Roar Cat Reads

Tag: contemporary fiction

  • 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!

  • 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!

  • 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!

  • Aristotle and Dante Dive into the Waters of the World by Benjamin Alire Saenz

    Aristotle and Dante Dive into the Waters of the World by Benjamin Alire Saenz

    Genre | YA Contemporary Fiction
    Page #s | 516
    Publishing Date | October 2021

    In Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, two boys in a border town fell in love. Now, they must discover what it means to stay in love and build a relationship in a world that seems to challenge their very existence.

    Ari has spent all of high school burying who he really is, staying silent and invisible. He expected his senior year to be the same. But something in him cracked open when he fell in love with Dante, and he can’t go back. Suddenly he finds himself reaching out to new friends, standing up to bullies of all kinds, and making his voice heard. And, always, there is Dante, dreamy, witty Dante, who can get on Ari’s nerves and fill him with desire all at once.

    The boys are determined to forge a path for themselves in a world that doesn’t understand them. But when Ari is faced with a shocking loss, he’ll have to fight like never before to create a life that is truthfully, joyfully his own.

    Goodreads

    The long awaited sequel to one of my favorite books of all time, Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, this book had a lot to live up to! Aristotle and Dante Dive into the Waters of the World has the same quiet sweetness of its predecessor that builds upon previous themes in very satisfying ways.

    In the first book, Ari learns to love himself and open up to the possibility of romantic love. In the sequel, his willingness to be vulnerable and let other people into his life expands to include family and friends…and even the odd teacher or two. He has always been a squishy heart and thoughtful mind in a sullen body, and it is so lovely to see him share all the parts of himself with others. And for many of them to essentially roll their eyes and say, “Yeah, we knew you were a squishy heart! Thanks for catching up!”

    I also particularly loved seeing Ari, who spends 99% of his time in his head, discover the joys of a having a body. I don’t think I’ve ever read a book about a teenage boy discovering his sexuality in such an open, tasteful, and beautiful way. It helps that his love for Dante isn’t all, or even mostly, about sex. Ever the wise teenager, Ari spends a lot of time mulling over the intricacies and complications of loving someone vs. falling in love with someone. They are committed and thoughtful toward each other in a way that is somehow very believable for two 17-year-olds.

    The whole book has a kind of dreamy, fantastical feel that is most obvious in the fact that there is very little plot happening here. In fact, the piece of plot that the book jacket forewarns you of doesn’t happen until at least 2/3 of the way through the book! It’s mostly just Ari having beautifully honest and poetic conversations with people. I have to admit that I sometimes thought this veered into the unrealistic, as almost no one says anything rude or incorrect (with one notable exception…but even then, Ari and his parents handle it perfectly). I advise readers to go in with the expectation that this is a book about healthy relationships, and enjoy the feast of examples before you.

    On the topic of plot, I will whole-heartedly defend Saenz’s choice to make this YA book’s central conflict NOT “will they stay together” or “will our parents/friends approve of us” but instead, the focus is on, “How do I exist in the world as a gay person (in the 80s)?” This is perhaps a very personal opinion, but I am tired of dramatic coming out stories; however, I also don’t want all of my books to gloss over all of the struggles involved in coming out. I felt that this book balanced these two extremes very well.

    Who Do I Recommend This Book To?

    If you love a book about good people doing good things whilst saying beautiful things, then you have hit the jackpot with Aristotle and Dante Dive into the Waters of the World!

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

  • The Subtweet by Vivek Shraya

    The Subtweet by Vivek Shraya

    Genre | Contemporary Fiction
    Page #s | 220
    Publishing Date | April 2020

    Everyone talks about falling in love, but falling in friendship can be just as captivating. When Neela Devaki’s song is covered by internet-famous artist Rukmini, the two musicians meet and a transformative friendship begins. But as Rukmini’s star rises and Neela’s stagnates, jealousy and self-doubt creep in. With a single tweet, their friendship implodes, one career is destroyed, and the two women find themselves at the center of an internet firestorm.

    Celebrated multidisciplinary artist Vivek Shraya’s second novel is a stirring examination of making art in the modern era, a love letter to brown women, an authentic glimpse into the music industry, and a nuanced exploration of the promise and peril of being seen.

    Goodreads

    The Subtweet is a book about friendship, ambition, and regret. The fact that it packs all of this into 220 pages, and that this length feels perfect, is nothing short of amazing. The story of Neela and Rukmini, two aspiring musicians, zips along at a steady pace, skipping through time without feeling rushed, unwilling to linger unecessarily.

