This is a sweet, low key, undemanding read. I enjoyed it, especially since I'm just a couple of years younger than the main character and we have variThis is a sweet, low key, undemanding read. I enjoyed it, especially since I'm just a couple of years younger than the main character and we have various reference points in common. I wish it had been set wholely in the present day, as the scenes in the ninties felt a little too generic, and I wish the 2022 characters had been developed a bit more. We also have a ton of queer stories about men in their thirties finding love in NYC, but very few about gay men finding new friends and lovers in their sixties.
What I do absolutely love is that cover. Gorgeous....more
This is a wonderful debut novel by a young queer writer. It's heartbreaking and romantic and honest. There are a couple of times that the story rewindThis is a wonderful debut novel by a young queer writer. It's heartbreaking and romantic and honest. There are a couple of times that the story rewinds to show the other young man's perspective that I thought slowed the momentum, and I wish the ending had hit a little harder emotionally, but an absolutely terrific book that I enjoyed much more than I expected.
*Bonus for the audiobook reader, who was great with dialogue and accents....more
Cute. Maybe too cute for some, but I enjoyed it. The audiobook was very good, I enjoyed the goofy voices that some characters have, but that also probCute. Maybe too cute for some, but I enjoyed it. The audiobook was very good, I enjoyed the goofy voices that some characters have, but that also probably reduced any suspense I might have felt....more
We Used to Live Here is a delightfully creepy thriller with quite a few unpredictable twists. Unfortunately, as soon as I realized the nature of the hWe Used to Live Here is a delightfully creepy thriller with quite a few unpredictable twists. Unfortunately, as soon as I realized the nature of the haunting, I had a pretty clear idea of where we were going, and I suspected that there would be a bunch of loose ends left untied. ("Wibbly wobbly timey wimey," as Doctor Who might say.) I was right all around. Still the best horror novel that I've read in a long time. Thoroughly entertaining....more
This is a hard one for me to rate. It's... fine? It's not scary, but it is unusual and doesn't beat around the bush when it comes to calling out the dThis is a hard one for me to rate. It's... fine? It's not scary, but it is unusual and doesn't beat around the bush when it comes to calling out the damage Christianity has done to so many queer youth. It felt like the follow up to the first murder was really glossed over emotionally and in terms of the plot, and the ending felt rushed. But... fine....more
The first part of Hombrecito was apparently published as a short story in McSweeny's. I hated it. I thought it was twee, repetitive, and overwritten. The first part of Hombrecito was apparently published as a short story in McSweeny's. I hated it. I thought it was twee, repetitive, and overwritten. I almost stopped after reading that section, but the rest of the book is written in an entirely different style which I did like better. I still didn't think Hombrecito was very good, though. It's too episodic. Supporting characters are introduced only to disappear, the leads are inconsistent and unsympathetic, and Sanchez cuts back and forth in time in a way that just feels amateurish. It's poor storytelling.
Why is Anais in the book? What does she add? Manuel? Leo's older lover? Why does the focus shift to Santiago's mother, who has been a fairly minor presence in the book to that point, for the final chapter? How does Santiago feel about the way his relationship with Leo ends? Why did Penguin publish this in its current state?...more
I'm not a fan of the movie. Although it was a giant step forward in terms of representation, I think it's a kind of minstrel show where gay charactersI'm not a fan of the movie. Although it was a giant step forward in terms of representation, I think it's a kind of minstrel show where gay characters grovel for the acceptance of a straight audience by being pathetic.
I always suspected the story would be better than the movie, but I was in no rush to read it.
