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Karla Dee (6 KP) rated Ophelia After All in Books
Feb 12, 2022
This was an amazing latina queer coming of age story that I think many people can relate to much like Juliet Takes a Breath by Gabby Rivera. It's a very diverse coming of age story and I couldn't wait to recommend this one to my bewk club. There was a lot of representation in this book including characters who were bisexual, biromantic, aromantic, pansexual, and plus size. Ophelia coming out was messy and this topic came up in our last book club meeting because we have a latina lesbian in our book club so this book is a perf read for us.
I think that the way Ophelia's crisis was handled was messy but hs typically is when you are trying to find yourself and Racquel did a really good job of showing the complexities of hs. I also loved the characters Wesley, Agatha, Sammie, and Talia. This could be the next big HS tv show hit after Euphoria and I am all for it. Def would want to cast Maddie in a role. #teamophelia
I think that the way Ophelia's crisis was handled was messy but hs typically is when you are trying to find yourself and Racquel did a really good job of showing the complexities of hs. I also loved the characters Wesley, Agatha, Sammie, and Talia. This could be the next big HS tv show hit after Euphoria and I am all for it. Def would want to cast Maddie in a role. #teamophelia
ClareR (5577 KP) rated Wild Things in Books
Jun 25, 2023
I enjoyed this a lot!
The main character, Eleanor, is stuck in a rut, so she decides to do one wild thing every month for a year. Something that pushes her out of her comfort zone. When one of her best friends splits up with his girlfriend, El and two other of their friends decide to buy their house together - a kind of ‘Queer Commune’. A commune because there’s four of them living there as equal partners in the ownership. And it’s a decent commute time outside of London.
Only El has a huge crush on one of her housemates, Ray. And she’s had an unrequited crush on her for quite a while.
I love Laura Kay’s writing. Yes, it’s a romance, but it’s not teeth-clenchingly sweet, and El’s personal growth is as central to the story as the romance itself.
Jamie is fabulous, Will is the sensible one - all great characters and people you’d love to know and be friends with.
I’m definitely becoming a firm Laura Kay fan!
The main character, Eleanor, is stuck in a rut, so she decides to do one wild thing every month for a year. Something that pushes her out of her comfort zone. When one of her best friends splits up with his girlfriend, El and two other of their friends decide to buy their house together - a kind of ‘Queer Commune’. A commune because there’s four of them living there as equal partners in the ownership. And it’s a decent commute time outside of London.
Only El has a huge crush on one of her housemates, Ray. And she’s had an unrequited crush on her for quite a while.
I love Laura Kay’s writing. Yes, it’s a romance, but it’s not teeth-clenchingly sweet, and El’s personal growth is as central to the story as the romance itself.
Jamie is fabulous, Will is the sensible one - all great characters and people you’d love to know and be friends with.
I’m definitely becoming a firm Laura Kay fan!
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated I Kissed a Girl in Books
Aug 12, 2021
A fun movie set romance
Noa Birnbaum's dream is to work in the movies: in horror special effects and makeup. She finally gets a chance to work on a real movie (one step closer to joining the union), but it means dropping out of school, where she's earning her theater degree. Her parents won't be pleased. On the set, she's face to face with actress Lilah Silver, whom Noa has had a crush on for ages. Lilah has her own dreams, to move beyond B-list horror films and into true stardom. This starring role as the "final girl" could be her opportunity. When she meets openly out Noa, Lilah may finally have a chance to admit to her own bisexuality. But a relationship could have its own problems for both Lilah and Noa.
"Noa'd thrown away everything else in her life for this job. And now she was seriously considering throwing the job away for a chance at a girl? Stupid beyond words."
This is a cute story whose strength comes across in its representation--queer characters covering bi, trans, lesbian and more. There's also some excellent Jewish representation, as both Noa and Lilah bond over their religious beliefs. As a member of the LGBTQIA community, I love seeing stories that reflect myself and my friends. Watching Lilah grapple with her bisexuality and coming out and seeing Noa hang out with her friends, being openly out and accepted. These are still stories and characters we do not get to see and read about regularly. Even better, it seems like I read a lot of queer YA books, not a lot where the characters are adults (although they might not always act like it in this story, ha). It was fun and refreshing.
"Special effects artist had never been on the list of things Good Jewish Girls Did."
