Roar Cat Reads

Category: Book Review

  • Twelfth Moon by Halli Starling

    Twelfth Moon by Halli Starling

    Genre |Romance Novella
    Page #s | 134
    Publishing Date | December 2021

    Elsie’s a small town with a lot of heart. Isn’t that how most small town romance stories begin? But this isn’t any love story. These five stories cross paths and connections, age, gender, sexuality, and different kinds of relationships. Stories like that of Harriet, the owner of Twelfth Moon perfumery and adopted mother to her nephew, Nu. Harriet always figured she’d be single for the rest of her life, but Dela Atwater appearing in her shop one blustery autumn day sparks something within her. A bit of romance and longing she’d long thought buried. 

    And what about Nu, Harriet’s nephew? He’s quickly falling for Miles, who works in the coffee shop next door to Twelfth Moon. The shop is owned by Miles’s brother, Jones, who has his own ideas about sex and lust and romance (or lack thereof). Across town, Maeve is learning how to exist as a widower but when they meet Evie, a spark is lit. And Yuri, Nu’s best friend, is anxiously awaiting the holidays so he can see his girlfriend, Beckett, once more. 

    It’s about hope and joy and queer love in so many shapes and forms, from the author of the dark fantasy/romance novel Wilderwood (“…will shatter readers’ expectations with its bewitching complexities…” – The BookLife Prize).

    Goodreads

    Twelfth Moon is a novella of five intersecting romances set in a small town queer utopia. It is a quintessential comfort read with a handy table of contents that informs readers what pairings to expect as well as where a story falls on a “sweet to smut” scale. Starling shines in her diverse characters and diverse relationships, and I especially loved how often the romantic stars were older women.

    Every shade of the rainbow is represented here! I was most surprised to see a polyamorous non-monogomous pairing celebrated; because this is a romance novel, I was cringing, half expecting them to realize their love for each other would make them want to be only with each other. No! They stay true to their values and preferences while having a great time together.

    Undoubtedly my favorite story was of a widow grieving her dead partner and connecting with someone and feeling romantic sparks for the first time in years. It is a sweet story that acknowledges the importance of honoring relationships while also being open to something new. It also doesn’t push characters into situations that wouldn’t make sense outside of a romance novel. Instead, we get to see a connection form and be happy for her to have found someone else that GETS her in the same way her partner once did.

    Basically, we should all be so lucky as to live in Elsie. Starling has said we might get more from this setting, and I am ready for it!

    Who Do I Recommend This Book To?

    Gift Twelfth Moon to your friend who wants a queer pick-me-up that can be read during their commute.

    Check out our Queer Lil Library for more book recommendations and reviews!

  • A Marvellous Light by Freya Marske

    A Marvellous Light by Freya Marske

    Genre | Fantasy Historical Romance
    Page #s | 377
    Publishing Date | November 2021

    Red White & Royal Blue meets Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell in debut author Freya Marske’s A Marvellous Light, featuring an Edwardian England full of magic, contracts, and conspiracies. 

    Robin Blyth has more than enough bother in his life. He’s struggling to be a good older brother, a responsible employer, and the harried baronet of a seat gutted by his late parents’ excesses. When an administrative mistake sees him named the civil service liaison to a hidden magical society, he discovers what’s been operating beneath the unextraordinary reality he’s always known.

    Now Robin must contend with the beauty and danger of magic, an excruciating deadly curse, and the alarming visions of the future that come with it—not to mention Edwin Courcey, his cold and prickly counterpart in the magical bureaucracy, who clearly wishes Robin were anyone and anywhere else.

    Robin’s predecessor has disappeared, and the mystery of what happened to him reveals unsettling truths about the very oldest stories they’ve been told about the land they live on and what binds it. Thrown together and facing unexpected dangers, Robin and Edwin discover a plot that threatens every magician in the British Isles—and a secret that more than one person has already died to keep.

    Goodreads

    What a glorious age we live in! A Marvellous Light is the highest quality of fanfiction in published format, and my teenaged self cannot believe that 1) it happened, and 2) to great commercial success. In the publishing industry, there tends to be a strict differentiation of genre. Fanfic is where people can play, and A Marvellous Light brings all that is best about this quality, revelling in fantasy, romance, and historical fiction at the same time.

    This is a gay love story from start to finish, but it’s also a magical MacGuffin mystery (try saying that five times fast). The magic system in this book is really fun and unique, and I loved the different ways it could be used by those with more or less magical power. The stakes feel genuinely high straight from the start, which is a big reason why this book was a page turner for me.

    The other reason is, well, the romance! I love a good jock/nerd pairing with extrovert/introvert layers, and Edwin and Robin are fabulous together. They admire each other’s differences, worry that these differences will keep them apart, then realize they are stronger together because of their differences. Swoon! And just honestly, give me a thousand characters where they love books more than people…well, okay, maybe ONE person is better than books.

    A last note: although this book is focused on men during a historical time period when men were the focus, there are some awesome female side characters who seem to be set up as main players in future books. I also really loved the fact that our heroes kept realizing that the women around them were doing awesome things, but men just weren’t paying attention. I can’t wait for more of this in the sequel which, if the cover is anything to go by, will center on an f/f pairing!

    Who Do I Recommend This Book To?

