Even though I absolutely loved Kevin Wilson’s two most recent books (Nothing to See Here & Now Is Not the Time to Panic) I was hesitant to go back andEven though I absolutely loved Kevin Wilson’s two most recent books (Nothing to See Here & Now Is Not the Time to Panic) I was hesitant to go back and read his first novel. What if I didn’t connect to his earlier writing as much? It was published around 10 years before the ones I had read, so would it feel really dated? So I’m extremely happy to say that I ended up loving The Family Fang. It’s full of complicated, messy characters, unhealthy family dynamics, and the process of making art and how that impacts people.
I can understand why this book doesn’t work for everyone. It’s kinda odd and meandering, the characters don’t always do or say the right things, Caleb and Camille are not good parents, and it doesn’t have a super easy or “Hollywood” ending. But I think that’s why I liked it so much, it’s messy (which I mean as a compliment). I liked watching the different ways that Annie and Buster grappled with the ways their parents treated them and how that has impacted them into their adulthood. I liked the explorations of parents who so clearly think that their children are not as important as their art. I also liked the mystery plot surrounding Caleb and Camille.
Also, it was fun reading this after having read Nothing to See Here and Now is Not the Time to Panic because there were things in this book that Kevin Wilson expanded on later in those two books. So it was cool to see the kids spontaneously combusting story and the famous phrase from the Coalfield Panic being used in smaller ways in this book.
Man, I just love Kevin Wilson’s writing. I’m definitely going to be reading the rest of his backlist now....more
It’s kind of impressive that a story about crime and bootlegging and shootouts managed to be this boring. I did not like Matt Bondurant’s writing at aIt’s kind of impressive that a story about crime and bootlegging and shootouts managed to be this boring. I did not like Matt Bondurant’s writing at all. It never fully immersed me in the story and even at the end I didn’t feel like I really understood the characters. And switching between the story of the brothers in the past and the author in the future added absolutely nothing.
Also, fuck books that don’t use quotation marks....more
This book was such an excellent mix of Hollywood satire/commentary and a very creepy horror story. Misha is a screenwriter working for the “Harold BroThis book was such an excellent mix of Hollywood satire/commentary and a very creepy horror story. Misha is a screenwriter working for the “Harold Brothers” company. He’s all set for the two female leads of his show to finally acknowledge the chemistry they’ve been building for years and kiss each other. But to his horror the executive tells him that if the characters kiss, he’s going to have to kill one of them. After he refuses he starts being stalked by versions of his past characters. Now he has to figure out what’s going on, who is causing it, and how to stay alive while staying true to his vision for queer representation.
Man, this just worked for me on so many levels. I loved how the satire and commentary was not subtle in the slightest. Tingle is taking shots at bury your gays storylines, executives only supporting what they think will appease an algorithm, queerbaiting, the inability to present nuanced and messy queer storylines, AI generated performances, and so much more.
Misha was a really fascinating character to follow. He’s made a career of creating different queer horror shows and films, but he’s never come out publicly or to his family and friends back home. There’s a lot of time spent exploring flashbacks to his childhood that show his early experiences acknowledging his sexuality and how they’re still impacting him to this day. It was also so interesting seeing the different things from his past that he used to create the super creepy characters who end up targeting him in the narrative. They bring about some extremely stressful and uncomfortable scenes.
The book gets super bonkers, but I thought that when everything was revealed it made sense with the overall commentary. I definitely recommend this book for people who enjoy horror and are pretty tuned in to the different conversations surrounding queer representation in Hollywood....more
3.5 - Back in 2014 I was absolutely obsessed with Andrew Smith’s book Grasshopper Jungle. I just thought it was unlike any YA book I had read before. 3.5 - Back in 2014 I was absolutely obsessed with Andrew Smith’s book Grasshopper Jungle. I just thought it was unlike any YA book I had read before. It was a completely bonkers story about six foot tall hungry and horny praying mantises taking over the world. But even more, it was a coming of age story about a teenage boy named Austin trying to figure out where he fits into the history of the world. And how his feelings for his girlfriend Shann and his best friend Robby play into that.
So I’m flabbergasted that I managed to completely miss the fact that a sequel came out FIVE YEARS AGO. This book follow’s Austin’s son Arek 16 years after the events of Grasshopper Jungle. Through his eyes we get to see the ways that a small group of people have adjusted to living in a bunker, barely stepping outside into the world. It’s really interesting to see what things he understood about the world before it ended, and how he and other characters who were born after the apocalypse make sense of things.