For me, this book was a little long. It could have been a bit shorter and would have felt more snappy. A lot of the focus in this story is on miscommunication, which is a pet peeve of mine. I just can't handle when so much of the plot could be avoided if the characters just spoke openly to one another. It's also not entirely clear why Noa crushes so much on Lilah, to the point that it seems that she can't rationalize clearly. A lot of this inability to communicate or think clearly leads to some back and forth storylines, so it seems like as if the plot zigs and zags. Up and down. Will Noa go for a relationship with Lilah or keep her job? Is Lilah willing to risk her career for her sexuality? Again, if things had been just a bit shorter, we probably could have skipped a bit of this.
Still, this is a fun story. While Lilah and Noa can be frustrating sometimes, they are engaging characters. The horror film set adds an interesting level to the book (there's another plot line involving Lilah and threats to her safety). It's a little long, but I appreciated all the queer and Jewish rep. 3+ stars.
I received a copy of this book from Sourcebooks Casablanca and Netgalley in return for an unbiased review. It releases 8/3/2021.
"Noa'd thrown away everything else in her life for this job. And now she was seriously considering throwing the job away for a chance at a girl? Stupid beyond words."
This is a cute story whose strength comes across in its representation--queer characters covering bi, trans, lesbian and more. There's also some excellent Jewish representation, as both Noa and Lilah bond over their religious beliefs. As a member of the LGBTQIA community, I love seeing stories that reflect myself and my friends. Watching Lilah grapple with her bisexuality and coming out and seeing Noa hang out with her friends, being openly out and accepted. These are still stories and characters we do not get to see and read about regularly. Even better, it seems like I read a lot of queer YA books, not a lot where the characters are adults (although they might not always act like it in this story, ha). It was fun and refreshing.
"Special effects artist had never been on the list of things Good Jewish Girls Did."
For me, this book was a little long. It could have been a bit shorter and would have felt more snappy. A lot of the focus in this story is on miscommunication, which is a pet peeve of mine. I just can't handle when so much of the plot could be avoided if the characters just spoke openly to one another. It's also not entirely clear why Noa crushes so much on Lilah, to the point that it seems that she can't rationalize clearly. A lot of this inability to communicate or think clearly leads to some back and forth storylines, so it seems like as if the plot zigs and zags. Up and down. Will Noa go for a relationship with Lilah or keep her job? Is Lilah willing to risk her career for her sexuality? Again, if things had been just a bit shorter, we probably could have skipped a bit of this.
Still, this is a fun story. While Lilah and Noa can be frustrating sometimes, they are engaging characters. The horror film set adds an interesting level to the book (there's another plot line involving Lilah and threats to her safety). It's a little long, but I appreciated all the queer and Jewish rep. 3+ stars.
I received a copy of this book from Sourcebooks Casablanca and Netgalley in return for an unbiased review. It releases 8/3/2021.
Suswatibasu (1701 KP) rated The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson (2017) in Movies
Nov 12, 2017 (Updated Nov 12, 2017)
Tremendous and hugely tragic
David France’s finely wrought documentary seeks justice for a pivotal figure in queer history from the beginning of Stonewall, whose death was said to have never been investigated properly.
Marsha P. Johnson was many things: outspoken LGBT activist, downtown superstar, model muse to Andy Warhol. In 1992, her body was found in the Hudson River, with police classifying her death as a suicide. The documentary is almost a resurrection of this transgender icon, but also a vivid portrayal of the immense suffering the community has faced over decades, even until this day.
The movie methodically explores who might have had cause to kill her - the local mafia, who were heavily involved in then-still-underground gay bar scene? A violent john or a passing group of straight men bent on hate crime? One of the most important characters in this film alongside Johnson was Sylvia Riviera, and her own tragic life just reflects the dire situation people are left to deal with.
Death is what leads the title and drives the movie. But it's her life - vibrant, pioneering, and much too short - that gives Marsha her flamboyant, beautiful heart. A truly moving portrayal.
Marsha P. Johnson was many things: outspoken LGBT activist, downtown superstar, model muse to Andy Warhol. In 1992, her body was found in the Hudson River, with police classifying her death as a suicide. The documentary is almost a resurrection of this transgender icon, but also a vivid portrayal of the immense suffering the community has faced over decades, even until this day.
The movie methodically explores who might have had cause to kill her - the local mafia, who were heavily involved in then-still-underground gay bar scene? A violent john or a passing group of straight men bent on hate crime? One of the most important characters in this film alongside Johnson was Sylvia Riviera, and her own tragic life just reflects the dire situation people are left to deal with.
Death is what leads the title and drives the movie. But it's her life - vibrant, pioneering, and much too short - that gives Marsha her flamboyant, beautiful heart. A truly moving portrayal.