    Give A Marvellous Light to your fanfic-reading friend who really needs to look at something other than a computer screen.

    Check out our Queer Lil Library for more book recommendations and reviews!

  • Lambda Literary Award Finalists 2022

    Lambda Literary Award Finalists 2022

    The Lambda Literary Awards are an excellent place to find LGBTQ+ book recommendations with 24 categories of 5 books. Last year I tried to read as many of the finalists as I could, and I’m going to do the same again in the lead up to the 34th Annual Lambda Literary Awards on June 11th.

    I’ve chosen to focus on XX categories that are most interesting to me. If there is a book in another category that you think I would enjoy, please let me know!

    Lesbian Fiction

    • How to Wrestle a Girl by Venita Blackburn
    • Matrix by Lauren Groff
    • Skye Falling by Mia McKenzie
    • The Five Wounds by Kirstin Valdez Quade
    • With Teeth by Kristen Arnett

    Transgender Fiction

    • A Natural History of Transition by Callum Angus
    • Detransition, Baby by Torrey Peters
    • Margaret and the Mystery of the Missing Body by Megan Milks
    • She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan
    • Summer Fun by Jeanne Thornton

    LGBTQ Nonfiction

    • Dear Senthuran by Akwaeke Emezi
    • Deep Sniff: A History of Poppers and Queer Futures by Adam Zmith
    • Girlhood by Melissa Febos
    • Let the Record Show by Sarah Schulman
    • Northern Light: Power, Land, and the Memory of Water by Kazim Ali

    LGBTQ Young Adult

    • Hani and Ishu’s Guide to Fake Dating by Adiba Jaigirdar
    • The City Beautiful by Aden Polydoros
    • The Heartbreak Bakery by A.R. Capetta
    • The Passing Playbook by Isaac Fitzsimons
    • What We Devour by Linsey Miller

    LGBTQ Comics

    • Cheer Up! Love and Pompoms by Crystal Frasier and Val Wise
    • Our Work is Everywhere: An Illustrated Oral History of Queer & Trans Resistance by Syan Rose
    • Shadow Life by Hiromi Goto
    • Stone Fruit by Lee Lai
    • Thirsty Mermaids by Kat Leyh

    Check out our Queer Lil Library for more book recommendations and reviews!

  • Queer Books, Queer Readers: Nico Recommends Little Blue Encyclopedia

    Queer Books, Queer Readers: Nico Recommends Little Blue Encyclopedia

    Hello! My name is Nico (they/them pronouns), and I am a queer Torontonian who loves (and loves learning about) art and ASL. I identify as a genderqueer bi+ peep who is slowly getting into DnD and RPGs but has always loved literature and stories more than anything else. You can find me sneakily liking all your animal photos.  

    What queer book have you chosen to share with our readers today?

    It was a tough choice because I have a hard time picking favourites, but the queer book I chose to share today is Little Blue Encyclopedia (for Vivian) by Hazel Jane Plante. The book is a trans femme sapphic text. The premise is that this text is an encyclopedia for an imaginary show called “Little Blue,” a show which the narrator’s best friend / love interest is obsessed with. It is likely one of the queerest unrequited sapphic love letters I have ever read. Using encyclopedia entries as the framing device, the reader learns about the narrator, their best friend / love interest, “Little Blue” and how one’s relationship to fandom can be integral to your existence.  

    Why is this book one of your favorites? 

    This is one of my favourite representations of queer longing, which is so complicated and beautiful and could be carried for eons. The book asks you: What do you do with those emotions? Do you feel guilt and anger or anguish for carrying that longing for so long, knowing it will never be requited? This book proves that you can live with these questions and maybe never figure out any answers. I appreciate its messiness and how the emotions portrayed in the book bleed into one another. I find comfort in the loose ends and lack of resolution and resistance to completion.  

    How would you describe yourself as a reader? 

    I am a dedicated reader when I have enough time to be alone with a book. Right now, it’s a bit difficult to get that time, but I try to always carry something with me. That’s part of why I love travelling; books make the best travel companions, and that time is already there. I especially gravitate towards books with different structures or formats, which is why I love books like Little Blue and graphic novels like Are You Listening. I appreciate the meta approach taken in books that play with how they present themselves, and love writers and artists take risks that make their work different but meaningful.  

    As a queer person, have books helped you explore or express your queer identity? 

    Honestly, I think I am who I am because of queer literature. Queer books, queer bookstores, and the queer sections of every library and bookstore have been my havens and my mirrors when I needed them most, when I needed to know I was still real and still existed. My identity is oftentimes in this cycle of realization and affirmation thanks to books, and I discover things about myself, rediscover things I’ve forgotten, and reignite what I lost or gave away. I’m my own little forest of reading, and some of these stories bloom or decay along my path, but they are all always present and part of the cycle, nourishing me as I grow into the person I hope to be.  

    Other than reading, are there any queer nerdy recommendations that you would like to leave with our readers? 

    I recommend Shing Yin Khor and their games. I am currently playing Remember August, about a time-travelling friend who needs you to remember them, and I’ve responded to it so sincerely it kind of hurts sometimes. They are usually solo games, but I believe they can be adapted as needed.  
     
    I also recommend the Tea Dragon Society series. Super queer, they are adorable graphic novels, but their creators also made the CUTEST dragon plushes ever.  
     