I had a good time reading this book, I definitely flew through it. But it also didn’t come close to what I remember loving so much about Grasshopper Jungle. But then again, it’s been so long since I read that book that maybe I would feel differently about it today. Either way, some of my favorite parts of this book were seeing the interactions between Arek, Austin, and Robby. I kept wanting to see more of them, though I understand why there weren’t that many because of the story this book was telling.
I’m really glad I read this, it does give closure to some plot threads from Grasshopper Jungle. But I don’t know if I’ll ever revisit this one....more
I was pleasantly surprised by how much I ended up enjoying this. It’s the first book I’ve read by Kate Morton, so I didn’t really know what I was in fI was pleasantly surprised by how much I ended up enjoying this. It’s the first book I’ve read by Kate Morton, so I didn’t really know what I was in for. I was a little bit intimidated seeing that it was over 500 pages and historical fiction. But the characters and the mystery really held my attention. I loved getting to follow generations of this family and see how they solved the mysteries of their past. Kate Morton did such a good job at weaving the different timelines and characters POVs together. It’s a compelling mystery as well as a thoughtful tale about family, identity, motherhood, and the meaning of stories....more
I think this had a lot of interesting parts, but I never felt like it fully came together as a whole. Learning about Curtis’ experience growing up as I think this had a lot of interesting parts, but I never felt like it fully came together as a whole. Learning about Curtis’ experience growing up as a gay Chinese American kid in 1980s Detroit was definitely interesting. There were so many compelling stories about working in their restaurant, experiences he had with other kids at school, figuring out his sexuality, and his family’s history.
I felt like the book was a little bit lopsided with so much of it covering when he was a kid but then not showing as much of him in college or as a young adult. I was interested in hearing more about how his political views shifted once he was in college, but he didn’t go as in depth as I wanted. A lot of the book felt like scratching the surface and then skipping along to another amusing anecdote....more
I had so much fun reading this book. Parker and Adam get off on the wrong foot when Parker gets a bad gradZombies and werewolves and gay love. Oh my!
I had so much fun reading this book. Parker and Adam get off on the wrong foot when Parker gets a bad grade on a paper in his film studies class. Adam is the TA and doesn’t think that Parker is taking the course seriously. But they’re almost instantly forced to set that aside when the world explodes into chaos as a virus turns people into mindless killing machines.
Watching how Parker and Adam start to trust and protect one another and then start to have feelings was a lot of fun. The bits of comfort and camaraderie they’re able to have in the middle of an apocalypse added a lot to the story. They had great chemistry in both the sweet moments and the steamy moments.
I’m normally not someone who gravitates towards romance series where you’re following the same main couple over multiple books. However in this case I’m definitely interested in seeing what Adam and Parker get up to next. I think you could totally read just this one book and feel satisfied where the romantic relationship leaves off, but I’m curious to see more of what their world looks like and how they’re going to continue surviving....more
I’ve really enjoyed the YA books I’ve read from Adib Khorram, so I was excited to learn that he was publishing an adult romance! I’ll Have What He’s HI’ve really enjoyed the YA books I’ve read from Adib Khorram, so I was excited to learn that he was publishing an adult romance! I’ll Have What He’s Having is a fun queer romance about characters in their late 30s finding love and figuring out what they want from the rest of their lives. The characters, Farzan and David, are both well fleshed out and brought different, unique points of view to the story.
The book starts out with a mistaken identity that leads to the characters hooking up. They very quickly realize what happened and are able to laugh it off. I was personally glad that happened right at the beginning, because I can sometimes get uncomfortable if so much of a romance involves the characters not being on the same page about their identities. After they figure out what happened they end up becoming friends with benefits. David needs someone to help him study for his master sommelier exam and Farzan needs David’s advice on how to run his family’s restaurant. So they decide to help each other out, in more ways than one. But what will happen when real feelings get involved? Especially since David’s plan has always been to move away after passing his exam.
Adib Khorram did such an amazing job at creating atmosphere in this story. There’s a lot of lush descriptions of food, wine, the different restaurants, and the chemistry between David and Farzan. Sometimes when YA writers transfer over into adult, their books and characters still end up feeling very YA. But I don’t think that happened here, I feel like the characters being in their late 30s and having more mature issues helped with that. All of the conflict between the characters felt earned by what had come before in the story, it never felt completely out of left field.