    The story is primarily told through Neela’s point of view. She is a creative, full of passion and the desire to push cultural limitations as well as her own. Accordingly, she is judgmental, standoffish, and scared of genuine connection. When she meets Rukmini, a woman who stumbles into musical fame by performing a cover of Neela’s song, she is in awe of the joy that Rukmini brings to creation. The two women grow close, but their different approaches to music stir up insecurity and jealousy that ultimately pulls them apart.

    There is so much to unpack in this little book; it handles women, social media, and race with ease while juggling the complicated relationship between success, talent, and imposter’s syndrome. As Neela, Rukmini, and others pursue success in a career with significant obstacles embedded in the system for women (and women of colour specifically), they sometimes use each other or throw each other under the bus, prompting legitimate questions about whether actions were made because of jealousy or opportunity. It never feels catty; instead, it leaves readers wondering where the moral line is, or ought to be.

    Additionally, the book made me think about current debates about marginalized communities holding themselves to higher (and sometimes impossible) standards. Rukmini’s success takes off when a white woman invites her on her tour; she is later taken to task for singing songs about marginalization to white audiences, but it’s hard to blame her for seizing an opportunity. And speaking of white people, Shraya does such a good job writing white characters who are good at saying the right thing until they undermine their “progressiveness” with their privilege in the same breath.

    The Subtweet is a deep book, and one that lends itself well to a book club pick – which is why I’m so excited to discuss it with my book club tonight! Top of my list of questions: What happened to Rukmini and will she ever become friends with Neela again??

    What Makes This Book Queer?

    Vivek Shraya is a trans artist and author, and in a super cool move, she’s made Rukmini trans, but in a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it way. In fact, I DID miss it! My friend had to point out that Rukmini offhandedly worries that Hayley hires her for being “a hip brown trans girl,” and that this is the only time it’s mentioned. I love a story that dives into the reality of being trans, but I also love a story where it is incidental, because that is not the piece of identity that is being explored.

    Side note: Although, YES, it is cool to see a book explore the friendship between two women, Neela and Rukmini’s relationship could so easily have tipped over into romance, and I really wanted it to! I ship them, but I’m still pleased with the story we got.

    Who Would I Recommend This Book To?

    The Subtweet is a thoughtful, incisive book that expertly questions the intersections of ambition, success, gender, and race. Everyone should read it!

    Rating: 4 out of 5.

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

  • Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall

    Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall

    Genre | Contemporary Fiction
    Page #s | 427
    Publishing Date | July 2020

    Luc O’Donnell is tangentially–and reluctantly–famous. His rock star parents split when he was young, and the father he’s never met spent the next twenty years cruising in and out of rehab. Now that his dad’s making a comeback, Luc’s back in the public eye, and one compromising photo is enough to ruin everything.

    To clean up his image, Luc has to find a nice, normal relationship…and Oliver Blackwood is as nice and normal as they come. He’s a barrister, an ethical vegetarian, and he’s never inspired a moment of scandal in his life. In other words: perfect boyfriend material. Unfortunately apart from being gay, single, and really, really in need of a date for a big event, Luc and Oliver have nothing in common. So they strike a deal to be publicity-friendly (fake) boyfriends until the dust has settled. Then they can go their separate ways and pretend it never happened.

    But the thing about fake-dating is that it can feel a lot like real-dating. And that’s when you get used to someone. Start falling for them. Don’t ever want to let them go.

    Goodreads

    This is probably the worst way to start a book review, but honestly, just go read Spotlight on Stories‘ review of Boyfriend Material instead! It was her review that inspired me to read the book, and after I finished, all I could think was, “Yup, Chelsea was right!”

    Boyfriend Material is a thoroughly entertaining book, but I wouldn’t say it’s necessarily good. It revels in its own cleverness, and the quirks of the world and its characters strain credulity. Everyone here is dialed up to eleven, and it’s kind of exhausting.

    But what everyone is here for is the romance, so let’s get into what truly matters: is the spark between Luc and Oliver believable? Well…I guess? Let’s be clear. We’re living in a glorious age of fake dating queer stories, and I am predisposed to adore any story with this trope. And this has a good set up, since the two men knew each other previously, were attracted to each other, but mistakenly assumed the other was not into them. However, there were so many points along the way when I couldn’t support them being together. Luc is a fun character, and I love him, but I do NOT understand why Oliver had a crush on him, and he probably shouldn’t have put up with Luc’s terrible behaviour.