    Also also, I recommend StoryGraph if you’re looking for a replacement for Good Reads; the site is run by a Black web designer who wanted a recommendation site that did not actively work with Amazon. I really liked the recommendations it gave me, and hope you do too 😊  

    Thank you, Nico!

    Check out our Queer Lil Library for more book recommendations and reviews!

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  • The Golden Hour by Niki Smith

    The Golden Hour by Niki Smith

    Genre | Middle grade graphic novel
    Page #s | 256
    Publishing Date | November 2021

    From the author of The Deep & Dark Blue comes a tender graphic novel, perfect for our time, that gently explores themes of self-discovery, friendship, healing from tragedy, and hope for a better tomorrow.

    Struggling with anxiety after witnessing a harrowing instance of gun violence, Manuel Soto copes through photography, using his cell-phone camera to find anchors that keep him grounded. His days are a lonely, latchkey monotony until he’s teamed with his classmates, Sebastian and Caysha, for a group project.

    Sebastian lives on a grass-fed cattle farm outside of town, and Manuel finds solace in the open fields and in the antics of the newborn calf Sebastian is hand-raising. As Manuel aides his new friends in their preparations for the local county fair, he learns to open up, confronts his deepest fears, and even finds first love.

    Goodreads

    The Golden Hour is a gorgeously drawn graphic novel that visually captures the feeling of PTSD and anxiety perfectly. Manuel is a sweet boy who is struggling to readjust after witnessing a school shooting and the injury of his art teacher. The violence is implied and occasionally depicted in a roundabout way, but the instance itself is not this book’s focus; Manuel’s healing process is.

    Central to this healing process are his two friends. They are endlessly supportive, understanding, and simply the best. They draw Manuel into their world of farming and the Ag-Club. Their companionship combined with peaceful country living provides him with a safe space to re-enter the world. Additionally, his therapist suggests he use photography as a coping strategy. It is a way for him to see the world one step removed, which feels safer. It’s also a way for him to focus on one small thing (his screen) when his anxiety starts to take over. All of this is drawn effortlessly; it’s truly impressive how Smith manages to convey psychological and emotional experiences artistically.

    There is no explicit queer representation, unlike Smith’s earlier middle grade graphic novel The Deep & Dark Blue. However, there are soft boys exploring friendship with meaningful looks between them; they’re totally going to date.

    Who Do I Recommend This Book To?

    The Golden Hour has broad appeal; if you’re into sweet stories about young people growing up after tragedy with the help of nice people, you will enjoy this graphic novel!

    Check out our Queer Lil Library for more book recommendations and reviews!

  • Light from Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki

    Light from Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki

    Genre | Science fiction and fantasy
    Page #s | 372
    Publishing Date | September 2021

    Good Omens meets The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet in this defiantly joyful adventure set in California’s San Gabriel Valley, with cursed violins, Faustian bargains, and queer alien courtship over fresh-made donuts.

    Shizuka Satomi made a deal with the devil: to escape damnation, she must entice seven other violin prodigies to trade their souls for success. She has already delivered six.

    When Katrina Nguyen, a young transgender runaway, catches Shizuka’s ear with her wild talent, Shizuka can almost feel the curse lifting. She’s found her final candidate.

    But in a donut shop off a bustling highway in the San Gabriel Valley, Shizuka meets Lan Tran, retired starship captain, interstellar refugee, and mother of four. Shizuka doesn’t have time for crushes or coffee dates, what with her very soul on the line, but Lan’s kind smile and eyes like stars might just redefine a soul’s worth. And maybe something as small as a warm donut is powerful enough to break a curse as vast as the California coastline.

    As the lives of these three women become entangled by chance and fate, a story of magic, identity, curses, and hope begins, and a family worth crossing the universe for is found.

    Goodreads

    Light from Uncommon Stars should have been my jam, but unfortunately, I just never connected with the book. I mean, with a summary like “Ageless bisexual alien from space who now runs a donut shop falls in love with a middle-aged Japanese lesbian who sells souls to a demon in exchange for her own back, and if that weren’t enough, there’s also a runaway trans girl who becomes a violin prodigy,” I was all in! I am so mad that this perfect idea didn’t land better for me.

    The good stuff is on the tin – it’s a wild mashup of genres that work together because why not? The diversity is all-encompassing, and no one blinks when the alien lady reveals that her true form is purple with two elbows.

    Where it falters is a little harder to parse out. Personally, I was not a fan of the way it was written. There are a lot of short scenes from a lot of perspectives. I prefer a story that digs deeper into one, maybe two, points of view. More than that, I found the internal logic of the book lacking in some ways. I’m down for a wild ride with unexpected standards of behaviour, but they need to be consistent. For instance, Lan bloops her son Marcus out of (temporary) existence for murdering two people (this is seriously downplayed, by the way), and no one cares. But Lan’s subsequent desire to duplicate her AI daughter to take him to space leads to a freak out from multiple people that ends with her atoning for this egregious decision. I love that the book pushes back on the personhood of AI, but then…shouldn’t Marcus also be valued similarly?