I listened to this on audio and I absolutely flew through it. The book is told in a dual POV and both narrators did an excellent job at bringing the story to life, conveying the chemistry between the leads, and fleshing out the side characters.
I’d definitely recommend this for people who love queer romances full of steam, heart, family, food, and personal growth.
Thank you to the publisher for providing an advance copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review....more
I really enjoyed Cathy Yardley’s book Role Playing, so I was super excited to pick up her latest book. It’s another sweet romance between older characI really enjoyed Cathy Yardley’s book Role Playing, so I was super excited to pick up her latest book. It’s another sweet romance between older characters that also has a lot to the story outside of the main relationship. Willa has inherited her great aunt’s house on a small island in the Pacific Northwest. She’s trying to get her life back together after the death of her husband when she meets Hudson, a local handyman. The two become closer as he works on fixing up Willa’s house.
It’s great to see a romance between characters in their 40s who are dealing with different life issues. Willa is getting back into ghostwriting cookbooks after being out of work for a while taking care of her late husband. And Hudson has complex relationships with his different family members and what he wants to continue doing as a career. While he’s a handyman he has taken the step recently to become a contractor, but he also has some secret passions that he hasn’t been pursuing.
The romance between Willa and Hudson is a slow burn. There’s definitely attraction between the two of them right away, but actually expressing that to one another and progressing to a physical and romantic connection takes time. I liked seeing all the scenes of them getting to know one another, and Willa getting to know Hudson’s family. There are a lot of lovely scenes on his family farm and of them sharing food with one another.
Overall this was just a super adorable romance that occasionally dealt with some heavy topics as well. I absolutely flew through it. It’s not the steamiest book on the block, but I feel like Cathy Yardley still did a great job of showing the chemistry and connection between the characters. I’m definitely looking forward to reading more from her in the future.
Thank you to the publisher for providing an advance copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review....more
This was such an amazing reading experience. The Stepford Wives is one of those classic stories that I’ve absorbed through pop culture osmosis withoutThis was such an amazing reading experience. The Stepford Wives is one of those classic stories that I’ve absorbed through pop culture osmosis without seeing any of the adaptations or reading the original text. Going into the book I knew the basic plot, the big reveal, and what themes would be present. But even with having all of that knowledge, it was still extremely fun and suspenseful to follow the story as it played out.
I’m so glad that this new audiobook version convinced me to finally read this. I was drawn in by the narrator January LaVoy, she’s one of my all-time favorites. The book goes by so quickly, but there’s so much covered without it ever feeling rushed.
Definitely give this one a read even if you feel like you already know all the twists and turns.
Thank you to the publisher for providing a copy via NetGalley. All opinions are my own....more
When Cas first enters the reality TV show Hot Summer she’s just there as part of a confidential plan to gain a promotion and secure a partnership betwWhen Cas first enters the reality TV show Hot Summer she’s just there as part of a confidential plan to gain a promotion and secure a partnership between the dating app she works for and the show. She doesn’t have any plans to fall for anyone… until she meets Ada. Could real feelings be growing between the two women? And what about the big secret that Cas is keeping from everyone?
I really enjoyed aspects of this book. Cas and Ada had great chemistry together, it was fun watching their friendship and relationship develop over the course of the story. I also thought that Cas’ hesitance about getting into a serious relationship was well explained and made sense given her history. There were also some entertaining side characters like Sienna, Femi, and Freddie who rounded out the cast nicely. I also loved getting to see bits of the fan reactions from social media in between some of the chapters.
However, I never found myself fully loving the book. I think that aspects of the reality TV show weren’t explained enough or just felt a bit glossed over. I kept feeling confused or not totally engaged with that part of the plot. Perhaps it’s because I’ve never watched Love Island, but I’ve also never watched The Bachelor and haven’t felt myself getting this confused in other reality dating show romance novels. Also, there were just so many side characters that it was overwhelming. A couple were defined, but for the most part they didn’t seem like they were relevant outside of being cannon fodder for elimination from the show. And I thought that the conflict was a bit too easily resolved in the end. Because the book is single POV, I felt like I didn’t get to see enough of Ada’s internal process towards forgiveness.
I know that sounds like a lot of complaints. But I did still like the book even though it didn’t become a new favorite. Perhaps it will work better for readers who are already fans of the Love Island format.
