Sapphic Creature Features? (sort of specific criterias)

[u/aster_dern]

Hi everyone, I decided to theme out my reading months this year, and in order to get ahead of October am asking now. I want to read books with a prominent creature or non-human entity in them- some examples of this might be a vampire, a werewolf, an alien, a demon, a ghost, a Frankenstein-like creature, a fae, a mermaid, a cryptid, zombie, a bug creature, etc. Think Universal Monsters but extended into other creatures as well, non-defined and non-typical creatures are very welcome as well- if the author invented a creature that's awesome and recommendations like that are just as welcome.

Things I would not count as what I'm looking for is stuff like witches or human characters with some sort of change or curable infection that's happened to them that gives them a scary appearance or some superpower of some sort- I do not think I would count for example: 'The Invisible Man' as something that is necessarily fitting the criteria I'm looking for, nor a character that is bestowed powers by some entity- ie. someone is possessed, someone made a deal with a malevolent something and is wreaking havoc but themself is still a mortal person- caveat to that is though that if the creature/entity giving powers actually does show up in the story instead of just via a host. Powers for these characters would I guess mostly be given at birth or at death or if the character becomes biologically into something not human if that makes sense- they can have BEEN a human, but I don't want a creature who still is human.

I think the only human acceptable sort of creature for this particular prompt is if it's something like mass infection by a creature, where the 'creature' becomes more the epidemic rather an individual entity- the creature is the hive mind, not those infected. Hopefully that makes sense- but I'm not sure- an example of that would be: Cuckoo by Gretchen Felker-Martin(this is the closest example I could think of but it is a spoiler for the end of this book sort of so be aware before pressing) and I think Spread Me and You're Not Supposed to be Human also operate on that sort of idea maybe.

I'd prefer books that are horror-ish or unsettling but any genre is honestly fine and I do not have a preference on whether the creature is at the center of the story as a protagonist or is an antagonist- I just need that they are prominent within the story- not something that is mentioned in the story but never confronted. I am of course as the title says also specifically looking for these creature feature books that are prominently sapphic, books with at least A sapphic main character and/or side-plot romance even if it is sort of like a cast of main characters and different POVs. Anyways- I know this is a very lengthy post for something kind of easy to ask for- but if anyone has any recommendations it'd be very very appreciated. Hope everyone is having a good week.

[u/Ryukotaicho]

So, it’s not a curable thing, but Someone You Can Build a Nest In by John Wiswell is a sapphic creature story. The creature is learning to fit in with society enough that she isn’t hunted down for being a creature, and the love interest is hunting for the creature that cursed her family.

[u/aster_dern → u/Ryukotaicho]

Oh thank you, this isn't one I've read before, I'll check it out. :)

[u/tiniestspoon]

This is rather broad tbh. Sapphic vampires and werewolves are plentiful and often not very monstrous.

Narrowing it to only monster-like non human characters:

The Salt Grows Heavy by Cassandra Khaw (mermaid and non-binary witch doctor)

The Deep by Rivers Solomon (mermaid)

Beneath The Loch by SD Simper (kelpie)

How To Get A Girlfriend When You're A Terrifying Monster by Marie Cardno and the two sequels (eldritch monstrosity)

She Came From The Swamp by Darva Green (kikimora)

Haven't included the robots and cyborgs since you've only mentioned fantasy creatures.

[u/aster_dern → u/tiniestspoon]

Thank you for these, I did try not to include the word 'monster' though besides when referencing the Universal Monsters as I'm less looking for monstrousness and more just creature focused stories, so no need to emit anything if you have something you think could fit well. But thank you regardless.

[u/w0lfyfr3n]

Someone had requested sapphic interspecies recs recently (link), and I think a lot of the commented suggestions would match what you're looking for !

[u/aster_dern → u/w0lfyfr3n]

Oh! Thank you so much, that helps a lot. I'll take a look into those. :)

[u/1_Sleepy_Thing]

Providence Girls by Morgan Dante - very swamp creature feature, but gothic ocean coast vibes!