    In an effort to even the playing ground (I assume), Oliver becomes the terrible communicator and ridiculous drama llama for the last 50 pages. Although the cause is believable, it is totally out of character for him and felt like an excuse to throw a final obstacle into their path.

    All of that is pretty bad, I guess, but I did read the 427-page book in two days, so I do kind of recommend it? It’s good frivolous fun, and if that’s what you’re looking for, I say give it a go!

    Rating: 3 out of 5.

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

  • Everyone in This Room Will Someday Be Dead by Emily Austin

    Everyone in This Room Will Someday Be Dead by Emily Austin

    Genre | Contemporary Fiction
    Page #s | 256
    Publishing Date | July 2021

    Gilda, a twenty-something lesbian, cannot stop ruminating about death. Desperate for relief from her panicky mind and alienated from her repressive family, she responds to a flyer for free therapy at a local Catholic church, and finds herself being greeted by Father Jeff, who assumes she’s there for a job interview. Too embarrassed to correct him, Gilda is abruptly hired to replace the recently deceased receptionist Grace.

    In between trying to memorize the lines to Catholic mass, hiding the fact that she has a new girlfriend, and erecting a dirty dish tower in her crumbling apartment, Gilda strikes up an email correspondence with Grace’s old friend. She can’t bear to ignore the kindly old woman, who has been trying to reach her friend through the church inbox, but she also can’t bring herself to break the bad news. Desperate, she begins impersonating Grace via email. But when the police discover suspicious circumstances surrounding Grace’s death, Gilda may have to finally reveal the truth of her mortifying existence.

    Goodreads

    I ADORED this book. It isn’t your stereotypical page turner, since it is about the deteriorating mental health of a young woman, but I couldn’t put it down and finished it in two days. It’s written with such honesty that I was entirely won over; the hope and heart that we finally get to enjoy feels well-earned and so satisfying.

    Gilda is depressed, and as a result has no sense of self. She accepts what the people around her decide is true for her, which leads her (an atheist lesbian) to working at a church and dating a man. I’m finding it so hard to describe this book – it sounds like it would either lean into a wacky comedy vibe or else be a tranwreck. It’s neither of those things. Gilda is entirely sympathetic and relatable, and with every step she takes into losing herself, we as the readers are desperate to see her find and stand up for herself.

    This is honestly going to be such a terrible review. I don’t know how to talk about this book! All I know is that I felt like it was written just for me, and I loved it. It isn’t about religion saving someone; instead, by working at the church and chatting with parishioners, Gilda realizes that everyone struggles, no matter what defenses they seem to have. It also isn’t about love saving someone, though the sweet moments with her girlfriend are bright spots in narrative. Instead, it’s about the slow slog toward health, and that might not sound intriguing but I have to say again that I loved it!!

    Who Would I Recommend This Book To?

    Everyone In This Room Will Someday Be Dead is the perfect book for someone who appreciates the perspective one can get from staring into the darkest parts of our psyche.

    Rating: 5 out of 5.

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

  • Hani and Ishu’s Guide to Fake Dating by Abida Jaigirdar

    Hani and Ishu’s Guide to Fake Dating by Abida Jaigirdar

    Genre | YA Contemporary Fiction
    Page #s | 352
    Publishing Date | May 2021

    Everyone likes Humaira “Hani” Khan—she’s easy going and one of the most popular girls at school. But when she comes out to her friends as bisexual, they invalidate her identity, saying she can’t be bi if she’s only dated guys. Panicked, Hani blurts out that she’s in a relationship…with a girl her friends absolutely hate—Ishita “Ishu” Dey. Ishu is the complete opposite of Hani. She’s an academic overachiever who hopes that becoming head girl will set her on the right track for college. But Ishita agrees to help Hani, if Hani will help her become more popular so that she stands a chance of being elected head girl.

    Despite their mutually beneficial pact, they start developing real feelings for each other. But relationships are complicated, and some people will do anything to stop two Bengali girls from achieving happily ever after.

    Goodreads

    I have been reading a surprising amount of fake dating books lately (yay!) and this is one of the best. Hani and Ishu get to know each other through pretending to date – before that, they were schoolmates with only one shared class, a cultural similarity that actually drove them away from each other, and a lack of awareness as to each other’s compatible sexuality. As they spend time together, they start to like each other, but they’re teenagers and it’s awkward! I loved every page of this quick read, and I highly recommend it to any other fans of the fake dating trope.