Eventually we got here. The story is better than the movie. Compact but with the kind of frayed edges that can make a story linger in your mind....more
I really enjoyed reading Valencia, a celebration of 90's punk dykes and their codependent dramas. The stakes are low and at a certain point it starts I really enjoyed reading Valencia, a celebration of 90's punk dykes and their codependent dramas. The stakes are low and at a certain point it starts to feel kind of repetitive, but Tea's writing is smart and funny. I thought the very end stretched a bit thin - Tea wants to end with some WRITING and it feels forced, but this is a fun quick read and - now - a bright snapshot of queer history....more
This is a terrific book about a mother/son relationship and the difficulties queer people have maintaining relationships with family members whose relThis is a terrific book about a mother/son relationship and the difficulties queer people have maintaining relationships with family members whose religious beliefs have caused us years of pain and trauma. I wish it had ended differently, but honestly it's not so far from my own life....more
I love the Old Gays, but they were very poorly served by their editor here. The result is disjointed, shallow, repetitive, and sometimes just plain duI love the Old Gays, but they were very poorly served by their editor here. The result is disjointed, shallow, repetitive, and sometimes just plain dumb.
5 stars for the amount of fun that I had reading Greta and Valdin, although there are definitely things about it that don't quite work for me. The onl5 stars for the amount of fun that I had reading Greta and Valdin, although there are definitely things about it that don't quite work for me. The only part that felt fully developed was Greta's romantic journey. Valdin's romance is sweet but things change awfully fast. Greta and Valdin's Uncles are barely sketched in as characters, and the revelation involving their mother was kind of confusing. I'm not sure EXACTLY what was going on there, or what the point of it is in terms of plot.
I would definitely read this one again, and I get the sense that Reilly intends to revisit these characters. If she does, it's a day one buy for me.
Kiste's Reluctant lmmortals was one of my favorite books of last year. The Haunting of Velkwood is very different, it's a kind of modern suburban gothKiste's Reluctant lmmortals was one of my favorite books of last year. The Haunting of Velkwood is very different, it's a kind of modern suburban gothic and I enjoyed its original plot and its message.
I will say that in both of her books that I've read, Kiste uses queerness as a reveal, a plot twist, which seems just a tiny bit regressive. That's a minor complaint.
I listened to the audiobook, unfortunately. The narrator reads with a one note world weariness that became increasingly grating to me over time. I'm sure that kept me from enjoying the novel as much as I would have otherwise. I bought a print version after listening. It's worth revisting in the future....more
A story of young love set in 1980s Communist Poland. I definitely enjoyed Jedrowski's writing and knack for characterisation, but the novel uses a fraA story of young love set in 1980s Communist Poland. I definitely enjoyed Jedrowski's writing and knack for characterisation, but the novel uses a framing device that adds a melancholy tone and kills any suspense the story may have held....more
Red X is well written and has definite cult potential, but it's unnecessarily confusing and the resolution is unsatisfying.Red X is well written and has definite cult potential, but it's unnecessarily confusing and the resolution is unsatisfying....more
This is good, but for me the various elements didn't quite come together. One of Cleeves' real strengths is atmosphere, and although there is a good sThis is good, but for me the various elements didn't quite come together. One of Cleeves' real strengths is atmosphere, and although there is a good sense of place in The Raging Storm, I do wish that the titular storm had played a bigger part in the events of the novel. Although I did spot the killer fairly early on, I still enjoyed following along with the red herrings and misdirection.
Cleeves also does a good job with her gay main character, but I do wish his queerness played a bigger part in the stories (at least after the first book). Cleeves has said that she wants to write characters that aren't Just Gay, which is fine in theory, but being gay does affect many many aspects of a queer person's life....more
Lambert writes about painful topics with spare, original language and this book will make many struggling people (especially femme identifying queer pLambert writes about painful topics with spare, original language and this book will make many struggling people (especially femme identifying queer people) feel seen. Although I think that one of the best things about reading is learning about other lives with empathy, in many ways this was simply not a book for me. Which is okay....more
This collection of short vignettes isn't particularly funny or insightful, but it is authentically queer, and that's something.This collection of short vignettes isn't particularly funny or insightful, but it is authentically queer, and that's something....more
In Tongues' Gordon is the kind of flawed, wishy-washy character that often annoys me in fiction, but I really loved this novel. It's deceptively slighIn Tongues' Gordon is the kind of flawed, wishy-washy character that often annoys me in fiction, but I really loved this novel. It's deceptively slight but deeper than it seems to be at first....more
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