“If the mind is desperate to convey a thought, that thought will not be ignored.” I’m a big fan of T.J. Alexander’s romances, not only for their lyrical writing and frequent trans protagonists, but also for how skilled they are at getting me to root for that happy ending. Their latest book, A Lady for AllRead More
Grief, First Love, and the Power of a Really Good Meal: This Feast of a Life by Cynthia So
This Feast of a Life by Holden So, writing as Cynthia So, explores grief, identity, first love, and the power of a really good meal. Spanning a year and some change, the story follows Auden, who has only recently begun to explore their nonbinary identity, and Valerie, who is still reeling from the death of herRead More
A Queer Coming-of-Age Story Told From the Margins (Literally): The Secret Astronomers by Jessica Walker Review
I tend to take a traditional approach to fiction. I learned the three elements of a story—plot, setting, character—pretty early, and it stuck because is made sense. The Secret Astronomers by Jessica Walker is an exception. Before genre or protagonist, above theme or prose, this book’s most remarkable feature is its format. It’s a tale told inRead More
A Steamy Friends-to-Lovers Beach Read: My Best Friend’s Honeymoon by Meryl Wilsner Review
This summer, I really fell in love with reading by the water. I did some beach reading, but mostly, I just packed a bottle of water and a snack, walked myself down to the waterway, found a bench, and cracked open a book. It’s so peaceful. And between the cover and setting of My BestRead More
Monsters Above and Below the Waves: They Bloom at Night by Trang Thanh Tran Review
After a banger debut with She is a Haunting, I was eager to get my hands on Trang Tranh Tran’s sophomore novel They Bloom at Night. Tran delivers another gripping story, with atmospheric tension intertwined with the struggle to fit in to your own body and community. This book dragged me in as relentless the tides, and thenRead More
Be Gay Do Heists: Hammajang Luck by Makana Yamamoto Review
There are few things more satisfying than watching a plan unfold with no hiccups—or with a few hiccups that get resolved in the most epic of ways. Heist plots are perfect for creating that irresistible balance of intrigue, action, and suspense that makes me keep on turning the page. Hammajang Luck by Makana Yamamoto is aRead More
Jane Austen Meets Queer History: I Shall Never Fall in Love by Hari Conner Review
This Pride Month, I wanted to highlight I Shall Never Fall in Love by Hari Conner, a YA historical romance graphic novel that is one of my favorite comics I’ve read this year. I feel that it’s important to recognize that we have always been here, and not without opportunities for love and personal expression. George, theirRead More
Heart & Heist in Hammajang Luck by Makana Yamamoto
The cover of Makana Yamamoto’s (they/she/he) Hammajang Luck boldly proclaims its niche as “Sci-fi Heist.” Yamamoto further delineates their novel as a “cyberpunk lesbian space heist,” so it’s safe to say that I was all the way intrigued. The first page yanked me in with the phrase, “Mother just grounded me for war crimes.” One unexpected snort-laughRead More
Large Format Photograph as Novel: Housemates by Emma Copley Eisenberg
Some of my favourite books can be accurately described as “slow.” In fact, I so enjoy a character-based story that when I hear “nothing happens in this book,” it bumps it up my TBR. So, it was a surprise to me to find myself slogging through Housemates feeling like nothing was happening. If it wasn’tRead More
A Cyberpunk Heist: Hammajang Luck by Makana Yamamoto Review
I picked up Hammajang Luck by Makana Yamamoto during the Trans Rights Readathon, as the dramatic setup for this cyberpunk heist novel compelled me. It ended up being one of the most memorable stories I read for the event. Edie’s last heist ended with them being sold out by their childhood friend, Angel, and spending eight yearsRead More