    As I mentioned earlier, both Hani and Ishu live in Ireland, but their families moved there from India. When the book starts, they stayed away from each other to avoid the stereotype of “you go together.” But as they start to date, it is a joy to watch them realize how nice it is to be around someone who understands their culture, family, and values. Although Hani’s family are Muslims and Ishu’s family are non-religious, they get each other in a way their fellow classmates can’t (or don’t, since their classmates are racist little ****heads). And before I move on from this, it was so lovely to read about a queer affirming Muslim family; Hani is already out to her parents before the book begins, and they support her relationship with Ishu from start to finish.

    The only thing that felt like a bit of stretch was just how horrible Hani’s friends are. They belittle her culture and her sexuality. In fact, their refusal to believe she is bisexual (“how do you know if you haven’t kissed a girl?” UGH) is what prompts her to claim she is dating Ishu. They are the worst! Although I am prepared to believe that teenagers can truly be that awful, I found it hard to stomach the thought that Hani could not see how terrible their treatment of her was. Regardless, it was a delight to watch her stand up for herself and finally put them in their place.

    In addition to terrible friends, we get unhealthy families. Ishu’s parents live vicariously through their daughters’ success, and Ishu and her older sister have always been at each other’s throats for their approval. Until the book begins, anyway, when her older sister drops out of college and becomes the black sheep of the family. I really liked watching Ishu navigate this new relationship – first with suspicion, and then with gratitude.

    Who Would I Recommend This Book To?

    Hani and Ishu’s Guide to Fake Dating is a cute, fast read that is perfect for anyone wanting a light-hearted, PG-rated sapphic romance.

    Rating: 4 out of 5.

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

  • Honey Girl by Morgan Rogers

    Honey Girl by Morgan Rogers

    Genre | Contemporary Fiction
    Page #s | 241
    Publishing Date | February 2021

    With her newly completed PhD in astronomy in hand, twenty-eight-year-old Grace Porter goes on a girls’ trip to Vegas to celebrate. She is not the kind of person who goes to Vegas and gets drunkenly married to a woman whose name she doesn’t know…until she does exactly that.

    This one moment of departure from her stern ex-military father’s plans for her life has Grace wondering why she doesn’t feel more fulfilled from completing her degree. Staggering under the weight of her father’s expectations, a struggling job market and feelings of burnout, Grace flees her home in Portland for a summer in New York with the wife she barely knows.

    When reality comes crashing in, Grace must face what she’s been running from all along—the fears that make us human, the family scars that need to heal and the longing for connection, especially when navigating the messiness of adulthood. 

    Goodreads

    Honey Girl is a book about letting go of your control-freak plans and accepting the goodness that sometimes comes from the least expected places. Grace is a high achiever with a military father and a PhD in astronomy she has worked 11 years to earn. When she is kept out of jobs because of her race and sexuality, she and her friends take a holiday in Las Vegas…where she wakes one morning with a picture of her new wife. She is surprised to realize that this drunken mistake might actually be the best thing happening for her; but this book isn’t pure romance. Grace has to deal with her depression, fear, and immanent adulthood with the help of her friends and family.

    Grace (attempts to) escape from her depression and professional disappointments by fleeing from Portland to New York to see her new wife. They fall in love very easily (she has good drunken taste) but ultimately realizes she needs to work on herself. She then goes to Florida to visit her mom and soon-to-be-stepdad, goes to counseling, and does some serious self-care. From there, well…you’ll have to read the book.

    Although I liked that the book covered both romance and mental health, I sometimes felt like it might have flowed better if it had leaned more fully in one direction or the other. Perhaps that is just me desperate for a full on lesbian Las Vegas romance that starts with marriage and works backward to dating and falling in love.

    What makes this book stand apart is the fact that it is about a queer biracial woman struggling and dealing with mental health issues while dating/married to a Japanese-American woman. More of this representation!

    Who Would I Recommend This Book To?

    This would be a great book for academics and new adults who need reminding that hard work ought to be balanced with serendipity.

    Rating: 3 out of 5.

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

  • One More Stop by Casey McQuiston

    One More Stop by Casey McQuiston

    Genre | YA Contemporary Fiction
    Page #s | 422
    Publishing Date | June 2021

    From the New York Times bestselling author of Red, White & Royal Blue comes a new romantic comedy that will stop readers in their tracks…

    For cynical twenty-three-year-old August, moving to New York City is supposed to prove her right: that things like magic and cinematic love stories don’t exist, and the only smart way to go through life is alone. She can’t imagine how waiting tables at a 24-hour pancake diner and moving in with too many weird roommates could possibly change that. And there’s certainly no chance of her subway commute being anything more than a daily trudge through boredom and electrical failures.

