I was expecting a sex ed book to increase mindfulness around sex/sexuality, and I absolutely got that!
What I didn't count on getting was a book that iI was expecting a sex ed book to increase mindfulness around sex/sexuality, and I absolutely got that!
What I didn't count on getting was a book that is so filled with love and spirituality, or a book that is actually inclusive of trans/aro/ace people (a lot of "inclusive" sex ed books just pay lip service to these identities but aren't structured in a way that's actually inclusive of them). The author is straightforward and clear in her explanations without being too rigid, and she offers a good variety of different breathing techniques, massages, and other tools that can be used to create a tantric experience that's tailored to an individual's (or a couple's, or a group's) needs.
I was worried this might be too woo-woo or too complicated for me as someone who knows nothing about Tantra, but it's not. I could go on for ages about how perfect this book was, but I will say that I wished I'd picked it up a lot earlier in my "reading sex ed books" journey than I did. I think everyone should read this, even if you're not interested in having partnered sex (or solo sex). There are a lot of tactics that can help with relaxation and establishing/deepening connections with others, and overall, this book offers a really healthy approach to sex and sexuality....more
I haven’t loved a romance like this in a long time. Livy and Ben fit so well together and the plot kept me intrigued throughout the whole book. The isI haven’t loved a romance like this in a long time. Livy and Ben fit so well together and the plot kept me intrigued throughout the whole book. The issue of addiction was handled really well without demonizing addicts, and I liked seeing a Chinese side character in a Western-set historical romance who wasn’t a racist caricature.
(Sidenote: if the author ever decides to write a book/series about Master Chen’s backstory, I will be all over that.)
I went into this a little hesitant about the fact that Ben had known Livy since she was a kid, but the development of their relationship from friendship to romance was handled very well and never felt icky to me. It helped that Livy was the one who initiated that shift in their relationship and that Ben didn’t start thinking of Livy romantically/sexually until she was 19. Obviously other folks might feel differently, but since that was a big reason I hesitated to pick up this book, I felt it was worth mentioning.
Definitely going to pick up the rest of this series, although I (somewhat selfishly) wish it was all about Livy and Ben doing detective work together....more
I’ve read a few books by Ann Aguirre, but this is by far my favorite. The premise is kind of bonkers, but all of the characters have so much heart andI’ve read a few books by Ann Aguirre, but this is by far my favorite. The premise is kind of bonkers, but all of the characters have so much heart and depth, so it totally works.
There’s a lot I could say about this, but the heart of the matter is this: if you played Mass Effect so you could get intimate with aliens, you should probably read this book....more
My heart is just overflowing for love with this book. It’s everything a retelling should be: faithful to the original spirit of the story while makingMy heart is just overflowing for love with this book. It’s everything a retelling should be: faithful to the original spirit of the story while making it more relevant to modern readers. Do yourself a favor and pick it up, even if you’ve never read Little Women....more
I was in the middle of this book when I was admitted to inpatient treatment for mental health, which made the message of it even more powerful. The coI was in the middle of this book when I was admitted to inpatient treatment for mental health, which made the message of it even more powerful. The collection covers a wide variety of mental health conditions, examining them in a variety of fashions. It was eye-opening to read about how others experience their mental illnesses and how they relate to my own. I was pleasantly surprised to see an essay on trichotillomania (the compulsion to pull out hair, often comorbid with eating disorders or OCD), which is a condition that’s usually overlooked in mental health conversations.
I loved many essays in this collection, but my fave by far is Meredith Russo’s “Coda.” I read it that first morning in the hospital and it was exactly what I needed before facing my first day of inpatient, as Russo writes about her own experience in inpatient treatment. Her essay helped me to face the many new and intimidating parts of the day with a little less fear than I would’ve had otherwise.
Highly rec for anyone who wants to read firsthand accounts of a variety of mental illnesses....more
Normally when I read a collection of short stories, I really love a few, like some, and am “meh” about others.
Not with this collection. Every story waNormally when I read a collection of short stories, I really love a few, like some, and am “meh” about others.
Not with this collection. Every story was great and the collection itself had a good mix of different genres (SF, fantasy, historical, contemporary, etc.) and covered a broad spectrum of disabilities. I loved this book and am not going to shut up about it for a very long time....more
Despite the seemingly hetero title, this book is queer af.
It’s also a wonderfully complex portrait of the titular character that deals with many of thDespite the seemingly hetero title, this book is queer af.
It’s also a wonderfully complex portrait of the titular character that deals with many of the issues of racism, sexism, and homophobia that were (and still are) prevalent in Hollywood.
Would definitely recommend to anyone who likes Old Hollywood film stars and/or complicated female MCs....more
Exhausting to read, but in the best possible way. I grew up in an anti-gay Christian environment and thus have carried a lot of shame and anxiety abouExhausting to read, but in the best possible way. I grew up in an anti-gay Christian environment and thus have carried a lot of shame and anxiety about my queer identity. Reading this book helped me to let go of it thanks to Boswell's excellent analyses of primary religious texts and his understanding of them within their specific literary and historical texts.
From a scholarly point, I see why this was so foundational in studies of pre-modern sexuality: Boswell took on a massive task in writing this book, but managed to see it through admirably. He uses a huge range of sources and analyzes them exceptionally well, contextualizing everything very clearly. The conclusion does fall a little bit flat, but overall, this is an amazing work that anyone interested in pre-modern sexuality and/or anyone studying Christianity needs to read....more
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