner

Gwen is now renowned as Lady Dragonslayer, a knight in search of more monsters to slay. With her, as always, is Lady Isabelle - still hoping to find a way to escape her guardian, Lord Whimsitt. His latest cruelty is sending Gwen and Isobel out again, without proper rest, so that Gwen can put her seal of approval on a seaside town's tourism venture. But a true enemy awaits them there...

What an utterly delightful sequel that manages to terrify and swoon-ify by equal measure. Gwen and Isobelle feel like old friends of mine by this point and I enjoy spending time with them (even when they're being frustrating about their feelings...but that's YA love for you, ha!). How I wish I'd had these books as a teen. Even now, as an adult, I adore them. There's more than a mere dash of magic here.

What's in a name?

31/10/2025

The Crystal Crown (Star Wars: The Acolyte - Disney)
by Tessa Gratton

Padawan Jecki Lon is pleased to discover that Master Sol is taking her on a mission to another world - but she's less pleased about Padawan Yord Fandar and his master going along with them. Jecki and Yord soon find themselves signed up in a competition that will force them to work together - and perhaps Yord will even be forced to have fun! However, the competition is the least of their concerns...

So this is basically "Star Wars does Hunger Games" - and maybe I'm just in a good mood or something, but this didn't bother me at all. I mean...it was obvious and a tad cringey, yet it was still fun. Gratton also managed to make me grow very attached to Jecki and Yord. They definitely deserved better than what The Acolyte did with their characters and this prequel did them justice. I kind of wish there was a whole Jedi Apprentice-esque series about them!

This isn't a perfect book. There are issues. There were many awkward turns of phrase... the villain was revealed way too early... and a Twi'lek was named "Darren", which was so completely jarring (it's a very prevalent name here in Australia lol - it's not suitable for a Twi'lek!). But all that aside, I found it enjoyable.

Lies, Damned Lies, and Statistics

6/10/2025

The Truth According to Ember by Danica Nava

Ember is struggling to find a job and discovers that a little lying can go a long way - she embellishes her education and ticks the box for Caucasian instead of Native American, a scheme that quickly scores her a job. Unfortunately, the lies start stacking up. Now Ember's new success is in danger of imploding... and so is the burgeoning relationship with Danuwoa, the hot IT guy.

There's a lot to like about this novel. But it's hard to focus on that when the main character is so unlikeable. I know heroines in these books need to make mistakes for Plot Reasons, but Ember's mistreatment of the hero and chronic lying really grated on me (and it made me anxious during much of the book!). Nava's writing is not yet polished (most debuts tend to have this issue) but shows a lot of promise. I'll be checking out her next book.

A Very Convenient Husband

10/9/2025

Extra Witchy (Fix-It Witches #3)
by Ann Aguirre

Leanne Vanderpol is a witch on a mission: she wants to run for city council and her chances will be much better if she has a husband. Trevor Montgomery's life has gone nowhere for years and he needs to get out of a toxic situation. Obviously, a marriage of convenience is the perfect solution! Or it would be, if Leanne wasn't hiding something...and if they weren't both catching feels.

It's probably obvious by now that I love this series and I love the characters populating St Claire. Reading these books is always...dare I say it...magical. And cosy! I really liked the dynamic between Leanne and Trevor. I suppose my only complaint is that certain developments in this book affect the first book - and it isn't fair to Danica and Titus that they didn't get this resolution in their own story. Casting that aside... I adored Extra Witchy.

Bright Lights, Big City

21/8/2025

Love Unleashed by Melanie Saward

Brynn Wallace, a Bigambul woman who has to deal with heavy literal and metaphorical baggage, heads to New York City to try to land her dream internship. But the only employment she can get is at a doggy daycare and not every encounter is pleasant. Brynn, however, has found fast friends who have her back...including Sienna, who is confident in her own skin and strangely alluring...

I love, LOVE this book. So much. I'll admit that, like Brynn, I grew up with The Baby-Sitters Club and adored any adventure set in New York - which maaay have contributed to how much I enjoyed myself. This is like a BSC book but all grown up! Brynn was instantly likeable as an MC and I desperately wanted her to find herself and her happiness. Her healing process felt very real to me. And I'm just going to keep giddily enjoying this Season of Bi Heroines. I have been spoilt for choice of late!

