Week 26: August 21st - Reading

Sorry folks, looks like it's going to be bi-weekly blogs for the foreseeable future due to my real-life work schedule. But! That just means I have even more books for all of you :)

Woman World by Aminder Dhaliwal: Katy Perry eat your fucking heart out.

Should you read this? Absolutely - this was positively a delight. While this was more of a collection of vignettes than a full cohesive narrative, Dhaliwal created a piece that is clever, insightful, and absolutely hilarious. We are brought into a post-man apocalyptic world that feels tender and caring while also having fun with the premise. I laughed out loud far more than I normally do while reading. It feels like a modern-day love letter to "Dykes to Watch Out For," in its format and tone, which makes it all the more lovely. Definitely check this out if you're a comic person.

Dear Medusa by Olivia A. Cole: A novel-in-verse always hits, but this one hits like a semi-truck.

Should you read this? If you like novels-in-verse, then absolutely. Those who know me know that I fuck hard with a novel in verse, and this does not disappoint. Cole has created a narrative that is so sharp and incisive that even the smallest of lines hit hard and cut deep. Alicia as a protagonist is deeply empathetic even as we watch her make choices that are born out of her trauma and put her in dangerous positions. And the fact that the villain of this story does not have a single line of dialogue and yet haunts the narrative is done so remarkably well. This was fantastic, I don't know what else to say about it.

Time Is A Mother by Ocean Vuong: Ocean Vuong could read the phone book and would have my rapt attention.

Should you read this? Yes, of course, next question. In all seriousness, Ocean Vuong is a brilliant writer and "On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous" was one of my favorites from last year. With how lyrically that book was written, there was no doubt that I was going to resonate with their poetry as well. This collection is poignant, thoughtful, and deeply resonant. It's hard to describe much else because it is a short collection, so I would honestly say go ahead and pick it up if you like poetry, because you're going to enjoy this.

Flirting Lessons by Jasmine Guillory: This is, by definition, a hot girl summer book.

Should you read this? If you want a fun and flirty (haha) contemporary romance with low stakes, then I'd say this is right up your alley. I am always a big proponent of "It doesn't have to be high art, it just has to be fun", and this book fits the bill. Both protagonists are very fun and easy to root for, and their chemistry is palpable. Admittedly, I do wish this was a bit more tightly edited: a lot of the sentences felt overloaded with explanations that were discernible through the context. I found myself line-editing a bit as I read, though that did peter off as I got further into the book. Ultimately, for a book this long to be this breezy, I'm a happy camper. Check it out if you want something low-stakes and flirty and fun.

Blades of Furry Vol 1 by Deya Muniz, Emily Erdos: I feel bad continuously saying it’s “BeaStars meets Yuri on Ice”, but the proof really is in the pudding.

Should you read this? I feel like this is a book that has no problem finding its audience - you don't need my endorsement here. Even still, I will say that I absolutely adored this. It's exactly what it looks like: a rivals-to-lovers queer furry competitive ice-skating romance that is equal parts charming, hilarious, and surprisingly tender. I loved every second of this, and I can't wait for volume 2.

All right, I'll see y'all in two weeks for the next batch of reviews!