    But then, there’s this gorgeous girl on the train.

    Jane. Dazzling, charming, mysterious, impossible Jane. Jane with her rough edges and swoopy hair and soft smile, showing up in a leather jacket to save August’s day when she needed it most. August’s subway crush becomes the best part of her day, but pretty soon, she discovers there’s one big problem: Jane doesn’t just look like an old school punk rocker. She’s literally displaced in time from the 1970s, and August is going to have to use everything she tried to leave in her own past to help her. Maybe it’s time to start believing in some things, after all.

    Casey McQuiston’s One Last Stop is a magical, sexy, big-hearted romance where the impossible becomes possible as August does everything in her power to save the girl lost in time.

    Goodreads

    I loved McQuiston’s Red White, and Royal Blue, but unfortunately, I just could not get emotionally invested in One More Stop. If the romance and fantasy had been taken out and it was just a story about a girl moving to New York City and becoming friends with witty, sparkling roommates on a quest to save a local pancake restaurant, it would have been perfect. How did a book make me want LESS romance and fantasy? A tragedy.

    When August meets Jane on the Q line of the Subway, I rolled my eyes for 80 pages of gay manic pixie dream girl. Jane was quirky and funny and everybody wanted her! When it turned out that there was an explanation for her clothes and retro music, I was very intrigued. But then we got hundreds of pages of just… this very weird conceit. Jane got unstuck in time and now lives on a Subway line? And they just kind of…date on a subway? And sleep together on a subway *shudder*?? How unsanitary. I’m so not into it.

    It’s a shame, because the characters and writing are all truly excellent. The plot was just a big miss for me.

    What Make This Book Queer?

    In addition to a bisexual protagonist falling in love with a time-displaced lesbian, August moves in to an apartment with a trans man and his girlfriend as well as their disowned gay roommate who is in love with the drag queen next door. This book is bursting with queerness, and that part is super fun and lovely.

    Who Would I Recommend This Book To?

    I think a lot of people will love this book, despite my unenthusiastic reaction to it. If you want a light-hearted, kooky love story, give it a try!

    Rating: 3 out of 5.

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

  • The Guncle by Steven Rowley

    The Guncle by Steven Rowley

    Genre | Contemporary Fiction
    Page #s | 336
    Publishing Date | May 2021

    From the bestselling author of Lily and the Octopus and The Editor comes a warm and deeply funny novel about a once-famous gay sitcom star whose unexpected family tragedy leaves him with his niece and nephew for the summer.

    Patrick, or Gay Uncle Patrick (GUP, for short), has always loved his niece, Maisie, and nephew, Grant. That is, he loves spending time with them when they come out to Palm Springs for weeklong visits, or when he heads home to Connecticut for the holidays. But in terms of caretaking and relating to two children, no matter how adorable, Patrick is honestly a bit out of his league.

    So when tragedy strikes and Maisie and Grant lose their mother and Patrick’s brother has a health crisis of his own, Patrick finds himself suddenly taking on the role of primary guardian. Despite having a set of “Guncle Rules” ready to go, Patrick has no idea what to expect, having spent years barely holding on after the loss of his great love, a somewhat-stalled career, and a lifestyle not-so-suited to a six- and a nine-year-old. Quickly realizing that parenting—even if temporary—isn’t solved with treats and jokes, Patrick’s eyes are opened to a new sense of responsibility, and the realization that, sometimes, even being larger than life means you’re unfailingly human.

    With the humor and heart we’ve come to expect from bestselling author Steven Rowley, The Guncle is a moving tribute to the power of love, patience, and family in even the most trying of times.

    Goodreads

    I haven’t read many adult queer contemporary fiction novels that are easy, breezy, summer reads, but I sure want to read more after The Guncle! This book was an absolute delight as author Stephen Rowley captures both children and gay culture perfectly.

    Patrick is a single gay man who has become increasingly isolated after losing his partner in a tragic car accident many years before. When his best friend and sister-in-law dies of cancer, he finds himself skeptically in charge of his niece and nephew. All three learn how to process grief and lean on the love of family in the wake of tragedy. Cue cute kids, Christmas in summer, and heartwarming feelings!

    Rowley captures kid voices very accurately, to the point that I was laughing out loud at some of the things they said. But this is not a defanged sappy book about kids – it’s still very much a queer book, with Patrick falling in love again and many meaningful chats with his neighbours (a polyamorous gay throuple collectively named JED).

    I enjoyed this book so much. It’s the perfect read poolside, or honestly, curled up in a cozy blanket if you somehow stumble across this review in the winter. A lovely read for any time of year!

