Rising meteorologist Ari Abrams loves a rainy day, but there's a storm brewing at KSEA6 News between two divorced starring staff, and Ari is tired of it dampening the atmosphere. Teaming up with sports reporter Russell, the two hatch a plan to make their bosses fall in love again-- and there might be love in the forecast between them, too. Solomon has a knack for capturing the aesthetic of the Pacific Northwest in all of its glory, and Weather Girl is no exception with its cozy warmth and crackling sparks. This novel is without a doubt the rom-com of the rainy season, broadcasting sunshine into the heart.
Suffering from internalized ableism and body dysmorphia from his cerebral palsy, Elliott has been hiring sex workers behind his boyfriend's back, finding validation in intimacies where his disability doesn't play a role in how he's treated. Just by Looking at Him is audacious in its humor while packing an emotional punch. Elliott's journey of realization and healing includes (but isn't limited to) much self reflection, complex relationships of all kinds, and raises questions regarding what's considered the "ideal" gay male experience. A raw, fervent novel of navigating the dating and business world as a disabled person.
Alexis runs the ToeBeans Cafe, a cat cafe that has also become a refuge for women that have survived sexual assault. Noah is an ex-hacktivist, and one of the only men in the gang that hasn't yet been initiated into the book club. These two have become inseparable friends, but would turning their relationship into something more destroy everything they have? And who is Candi, a woman who arrives claiming to be Alexis' half-sister? ToeBeans Cafe's resident maine coon, Beefcake, was by far one of my favorite characters. I was curled up like a cat all day with this book!
Alexis Hall is ushering in a new era of historical romance with Viola Caroll, a trans woman who left her old life behind after war to live authentically. Two years later, she must come face to face with Gracewood, her closest childhood friend, who has no idea she's more alive than ever. With A Lady for a Duke, Hall sheds a little light on the often overlooked happy endings for LGBT folk in history, as we've always been here-- and what a delight it is to read a sweet, sensual, and heart-mending romance that celebrates it.
When Sasha was three years old, she was gifted with the Skagit family name, Taqsablu, by her great-grandmother-- she was going to do important things in this life. LaPointe comes from generations of enduring women, and alongside her story, she tells us of Comptia Koholowish, who fled from the Smallpox epidemic that destroyed her village and family, eventually marrying a Scottish settler in what's now called Astoria, Oregon. Throughout this raw memoir, LaPointe tells of significant pieces in her life filled with music, travel, and writing, often paired with heartbreak and healing of many varieties; some familial and romantic, some physical and spiritual. Red Paint is an emotional, impactful, and brilliantly constructed narrative that celebrates and honors LaPointe's ancestral history as well as her own history in the making.
Delilah Green isn't looking forward to being her stepsister Astrid's wedding photographer, but the hefty paycheck will make it worth the trip. What Delilah doesn't expect is to find herself attracted to Claire, one of stepsister's best friends, and the spark seems to be mutual. The most surprising phenomenon of all is when Delilah teams up with Claire and Iris in an attempt to stop the marriage-- because even Astrid deserves better than a pompous jerk for a husband. Snarky, sensual, and sweet, Delilah Green Doesn't Care is a firecracker of a romance with genuine characters that I would love to know, and I'm in awe of Blake's ability to bring everything to the table with this novel-- and I'm eagerly awaiting what other shenanigans the residents of Bright Falls have in store in the future.
Shara Wheeler is the picture of perfection in the small town of False Beach, Alabama, so it's a shock to everybody when she disappears on prom night. Of course, she couldn't run off in complete silence-- Shara has left a scavenger trail of confessional notes for the three people she kissed the day she left: her boyfriend, her neighbor, and our narrator Chloe, a bisexual misfit that's always been in academic competition with Shara. McQuiston never disappoints, and their YA debut has the same real and cinematic flair they're known for. I Kissed Shara Wheeler is a small town mystery of gay longing worth getting lost in, an addicting novel with Mr. Brightside energy that won't disappoint.
Man o' War spans over several years of River McIntyre's life, beginning with a personal realization so sudden and intimidating that they jump into the literal shark tank at the local SeaPlanet. Intimate like a diary, McIntyre's identity and growth washes over them in waves as time ticks by-- an achingly real portrayal that mirrors many trans experiences in a way that holds your heart in a vice grip. Man o' War is a blistering novel that caught me in its tide, a fully-rounded and resolute coming of age.
A vibrant and thoughtful novel with a focus on existentialism, the speed of light, and the paths we choose in life for comfort or happiness. Like the light, Fuyuko absorbs the inner workings and relations of the few people that orbit around her semi-reclusive lifestyle as a freelance copy-editor, in turn ruminating on the route she's taking in her own livelihood. Quiet, contemplative, and bittersweet.
I'm not shy to admit that I don't know a lot about art-- Pham, however, is deeply immersed in all of its forms, and her brilliance shows in every segment of Pop Song. Pham herself is an artist, a world traveler, a lover, and much, much more. In this memoir, she enchantingly describes a select few pieces that have captivated her, relating them to beautiful, painful, and ultimately vulnerable points of her life, whether that be past, present, or future. Pop Song is somehow all of the following: vibrant, quiet, poignant, raw, and blooming. An absolutely stunning account of art and coming-of-age suited for the insightful reader.