    I also couldn’t fully track with the book’s handling of trans trauma. On the one hand, I admire Aoki’s unflinching depiction of a trans girl’s abusive family, abusive friends, and the ways in which she resorts to sex work to get by. It was not my favorite, because this is a vaguely feel-good book in most other areas, and then BAM, rape. But the book ends with a throwaway line that Katrina is living with a rich guy who we saw greet her by sexually assaulting her? That’s not a satisfying ending from my perspective.

    In the end, I wasn’t a fan of this book, but everyone else seems to adore it, so perhaps I am missing something!

    Who Do I Recommend This Book To?

    Honestly, I don’t know! Popular Books of 2021 lists are saying to give it to everyone, but I truly didn’t like it. Try it if you’re intrigued, I guess!

    Check out our Queer Lil Library for more book recommendations and reviews!

  • Kings, Queens, and In-Betweens by Tanya Boteju

    Kings, Queens, and In-Betweens by Tanya Boteju

    Genre | YA Contemporary fiction
    Page #s | 374
    Publishing Date | May 2019

    Perpetually awkward Nima Kumara-Clark is bored with her insular community of Bridgeton, in love with her straight girlfriend, and trying to move past her mother’s unexpected departure. After a bewildering encounter at a local festival, Nima finds herself suddenly immersed in the drag scene on the other side of town.

    Macho drag kings, magical queens, new love interests, and surprising allies propel Nima both painfully and hilariously closer to a self she never knew she could be—one that can confidently express and accept love. But she’ll have to learn to accept lost love to get there.

    Goodreads

    Kings, Queens and In-Betweens is a sweet coming-of-age story about a queer girl in a small town who discovers the drag scene and community. Nima is a painfully awkward person, and I laughed out loud at her panicked reactions multiple times (as well as almost needing to throw the book across the room in sympathy embarrassment at one particularly cringeworthy scene). She is totally endearing, and it is a joy to watch her gain confidence in her relationships and performances.

    I so appreciate books that don’t make coming out a huge deal, but at the same time, I know it’s important to acknowledge the real consequences some people face when sharing their identity with others. This book covers both experiences, with Nima’s friends and family being accepting and inclusive (in fact, she has parent drama that is NOT about coming out – a marvel!) and side character Gordon experiencing intense homophobia from his father. I think this approach is incredibly important, as it shows that negative expereinces do not have to be the norm by also modeling healthy familial love.

    I also loved that, although Nima’s friends and family accept her and her attraction to women, she still finds a special kind of relationship with the queer community that she becomes a part of. There is something about the power of being with people who share your identity to make you feel safe, seen, and powerful in a very unique way. These different kinds of relationships don’t have to be in competition, and I appreciated that Boteju purposefully merged the two worlds.

    While this book does capture the magic of queer community, I did find the character of Deidre leaned a little too far into the “drag queen fairy godmother” territory. She is constantly available to help Nima out of one scrape or another, and we don’t get a real sense of her personal friendship group or community. She’s over ten years older than Nima and co! I want her to have a vibrant social life with peers!

    Aside from that minor quibble, this book is just so enjoyable. Pick it up and give it a read!

    Who Do I Recommend This Book To?

    Gift Kings, Queens, and In-Betweens to your cousin from Rural Town for them to read on the way to the drag performance you take them to.

    Check out our Queer Lil Library for more book recommendations and reviews!

  • Queer Books, Queer Readers: Patrick Myers Recommends Alec

    Queer Books, Queer Readers: Patrick Myers Recommends Alec

    Patrick Myers (he/him) is a freelance writer and playwright. His practice encompasses a variety of disciplines, including but not limited to writing, producing, criticism, and teaching. His work has appeared in American Theatre, HowlRound Theatre Commons, and ARTSATL, and he can be found tweeting irreverently @patrickrmyers on Twitter.

    What queer book have you chosen to share with our readers today?

    I’ve picked Alec by William di Canzio. It’s inspired by the novel Maurice by E.M. Forster, where two men fall in love in Edwardian England and run away together – destined to be happy for the rest of their days. Where Maurice explores the world through the gentleman Maurice’s perspective, di Canzio explores the world through the eyes of his working class lover, Alec, and expands the plot to what happens after they run away together.

    Why is this book one of your favorites?

    I love Maurice, and Alec is the perfect companion piece to that novel – where Maurice was written in 1913, the 21st century perspective on the events of the novel allows for an understanding of what comes next for Maurice and Alex: World War 1. With that as the catalyst, the novel becomes a sweeping romance not just for how they come together, but how they stay together. What is more romantic than unyielding and undying commitment? Also, it has some of the best sex scenes between two men ever written, both realistic and hot. There is nothing left on the table. I could want nothing more from a book.

    How would you describe yourself as a reader?

    I’m a terrible reader. I either devour book after book or read infrequently, if at all. I use random bills or printouts or credit cards as bookmarks. I stop halfway through a book and don’t continue reading until months or years later, picking it back up where I left off as if no time had elapsed. I live and die by a book and recommend it to friends and when they ask for the plot, I seem to be unable to conjure any of the narrative for them. I start and stop multiple books before I pick one to finish, as if I was at a wine tasting, sampling for the bottle I’d bring home. I love books. But I’m a tedious, unrepentant, awful lover to have.

    As a queer person, have books helped you explore or express your queer identity?

