I couldn’t believe that this novel, The Stars and the Blackness Between Them, was a debut work! It was so poetic and lyrically written, and Petrus painted such a vibrant picture into the lives of Audre and Mabel. This story has two primary voices: Audre, a teen from Trinidad who is now living in Minneapolis,Read More
Sheila Laroque reviews Laid Bare by Astrid Ohletz and Jae
With everything going on, Laid Bare gave me everything I was looking for and more. I don’t typically read or listen to erotica, but with this collection it was a perfect type of escape that I was looking forward to with each new story. I enjoyed the short story format, as well as listening to it inRead More
Sheila Laroque reviews Music From Another World by Robin Talley
Reading this was the comforting visit from a great pal that I was so desperate for this week. This story takes place in 1977; across Orange County and San Francisco. I should disclose that I believe that any way that one consumes books counts as reading, even if more technically you are listening. It allRead More
Sheila reviews Disintegrate/Dissociate by Arielle Twist
I wanted to read something shorter, that I could put down and come back to as my attention comes and goes these days. I was very happy to pick up (or download, whatever) this work of poetry, Disintegrate/Dissociate by Arielle Twist. This isn’t to say that these poems are of a lighter subject manner. ManyRead More
Sheila reviews Wolf by Chris Fenwick
The first book in the State Changers series by Chris Fenwick is Wolf. I wanted to read this book to expand more outside of what I usually read. I used to read a lot of fantasy books when I was younger, and thought that this would be a great way to dip back into thisRead More
Sheila Laroque reviews A Two-Spirit Journey: The Autobiography of a Lesbian Ojibwa-Cree Elder by Ma-Nee Chacaby
I gravitate towards autobiography and memoir writing, so I was delighted to find this autobiography when I was browsing for something to read. This is the personal narrative of Ma-Nee’s life, and a great documentation about all of the changes that she has experienced. From living out on the land, to being closer with communitiesRead More
Sheila Laroque reviews Holy Wild by Gwen Benaway
As I’ve said in previous reviews; I haven’t widely read a great deal of poetry. Nor do I have the lived experience of a trans person. However, reading this collection of poetry by Gwen Benaway I felt drawn into her world and stories, and I felt like I could understand a little bit better. TheRead More
Sheila Laroque reviews Maiden, Mother Crone: Fantastical Trans Femmes by Gwen Benaway
I became aware of Gwen Benaway this fall on twitter (@GwenBenaway) with the controversy that was happening in Toronto with the public library and a hateful speaker. More of Gwen’s writing on her experiences of these events can be found here. Also, this fall she won the Governor General’s Literary Award for Poetry for herRead More
Sheila Laroque reviews Calling Down the Sky by Rosanna Deerchild
I’m not much of a poetry person. I never have been. I’m the type of librarian who only took the required English courses; and I definitely don’t have an English literature degree. However, I wanted to challenge myself to diversify my reading beyond what I usually go for. I admit that I avoid poetry becauseRead More
Sheila Laroque reviews Nîtisânak by Lindsay Nixon
Nîtisânak is the Cree word for family; and Linday’s non-fiction account of growing up punk, queer and Indigenous in smaller cities of the Canadian prairies will resonate with many folks from many walks of life. After all, the concept of a ‘chosen family’ has been discussed widely in queer writings before, but nîtisânak brings newRead More