A Language of Limbs starts in Newcastle in 1972, when two teenage girls each make a choice about love. The story spans three decades, and tracks theseA Language of Limbs starts in Newcastle in 1972, when two teenage girls each make a choice about love. The story spans three decades, and tracks these two lives through life, love, grief, heartbreak, happiness, and everything in between. Hardcastle carefully weaves pivotal moments in history into these characters' stories, and explores how they impact their lives in different ways.
This is really a gem of a book. The prose is lyrical and beautiful without being overdone or flowery. There are lines throughout that feel like a punch straight to the heart. The way that the language flowed from one of our main characters to the other was incredibly impactful and moving. The cast of characters is so full of life, and each brings a new perspective of the queer experience to the story. This story says so much about love and friendship, and I think there is something in here that every reader will be able to connect with in some way.
Thank you to Penguin Group and NetGalley for the Arc of this book....more
Stag Dance contains one novel and three novellas that are each tied together by their overall themes and exploration of gender identity. This format fStag Dance contains one novel and three novellas that are each tied together by their overall themes and exploration of gender identity. This format feels very fresh, and I was very interested to see how each of the stories would work with one another in this setup.
After I finished this book, I sat with it for several days before I could really decide how I, personally, felt about it. I thoroughly enjoyed Peters' storytelling, and, upon finishing the first story in this collection (Infect Your Friends and Loved Ones), immediately wanted to read more. However, what I found throughout was that the stories seemed to need more time to develop and unfold. There was so much to explore with each character, and so little space to explore it in. Overall, while I thought the stories were each unique and interesting, I was left wanting at the end of each and didn't feel as satisfied as I would have liked. However, I do think that the discussions happening in this collection are important and Detransition, Baby has climbed to the top of my to be read list. The cover is also just incredible.
For those of you who may not be into (view spoiler)[animal cruelty (hide spoiler)], take some caution with the second story in this book.
Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for the eArc of this book!...more
Open, Heaven is the debut novel of Seán Hewitt. It follows James, a teenage boy growing up in a small village in England, through the year in which heOpen, Heaven is the debut novel of Seán Hewitt. It follows James, a teenage boy growing up in a small village in England, through the year in which he meets Luke, the rebellious nephew of a local farmer and James' first love.
This is a small but mighty little novel, which somehow manages to pack so much into its pages. It deals with love, sexuality, grief, desire, and everything else that comes along with growing up. It is really a moving slice of life novel, with a hint of nostalgia woven throughout. And while James is truly the heart of this book, his connections with the other characters are what truly made my heart ache and swell as the story unfolded.
Hewitt's prose is decidedly unmatched, and at this point I would read his grocery list just to see how he'd make me feel about produce and dairy.
Thank you to the publisher Knopf and NetGalley for the eArc of this book!...more
From the opening line of Anyone's Ghost, I really thought I knew what to expect from this book. First of all"It took three car crashes to kill Jake."
From the opening line of Anyone's Ghost, I really thought I knew what to expect from this book. First of all, let me get the usual praise out of the way: Thompson's writing is captivating, Theron and Jake's story is heartbreakingly tender, and anyone who wants to finish a book and then sit and stare at the wall until their emotions can reach equilibrium again should go out and get their hands on this one in particular.
But, as someone who grew up in New Hampshire in the early aughts, I have to take a second to explain how deeply part one of Theron and Jake's story, specifically, got me. There are scenes that felt like a memory, like a childhood that I didn't truly expect to miss as much as I do. Cruising up and down 93, blasting The Postal Service, spending every waking second with friends who are now in far flung places, and feeling like maybe nothing could ever be this good again, somehow 140 pages of this book brought all of that rushing back. I'll never really get to experience all of that again, but I'm glad to have spent time with Theron and Jake as they burned through a New Hampshire summer together.
Truly, thanks to August Thompson for this one. ...more
Don't Let the Forest In is a YA gothic horror and, my goodness, is a hauntingly good time. We follow Andrew, a high school senior at Wickwood Academy Don't Let the Forest In is a YA gothic horror and, my goodness, is a hauntingly good time. We follow Andrew, a high school senior at Wickwood Academy who writes creepy fairytales to share with his best friend, Thomas. In turn, Thomas produces whimsical and terrifying sketches to go along with Andrew's stories. Upon returning to Wickwood for his senior year, Andrew soon discovers that something is off with both Thomas and Andrew's twin sister, Dove; Thomas keeps going into the off-limits focus and Dove keeps avoiding the both of them. Andrew is completely devoted to Thomas and determined to help his friend. Even if that means fighting the monsters from Thomas' drawings, which keep coming to life and seem determined to kill anyone that Thomas holds dear.
From the first line, this book had me hooked. Drews' writing is gripping and beautiful and so incredibly atmospheric. The monsters really clawed their way off the page, and I could feel the moss and taste the mud right alongside Andrew. I'm pretty sure I may have even been stabbed by an antler or two when all was said and done. There were times when I just wanted to pause and appreciate a particular word choice or phrase -- and I probably would have, if I didn't absolutely need to know what happened next.
Andrew and Thomas are terribly haunted high school boys and they are compelling characters separately, but it's their devotion to one another that really propels the story forward. They would absolutely, 100% murder a monster (maybe even in the form of a bigoted high school boy) for one another, and I applaud them for it. I was happy to spend every page rooting for them: come on boys, kill that monster and just kiss already!
This is one that I did not want to put down and would have finished in one sitting if it wasn't for pesky work getting in the way. It is certainly one that I will be recommending to anyone who enjoys horror and books about incredibly intense friendships. Thank you to Macmillan Children's Publishing and NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book!...more
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