I have a weird obsession with venus fly-traps and carnivorous plants in general, so as soon as I saw Sara Maria Griffin's upcoming novel, EAT3.5 stars
I have a weird obsession with venus fly-traps and carnivorous plants in general, so as soon as I saw Sara Maria Griffin's upcoming novel, EAT THE ONES WE LOVE, I knew that I didn't care what it was about—I was going to read it!
EAT THE ONES WE LOVE is a dark, twisted tale of workplace romance, possession, and a sentient, carnivorous orchid named Baby. When Shell Pine, newly single and unemployed, takes a job at a struggling mall flower shop, she’s drawn to Neve, the enigmatic florist who hired her. But Neve isn’t just running a shop—she’s trapped in a terrifying bond with Baby, who watches, hungers, and will do anything to consume the one it loves.
Blending Little Shop of Horrors with millennial ennui, the story is a queer retelling that also dives into many different social aspects that anyone my age can relate to, for example, one aspect it captures is the slow decay of dying malls and the desperation of the job market for young professionals. While the premise is compelling, the pacing feels uneven, with a slow build-up that suddenly wraps up too quickly. The shifting POVs between Shell and Baby sometimes blur the narrative voice, but the eerie atmosphere and well-developed characters make this a fun, unsettling read for those who enjoy a light horror with a darkly comedic edge....more
I've been wanting to read Astrid Dahl's debut novel, THE REALLY DEAD WIVES OF NEW JERSEY, from the moment I heard the title. I love all the Real HouseI've been wanting to read Astrid Dahl's debut novel, THE REALLY DEAD WIVES OF NEW JERSEY, from the moment I heard the title. I love all the Real Housewives (besides Dubai) and am a total superfan housewives dork so I knew that I needed to read this one. This book is a satire of the Real Housewives franchise with multiple fan fiction twists and turns that any fan can recognize, but there's a unique story that presents itself to the reader as well.
The book details five women on a popular reality tv show called, Garden State Goddesses (literally, think of Real Housewives of New Jersey) and the introduction of a new castmember from California, Hope. Hope recently married Leo Fontana, who's sister Valerie and sister-in-law Carmela are on the show with bisexual jewelry designer Renee (who has a prosthetic foot Aviva Drescher style) and grand dame drunk Mrs. Robinson type Birdie (think Sonja Morgan mixed with Lisa Vanderpump). Hope is joining the show to help further her music career and escape her small town in Northern California. Her cousin Eden is a producer of the show and in fact introduced her to Leo! When one of the castmembers collapses during filming, Eden will be forced to find out what's going on and also come to terms with how her manipulation has caused devastating consequences.
THE REALLY DEAD WIVES OF NEW JERSEY dives into the social phenomenon of reality television and the Real Housewives and how fame can change people for better or worse. The story has a few queer characters which I was pleasantly surprised about and also has a lot of fun banter for any housewives fans! The book is over-the-top by means of satire so if you're looking for something more literary, stick with Chris Whitaker! I really had a blast with this book and it was one of the more fun books I've read lately. This book is the PERFECT popcorn thriller!...more
I’m not sure why I enjoyed this book so much, because ultimately I was confused for a good potion of it. That being said, BIG SWISS is such a fun and I’m not sure why I enjoyed this book so much, because ultimately I was confused for a good potion of it. That being said, BIG SWISS is such a fun and unique novel. Taking place in Hudson, New York (a rapidly growing town in Upstate New York—south of Albany, kind of by the Berkshires), Greta is working as a transcriber for a psychologist, nicknamed Om. Greta is 48 years old and living with an older woman named Sabine in her dilapidated historical estate in the outskirts of town. As Greta begins to transcribe Om’s sessions, she immediately begins to fall enamored with one of his clients, nicknamed Big Swiss. Everything seems a bit voyeuristic for Greta—that is, until the two bump into each other in public.
