By Samantha Pak
Northwest Asian Weekly
The Secret World of Briar Rose
By Cindy Pham
Kokila, 2026
It’s been 100 years since the last heir of Gyldan fell into an eternal slumber and doomed the once-mighty kingdom to poverty and invasion—at least according to the fairy tales.
As a thief, Corin doesn’t believe in fables. Even as she searches the kingdom for her younger sister, Elly, who ran away in search of the legendary sleeping princess in the hopes of waking her up and bringing about a better life for them. But Corin starts to believe it when she comes across the ruins of an ancient castle that’s been maintained by beings from the kingdom’s golden age and who have been protecting a secret portal into Princess Amelia’s subconscious.
Inside Amelia’s dream, Corin and Elly are back together for a new adventure alongside Briar Rose, the princess’s alter ego, and Malicine, a demon with a gift for magic.
I love retelling of classic stories (see this whole column) and “Briar Rose” is a queer retelling of “Sleeping Beauty.” Unlike in the original fairy tale, in this version, the princess has a more active role in the story as Corin and Elly are in Amelia’s subconscious. All three girls are strong and flawed in their own ways and I appreciated their differences—from the jaded and skeptical Corin, to the optimistic and hopeful Elly, to the whimsical and avoidant Briar. We see how differently each of them responds to the life and hardships they are dealt, and where they can learn from each other. But one thing they all have in common is the fact that they could all just use a hug and therapy (though more Corin and Briar, than Elly).
One thing I really enjoyed about this story was how nobody is exactly who you think they are. From the self-serving fairy godmothers, to the prince who’s not all that charming, to the sympathetic demon, Pham turns the classic fairy tale on its head in unexpected and fun ways.
The Keeper of Magical Things
By Julie Leong
Ace, 2025
All Certainty Bulrush wants is to be useful—to the Guild of Mages that took her in as a novice, to the younger brother depending on her, and to anyone else who needs help. Sadly, there’s not much she can do as her magical ability to speak and listen to inanimate objects hasn’t proven to be much help to anyone. So when Certainty is given the chance to finally earn her magehood by completing a seemingly straightforward assignment, she jumps on it.
She’s been tasked with transporting minorly magical artifacts somewhere safe. And she’s been paired up with Mage Aurelia, a brilliant but unfairly attractive overachiever who’s become known as the ice witch as she has alienated everyone around her. Together they travel to Shpelling, quite possibly the dullest and least magical village around, where they’ve got to fix up an old warehouse to store the artifacts. All the while, they’ve got to deal with gossipy teapots, an unruly little catdragon, less-than-welcoming villagers, and a lord’s assistant hellbent on getting them to leave.
But the longer Certainty and Aurelia are there, the more they get to know the residents of Shpelling. Friendships are formed and the uneasy relationship between the Guild and citizens begins to mend. Of course, a friendship between novice and mage also begins to form, and it may become more than that.
“Keeper” is a cozy queer fantasy that just feels like a hug. The story is filled with characters you can’t help but love—from the earnest and insecure Certainty and the focused and stern Aurelia, to villagers such as the grumpy but softhearted Gertha and the ambitious and eager Orrin. It’s fun to see how they come together and become a community over the course of the story. It reminds readers that we can’t do everything by ourselves. Sometimes, we need a little help. And it’s okay to ask for it.
The Emperor and the Endless Palace
By Justinian Huang
MIRA, 2024
In the year 4 BCE, Dong Xian is an ambitious courtier who is tasked with seducing the young emperor—only for them to discover that they are both ruled by blood, sex, and intrigue. More than a millennium and a half later in 1740, lives He Shican, an innkeeper that agrees to help a mysterious visitor, and ends up unleashing an otherworldly terror. And in present-day Los Angeles, a medical student named River meets a gorgeous stranger, but can’t shake the feeling that they’ve met before.
While these timelines may seem unrelated, they are actually woven together by the twists and turns of fate as two men are reborn lifetime after lifetime. Whether it is within the walls of an ancient palace, the forests of Asia, or the underground rave scene, they are inexplicably drawn to each other, time after time. And with that comes being constantly tested by the worlds around them.
Told from the points of view of all three men, “Endless Palace” is the story about an enduring love for the ages—literally as we see it transcend more than two millennia. Despite all the trials and tribulations they and their lovers are dealt, it’s satisfying to see how they face them together. I also appreciated how different each protagonist is—from the more experienced (that’s putting it lightly) Xian, to the more reclusive and hermitic Shican, to the newly out River. It’s fun to see how each of them responds and reacts once they’ve met their match.
Inspired by Chinese folklore, as well as Chinese history (namely Emperor Ai, a gay emperor of the Han Dynasty), this queer romantasy is a reminder that queer Asian people have been around for as long as there have been people—and that they deserve love, and a little bit of magic in their lives, just as everyone does.
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