As a librarian, my TBR (to-be-read) shelf is never ending. Every time I think I am going to crack down on my whole bookshelf of unread books, something amazing comes through the returns chute, or my VERY well-meaning coworkers share something that they think I will love (most times they are right on the money) and I get distracted. But I can still hear the soft cries of the books I have left on the TBR bookshelf for so long, and in honor of their sacrifice, I would love to highlight some of the titles that I desperately want to read someday.
Where Sleeping Girls Lie by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé
In Àbíké-Íyímídé’s sophomore novel, Sade Hussein is unsure about how her new life at the prestigious Alfred Nobel Academy will go—she certainly didn’t expect her roommate, Elizabeth, to disappear and to be pinned as the reason why. As Sade gets further involved in the social hierarchy of the school, she juggles her search for Elizabeth with a growing attraction to popular girl Persephone and ongoing familial grief. But when another student shows up dead, can Sade figure out what happened to Elizabeth before it is too late?
I grabbed a copy of Where Sleeping Girls Lie because I love how atmospheric Àbíké-Íyímídé’s writing was in her debut, Ace of Spades. I have never been in a boarding school, but her vivid descriptions made it so I didn’t need to. In all honestly, Ace of Spades made me start reading dark academia fiction and I have been chasing that high ever since. I can’t wait to read Where Sleeping Girls Lie and to relive that suspenseful joy again!
The Year My Life Went Down the Toilet by Jake Maia Arlow
After suffering on both a physical and emotional level, Al finally has an answer for why her stomach hurts all the time: she has Crohn’s disease. However, getting diagnosed doesn’t solve the problem, and it only gets worse when everyone wants to talk to her about it. Amidst joining a support group for other kids with chronic illnesses (which doubles unofficially as a LGBTQ+ support group), Al also is struggling with her best friend focusing on a hobby that doesn’t interest her, a growing crush on another girl in the support group, and her mom dating her best friend’s mom! Middle school is already difficult enough, but will Al get through it in one piece?
Like Where Sleeping Girls Lie, I also picked up The Year My Life Went Down the Toilet because of Arlow’s backlist. Their middle grade debut Almost Flying may not have been the first middle grade book I ever picked up, but it was the one that made me fall in love with the genre as an adult. I love how Arlow’s writing never patronizes the reader and feels true to the perspective of a middle grader. I am also very excited for the disability rep in The Year My Life Went Down the Toilet!
The Dos and Donuts of Love by Adiba Jaigirdar
Shireen has a lot riding on her winning the Irish Junior Baking Show. Not only will winning the competition give her something to focus on other than her recent breakup with Chris, it also comes with prize money and exposure for her parents’ donut shop, You Drive Me Glazy! But when Shireen arrives, the road to winning is paved with obstacles, such as that same ex also competing while another contestant stirs feelings in Shireen. Will Shireen win the competition… and perhaps someone’s heart?
I love fluffy stories that incorporate baking, so when I heard about Jaigirdar’s The Dos and Donuts of Love, I had to have it. I am very excited to see how Jaigirdar discusses food (will there be recipes?!) and will have to prep some baked goods to eat while I read this! I also love the cover art: it is so cute and vibrant!
Rise to the Sun by Leah Johnson
A music festival can be a lot of things—for Olivia, it’s a distraction from the stress of senior year and the breakup that destroyed her social life. For Toni, it’s a chance to reconnect with her recently deceased musician father and to find inspiration for her own path in life. But when the two meet, they band together as the festival changes everything they thought they knew about life, love, and music.
I have heard some great things about Rise to the Sun, but what caught my attention was the focus on self-discovery and platonic relationships as well as on the romance between Olivia and Toni. As a demisexual and autistic person, I love being able to see the clear progression from strangers to friends and then to lovers—it just makes the most sense to me! I am also excited for the character development—from what I heard, both Olivia and Toni are very messy and definitely have room to grow from the get-go. I can’t wait to see how Johnson weaves this story of growth and healing!
The Mermaid, the Witch, and the Sea by Maggie Tokuda-Hall
In this high sea fantasy, Flora didn’t choose the pirate life for kicks and giggles—she is pretending to be man (Florian) so she can survive, especially since she knows that the passengers on the Dove will be sold into slavery. But when she forms a connection with the Lady Evelyn, who is on her way to an unwanted arranged marriage, Flora’s plans evolve from survival to escape. With a mermaid, a witch, and more, the two embark on a fantastical escape.
Pirates, but make it queer?! ABSOLUTELY. I am one of those readers who fell in love with queer pirate stories after reading Can’t Spell Treason Without Tea and I have high hopes for The Mermaid, the Witch, and the Sea. There are also supposed to be some deep discussions about colonialism and imperialism, which I am curious about!
The Queer Girl Is Going to Be Okay by Dale Walls
Dawn may not have her own queer love story, but she knows that her documentary about queer love and featuring queer people can get her a scholarship to film school. Her friends, Edie and Georgia, have similar struggles; Edie is dating a nonbinary person and is not sure how to tell her parents, and Georgia is dealing with college rejections. Together, the trio pursue their dreams and live their best queer lives.
Right off the bat, the title got me. I was at a library conference and perusing the vendor hall book selections, and the words “The Queer Girl Is Going To Be Okay” made me pause and look closer. In a world full of queer trauma and discord, it is soothing to have a guarantee of some queer joy, especially in a story set in Houston, Texas (you know what I mean).
Even though this list encompasses a very small percentage of my unread books, I promise that I am not completely hopeless! I am actively reading through my advanced reader copy (ARC) TBR and loving my current read Isn’t It Obvious? by Rachel Runya Katz. In this bi4bi romance, high school librarian Yael has a secret podcast that examines and critiques the mandated high school reading curriculum and it is gaining popularity beyond Yael’s skill set. She decides to hire Kevin, a long-distance freelance editor/producer, but doesn’t realize she knows him in real life as Ravi, her roommate’s disingenuous one-night-stand and volunteer for her afterschool queer teen book club. Ravi is in the dark too, since Yael uses a pseudonym, and the two begin falling for each other in both contexts. I am obsessed with Yael’s queer recs and Ravi’s sweetness towards his niece, Mia, and am anxiously waiting for the workday to end so I can get back to Isn’t It Obvious and the rest of my TBR shelf. Be sure to put this enchanting read on your preorder list—this book comes out on October 21st!
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