    I didn’t have access to queer books as a child or teenager, but I did have an internet connection, so I spent much of my youth online reading and writing fanfiction for some of my favorite books. I would write about characters I identified with and used them as proxies for my burgeoning queer identity. In that way, I was able to use accessible books to explore queerness when I had none available to me. And it was reading that opened up that door for me.

    Other than reading, are there any queer nerdy recommendations that you would like to leave with our readers?

    For anyone who loves to game, I’d definitely recommend Hades published by Supergiant Games. It’s a roguelike dungeon crawler, which is normally not my type of game. HOWEVER! You play as the son of Hades and Persephone, Zagreus, and throughout your many attempts to escape the depths of hell, you are given the opportunity to reunite some of Greek mythology’s most iconic couples, including the warriors Achilles and Patroclus. On top of that, Zagreus has multiple characters he can romance, including the dashing and mysterious God of Death, Thanatos (or Than for short). It’s brutal and romantic and filled with unearthly wonder – perfect for a rainy day on the couch.

    Thank you, Patrick!

    Check out our Queer Lil Library for more book recommendations and reviews!

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  • The Clothesline Swing by Ahmed Danny Ramadan

    The Clothesline Swing by Ahmed Danny Ramadan

    Genre | Contemporary Fiction
    Page #s | 288
    Publishing Date | June 2017

    The Clothesline Swing is a journey through the troublesome aftermath of the Arab Spring. A former Syrian refugee himself, Ramadan unveils an enthralling tale of courage that weaves through the mountains of Syria, the valleys of Lebanon, the encircling seas of Turkey, the heat of Egypt and finally, the hope of a new home in Canada.

    Inspired by Arabian Tales of One Thousand and One Nights, The Clothesline Swing tells the epic story of two lovers anchored to the memory of a dying Syria. One is a Hakawati, a storyteller, keeping life in forward motion by relaying remembered fables to his dying partner. Each night he weaves stories of his childhood in Damascus, of the cruelty he has endured for his sexuality, of leaving home, of war, of his fated meeting with his lover. Meanwhile Death himself, in his dark cloak, shares the house with the two men, eavesdropping on their secrets as he awaits their final undoing.

    Goodreads

    The Clothesline Swing is a gorgeously written novel about love, death, and the stories we tell to stay alive. Written in overlapping and intersecting stories told by a gay man to his dying lover in their Vancouver home, we slowly learn more about their lives in perfectly timed revelations.

    This is a book about trauma, from being raised with abuse and neglect, to being a gay man in an oppressive culture, to surviving uprisings and war; most importantly, it is about the intersection of all of these things. It is a book about loss, but it is also a book about endurance, about finding pleasure in the midst of pain, and about accepting the things we have suffered.

    Although I found this book difficult to read sometimes because of its heavy subject matter, I was always drawn forward by the beauty and honesty with which Ramadan writes. The relationship at the center of the book is loving, tumultuous, and mundane (and I could equally be referring to Hakawati and his lover or Hakawati and Death here). There is no perfection here, only complex people trying to make sense of a world that has offered mostly pain and suffering.

    One of the most poignant relationships tracked throughout the book is Hakawati’s relationship to his mentally ill mother. We see her through stories, through flashbacks, and finally through her own perspective. She is a beautifully complicated woman, and her transition from villain to victim is stunning and heartbreaking. Without taking away from the very real consequences of being raised by an impulsive and violent woman, we are also invited to empathize with her as woman struggling with mental illness, misogyny, and isolation.

    I also greatly appreciated the complicated depictions of home from a refugee’s point of view. Syria is beautiful, Syria is terrifying, Syria is not what it was…and yet both men at the center of the book return again and again, either physically or mentally. Society often wants to flatten refugees’ experiences into a narrative of rescue, but the truth is far more complicated than that.

    That’s the theme of this book, apparently. Complicated and complex. I so appreciate Ramadan’s ability to guide readers into a world without easy answers, and to leave us there, equipped with a sense of peace and of meaning, if not certainty.

    Who Do I Recommend This Book To?

    If you appreciate an incredibly well-crafted book that deftly handles deep and dark themes, The Clothesline Swing is for you!

    Check out our Queer Lil Library for more book recommendations and reviews!

  • Queer Books, Queer Readers: Chelsea Recommends Loveless

    Queer Books, Queer Readers: Chelsea Recommends Loveless

    I’m Chelsea (she/her), an asexual and aromantic librarian, who blogs about books over at Spotlight on Stories. You can also find me on Instagram (@crdinsmore) or twitter (@doh_rae_me). 

    What queer book have you chosen to share with our readers today?

    Loveless by Alice Oseman was one of my favourite reads of 2020. It has a special place in my heart because it’s one of the first times I felt seen by a book. A Young Adult aromantic asexual coming-out story, Loveless is set at Durham University and follows fanfic-loving protagonist Georgia. As a romantic, she believes that she will find her happily ever after eventually, but soon begins to question why the romance that comes so easily to her friends is so hard for her. Although Loveless isn’t autobiographical, author Alice Oseman writes from experience and Georgia’s exploration of her identity as an aro-ace person hit home for me. A charming tale of acceptance that celebrates love in all its forms.

    Why is this book one of your favorites?