Step aside, Meg Ryan-- Bellefleur is bringing us Sapphic in Seattle. Darcy, mathematical workaholic, has been burned before in love. She's ready to swear off dating for good, but her brother is relentless when it comes to finding her a girlfriend. The latest candidate is Elle, and THAT was a disaster. It isn't until later that these two form a plan... if they pretend to date for at least a month, Darcy can get her brother off of her back, and perhaps with a woman like her by her side, Elle's family will begin to take her wildly successful astrology business seriously, as well as the person she is. It doesn't take long for their charade to realign into something genuine... Written in the Stars is indeed a fitting title to this striking romantic comedy, keeping me starry-eyed and filled to the brim with fuzzy warmth the whole way through.
I knew I was in for a treat when I picked this book up-- Solomon's writing is consistently outstanding-- but with See You Yesterday, she brings a sci-fi realism element comparable to Groundhog Day and One Last Stop: Barrett and Miles are trapped in a time loop of their first day at college, and they're the only two that know it's happening. In the process of trying to break free, this unlikely pair go off on adventures, confront their internalized struggles, and grow closer than either ever could have imagined. This very long stretch of the 21st of September is one they're sure to remember-- and I know that I will too.
Woman of Light is an interwoven multigenerational family saga that centers around Luz "Little Light" Lopez, a young woman blessed with the clairvoyant gift to read people's futures and see the pasts of her people, all while also coming of age herself in 1930s Denver. Kali Fajardo-Anstine's vivid writing is brimming with the life of the land in the American West, pairing perfectly with the sense of community, strength, and home that this novel will leave in your heart.
When Olga and Prieto were kids, their mother abandoned them in New York to pursue the liberation of their ancestral land in Puerto Rico. Now in their forties, Olga is a top-tier wedding planner, and Prieto is a closeted congressman, both of them still in need of closure that they've yet to receive in the scathing letters from their mother throughout the years. This simmering debut novel explores far too much to cover in one paragraph-- the effects colonialism has on our past and present, the complexities of intersectional identity, how gentrification impacts communities, and the intricate, oftentimes messy relationships of all kinds that make up life. Olga Dies Dreaming is truly a stunning, thought-provoking, essential story not just for today, but a classic for readers of tomorrow.
Who'd have known that a romance as ghostly as The Dead Romantics could be so funny, sweet, and perfect? I was enamored from the very first page to the very end, and I was left feeling so light and joyous that I might as well have floated away like a spirit in the night. It would be a grave mistake not to read this charmingly delightful novel! I hope to see more of the Day family in the future!
High school junior Sam Dickson knows how to put on a persona-- you could consider it her favorite hobby. When her best friend Christian has eyes for the quiet and intellectual Ros "The Shrew" Shew, Sam agrees to assist him in winning her heart. There's just one problem; in the midst of their scheme, Sam is also falling for Ros. A fast-paced love triangle filled with pining and self discovery, Love Somebody is a must-read for fans of The Half of It and Love, Simon.
In Goodbye, Again, Sun touches on his experiences with anxiety, depression, and surviving with the mindset that productivity equals value in a world where taking a break from the grind feels like failure. This is the book for the people that want to matter, make a difference and leave a mark, but at the same time don't feel like they've achieved enough to deserve it. Jonny's love of plants comes into metaphor often, revealing there's a lot we can learn from them-- growing takes time, rest is a necessity, and sometimes things truly just are the way that they are. Goodbye, Again is without a doubt a book worth revisiting again and again-- Simply and wonderfully healing, a blooming treasure.
Talty's writing evokes all five senses in these interwoven stories about an Indigenous family and present-day coming of age on a Penobscot reservation. While each can be read on their own, Night of the Living Rez feels like a full novel in the way it jumps throughout time, unveiling prominent details about recurring characters throughout the experience this book brings. The kind of collection you'll want to revisit again and again.
What happens AFTER a group of ragtag teens overthrow an evil king? What many consider the end of the story is precisely where So This Is Ever After begins. Ringleader Arek only meant to take the crown temporarily, but suddenly he's bound to the throne of Ere, and with a time limit: find someone to marry by his eighteenth birthday, or disappear into nothing. With only three months to spare, Arek attempts to charm each of his friends into falling in love with him-- everyone except the one he loves most, his best mage Matt. So This Is Ever After is a hilarious and sweet fantasy romcom with a fresh and playful take on many fantasy tropes! A blast of a book that will leave you craving more.
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You could consider The Cat and The City to be both a novel and a short story collection-- a nimble calico cat winds her way through the lives of many Tokyo residents; young and old, salarymen and yakuza, and so many more. Some know her well, while others get a glimpse-- there are times you wonder if she can even take on her own human form. These characters range from charming to caustic, worlds intersecting throughout this feline's travels without realizing. Brilliantly connected and put together, you'll want to revisit The Cat and the City again and again to connect the dots of these bustling lives.