This book is part psychological drama, part romance, part character study, but all arounds weird. I don’t have a great adjective to describe it! It’s so weird, but also so fun. There’s a bit of mystery in the story, but it’s really just a totally brash lit-fic. I honestly don’t know how I enjoyed it that much, because this book is totally not my usual style of novels. However, this book was a great escape to the BS in my life currently so if you need any escape right now, BIG SWISS will be perfect for you. ...more
This book is unlike any book I’ve ever read—it’s an in-your-face journey of a Black gay man and his struggle for acceptance, but also involves a lot oThis book is unlike any book I’ve ever read—it’s an in-your-face journey of a Black gay man and his struggle for acceptance, but also involves a lot of bird watching?! The story takes place in the UK and focuses on our main character, Harley and his attempted suicide that was thwarted by his friend’s boyfriend. Harley is unsure what to make of his newfound friendship with Muddy because they’re very different. Muddy is straight, confident, and carefree. Muddy and Harley form a unique bond that I can tell you, every gay man wishes they could have with heterosexual men if they don’t have one already. However, this friendship isn’t without hurdles for the reader to uncover.
This book is not a romance. It’s a deep dive into mental health, self acceptance, and friendship. This book talks about serious topics, but is done so in a very healthy and formative way. At times, this book is lighthearted and will put a smile on your face; but it can also have its moments of serious conflict that will leave you breathless. SMALL JOYS is a book I don’t think I’ll ever forget....more
After four years, John Fram is back ladies and gentlemen and he's better than ever! Fram's upcoming summer 2024 release, NO ROAD HOME, is the perfect After four years, John Fram is back ladies and gentlemen and he's better than ever! Fram's upcoming summer 2024 release, NO ROAD HOME, is the perfect combination of GOOD RICH PEOPLE (Eliza Jane Brazier) meets television series The Righteous Gemstones. The book is centered around Toby Tucker and his young son Luca. Toby and Luca have such an incredible bond and Toby is a dedicated and loving father, but his parenting comes into question after he marries Alyssa Wright. Alyssa is the granddaughter of Jerome Wright, the famous televangelist who uses religion as a basis of hate on his popular television program. The Wrights are extremely wealthy and live in a small town in Texas where they basically run the county. When Alyssa invites Toby and her new step-son Luca to her family home, Toby enters the lion's den. Alyssa claims that her family is "too rich to be bigoted" but when Toby and Luca arrive, they realize that something isn't adding up with the Wright family. The situation grows worse when a storm cuts off the transportation in/out of their home and they lose WiFi and Internet service and the family wakes up with a murder. When all suspicions lead to Toby, he must figure out who's really guilty while also protecting his son at all costs.
This book is very different than Fram's last book, THE BRIGHT LANDS, but the metaphorical messaging still gives you Fram vibes. Even with over 400 pages, I read this book in two sittings because I couldn't put it down. The action starts very early into the story and the twist is SO F**KING GOOD! I'm telling you now, you will never expect how this book develops. There's three characters who I absolutely loved (no spoilers), a lot of characters who I loved to hate, and a lot of twists and turns that I did not expect. I absolutely loved this book. John, please don't have us waiting four years ever again bb!...more
Alison Rumfitt's TELL ME I'M WORTHLESS is a horror novel through and though, but it leans more on metaphorical representation about society, sexualityAlison Rumfitt's TELL ME I'M WORTHLESS is a horror novel through and though, but it leans more on metaphorical representation about society, sexuality, and trans-rights rather than what the synopsis provides. The book starts off with a trigger warning, and I'm glad that the author provided that because this book has seriously explicit sexual trauma and it even gave me pause at times. The story focuses on Alice and her struggles with alcohol and drugs, sex and trauma. Alice spent one night in an abandoned house with her friends, Ila and Hannah, and this moment has created significant PTSD for her moving forward. As Alice faces the horrors in that overnight stay, Alice and her friends must come together.
This book is all over the place at times, but I appreciated where the author was going with this book. The messaging is VERY important, but there's also a lot of gratuitous sex that really made no sense to the story. Like literally at times, I was like wtf why is this even happening right now?! I don't know if I really liked this book or not, but the author really brings up serious topics on what it means to be a woman and the struggle that trans-people face daily. This book is a powerful social commentary tool, but go in with the trigger warnings in mind because it's A LOT. ...more
Ryan La Sala's newest YA queer novel, THE HONEYS, is the best YA book of the year. I said what I said. It may even be the best YA novel I ever read (tRyan La Sala's newest YA queer novel, THE HONEYS, is the best YA book of the year. I said what I said. It may even be the best YA novel I ever read (take that Karen McManus!). This book dives into some serious topics under the guise of a summer camp horror novel.