    As a reader in my thirties I’m moving away from Young Adult as a genre these days, but Alice Oseman’s books are the exception! Like the characters in her webcomic series Heartstopper and those in her previous novel Radio Silence, Georgia and her friends grapple with questions of identity, and specifically queer identity, in realistic ways. The characters are so endearing and believably teenage. I absolutely love how platonic relationships are prioritized in this book and how well Oseman develops each of Georgia’s friendships. Loveless is the first book I’ve read with such prominent aro-ace representation and it really is uncanny that I wound up reading this book about an aro-ace nerd who starts a Shakespeare Society with her friends at a time when I, an aro-ace nerd, was performing in weekly Shakespeare plays over zoom!

    How would you describe yourself as a reader?

    I’d describe myself as a voracious reader of diverse books, with a special fondness for science-fiction and fantasy. I love the creativity and escape that SFF offers as a genre and I feel like we’re living in a golden age of diverse SFF right now, which makes it an exciting genre to follow! Some of my best bookish friends read literary fiction and champion translated works though, and I’ve been picking up more of their recommendations, even when they’re outside of my comfort zone.

    As a queer person, have books helped you explore or express your queer identity?

    The biggest way in which books have helped me explore my queerness is through connecting me to other LGBTQIA+ readers and the broader queer community. 

    I was in my mid-twenties before I learned that there was a word for people like me who don’t experience sexual or romantic attraction. Even after I identified as asexual, it took me awhile to feel comfortable calling myself queer because I wasn’t sure if I would be accepted as part of the community or if I was “queer enough”. Strengthening friendships with other queer readers who share an interest in books and working with wonderful queer library workers on a regular basis have helped me to feel like I have a place within the queer community.

    I didn’t see myself represented on screen or on the page when I was growing up. Too often it looked like a happy ending could only be achieved through a romantic relationship, a path that I knew wasn’t for me. It’s only in the last five years that I’ve started to see books with asexual and/or aromantic characters being released by mainstream publishers. I think shifts in the publishing industry will make it easier for teens and young adults exploring their asexuality these days, but I do wish there were more books targeted at adults with asexual and aromantic characters.

    Other than reading, are there any queer nerdy recommendations that you would like to leave with our readers?

    My go-to rec is Black Sails, but I think Roar Cat Reads has that covered, so I’m recommending In the Flesh, a 9-episode British show that is the most original take on a zombie apocalypse I’ve ever seen. The show is set a few years after “The Rising”, a period in which thousands of people around the world reanimated as zombies, wreaking havoc. Now a medication has been developed to restore consciousness to those who suffer from “Partially Deceased Syndrome” (PDS), but prejudice abounds. Pansexual protagonist Kieran is a sufferer of PDS who returns to his hometown and his family but feels guilty over what he did in his rabid state.

    As far as other pursuits go, since April 2020 I’ve been part of Project Shakespeare, a group of friends who gather on zoom to perform Shakespeare plays, complete with props, costumes, and schtick. I’m naturally an introverted, shy person and it took a few months to come out of my shell, but if you have a safe and supportive group of friends I highly recommend acting out some Shakespeare as a queer and nerdy pastime!

    Check out our Queer Lil Library for more book recommendations and reviews!

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  • The Better to Kiss You With by Michelle Osgood

    The Better to Kiss You With by Michelle Osgood

    Genre | Fantasy Romance
    Page #s | 182
    Publishing Date | April 2016

    In the rare moments when Deanna Scott isn’t working as the moderator for Wolf’s Run, an online werewolf role-playing game, she wanders the local forest trails with her golden retriever, Arthur, and daydreams about Jaime, the attractive, enigmatic woman who lives upstairs. As Wolf Run’s ‘den mother,’ Deanna is accustomed to petty online drama. But when threats from an antagonistic player escalate, Deanna wonders if her awesome online job could be riskier than she d ever imagined and if her new girlfriend knows more about this community than she had realized.

    Goodreads

    The Better to Kiss You With is a fun lesbian romance with great characters and exactly the right amount of “Yes, there are werewolves, but it isn’t melodramatic.” Let’s be honest, it’s hard to begin anywhere other than werewolves, once you know they’re going to be in a romance novel. For starters, and this would have been very important information to me before reading – there is no sex between human and werewolf!

    Instead, we get a really cute story of two lesbians meeting in their building’s hallway, going on sweet dates and having hot sex. There are semi-dramatic, semi-tongue in cheek hints that one of them may be a werewolf, but the actual reveal leans much more into a protective metaphor than a sexy metaphor. And I cannot stress this enough – the characters are all a little embarrassed to find themselves in a werewolf story. Like, they realize it’s weird, and they’re going to talk about all of the repercussions that would naturally come up, but it’s going to be with humor and teasing.

    The other aspect of the werewolf thing is that Deanna runs a role-playing game server based on werewolves in Vancouver (sign me up!), and she winds up dealing with an internet troll – er, werewolf – who is an online predator AND actual predator. This metaphor worked for me so well! I also loved Osgood’s takedown of this guy, as she refuses to give him the dignity of being hot or skillful. He’s just a violent a$$hole that needs to be taken care of.

    I would be remiss if I didn’t mention how much I loved Deanna’s relationships outside of girlfriend Jaime, by which I mean with her dog and her best friend. They are fully realized characters who are equally meaningful to her safety and well-being. While I love a good all-encompassing romance, I worry about characters whose sense of self wholly depends on a significant other.