    Who Would I Recommend This Book To?

    This is a book for anyone who wants a light-hearted summer read with a queer protagonist!

    Rating: 5 out of 5.

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

  • I Think I Love You by Auriane Desombre

    I Think I Love You by Auriane Desombre

    A sweet and funny debut novel about falling for someone when you least expect it . . . and finding out that real life romance is better than anything on screen.

    Emma is a die-hard romantic. She loves a meet-cute Netflix movie, her pet, Lady Catulet, and dreaming up the Gay Rom Com of her heart for the film festival competition she and her friends are entering. If only they’d listen to her ideas. . . 

    Sophia is pragmatic. She’s big into boycotts, namely 1) relationships, 2) teen boys and their BO (reason #2347683 she’s a lesbian), and 3) Emma’s nauseating ideas. Forget starry-eyed romance, Sophia knows what will win: an artistic film with a message.

    Cue the drama. The movie is doomed before they even start shooting . . . until a real-life plot twist unfolds behind the camera when Emma and Sophia start seeing each other through a different lens. Suddenly their rivalry is starting to feel like an actual rom-com.

    Goodreads

    I love a good queer love story, and I love fanfic tropes, but I Think I Love You fell flat for me. But before I get into that, let’s talk about the positives.

    Desombre captured Emma’s fear of coming out to her parents really well. No matter how progressive someone seems, it still feels desperately confusing to anticipate how they will react to you. And I appreciated a story that shows the hurt that comes from parents reacting with a calm and cool demeanor…saying it isn’t a big deal is hard to hear when you’ve worked up more courage than you thought you could muster.

    I also appreciated Sophia’s character throughout the first half of the book. Her fear of being excluded from her friends but reacting by overcompensating with stories about her time in France felt so realistic. She couldn’t stop shooting herself in the foot, and wow, I have been there.

    Unfortunately, almost nothing else felt realistic about this book. Emma and Sophia hate each other, which splits the group apart. So their friends tell each of them that the other has a crush on them, and suddenly their eyes are opened! For a moment I thought it was a funny acknowledgment about how powerful it is to be liked. “She likes me? She has good taste, maybe she’s better than I realized.” But they fall in love so fast (oh, and all of these 14-year-olds are throwing around the word “love”), ignoring all of the things that they disliked about each other for years before. That would be enough to drive me crazy, but then there are plot twists and misunderstandings, and nobody acts like a real human being. Maybe I should have let the drama of it all wash over me, but I just couldn’t. It was too much drama for the sake of drama.

    I love a story with a bisexual girl and a lesbian falling in love. But unfortunately, not this one.

    Rating: 2 out of 5.

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

  • Pizza Girl by Jean Kyoung Frazier

    Pizza Girl by Jean Kyoung Frazier

    In the tradition of audacious and wryly funny novels like The Idiot and Convenience Store Woman comes the wildly original coming-of-age story of a pregnant pizza delivery girl who becomes obsessed with one of her customers.

    Eighteen years old, pregnant, and working as a pizza delivery girl in suburban Los Angeles, our charmingly dysfunctional heroine is deeply lost and in complete denial about it all. She’s grieving the death of her father (who she has more in common with than she’d like to admit), avoiding her supportive mom and loving boyfriend, and flagrantly ignoring her future.

    Her world is further upended when she becomes obsessed with Jenny, a stay-at-home mother new to the neighborhood, who comes to depend on weekly deliveries of pickled covered pizzas for her son’s happiness. As one woman looks toward motherhood and the other towards middle age, the relationship between the two begins to blur in strange, complicated, and ultimately heartbreaking ways.

    Bold, tender, propulsive, and unexpected in countless ways, Jean Kyoung Frazier’s Pizza Girl is a moving and funny portrait of a flawed, unforgettable young woman as she tries to find her place in the world.

    Goodreads

    Pizza Girl is a very well written book with a story I didn’t care for. I can appreciate the skill with which Frazier conveys the listlessness, anxiety, and obsession of a closeted pregnant teen girl. But I spent most of the book clutching my pearls and screaming, “STOP MAKING BAD CHOICES!” It reminded me a lot of a lesbian Juno.

    This is a book that handles generational trauma and the fear of becoming the parent who neglected you (as you actively neglect your fetus by drinking excessively while pregnant oh my god!!) through a protagonist who survives life by escaping it. During this novel, her escape takes the form of a middle aged mother who orders pickle pizza every Wednesday. Jane’s obsession with Jenny is deep, earthy, and kind of sweet in a weird way. She fantasizes about them breathing into each other’s mouth, hot and meaty. Very visceral, weirdly sexual….fun! But her obsession grows to the point of danger, both to herself and others, and with no real consequences. I did not know what this book was trying to tell me, other than the fact that life is complicated and difficult.