Dracoria Malfoy (690 KP) rated One of us is Lying in Books
Mar 20, 2019
i gotta say, this book has been given so many good reviews, i was super hyped. unfortunately, although it was a worthwhile read, i was kindaverymuch let down. the lack of diversity was a start; it was incredibly off-putting. of the 4 mains, only one was a POC, two of the others were your classic blonde hair, light-eyed perfect TV show type high schoolers. and i know that may have been a bit deliberate, but,,,,, cmon. the fact that one of the characters was queer was more of a plot point as opposed to actual rep. another con is that the characters seemed incredibly flat, especially at the beginning. if i'm gonna spend 300 pages reading about these characters, i wanna enjoy them
BuT tHiS iS aBoUt LoVe
so pros. THis was definitely an intriguing read. although slightly predictable, it still sometimes left you guessing as to why something happened. that romance got me screaming, we stan an enemies to friends-in-a-situation to friends to lovers.
so yeah, i truly did enjoy this book, even though it doesnt look like it. it was a good read, and maybe i'll pick it up again? who knows.
BuT tHiS iS aBoUt LoVe
so pros. THis was definitely an intriguing read. although slightly predictable, it still sometimes left you guessing as to why something happened. that romance got me screaming, we stan an enemies to friends-in-a-situation to friends to lovers.
so yeah, i truly did enjoy this book, even though it doesnt look like it. it was a good read, and maybe i'll pick it up again? who knows.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Our Own Private Universe in Books
Feb 18, 2021
A great book for gay teens finding their way
This is the fifteenth book in my #atozchallenge! I'm challenging myself to read a book from my shelves that starts with each letter of the alphabet. Let's clear those shelves and delve into that backlist!
Aki Simon is ready to start living her life. At fifteen, she believes she's bisexual, but she's only dated boys, and only her best friend, Lori, knows about her feelings. So when Aki and Lori go on a church trip to Mexico, Aki vows to stop sitting around and start living. This becomes possible when she meets Christa, another student on the trip. Christa, older and more worldly, clearly seems to like Aki as much as Aki likes her. But how does Aki--whose father is a pastor and along on this trip--experiment with Christa on this trip? How does she figure out if she likes, or even loves, Christa? And if she does, how does she tell her religious parents?
I've read several books by Robin Talley and really loved them all. This one was a little young for me, but I think it would be an excellent read for the teen age group. It covers a range of vital and big themes for teens: bisexuality, coming out, safe sex, parental expectations, religion and being gay, etc. There's a moment when Aki is trying to track down dental dams, and she's researching how to use them. I'm honestly not sure I've ever seen that in a book, and it's so important and honestly, really cool. I would have loved to find a book like this when I was a teen trying to figure out a lot of various things.
Unfortunately, a lot of the plot of UNIVERSE is based on the premise of one character lying to another, which I really do not care for. It gets off to a slow start. And there is a lot of teen drama, with Lori and other kids on the trip at the center. Maybe it wouldn't seem so melodramatic for teens, who live in that world, but it's a bit much and gets repetitive.
Still, I love how important this book is, covering coming out and featuring such a diverse cast of characters. It's serious yet romantic. I would certainly recommend it for teens grappling with their sexuality, those coming out, or those wanting to support their queer friends or kids. 3.5 stars. (Also, if you are older and queer (or even if you're not), read Robin Talley's PULP. It's amazing.)
Aki Simon is ready to start living her life. At fifteen, she believes she's bisexual, but she's only dated boys, and only her best friend, Lori, knows about her feelings. So when Aki and Lori go on a church trip to Mexico, Aki vows to stop sitting around and start living. This becomes possible when she meets Christa, another student on the trip. Christa, older and more worldly, clearly seems to like Aki as much as Aki likes her. But how does Aki--whose father is a pastor and along on this trip--experiment with Christa on this trip? How does she figure out if she likes, or even loves, Christa? And if she does, how does she tell her religious parents?
I've read several books by Robin Talley and really loved them all. This one was a little young for me, but I think it would be an excellent read for the teen age group. It covers a range of vital and big themes for teens: bisexuality, coming out, safe sex, parental expectations, religion and being gay, etc. There's a moment when Aki is trying to track down dental dams, and she's researching how to use them. I'm honestly not sure I've ever seen that in a book, and it's so important and honestly, really cool. I would have loved to find a book like this when I was a teen trying to figure out a lot of various things.
Unfortunately, a lot of the plot of UNIVERSE is based on the premise of one character lying to another, which I really do not care for. It gets off to a slow start. And there is a lot of teen drama, with Lori and other kids on the trip at the center. Maybe it wouldn't seem so melodramatic for teens, who live in that world, but it's a bit much and gets repetitive.