    Who Do I Recommend This Book To?

    The Better to Kiss You With is the book to give to your sapphic friend who wants a fun, quick, sexy read!

    Check out our Queer Lil Library for more book recommendations and reviews!

  • Queer Books, Queer Readers: Kelly Slaven Recommends John Irving

    Queer Books, Queer Readers: Kelly Slaven Recommends John Irving

    Hi there, my name is Kelly Slaven and my pronouns are she/her/hers.

    What queer book have you chosen to share with our readers today?

    OK, I know that I am beginning the interview by breaking the rules. I LOVE John Irving. I love him so very much that I will always read anything he writes and I love the detail and mundane that he provides in his writing. So, here’s the deal, I suggest ALL of his books. In In One Person, Billy is the bisexual narrator and the heroines of the novel are two transgender women, in The Cider House Rules, Dr. Larch is reported to only have had sex one time, and Johnny Wheelwright, who is the “nonpracticing homosexual” narrator of A Prayer for Owen Meany, never has sex. There are transgender characters in The World According to Garp and A Son of the Circus, and gay characters in The Hotel New Hampshire and Son of the Circus.

    Why is this book one of your favorites?

    I trust John Irving to show me every detail of the story, especially the day to day ones, so that I believe him. Life is not always exciting so his mundane details are what make his writing real to me.

    How would you describe yourself as a reader?

    The opposite of who I am in life. In life, I don’t want all of the details, just the big picture and tell me in one sentence, not 20. But, in a book, when I slow down, I want to know it all! The more words the better.

    As a queer person, have books helped you explore or express your queer identity?

    I think that any representation helps me in this way. The author, Glennon Doyle, has helped me realize myself and all of my details (being queer, being female, etc) more than anyone else because she says what everyone is thinking and allows space to explore it without shame.

    Other than reading, are there any queer nerdy recommendations that you would like to leave with our readers?

    I love the podcast We Can Do Hard Things with Glennon Doyle and Abby Wambach.

    Thank you, Kelly!

    Check out our Queer Lil Library for more book recommendations and reviews!

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  • Bruised by Tanya Boteju

    Bruised by Tanya Boteju

    Genre | YA Contemporary Fiction
    Page #s | 336
    Publishing Date | March 2021

    To Daya Wijesinghe, a bruise is a mixture of comfort and control. Since her parents died in an accident she survived, bruises have become a way to keep her pain on the surface of her skin so she doesn’t need to deal with the ache deep in her heart.

    So when chance and circumstances bring her to a roller derby bout, Daya is hooked. Yes, the rules are confusing and the sport seems to require the kind of teamwork and human interaction Daya generally avoids. But the opportunities to bruise are countless, and Daya realizes that if she’s going to keep her emotional pain at bay, she’ll need all the opportunities she can get.

    The deeper Daya immerses herself into the world of roller derby, though, the more she realizes it’s not the simple physical pain-fest she was hoping for. Her rough-and-tumble teammates and their fans push her limits in ways she never imagined, bringing Daya to big truths about love, loss, strength, and healing.

    Goodreads

    A story of loss, trauma, and identity that centers on roller derby and found family (both queer and otherwise), Bruised was a sure-fire win in my books. I loved Daya’s fierce exterior, her self-awareness that she protects herself by keeping other out, and her slow acceptance that perhaps it is worth risking potential hurt for the sake of connection and joy.

    The foundation of Daya’s story is made of some pretty heavy content (death, self-harm), but the book captures the seriousness of her situation without reveling in the trauma-porn aspect. I was also very impressed by Boteju’s skill at depicting self-harm (intentional bruising, in Daya’s case) with realism and understanding, but without ever glorifying the practice.

    This isn’t a book about trauma, though; it’s about learning to live again after experiencing trauma. Daya’s friend introduces her to roller derby, and although she is initially attracted to its violent aspects, she quickly learns that she has to be strong not just for herself, but for her team. Add in a love interest who is a sweet soft nerd, and Daya doesn’t stand a chance. Despite her fear, she starts to open herself up to vulnerability and connection.

    My favorite thing about the book is undoubtedly the found families that welcome Daya in the wake of her loss. Her roller derby family expands to include a beautifully intergenerational queer family, and her initial resistance to her aunt and uncle (who have taken her in) warms in the face of their overwhelming love, joy, and acceptance. I have never read a coming out scene that is more hilarious and lovely than this book.

    Who Do I Recommend This Book To?

    Bruised will especially appeal to those who already love roller derby, but if you’re like me and know very little about the sport, it’s still an excellent book about accepting the start a new phase of life after a previous phase ends abruptly.

    Check out our Queer Lil Library for more book recommendations and reviews!

  • Queer Books, Queer Readers: Lauren Recommends It Goes Like This

    Queer Books, Queer Readers: Lauren Recommends It Goes Like This

    Hi, I’m Lauren! Or Lo. I use she/her or they/them pronouns. I’m queer and neurodivergent and a little witchy and book obsessed. You can find me occasionally posting about books at @readingwithfeelings on Instagram.

    What queer book have you chosen to share with our readers today?

    Okay, after many false starts and much deliberation, I have chosen to tell you about IT GOES LIKE THIS. An absolutely beautiful debut from Miel Moreland, it is a YA book about a queer pop group who have broken up but come back together for a benefit concert after a storm ravaged their hometown. 

