If you're looking for new books by fat authors, about fat characters, and featuring fat experiences this month, there are a handful of exciting titles releasing across nonfiction and adult fiction!

June 2

Homosexual Intifada: A Queer Palestinian Anthology edited by George Abraham and Hannah Moushabeck

I read Homosexual Intifada earlier this year and interviewed Abraham for Publishers Weekly. It's an incredible collection of writing from both Palestinians living in Gaza and Palestinians living in the diaspora, including nonfiction, fiction, and poetry. It's also the June book for the Nonbinarian Book Club, which meets on the last Friday of the month on Zoom. If you want to join for discussion, sign up for reminders here to get the link on the day of the meeting.

Just a Phase by Blake Morgan

Just a Phase follows Palmer Jade, a 30-something femme who gets into a situationship with Bailey Diaz, an Army soldier from her best friend's husband's unit, after she breaks up with her long-term boyfriend when she catches him cheating. Palmer asks Bailey to assist her with getting revenge on her ex, and from there, things escalate pretty quickly—despite her insistence on not catching feelings and his frequent deployments. But as we all know, feelings don't really care about logistics...

I have not yet read Just a Phase but I love the premise (petty revenge is fun! We should have fun!) and Morgan's writing is fantastic.

June 9

Bloodroom by Kay E. Bancroft

Fat Forward Books friend Kay E. Bancroft is a wildly talented poet whose debut collection, Bloodroom, explores familial debt, obligation, heritage, and the matriarchal line. If any of these topics sound close to your heart, you should absolutely grab a copy.

Inkpot Gods (Alchemical Journeys Book 4) by Seanan McGuire

Although I am not currently reading the Alchemical Journeys series and thus haven't picked this up, I can attest to Seanan McGuire's brilliant world-building and stunning prose, which make her books feel not only immersive, but so evocative as to rattle your bones.

June 11

Volik: Bonded Souls Book One by S.J. Tilley

S.J. Tilly's new vampire romance series takes place in a world where humans and vamps peacefully co-exist. Volik, a vampire and a professor at Stalden University, spends his days locked in his officer waiting for his mate to arrive. Enter Nix, the new journalism professor. Despite their age gap, these two come together perfectly, and their bond will create ripple effects felt across the world.

June 23

Clones of Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and John Adams are being raised on a remote island under strict historic immersion, surrounded by paid actors, with the eventual goal of introducing them to modern society so they can "save" the United States. When the immersion is suddenly broken and Franklin discovers porn within minutes of accessing the Internet, all hell breaks loose.

In this brilliant satire, Meg Elison goes after billionaires, conservatives, and the American experiment itself, poking holes with vigor and glee. I read Foundling Fathers earlier this year and interviewed Elison for Publishers Weekly, which was a blast from start to finish.

June 25

Sparks will Fly by Laurel Holl

Mari knows how to build a kickass combat robot, but she feels overshadowed by her former friend turned rival, hot shot Jacob, who leads his own team and competes at an international level. Then, Mari is offered entry into the biggest bot tournament in the world, where she has to learn how to advocate for her needs as a disabled, fat person without giving into internalized ableism and figure out how to exist around Jacob.

I had the pleasure of sensitivity reading/editing Sparks will Fly and it is a joyous romp with awesome combat sequences and plenty of romance. From now until June 25, you can pre-order direct from Holl's website with our code and get an exclusive goodie bundle including the first two chapters sent digitally, for free!

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Are any of these titles on your list? Have you read any of them already? Share your thoughts in the comments! 💛