We opened a new branch at my library this past summer and our focus on diverse materials drew some criticism that went viral. It was incredibly upliftWe opened a new branch at my library this past summer and our focus on diverse materials drew some criticism that went viral. It was incredibly uplifting, in a year that is seeing a lot of censorship and pushback on inclusive representation, to get support from all over the world. Part of that support was a bunch of donations from publishers, authors and patrons of books. This was one of those books. Who knew a board book could hit on so many levels? It is a gorgeous and vibrant book full of colors and fun animals. The author is a scientist and knocks us out with actual facts about same sex relationships in the animal kingdom. Just lovely....more
Breaking my no reviews rule for 2020 AGAIN to say, when she is adopted by a kitten and the vet's office asks her for a name, she panics and names the Breaking my no reviews rule for 2020 AGAIN to say, when she is adopted by a kitten and the vet's office asks her for a name, she panics and names the kitten...Catmas Evergreen. CATMAS. EVERGREEN.
This is the read that made me fully realize that I need to stop reading romance novellas because about when it's over I'm ready for the story to kick This is the read that made me fully realize that I need to stop reading romance novellas because about when it's over I'm ready for the story to kick in with the details about what makes our characters tick. Instead, I am left there going what just happened, wtf, this sucks and it isn't a reflection on anything other than it is too little of a story to grab my attention. ...more
A little Harry Potter + a noire mystery feel + a nice mix of queer characters and I should have adored this book. It went off the rails a little bit fA little Harry Potter + a noire mystery feel + a nice mix of queer characters and I should have adored this book. It went off the rails a little bit for me but was an enjoyable listen. ...more
Sergeant Major Nicholas Nowicki doesn’t do Santa. He's as linear as you can get and takes his military career very seriously. However, he'll do anythiSergeant Major Nicholas Nowicki doesn’t do Santa. He's as linear as you can get and takes his military career very seriously. However, he'll do anything for his CO whose husband is recovering from a heart attack and can't be the town Santa. Teddy adores everything about Christmas and is the helpful and flirty elf assistant to our curmudgeon Santa. Will sparks fly? Oh, you can count on it.
As we discussed in book club-holiday books get cut some slack as we all turned off our book analysis brains and just enjoyed the story. It was cute and there was a lot of humor but not nearly enough flirty Christmas puns....more
It is 1963 and Hazel and Mari have just met at church bingo. It isn't long before they are fast friends and admit that they love each other. Once theyIt is 1963 and Hazel and Mari have just met at church bingo. It isn't long before they are fast friends and admit that they love each other. Once they are found out by their families, Mari was forced to marry a man or be disowned and Hazel followed suit the next year and life goes on. When a chance reunion nearly fifty years later happens anything can happen...
Told from the viewpoint of Hazel, we get to see snippets of the life she has lived since losing Mari. She had a loving husband, children and now grandchildren that mean the world to her but if she's honest-which she only is once Mari is back in the picture-it was not a true love marriage. Mari's story is lightly brushed upon but it is here that I got a little hung up on the story line structure and flow. Some editing and consistency would have bumped this so much higher in my rating. I would have liked to see the messy and the love shine through with a little less bandwagon and back & forth. This is a lovely intersectional romance, I just wanted a little more. ...more
"God bless the book people for their boundless knowledge absorbed from having words instead of friends."
When I first heard about this book I was like,"God bless the book people for their boundless knowledge absorbed from having words instead of friends."
When I first heard about this book I was like, what isn't to like about an 18th century bisexual gentleman going on an adventure with his bff and his annoying sister who would rather be reading? Reality didn't seem quite as good and two attempts of reading it couldn't keep me engaged. I gave it another go for book club and decided to listen to it. Brilliant idea!
Percy isn't a character you will like much but listening to his antics in a British voice full of catty sass makes it much better as you wait for him to get his *gestures to everything* together. This book deals with a lot of stuff (abuse, being gay is a crime, racism, sexism etc...) but in a more brushstrokes than real peril way.
The best part is the shade. I'm working several into my repertoire.
"He looks ready to tuck back into the demanding occupation of scowling."
I was going to call this the "that made me smile" book because that phrase is repeated to infinity. BUT! I just finished listening to it and am a happI was going to call this the "that made me smile" book because that phrase is repeated to infinity. BUT! I just finished listening to it and am a happy chirping yet blubbering mess of goo wondering where this book has been in my life. ...more
It is the 1920s in an upper-class neighborhood in London. Many are still trying to recover from the war and Frances Wray and her mother are no differeIt is the 1920s in an upper-class neighborhood in London. Many are still trying to recover from the war and Frances Wray and her mother are no different. Having lost the men in the household (father and two brothers) they are forced to take on tenants in hopes of being able to stay in their home. Lilian and Leonard Barber are young, middle class and very unsettling yet Frances can't help but be drawn into their lives and secrets.