    Why is this book one of your favorites?

    It made me feel so many feelings. If a book makes me both laugh and cry, I am basically forever obsessed with it. Steph’s exploration of gender identity and their feelings around Moonlight Overflow constantly being referred to as a girl group. Their love of family and trying to balance that with living their own life. Celeste and Eva and their relationship and the ways we can hurt those we love, and hopefully the ways we heal from that hurt. The song lyrics! The fact that everyone was allowed to be young and make mistakes and figure out what they wanted! Ugh, so, so good and I wish it got more hype 💜

    How would you describe yourself as a reader?

    Voracious? I read a lot. Definitely every single day. It is a form of escapism and learning both. I definitely read more fiction than nonfiction but I try to get in a few nonfiction books per month. I also read more queer than not, and I love the over abundance of queer books now! I have so many I want to read!

    As a queer person, have books helped you explore or express your queer identity?

    I feel like I read a lot of YA that teenage Lo would have benefitted from greatly. I feel like my main responsibility as a queer person is to constantly question my own beliefs and make sure I am interrogating my own internalized homophobia, racism, sexism, ableism, xenophobia, etc. Reading keeps me intersectional. I am loving Andy’s intentional reading challenge for this year! (You can check it out at Andy’s Insta @foreverinastory)

    Other than reading, are there any queer nerdy recommendations that you would like to leave with our readers?

    This is also book related, but: I love the Bookstagays podcast! Alex and Sam are amazing.

    Thank you, Lauren!

    Check out our Queer Lil Library for more book recommendations and reviews!

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  • Detransition, Baby by Torrey Peters

    Detransition, Baby by Torrey Peters

    Genre | Contemporary Fiction
    Page #s | 337
    Publishing Date | January 2021

    A whipsmart debut about three women—transgender and cisgender—whose lives collide after an unexpected pregnancy forces them to confront their deepest desires around gender, motherhood, and sex.

    Reese almost had it all: a loving relationship with Amy, an apartment in New York City, a job she didn’t hate. She had scraped together what previous generations of trans women could only dream of: a life of mundane, bourgeois comforts. The only thing missing was a child. But then her girlfriend, Amy, detransitioned and became Ames, and everything fell apart. Now Reese is caught in a self-destructive pattern: avoiding her loneliness by sleeping with married men.

    Ames isn’t happy either. He thought detransitioning to live as a man would make life easier, but that decision cost him his relationship with Reese—and losing her meant losing his only family. Even though their romance is over, he longs to find a way back to her. When Ames’s boss and lover, Katrina, reveals that she’s pregnant with his baby—and that she’s not sure whether she wants to keep it—Ames wonders if this is the chance he’s been waiting for. Could the three of them form some kind of unconventional family—and raise the baby together?

    This provocative debut is about what happens at the emotional, messy, vulnerable corners of womanhood that platitudes and good intentions can’t reach. Torrey Peters brilliantly and fearlessly navigates the most dangerous taboos around gender, sex, and relationships, gifting us a thrillingly original, witty, and deeply moving novel.

    Goodreads

    I feel like I’ve been reading a lot of idealistic queer stories lately, and while I do truly love a book that celebrates queerness and avoids discussing the pitfalls of such an identity, I found Detransition, Baby to be a breath of fresh air. This is a book that wades confidently into the messiness of queer and trans identities, that holds up the trauma, unhealthy coping strategies, and internalized prejudices and says, “This is part of the experience, too.”

    The plot revolves around the idea that three women – one trans woman, one cis woman, and one detransitioned woman presenting as a man – try to see if they can work together to form a parenting unit. I have to admit that the way in which this got started felt wildly impossible to me, and while some characters did react with shock, everyone got on board with the idea very quickly. The unique struggles of this decision are a part of the story right up to the end, though, so I suppose their initial acceptance is balanced by the tricky dynamics of claiming equal motherhood for three people.

    But the plot is honestly not the most important thing here. Diving back and forth between the present situation and past flashbacks for both Reese and Ames/Amy are where the heart of this story lies. I particularly loved Ames’s story as we watch her wrestle with dissociation as a young boy, explore and accept her female identity, find power and emotional distance in reclaiming her male identity, before finally claiming a middle space with the knowledge that his identity is not immoveable, and might never be.

    Reese is a mess, and one of those characters that I found myself wanted to reach through the pages and say, “OH MY GOSH JUST TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF!” But her self-destructive sex life and emotional connections are rooted in so much honesty. It’s heartbreaking and illuminating all at once.

    Katrina doesn’t have much of a voice in this book, but I did appreciate the moments when she, a biracial Asian woman, interjects racial awareness into the trans stories of trauma and oppression. It very intentionally avoids a competitive vibe, but instead serves to remind the characters (and readers) that no one has the final say on all things oppressive.

    I read Detransition, Baby in two days, eagerly turning page after page. It is so compelling and readable, and I can’t wait to read more by Peters.

    Who Do I Recommend This Book To?

    You should read Detransition, Baby if you want your queer found family narrative matched by messy, unhealthy dynamics and some of the most realistic character work you’ve ever read.

    Check out our Queer Lil Library for more book recommendations and reviews!