Still, I love how important this book is, covering coming out and featuring such a diverse cast of characters. It's serious yet romantic. I would certainly recommend it for teens grappling with their sexuality, those coming out, or those wanting to support their queer friends or kids. 3.5 stars. (Also, if you are older and queer (or even if you're not), read Robin Talley's PULP. It's amazing.)
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Written in the Stars in Books
Dec 3, 2020
Astrologist Elle Jones is looking for love. Even if she doesn't exactly have a successful track record of finding it. She and her best friend, Margot, are the pair behind the incredibly popular Twitter account, Oh My Stars. And they are just about to join with OTP, the coolest dating app ever, thereby realizing their professional dreams. OTP was created by Brendon, who is nerdy, sweet, and about to be their boss. So when he offers to set Elle up with his sister, Darcy, she agrees. But the date is a disaster. Darcy is the opposite of Elle: buttoned up, analytical, and completely against astrology. Still, neither can deny they felt a bit of a spark before their date went awry. And Darcy is sick of being set up on terrible dates by her brother. So when he asks how it went, she lies. And then, she begs Elle to play along, to say they are dating. Each agrees to a few conditions of a dating pact. Surely nothing can go wrong, right?
"What if? Wasn't that the million-dollar question, the spark of hope that kept her coming back for more time and time--and time--again?"
Bellefleur states that she set out to write a "quirky, queer rom com," and I have to say, I'm here for it. It's not often we get our own romantic comedies, with true blue queer characters, with their own problems and characterization and their gayness just being a part of who they are.
This is an incredibly witty, sexy, and sappy read. Yes, it was a bit drawn out and repetitive at times. Okay, we understand that Elle is the flitty one who needs family approval and Darcy is the hurt one unwilling to commit. That point was emphasized perhaps a bit too much. I get stressed out when books have a lot of misunderstandings, so one based on a fake dating relationship took a lot of my strength.
But, it makes up for it with some wonderful characters. I adored Elle, who is so sweet and funny and just "her." And, of course, I identified 110% with uptight, wary workaholic Darcy who was scared of falling in love again. Then there's Margot, Elle's best friend, who was the secret star of the show. I tell you, everyone needs a wise best friend like Margot!
In this end, this book is downright adorable, laugh out loud funny, and full of chemistry. A few pieces might have hit their point one (or two) too many times, but I still really enjoyed it. 3.5 stars, rounded to 4 here.
"What if? Wasn't that the million-dollar question, the spark of hope that kept her coming back for more time and time--and time--again?"
Bellefleur states that she set out to write a "quirky, queer rom com," and I have to say, I'm here for it. It's not often we get our own romantic comedies, with true blue queer characters, with their own problems and characterization and their gayness just being a part of who they are.
This is an incredibly witty, sexy, and sappy read. Yes, it was a bit drawn out and repetitive at times. Okay, we understand that Elle is the flitty one who needs family approval and Darcy is the hurt one unwilling to commit. That point was emphasized perhaps a bit too much. I get stressed out when books have a lot of misunderstandings, so one based on a fake dating relationship took a lot of my strength.
But, it makes up for it with some wonderful characters. I adored Elle, who is so sweet and funny and just "her." And, of course, I identified 110% with uptight, wary workaholic Darcy who was scared of falling in love again. Then there's Margot, Elle's best friend, who was the secret star of the show. I tell you, everyone needs a wise best friend like Margot!
In this end, this book is downright adorable, laugh out loud funny, and full of chemistry. A few pieces might have hit their point one (or two) too many times, but I still really enjoyed it. 3.5 stars, rounded to 4 here.
Lou Grande (148 KP) rated It Looks Like This in Books
Jun 22, 2018
Hoo boy. I went into this book expecting to hate it. It's teen fiction, which can be okay, and I knew from the blurbs on the front cover and back that it was probably not a happy ending. I hate books like that, especially LGBT-themed books aimed at that audience. BUT!
This is the first book to make me cry in ages. I'm not a crier by nature. There's something very effective and hard-hitting about Mittlefehldt's style. It's spare and haunting and leaves a lot of room to read between the lines. It reminded me a lot of books I had to read growing up like Bridge to Terebithia and Where the Red Fern Grows. You have the vague notion that something is going to go wrong, but it still takes your breath away when it does.