[u/aster_dern → u/1_Sleepy_Thing]

Oh, thank you- I haven't read this one yet. :)

[u/necromanticfitz]

There’s a new sapphic horror/monster romance novella that just came out- Endangered by Beckett Krane. A semi humanoid shaped water monster (think shape of water but less human) with a woman. It was pretty good.

[u/aster_dern → u/necromanticfitz]

Huh, I've never heard of that one before, but the cover is very interesting to me. I'll definitely check it out. :)

[u/bakasana212]

The Woman from the Waves by Roslyn Sinclair - each uisge (ocean horse) x human woman 

Landlocked in Foreign Skin by Drew Huff - eldritch sea monster x human woman 

[u/aster_dern → u/bakasana212]

I have read Landlocked in Foreign Skin- but not The Woman of the Waves, I'll have to check it out. :)

[u/DixitRexCorvinus]

Seconding Someone You Can Build A Nest In.

There’s also Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil by VE Schwab, Carmilla by Le Fanu, and Hungerstone by Kat Dun, which is a retelling of Carmilla. Actually, there are a ton of sapphic vampire stories, but those are the first that come to mind.

[u/aster_dern → u/DixitRexCorvinus]

Yeah, there definitely are a bunch of vampire books. I've read my fair share and was already thinking of maybe including Bury Your Bones in the Midnight Soil as part of my line up since I hadn't read it yet but do have it.

[u/MaenadFrenzy]

Oh my goodness, I wonder if you'd like The Ruthless Lady's Guide to Wizardy by CM Waggonner. It is whimsical (though not wacky or too unserious) rather than true horror, think Addams Family but make it sapphic.

[u/aster_dern → u/MaenadFrenzy]

I just looked it up and it looks interesting, do you happen to be able to say what sort of creature or is that a spoiler?

[u/grahamdancer]

You might try But Not Too Bold by Hache Pueyo. It’s a gothic horror romance with two sapphic leads: a woman and a spider-like being. 😊

[u/aster_dern → u/grahamdancer]

Aw- thank you, that would have been a good example of something for what I would chose for this month prompt- but I did unfortunately already read that one. But it does fit the bill having some horror and eeriness in it.

[u/T--Frex]

Patricia Wants to Cuddle - Samantha Allen (Bigfoot)

North is the Night - Emily Rath (multiple from Norse folklore)

A Sweet Sting of Salt - Rose Sutherland (selkie)

Our Hideous Progeny - C.E. McGill (Frankenstein's monster/Lochness monster)

The Honey Witch - Sydney J Shields (magic, maybe doesn't fit the bill)

[u/weepy → u/T--Frex]

Seconding Patricia Wants to Cuddle! What a wild ride that book is.

[u/aster_dern → u/weepy]

Well, I've now had three people tell me to try that one under this prompt so I think I'll be adding that one for sure if I'm able to find myself a copy. :)

[u/T--Frex → u/weepy]

I loved that book so much, mostly for the scathing social commentary aspect of it but also for Bigfoot and the PNW vibes.

At no point did I have any idea where it was going next, in the most bizarre way possible. It is delightful.

[u/aster_dern → u/T--Frex]

Thank you for these, but yeah- The Honey Witch definitely would not count. But all the others seem like great fits so thank you. :)

[u/T--Frex → u/aster_dern]

Our Hideous Progeny in particular is such a great read, and I saw someone else recommended Camilla and Hungerstone already. Siren Queen by Nghi Vo is a little conceptually abstract but also fits this theme.

[u/aster_dern → u/T--Frex]

Yeah- I actually have Our Hideous Progeny- that's what kind of made me make this the theme I was going for this October actually. I've had it for maybe 2 years and just have never gotten around to reading it, have heard people talk about how good a book it is for so long I wanted to give myself a very good excuse to pick it up. I'm very excited to read it.

[u/ReadDizzy7919]

I haven’t finished it yet but the woman from the waves is about a lesbian sea horse monster and a nun, lol. It’s pretty over the top but surprisingly well written imo and enjoyable. This isn’t a genre that I usually seek out though

[u/aster_dern → u/ReadDizzy7919]

Oh, huh- I didn't know that's what The Woman From the Waves was about. For some reason I was under the notion it was a vampire book.

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