    The characters are realistic, sad, and well constructed. Jane makes all the wrong decisions and doesn’t appreciate any of the good things around her. What can I say? This is a book that captures the emotions of a teenager perfectly, and I am now mom-aged and cannot handle them.

    What Makes This Book Queer?

    It would be easy to read Jane as a closeted lesbian, pregnant with her perfect boyfriend’s baby but fantasizing about women. I liked that Frazier kept things a little more nuanced, as she does seem to truly love her boyfriend and enjoy romance and sex with him on occasion. There is also a simplistic interpretation of this story that Jane’s repression of her sexuality is leading to her repressing all other parts of her life – her grief for the death of her alcoholic father, her fear about being a parent, her confusion about what to do with her life. I think it is more accurate to say that her fear about addressing any one of those issues makes her more likely to ignore everything else; it’s a two-way street.

    When Jane asks her gay coworker how he knew he was into boys, he says that while he liked girls and boys, only boys had the power to ruin his life. I love this definition!

    There were some really lovely moments in this book, and I tore through it in horrified curiosity, but it wasn’t my jam. However, I am absolutely positive that it will be exactly what someone else wants.

    Rating: 3 out of 5.

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

    ‘ discord!

    Find more books nominated for Lambda Literary Awards reviewed here!

  • Butter Honey Pig Bread by Francesca Ekwuyasi

    Butter Honey Pig Bread by Francesca Ekwuyasi

    Spanning three continents, Butter Honey Pig Bread tells the interconnected stories of three Nigerian women: Kambirinachi and her twin daughters, Kehinde and Taiye. Kambirinachi believes that she is an Ogbanje, or an Abiku, a non-human spirit that plagues a family with misfortune by being born and then dying in childhood to cause a human mother misery. She has made the unnatural choice of staying alive to love her human family but lives in fear of the consequences of her decision.

    Kambirinachi and her two daughters become estranged from one another because of a trauma that Kehinde experiences in childhood, which leads her to move away and cut off all contact. She ultimately finds her path as an artist and seeks to raise a family of her own, despite her fear that she won’t be a good mother. Meanwhile, Taiye is plagued by guilt for what her sister suffered and also runs away, attempting to fill the void of that lost relationship with casual flings with women. She eventually discovers a way out of her stifling loneliness through a passion for food and cooking.

    But now, after more than a decade of living apart, Taiye and Kehinde have returned home to Lagos. It is here that the three women must face each other and address the wounds of the past if they are to reconcile and move forward.

    For readers of African diasporic authors such as Teju Cole and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Butter Honey Pig Bread is a story of choices and their consequences, of motherhood, of the malleable line between the spirit and the mind, of finding new homes and mending old ones, of voracious appetites, of queer love, of friendship, faith, and above all, family.

    Goodreads

    I adored this compulsively readable story of three women – Kambirinachi and her adult twin daughters Taiye and Kahinde that gives you literary feels with a page-turner drive. Set primarily in their home country of Nigeria but extending to England, France, and Canada, this is a book about the messy relationships we have with ourselves and each other.

    This book is all about loneliness, loss, and connection. Whether through trauma, mental illness, or the passage of time, each woman’s life is permeated with loss. And each of them cope in different ways, though all tend to make things worse for themselves. But this isn’t a hopeless or depressing book. The story begins when our protagonists reunite and begin to feel their way toward understanding, empathy, and a new beginning.

    I am in love with Ekwuyasi’s ability to create fully formed characters with uniquely deep interpersonal relationships. In flashbacks, Taiye in particular is constantly falling into relationships, searching for meaning and connection after being cut off from her twin sister. Each time she meets someone, romantic or otherwise, we learn something new about her, and each person is interesting enough that you’re left wanting to read a book about them as well.

    This is a very sensual book, both in terms of being sexy and literally in its focus on the senses. This book WILL make you hungry; the food descriptions will have you reaching for snacks and then sad that you aren’t eating what is described on the page. The physical parts of life, whether food or sex, are presented as comforts and unifying forces, as external things that can support internal realities or distract from inner work. The title itself is a reference to the four sections of the book; thankfully it is not one single food monstrosity.