Ok. For about 98% of this book I was certain that Frances just needed to follow the sage advice of Sharon Jones and the Daptones when it comes to dating and love. 100 days and 1oo nights to know someone's heart. Everything before that is just a show to convince you that should fall for this person. The truth of the matter takes a little longer. It was all predictable but I appreciated the dark almost Rebecca feel to the story and the almost definite tragic ending that was coming down the line.
Then the last 2% happened and I was like, SIGH. There is truth in the lesbian u-haul joke and this book just proved it. What was disappointing about this was that the dark and dire 540+ pages before it had no climax, just a whimper.
Sarah Waters is an author that it seems everyone loves but me. A good friend encouraged me to give her another try here and I'm not sorry because now my opinion is solidified. ...more
"It was impossible to feel alone in a room full of favorite books. I had the sense that they knew me personally, that they'd read me cover to cover as"It was impossible to feel alone in a room full of favorite books. I had the sense that they knew me personally, that they'd read me cover to cover as I'd read them."
Attending a performing arts school you are surrounded everyday by folks just as passionate as you about music, dance, drama etc... Jordan has an unusual and low voice for a girl and that has prohibited her from landing any gigs in performances the school put on. She's there on scholarship and her family who has been struggling to hold it together insists that since she isn't good enough to land gigs in school she just needs to come home and help contribute. Desperate, Jordan tries out for the all male a cappella group that could make her career. Only problem? Julian (aka Jordan) doesn't really exist now does he?
The classic She's the Man story updated for today's culture. It was hard to let go of how easily everyone accepted this new person as a part of their school/classes/organizations with no ID or proof of existence. BUT, where that let me down the inclusion was really nice. Jordan actually checked herself in how this would affect transgender students. Whenever she got caught, the responses were much less "bash your face in because you made me think I was gay" and more "Oh, you're hiding being transgender and that's cool." While that wasn't true in Jordan's case, it was just refreshing to have such a nice mix of arts, humor, diversity, realistic bisexuality representation as well as lgbtq support. ...more
Sometimes, I think my story is a little wacked out and wild. Then I read Allison Moon and I am reminded at how middle of the road my experiences are iSometimes, I think my story is a little wacked out and wild. Then I read Allison Moon and I am reminded at how middle of the road my experiences are in this life. Still, it is nice to read a sex positive and shameless account of her experiences and stumblings and acceptance of her sexual identity. As much of it as I couldn't even begin to relate to for that, it is refreshing to see representation. ...more
"The scent of Emma's skin stopped my heart. I was paralyzed, even though every part of me wanted me to throw myself at her."
I imagine every lesbian o"The scent of Emma's skin stopped my heart. I was paralyzed, even though every part of me wanted me to throw myself at her."
I imagine every lesbian or bisexual woman is going to write what I am about to write. This took me back to the first time I realized a woman's brown eyes were staring at me, intently, and not as just a friend. The self-shame coupled with the intense passion of waking up...there is nothing like it and Maroh captures the search for identity so fucking well. The art is beautiful and the first time I read through Blue, I did so without reading the words-just stunning. Take a deep breath, grab some tissues and just read.
"Maybe this is eternal love, this mixture of peace and fire."...more
"It's always that one word that makes you so different and puts you outside the overlap of everyone else; and that word is so fucking big and loud, it"It's always that one word that makes you so different and puts you outside the overlap of everyone else; and that word is so fucking big and loud, it's the only thing anyone ever hears when your name is spoken. And whenever that happens to us, all the other words that make us the same disappear in its shadow."
Ryan Dean is a 14-year-old who presents as a dork-he's in a boarding school for rich kids and gets to room with the school bully. The girl he's totally in love with thinks of him as a kid and things go downhill from there. Rugby and his friends are his only salvation. The problem, for me, was that he really wasn't a dork. He had a strong network of friends, loyal friends that were protective. He was an admired rugby player. Sure, he had a few enemies and got into trouble-but who doesn't at 14? I just didn't buy into his dorkness but that is not to say this was a bad book. Lots of emotion, quick pace, and developing the character of a high school dude...hormones and all. There are twists and none of them are unexpected but they still break your heart and make you angry. My favorite part was the drawings a comics interspersed around the book, because Ryan Dean is also an artist. They were done really well, made me laugh and added an nice element to the read. ...more
I sat down with this as a much needed break from committee reading as it was a recent gift that had a lot of meaning behind it.
DAR is a honest and inI sat down with this as a much needed break from committee reading as it was a recent gift that had a lot of meaning behind it.
DAR is a honest and intimate look at a woman who is super funny, crass and finds herself in complete confusion when she gets a lady boner(omg, I could not write this without putting that in here) for a guy when she identifies as a lesbian. You know how people say how important it is to see self-representation in this life? I've felt that as a woman, I've felt that as a lesbian and now I search for it in this middle ground I find myself in. Very few really get it and it was nice to take some time and laugh with a woman that does. ...more
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