Thank you to the publisher for providing an advance copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review....more
This was such a great follow up to Welcome to St. Hell: My Trans Teen Misadventure. In this book we see Lewis’ journey as a trans man trying to figureThis was such a great follow up to Welcome to St. Hell: My Trans Teen Misadventure. In this book we see Lewis’ journey as a trans man trying to figure out his style and how he wants to present himself to the world. I really enjoy the narrative technique of modern day Lewis having conversations with his younger self. It’s an interesting way to show his evolution past where this particular story ends.
Going away to university, struggling with classes, opening up to a therapist, romance, friendship, struggles with family, fundraising for top surgery, and more are covered within the book. I feel like Lewis does a good job of mixing humor and serious topics throughout the story. I don’t know if he intends on releasing more graphic memoirs, but if he does I’ll definitely read them....more
I did not enjoy this in the slightest. I can see what the author was going for in having commentary about inequality between men and women, mental illI did not enjoy this in the slightest. I can see what the author was going for in having commentary about inequality between men and women, mental illness, and potential murder with the references to Rebecca or Mrs. Dalloway... but I just did not think that she pulled it off at all.
The plot was boring, the characters weren’t compelling, and it was using the lazy literary device of having the main character be an unreliable narrator because of being mentally ill. I really don’t think this should be considered a thriller, it was such a slog and there wasn’t enough payoff with the final reveals.
I think I’m so frustrated by this book because it has kernels of good ideas, but the author just turned them into cliché moments instead of doing something fully unique or exciting. ...more
3.5 - This was a really nice YA book about being an ambitious young woman, figuring out where your priorities lie, friends-to-lovers sapphic romance, 3.5 - This was a really nice YA book about being an ambitious young woman, figuring out where your priorities lie, friends-to-lovers sapphic romance, and learning how to fight back against harassment. Madison was an interesting character to follow. I enjoyed how she didn’t always do the “right” thing in little moments, but when it came down to major events she really stepped up for others and herself.
The journey of following Madison needing to find a new person to be campaign manager for in her school elections might not sound like the most interesting plot on the surface. But that story worked to show her ambition, what she wants to do in the workforce, and show how her new relationship with Victoria differs from her previous relationship with her ex-girlfriend Jade.
There’s also a storyline of Madison uncovering a pattern of sexual harassment at her school and trying to figure out what to do about it. I thought that it was handled really well and showed tricky gray areas where people might feel like what happened to them isn’t serious enough to speak up about. Or how people could try to tell them that they’re just misinterpreting something innocuous. However, I was a bit disappointed by how late that element was added to the story. It ended up feeling a bit rushed, being that it’s mentioned in the plot synopsis I was anticipating more time to be spent on it rather than it just being in the last quarter. It just feels like an important topic that bears having enough time to fully flesh everything out.
But overall I did enjoy the book. I think it brings up important conversations while also remaining a fun YA book with a sweet romance....more
This is a really fascinating read, showing different queer histories of folkloric and mythological entities. I enjoyed Sacha Coward’s writing style, hThis is a really fascinating read, showing different queer histories of folkloric and mythological entities. I enjoyed Sacha Coward’s writing style, he made it very easy to follow along and understand all the different figures and references for someone who wasn’t any type of history or folklore scholar.
Each chapter covers a different “creature,” from mermaids, unicorns, witches, fairies, to things that people might think of as being more modern or not typical beings from folklore like aliens, robots, and superheroes. I liked getting to see the evolution of these different characters and how they have had queer roots going back centuries. These different chapters really go to show how many queer people were involved in the creation of these folkloric creatures and why the stories continue to appeal to so many queer people. I also appreciated how Coward didn’t shy away from referencing messy situations and how these figures weren’t always positive representations.
Definitely check this book out if it sounds interesting to you. It’s not a dry history textbook, Coward’s writing makes the subject really come to life. And it’s compelling to see how these old stories have evolved and how they tie in to the current queer community.
Thank you to the publisher for providing an advance copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review....more
Superhero movie star falls for local drag queen, it’s a tale as old as time. I’m a sucker for a celebrity romance that provides commentary on HollywooSuperhero movie star falls for local drag queen, it’s a tale as old as time. I’m a sucker for a celebrity romance that provides commentary on Hollywood and the sacrifices that people make living in the public eye, so I had a great time with this book. Patrick is in England filming the second Captain Kismet movie when he meets Will, a local drag queen and bookseller. The two become fast friends, which leads to them secretly dating. But how can this work out when Patrick is in the closet publicly and will return back to the US once filming is done?