    Ekwuyasi’s mastery of the physical realm is matched by her deft touch with an inner landscape. Kambirinachi’s experience hearing the voices of her Kin can be read through a Western medicinal lens (she has schizophrenia) or through magical realism that accepts a world bigger and more spiritual than I am used to. Taiye also sees visions of Our Lady, and we are left questioning how much is imagination? How much is hallucination? How much is real? The book lets us decide for ourselves.

    Butter Honey Pig Bread is making major waves, and it deserves all the praise that it has received. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it, and I cannot wait for Ekwuyasi to write a second novel!

    What Makes This Book Queer?

    I don’t know if this is because I’m a queer lady, but Taiye’s character felt the most developed. She was definitely my favorite! Taiye is a disaster lesbian, winning and breaking hearts all over the world (including her own). This book gets sexy, my friends, but always in a way that feels rooted in honoring characters rather than exploiting sexualities. Although there is definitely the root of a romantic love story that develops over the course of the novel, I especially enjoyed Taiye’s queer friendships, and the various ways queer communities intersected with her journeys. Love of all kinds is celebrated, and that is my absolute favorite thing.

    Rating: 5 out of 5.

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

    Find more books nominated for Lambda Literary Awards reviewed here!

  • You Should See Me in a Crown by Leah Johnson

    You Should See Me in a Crown by Leah Johnson

    Liz Lighty has always believed she’s too black, too poor, too awkward to shine in her small, rich, prom-obsessed midwestern town. But it’s okay — Liz has a plan that will get her out of Campbell, Indiana, forever: attend the uber-elite Pennington College, play in their world-famous orchestra, and become a doctor.

    But when the financial aid she was counting on unexpectedly falls through, Liz’s plans come crashing down . . . until she’s reminded of her school’s scholarship for prom king and queen. There’s nothing Liz wants to do less than endure a gauntlet of social media trolls, catty competitors, and humiliating public events, but despite her devastating fear of the spotlight she’s willing to do whatever it takes to get to Pennington.

    The only thing that makes it halfway bearable is the new girl in school, Mack. She’s smart, funny, and just as much of an outsider as Liz. But Mack is also in the running for queen. Will falling for the competition keep Liz from her dreams . . . or make them come true?

    Goodreads

    You Should See Me in a Crown is a YA novel about prom that captures the high school experience in a way that actually makes me remember high school fondly. Yeah, it’s that good. I think it’s a mix of pop culture, swirling emotions, and combined fear and excitement about the future.

    It’s a little ironic that this book reminded me of my high school experience because I didn’t go to prom, but Lighty’s band geekery (woodwinds, represent!) made me so happy. I also resonated with her realization that although some popular kids are evil, most of them are good people who are fun to be around. I distinctly remember that experience during my senior year, and it made me wonder how different the previous three years might have been if I hadn’t been so committed to the nerd vs. popular crowd cliché.

    This IS a book that’s all about prom, and holy cow, does Lighty have to jump through hoops to try to win the crown. There is entirely too much volunteer work and event participation required, but despite my skepticism as to its basis in reality, it was a good set up for fun moments, from a bake off food fight to a football massacre.

    As much as I love the romance in this book (and we’ll get to it), one of the things I loved most was Lighty’s friendships. She’s got a great girl squad, but it’s her complicated relationships with Jordan and Gabby that show real depth and offer some lovely sentiments about forgiveness. And you know I love a platonic guy/girl friendship!

    What Makes This Book Queer?

    Liz Lighty has already come to terms with her attraction to women before this book begins, and she’s out to her friends and family. However, she keeps her sexuality hidden from the world at large, and I appreciated her hesitancy to come out in a small Midwestern town when she’s so close to escaping to a bigger, less homophobic world.

    This becomes much more difficult when she meets Mack, and omg, their relationship is so cute! Introducing a love interest with her defending the protagonist against a racist comment and casually being all, “I have a rule that I speak up when people do or say racist stuff” is excellent. I am also in love!

    My only complaint is that the drama in their relationship hinges on a lack of communication, and that is my absolute least favorite reason for drama. I get that Lighty is self-conscious about her family’s financial status, but it doesn’t feel that weird for a high school student to need a $10,000 college scholarship.

    Luckily, this is a YA novel, and….spoilers, I guess….but things wind up okay! I really loved every beat of Lighty’s experience of being outed and then supported. It gave me such “the kids will be alright” feelings.

    Oh, last thing: Campbell Confidential sounds terrible – do schools really have their own social media apps now??

    Rating: 5 out of 5.

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

    Find more books nominated for Lambda Literary Awards reviewed here!