As the daughter of an Austenite, I feel compelled to read all queer Pride and Prejudice retellings. The heroine of Just as You Are was one of the most annoying versions of Elizabeth Bennet that I’ve read–anxious, judgmental, and self-absorbed at times. But I enjoyed Just as You Are once I let go of expecting this to align in any real way with the emotional world of Pride and Prejudice, and rode the wave of … Continue reading Just as You Are by Camille Kellogg →
Summer in the City of Roses by Michelle Ruiz Keil is an engaging YA fantasy romance that, while it lovingly flirts with fairy tales and myths, unfortunately gets bogged down in an uneven engagement with magical realism. That situation isn’t helped by the inclusion of a parental figure whose selfish decision making supersedes just about any wicked stepmother out there, and an unfortunate ending that manages to perpetuate harmful tropes that are the opposite of … Continue reading Summer in the City of Roses by Michelle Ruiz Keil →
Buckle up! It’s Links time! After what felt like eighty-four years, January has ended. I thought it would never happen. Now it’s February, which means we all have to gird our loins for the onslaught of romance thinkpieces being published in time for Valentine’s Day. Stay vigilant out there, friends! … Enjoy romances where a character thinks they’ll never get another chance at love? Well, you’ll love these recommendations from Sil over at Frolic! … … Continue reading Links: Ice Cream, Roaches, & More →
I love modern-day witches. I love queer romance. I love mysteries. I’m not typically a huge YA reader, but I like the first three things enough to give queer YA witch romance mystery These Witches Don’t Burn a try. While this book was not without its flaws, there was something quite fresh-feeling about These Witches Don’t Burn that I appreciated. It took a lot of common YA tropes, such as “I’m trying to be a … Continue reading These Witches Don’t Burn by Isabel Sterling →
Bollywood and the Beast by Suleikha Snyder caused me to pull a Bad Decisions Book Club moment at RT…does that mean I leveled up? Is that the Bad-Ass Decisions Book Club? So many questions. As you may have guessed from the title, Bollywood and the Beast is a Beauty and the Beast story set in Bollywood–but it’s so much more than that. It’s a book about a bi-racial heroine not feeling accepted by any cultural … Continue reading Bollywood and the Beast by Suleikha Snyder →
I heard great things about Kim & Kim, and I was not disappointed. The first issue was so much fun that I ordered Volume One (which collects issues 1-4) before even finishing that first issue. My only complaint is that now I have to wait for Volume Two! Kim & Kim is about two women who are “mostly platonic” best friends and partners in bounty hunting. Kim and Kim live in a futuristic world where everything … Continue reading Kim & Kim, Vol. 1 by Magdalene Visaggio →