PS: My favourite BSC book, which is very battered but still in my bookcase, is The Ghost at Dawn's House.

Content warning: emotionally abusive (ex-)relationship, racism, fatphobic comments, cancer

Consider Me Wooed

10/6/2025

Wooing the Witch Queen (Queens of Villainy #1)
by Stephanie Burgis

Felix has escaped the clutches of his in-laws and has sought sanctuary with their enemy - Queen Saskia, the witch queen of Kitvaria, whose powers and nonhuman friends make her dangerous. Felix doesn't expect a case of mistaken identity to land him as her librarian. Saskia believes she's hired a dark wizard, not her magic-less foe. Very soon it's not just Kitvaria at stake but her heart as well.

*flailing*

It's been ages since I accidentally read a book in one sitting. I had meant to do things today (dang it!), but obviously this book was just too good to put aside. The Hidden Identity trope is my weakness in romance. Just add a fantasy setting and I'm done for! (Side note: No, I can never say "romantasy" with a straight face, because fantasy/romance has existed for decades without needing a portmanteau). Ahem. Did I mention the library featured in this book? Who doesn't love a library - especially when it's full of books about magic? And yay! Bi rep. Which makes my bi heart so happy.

Wooing the Witch Queen should just be called "these are a few - A LOT - of my favourite things".

One Wedding & Some Drama

21/9/2024

Arya Khanna's Bollywood Moment by Arushi Avachat

Arya should be happy - her sister is back and planning a wedding to really nice guy. But the more time they spend together under one roof, the more the tension rises. Meanwhile, Arya is trying to get ready for college and fulfil her student government responsibilities, but the boy who won the role of president over her is so annoying. How could he be anything but an enemy?

This book's main strength is how it explores and handles female relationships, particularly familial ones. I always like to see this kind of thing done well. It also helps that the plot is engaging, perfect for YA readers who want spades of character growth alongside the expected romance. There is no absolutely no need for familiarity with Bollywood movies to enjoy Arya Khanna's Bollywood Moment (I think the only one I've seen all the way through is Lagaan!). And enjoy it I did.

Tropetastic

20/9/2024

The Perfect Guy Doesn't Exist by Sophie Gonzales

Ivy is a huge fan of a fantasy TV series but she doesn't expect to wake up with one of the characters in her bed. Weston is somehow real - and he thinks they're soulmates! Now Ivy has to find a way to hide his presence from everyone, especially her neighbour and ex-BFF, Mack. But maybe this isn't a story about soulmates. Maybe it's a story about mutual pining...and maybe Mack is Ivy's costar instead.

Gosh, this was cute. And I love seeing another bi girl with a similar haircut to mine on a book cover! As for the story, it's fun and amusing. The teen angst and drama ring true and you can't help but like every character. I did feel that this could have been something more, but sometimes you just want an uncomplicated YA novel to breeze through. As a bonus - I've discovered another Australian author!

Mages Run Amok

20/9/2024

The Silent Tower (Windrose Chronicles #1)
by Barbara Hambly

Caris witnesses the murder of a mage right before the perpetrator disappears. In our world, Joanna is a programmer who can't shake the feeling that she is being stalked - and this culprit also leaves no trace of themselves. Caris accompanies his grandfather to the Silent Tower, where Antryg (the student of an infamous dark mage) resides. But instead of answers, Caris will only find more questions.

I'm not usually one for cliffhangers, but it was so well done and this book was so well written that I was excited instead of annoyed when I reached the end (but I do have the benefit of possessing the next 2 books...). Hambly certainly has a way with words. I really loved this... and was delighted by the offhanded mention of a female guard having "a girlfriend of her own". What's this? Queer rep in the 1980s? Sweet! But uh oh. Of course the other queer rep arrived in the form of a gay man being portrayed as a sinful "pervert". Typical for the era but le sigh.

Anyway, I am so weak for retro fantasy and I'm fast becoming a Barbara Hambly fan.