It Looks Like This is a story about small towns, religion, young love, and tragedy. In many ways, it has universal appeal: we all remember our first love and how gut-wrenching it is when it's over. But it also describes a story that many queer people know very well: what it feels like to know that this will always be harder for you than the people who "hate the sin but love the sinner."
This is the first book to make me cry in ages. I'm not a crier by nature. There's something very effective and hard-hitting about Mittlefehldt's style. It's spare and haunting and leaves a lot of room to read between the lines. It reminded me a lot of books I had to read growing up like Bridge to Terebithia and Where the Red Fern Grows. You have the vague notion that something is going to go wrong, but it still takes your breath away when it does.
It Looks Like This is a story about small towns, religion, young love, and tragedy. In many ways, it has universal appeal: we all remember our first love and how gut-wrenching it is when it's over. But it also describes a story that many queer people know very well: what it feels like to know that this will always be harder for you than the people who "hate the sin but love the sinner."
Goddess in the Stacks (553 KP) rated Gender Outlaw: On Men, Women and the Rest of Us in Books
Jul 23, 2019
This book has one of the best forewords I've ever seen. Bornstein explains that since 1994, when the book was first published, language has changed a lot, and terms that were used regularly then, like transsexual, are highly offensive now. So she has heavily rewritten the book to change the language, but she goes on to say that language is an always-changing thing, and in five or six years this edition, too, might be offensive in the language used. Then she apologizes for that. My favorite lines are one of the last paragraphs of the foreword:
"Now, if anything you read in this book makes you feel bad or wrong or small and weak, then please know that I said something wrong. This book was written many years ago, and the culture I wrote it in is not the culture in which you're reading it. So, if you find anything to be personally insulting, please accept my apology and keep reading with the knowledge that your identity and how you express your gender are correct only when you feel they are correct."
It was a wonderful note to start the book on. I just loved "if you are offended, if this invalidates your identity, then I AM WRONG." Bornstein transitioned in the 80s, and has been an outspoken advocate of queer and trans people most of her life. She is definitely a figure in queer history that more people should read about.
The rest of the book is every bit as good as the foreword. Bornstein absolutely destroys the concept of gender in this book, dissecting it and looking at all the parts and pieces to attempt to figure out why society is so set on the binary system. She more than makes her case that gender is a spectrum, not an either/or. And not just a spectrum between "more male" and "more female" but a colorful kaleidoscope of gender expression and identity. She does not shy away from sensitive topics like surgeries and anatomy. She talks to the reader like she's your favorite outrageous aunt, sitting in the family room gossiping over heavily-spiked tea.
The formatting was occasionally confusing; she has the usual justified text, but then she has left-aligned passages (usually quotes from other people) and right-aligned passages (side-bar like content; I'm unclear if these are notes she made on the original text or what, but it generally clarifies or alters what the main text is talking about.)
I would HIGHLY recommend this book for anyone who wants to learn more about gender issues. Bornstein has an incredibly entertaining way of writing, and she loves to challenge what we think of as gender.
You can find all my reviews and more at http://goddessinthestacks.com
"Now, if anything you read in this book makes you feel bad or wrong or small and weak, then please know that I said something wrong. This book was written many years ago, and the culture I wrote it in is not the culture in which you're reading it. So, if you find anything to be personally insulting, please accept my apology and keep reading with the knowledge that your identity and how you express your gender are correct only when you feel they are correct."
It was a wonderful note to start the book on. I just loved "if you are offended, if this invalidates your identity, then I AM WRONG." Bornstein transitioned in the 80s, and has been an outspoken advocate of queer and trans people most of her life. She is definitely a figure in queer history that more people should read about.
The rest of the book is every bit as good as the foreword. Bornstein absolutely destroys the concept of gender in this book, dissecting it and looking at all the parts and pieces to attempt to figure out why society is so set on the binary system. She more than makes her case that gender is a spectrum, not an either/or. And not just a spectrum between "more male" and "more female" but a colorful kaleidoscope of gender expression and identity. She does not shy away from sensitive topics like surgeries and anatomy. She talks to the reader like she's your favorite outrageous aunt, sitting in the family room gossiping over heavily-spiked tea.
The formatting was occasionally confusing; she has the usual justified text, but then she has left-aligned passages (usually quotes from other people) and right-aligned passages (side-bar like content; I'm unclear if these are notes she made on the original text or what, but it generally clarifies or alters what the main text is talking about.)
I would HIGHLY recommend this book for anyone who wants to learn more about gender issues. Bornstein has an incredibly entertaining way of writing, and she loves to challenge what we think of as gender.
You can find all my reviews and more at http://goddessinthestacks.com