The story focuses on Marshall Mattias (Mars) and his life after the death of his sister Caroline. His wealthy and politically-connected family decides to send Mars to the prestigious Aspen Conservancy Summer Academy in his sister's absence. This summer camp was Caroline's life and Mars wants to go out of respect for her and find out if he could find out more about her death.
When Mars arrives to Aspen, he finds that the gender roles at this camp do not fit with his genderfluidity is not-so-subtly unacceptable by Aspen's standards. Include bullying and toxic masculinity, Aspen is not the environment that is healthy for Mars. That is, until he finds the group of girls who his sister befriended, aptly named "The Honeys." The Honeys got their nickname because they maintain the beehives behind their cabin and are beautiful and confident, intimidating and selective with who they associate with. Mars decides to befriend this intriguing and mysterious group in hopes it will give him answers about his sister. However, the longer Mars stays at Aspen, the more he realizes that this prestigious summer camp has a lot of secrets that they will protect from people uncovering at any cost.
This book is amazing. CHEF'S KISS AMAZING. I loved Mars and I loved the unexpected romance in this book. I loveeeeeed the twists that I didn't see coming. I loved the way Ryan La Sala handled the themes of gender, sexuality, and bullying and using the book as a metaphor behind these topics. I couldn't put this down and alternated between audiobook and the physical copy. Both the physical copy and audiobook are amazing and I highly recommend choosing either. This book will be my go-to recommendation for teachers (in fact, I messaged a friend who is a high school teacher that she needs this book in their school library ASAP) as it touches so many important topics for teens. I wish I had this book in high school, I probably could have handled the bullying that much better. Ryan La Sala is going to help save lives with this book and no, I'm not being dramatic by saying that. Bullying is a core struggle of the queer community and this book is so unapologetic. If you know someone who is struggling with bullying, get them this book. I will never forget THE HONEYS....more
LUDA is the most unique and utterly bizarre book I've read in a long time. This book will not be for everybody. The story centers around Luci LaBang, LUDA is the most unique and utterly bizarre book I've read in a long time. This book will not be for everybody. The story centers around Luci LaBang, a drag queen who also is a live performer of the arts, and her tenure as her career starts to fade. Luci ends up being hired for a pantomime Aladdin show and meets her mysterious costar, Luda. Luda is immediately mesmerized by Luci and wants Luci to take them in and help them learn how to be as successful as Luci. As Luda becomes more and more involved in Luci's life, the cast and crew of the show are all targeted mysteriously. Who exactly is Luda?
I don't really know if I liked this book or not. It's overwritten and unnecessarily wordy, and it also felt like Luci was sitting at her make up counter telling you the story rather than you experiencing it in the voyeuristic way I wish the story was presented. That being said, the book is very unique and intriguing in a sense that Luci is a character you just want to know more and more about. I wish the storytelling was conveyed differently because I think that the dense writing style kept me from ever feeling completely engaged. With elements of horror and mystery, Luda is ultimately an imaginative character-driven novel with a protagonist that is one that will stay with me for a long time. ...more
Gretchen Felker-Martin's upcoming dystopian, science fiction novel, Manhunt is quite literally the most bizarre, yet ultimately gratifying journey Gretchen Felker-Martin's upcoming dystopian, science fiction novel, Manhunt is quite literally the most bizarre, yet ultimately gratifying journey I've ever taken with a book. Without giving too much away, the story focuses on a world in which men are turned feral. Beth and Fran are the two main characters and they work together to hunt feral men and harvest their organs. In doing so, this helps the duo survive. In this world, not only are feral men a danger to those who have survived this apocalypse so far, but there's also a group of murderous TERFs coming after them. Beth and Fran have a lot of hope, but they will need to organize and establish ways in which they can defeat the growing number of adversaries.