I felt like this did a really good job at having fun, silly, and steamy moments while also acknowledging the hardships that Patrick and Will are facing. There’s conversations about what coming out could do to Patrick’s career and there are anti-drag protests within the story. But even though these more serious things are touched upon, the overwhelming feeling that I got while reading the book was joy.
There’s an interesting extra element to this book that is going back to the 1940s and including some of the story of the people who originally created the Captain Kismet character. I can be a bit hesitant when romance novels spend too much time away from the main romance, but I think that these little bits added a lot to the overall story and the themes that Philip Ellis was touching upon with queer history and community.
Definitely check this one out if you’re in the market for a fun, queer celebrity romance. It has great side characters, found family, silly drag queen names, as well as big conversations about identity and coming out.
Thank you to the publisher for providing an advance copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review....more
Sleepaway Camp, an 80s slasher with a complicated legacy. I was really excited when I learned that BJ and Harmony Colangelo were writing a book all abSleepaway Camp, an 80s slasher with a complicated legacy. I was really excited when I learned that BJ and Harmony Colangelo were writing a book all about the movie and Angela Baker as a character. I love their podcast This Ends at Prom and articles that I’ve read from them, so I was looking forward to getting a whole book of their insights. I think this book does a great job at explaining the movie itself, the history of how it got made, the cultural context of the time it came out, and the different trans and queer reads people have of the movie.
This isn’t a book that is going to try and tell you the one correct take to have about Angela and whether the movie is homophobic/transphobic or not. I appreciated how they made ties between Aunt Martha’s treatment of Angela and incorrect beliefs that modern conservatives have about trans children. The book doesn’t shy away from bringing up real world transphobia and how media depictions have real influences.
While the entire book is credited to both BJ and Harmony, there are a couple chapters that are by Harmony alone. Her perspective is really fascinating, showing how her experience watching the movie has changed over the years. There’s also some content about her feelings being in the horror community and feeling like her voice only matters to others when people need a trans perspective on a trans movie, but she isn’t called on for collaboration outside of that realm.
Definitely check this one out if you’re interested in a nuanced look at Sleepaway Camp. Coming in under 150 pages, the book is a quick read. But even though it doesn’t have a super long page count, it still manages to touch on so many different topics....more
I absolutely flew through this book. Daphne and Miles were both such great characters and I enjoyed seeing the different ways they connected and copedI absolutely flew through this book. Daphne and Miles were both such great characters and I enjoyed seeing the different ways they connected and coped after their previous relationships blew up. Apart from Daphne and Miles, the book was full of so many interesting side characters who felt like their own fully formed people and played an important part in the plot. Also, the town and all the different locations they visited added so much atmosphere to the overall story.
Even though I had an excellent time reading this book, it never quite got to that 5 star status for me. While I did enjoy Daphne and Miles as characters and I appreciated their romance and chemistry, it was never to the level where I was smiling uncontrollably or giggling because I was so into their relationship. It was just nice, never “OH MY GOD I’M LOVING THIS SO MUCH!! for me....more
Patrick Ness is such an interesting author. I love how he writes books in wildly different genres yet still seamlessly incorporates stories about idenPatrick Ness is such an interesting author. I love how he writes books in wildly different genres yet still seamlessly incorporates stories about identity and prejudice. Different For Boys incorporates some illustrations and black bars censoring certain words which gives the book a unique feel. The story is about Ant’s experiences being closeted at school, having a secret relationship, and wondering when exactly does a boy who likes boys stop being a virgin.
The book is funny at times and serious at other moments. The conversations that it’s having about sex and sexuality are interesting, especially when paired with the theme of censorship and how that impacts queer youth.
This is a super quick read, I’d definitely recommend it for fans of queer contemporary YA stories....more
I really appreciated how this book got right down to business with Avery figuring out that she’s inheriting this massive fortune from some random billI really appreciated how this book got right down to business with Avery figuring out that she’s inheriting this massive fortune from some random billionaire. It was a fun, fast-paced book but I still ended up annoyed at some of the focus within the plot. I just could not make myself care about any of the random romantic scenes between her and the different brothers. Your life and billions of dollars are on the line, now is not the time!
Also, I was having trouble keeping the two love interests straight in my head, they were blending together. And I found one of the big reveals to be extremely predictable. Since this is the first book in a series it poses way more questions than it answers. But even though I had an okay time reading it I can’t see myself picking up the sequels....more
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