Week 19: June 19th - Reading

Happy Juneteenth everyone! For those celebrating I hope you have a wonderful day with loved ones and stay safe out there.

Sorry for missing last week - I wasn't feeling well and truth be told I'm not feeling super great this week either. But we must hang onto the little things that spark joy in this life, and this little corner of the Internet that I have is a good routine. So here's everything I've been reading the last two weeks!

Queer Little Nightmares edited by David Ly and Daniel Zomparelli: Oh this was the perfect thing to get in the Summerween spirit!

Should you read this? If you're a fan of the full gambit of horror, then I think this is a must! This was such a delightful collection that would be perfect for spooky season but fits comfortably on your TBR all year round. It's a mix of short stories and poetry which really sets it apart from other anthologies that handle the intersections of queer and horror in a way I find refreshing. While there is a range of quality from piece to piece and I think the pieces could have been organized a bit better (especially towards the end), I do think this will be a perfect and breezy read for anyone who loves things a little off-beat.

Favorites from the collection: “Wooly Bully”, “You Are No Longer Invited”, “Twin Soul (Kaladua)”, “The Minotaur and Theseus (and Other Bullshit)”, “In Our Own Image”

The Dos and Donuts of Love by Adiba Jaigirdar: This is another entry into what I lovingly call “cavity fiction” since it’s so goddamn sweet.

Should you read this? If you're looking for something quick and silly and sugary sweet, then this will hit the spot! This is a YA contemporary story that follows the fictional, Irish variant of Masterchef Junior and it takes the premise as far as it possibly can. Jaigirdar was dedicated to as many dessert puns as could possibly fit into one book, and I giggled through each and every one of them. But even beyond that, this is a very sweet story that tackles tough issues such as reality TV and how social media fandoms can lean into racism and fatphobia - and who is willing to stand up against it. I think this is ultimately very fun and very worth the read if you like a low-stakes YA contemporary that is able to have fun with its premise.

Out Now: Queer We Go Again! Edited by Saundra Mitchell: This is the literary equivalent of snuggling up with a blanket and a mug of soup to watch a rainstorm out the window.

Should you read this? Absolutely, without a doubt. Listen, the first installment of this series All Out was one of my favorite books of last year, and this anthology brought a lot of the same warmth and comfort. While the first installment was focused on historical fiction, this one tackles more contemporary settings (with the occasional magical realism/sci-fi twist!) and each author takes care to do something compelling with that brief. Reading this really was a comforting experience, and even if I think I like All Out just a bit more, this is still definitely one of my favorites of the year. This is great for the target demographic and anyone who remembers what it was like to be a teenager trying to figure things out.

Favorites from the collection: “What Happens in the Closet”, “Lumber Me Mine”, “Victory Lap”, “Floating”, “Once Upon A Seastorm”

Black on Both Sides: A Racial History of Trans Identity by C. Riley Snorton: This is by far the most nutrient-dense book I’ve read all year.

Should you read this? Yes, but take it slow. This is one of the books I wanted to make sure I got to before/around Juneteenth (I write these blogs ahead of time, so when this goes up I will be reading more that you'll hear about next week), and I managed to finish this one in time. Snorton has crafted an elaborate and fascinating essay that traces the roots of Black and trans identity throughout history and the ways they have intersected. There is so much good information here and it's really gotten me to think. The only thing I will say is that this is written with an academic audience in mind: it reads much like a dissertation as opposed to something like Braiding Sweetgrass that has more personal anecdotes woven within. Personally my taste in nonfiction leans towards the latter and the lack of personal anecdote made me a bit sad, but that doesn't detract from the powerful thesis and the journey Snorton guides readers through with this book. It's definitely worth your time, you just may need to build up to it with other nonfiction to fully appreciate everything it has to offer.

The Other Side: An Anthology of Queer Paranormal Romance by Kori Michele Handwerker, Melanie Gillman: Well my TBR is about to get a million miles longer as I look up all of these artists.

Should you read this? If you can get a hold of a copy, then absolutely. This was such a great comic collection with a variety of artists all taking a unique spin on the brief of "queer paranormal romance". Each entry feels so distinct from each other while still creating a cohesive collection. I do wish there was a bit of a splash of color, or that the comics were longer, but honestly this was fantastic. It was difficult to get a hold of this collection, but I assure you it is well worth the effort.

I'm not going to list specific favorites because the collection is so short and really all of them are stellar

And that's it for now! Stay safe and take care of yourselves, friends.