Manhunt is not sci-fi lite, aka the science fiction novels I like. It touches on the ridiculousness at times with some of the world building, but at the same time, doesn't most dystopian/apocalyptic novels do that? This book; however, touches on many types of societal issues that trans women and men face in today's current political and social climate through symbolism and metaphorical writing. While reading this book, although we aren't going through an apocalyptic world, I could understand and appreciate how the author was conveying this story. If you pick up this story, I urge you to also note that on Goodreads, many transphobic readers are giving this book 1-star with zero review. I urge you to all keep that in consideration while reviewing to combat hate. This book probably was a 3 star read for me, but I am bumping it up to 4 to try and combat the hate shown in the feed. If you enjoy heavily sciencecy science fiction novels (wow, I'm such a way with words), definitely pick this one up!...more
I usually stick with thrillers and mysteries, but the synopsis of The Boy With a Bird in His Chest was just too interesting for me to overlook thiI usually stick with thrillers and mysteries, but the synopsis of The Boy With a Bird in His Chest was just too interesting for me to overlook this book and I am so glad that I did because, wow. Emme Lund's debut novel is heartbreaking, yet heartwarming; powerful, yet vulnerable; with magic realism that can also resonate with readers.
Owen Tanner was born with a bird (aptly named Gail) in his chest, but you wouldn't know it. His mother told Owen at an early age to hide Gail and never let anyone know she exists. Society would call Owen a Terror and the medical community would want Owen committed. Owen grows up hiding this big secret, until it is found out and Owen has to feel. Throughout the book, readers will see Owen's journey balancing life and Gail, but ultimately Owen must make a decision. Will Owen embrace this bird in his chest, will Owen allow others into his life, and how will Owen be able to battle his own demons?
This book will make you cry. Warning. This book deals with a lot of sensitive topics, such as sexuality, gender, bullying with violence, and family dynamics and acceptance. I quite honestly loved all of the characters, which never happens to me. Not only are Owen and Gail amazing protagonists, I loved Clyde and Tennessee as well! I read this book in one sitting, which always means that it's a hit for me. If you like Fredrik Backman's books, you'll love The Boy With a Bird in His Chest....more
Before I get started. To Paradise is not, and will never be, A Little Life. Do not even think to compare the two books before jumping into Hanya YBefore I get started. To Paradise is not, and will never be, A Little Life. Do not even think to compare the two books before jumping into Hanya Yanagihara's 2022 novel or you will be disappointed.
There's a new trend that I'm seeing lately—first with Anthony Doerr's Cloud Cuckoo Land and now with Hanya Yanagihara's To Paradise, where the story is an epic tale told across multiple timelines and characters, separate from each other, but providing major themes and takeaways for the reader. With To Paradise, we are given three stories, separate from each other, but provided in alternative universes from each other.
Book 1 takes place in 1893 and is ultimately my favorite section. In a world where the United States is broken into the "Free States" of the Northeast and "The Colonies" of the South, the story focuses in the North where gay and queer people are celebrated and able to marry whomever they want. We follow David Bingham and his family's legacy in the Free States. David is the only unwed Bingham out of his siblings, with his grandfather aggressively pushing for David to marry. David's dilemma in a world where marriage and love may feel free, he ultimately is given choices that say otherwise.
Book 2 takes place during the HIV crisis between a couple with a major age discrepancy. The younger partner, with a heritage and life that his partner and friends can't relate. I don't want to give up anything with this section, but I will say that this section felt most like the world in which we live in, but during the 1980s.
Book 3 is the biggest portion of the book, about half of the entire book takes place during this time. This world is in the future—their current day is 2093, with flashbacks from 50 years ago and so on. This section is a destitute place of totalitarian rule. A world in which climate change, pandemics, hunger, and the lack of freedoms have run rampant. This world is a dark perception of what may possibly come in our world's progression in time.
Without giving anything away, To Paradise is a book in which characters are hypothesized to be parts of different "universes" and in different versions of themselves with the worlds they are given. The book at times may seem like a work of fiction, but the topics in this book are very relatable (race, sexuality, family, financial security). I still am unsure quite honestly about what I read, but I read over 700 pages so I definitely think this book was ultimately a winner from me. You will not cry like you did in A Little Life, nor will you ever feel personally connected to the characters, but you will be hypnotized by Yanagihara's compelling storytelling. I did not expect this book to turn out the way it did, which is definitely a gripping way for anything I like to read. This book will have a lot of lovers and haters, and I can't wait for the conversations. ...more