Muiriel's one constant love is nature, but she refuses to put down roots. Born into the foster care system, she's moved through many homes (often willingly). Now, age seventeen, she's put to the test of staying in one place for her senior year on Bainbridge Island in Seattle, and everything about life here is perfect... yet she's determined not to become attached. Longo has a way of writing that brings you niche, extraordinary facts one might not seek out themselves-- I learned a lot about John Muir, Muiriel's namesake, and much more. What I Carry is a book I would happily live inside, and I would gladly read on past its final page.
When Rintaro Natsuki's beloved grandfather dies, he inherits the family bookstore with intent to close it-- he's a high school shut-in, after all. Rintaro's grieving takes a bizarre turn when a mysterious talking tabby cat appears in the shop, requesting his help in saving the souls of books. The Cat Who Saved Books is, in a way, a love letter to book lovers, championing the emotional impact that stories have in the hearts and lives of readers. Tiger, the snarky feline sidekick, adds a bonus charming and Ghibli-esque aesthetic to this thoughtful, tender novel.
Jack has been living as an illusionist's assistant in stride without much thought until he finds Wilhelm, a boy held captive for most of his life by a fame-seeking swindler. When the two meet at the 1909 Seattle Alaska–Yukon–Pacific Exposition, there's more than magic in the air-- there's secrets, longing, and a dose of teleportation-- well, the last part is just Wilhelm. Before We Disappear is an enchanting and wonderfully orchestrated historical fantasy packed with illusions both on and off the performance stage! Hutchinson also explores themes of emotional and psychological manipulation at the hands of caretakers and how it can shape one's personality.
It's been over a decade since childhood friends Gabe and Michelle have seen each other after Gabe left her high and dry for college on the other side of the country. Thanks to a twist of fate, the two reconnect when Gabe's colleague contacts Michelle for their gym's brand overhaul. Will they be able to heal the rift that tore them apart all those years ago-- more importantly, can they resist the sensual electric charge that courses between them? A Lot Like Adiós combines business opportunities and second chances in this heated and heartfelt romance.
Pony is tired of being known as "the trans kid". When his family relocates in time for senior year, he's more than ready to be seen as the average boy at his new school. Here he locks eyes with Georgia, a cheerleader who's grown tired of popular kid antics, harboring secret dreams of being a writer. Their chemistry is undeniable, but Pony knows he needs to tell her about himself soon if they're going to date. I cannot begin to summarize what this book meant to me-- I devoured it. I'm so thrilled and relieved it exists for the teens of today and tomorrow. Stay Gold is inspiring, empowering, notably humorous, and wonderfully sweet.
Winter Counts is far more than just a crime novel-- it also illustrates the emotional complexities of growing up on the rez, how each person connects with their cultural traditions in different ways, and the work that is still being done to undo the damage that colonization brought. It's rough, beautiful, political, and unapologetically jaw-dropping. I was completely captivated from beginning to end.
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There's a skeleton inside of everyone, encased in flesh bags, and we are all going to die eventually. These are a few of the main consistent that cycle through Gilda's brain, and they become amplified after a car accident that breaks her arm. The ER professionals are no help with managing her panic attacks, and her family prefers to pretend nothing is wrong. When she walks into a church seeking a mental health support group, Gilda is unintentionally roped into a job as their new receptionist. In dire need of cash. she omits that she's an atheist lesbian and finds herself wrapped up in the mystery death of her predecessor, an elderly woman named Grace. Everyone in This Room Will Someday Be Dead is artfully sardonic and neurotic, a timely portrayal of the millennial struggle. I was completely hooked on Gilda's train of thought and the way that Austin chose to piece together all these moments in Gilda's life leading up to her present.
I'm not sure I will ever fall in love with a pop culture history book the way I've fallen in love with Nöthin' But a Good Time. Told in a tell-all in interview format from various musicians and bigwigs from the 1980's glam metal scene, I learned even more about all the wild shenanigans of the time, and this book did an incredible job of bringing the sex, drugs, and rock n' roll of the LA strip to life before my eyes. It's been a month since I finished this book and I'm still obsessed with it! I've fallen in love with the glam all over again.
Fresh out of design school and still grieving the sudden loss of her father, Cindy Woods was supposed to spend her summer nannying her stepmother's triplets, but finds herself (and her adult stepsisters) whisked away as last-minute replacements on a Bachelor-style reality show, Before Midnight. Cindy views this opportunity as a way to get her name out into the world of fashion, but she doesn't expect the suitor to be the kind and charming gentleman she met on the plane ride from NYC to LA. Fate surely can't be real, right? Murphy's adult debut is a fresh, original, and iconic retelling of Cinderella that kept me completely enthralled-- I inhaled this book! Whether you're a romance reader or a reality TV junkie, If the Shoe Fits is a love story worth tuning in to.
This book had me howling with laughter, both from Perry's general sense of humor as well as her personal recollections of media that she and countless others have been shaped by as baby gays. She covers TV, movies, and music from iconic to cringe-y, oftentimes both, and even the worst of them were beloved to some of us: whether that's the aggressive heterosexuality of Disney Channel Original Movies with undeniable LGBT undertones, or the infamous and oversexed The L Word. I got such a kick out of The 2000s Made Me Gay! If you're looking to reminisce and relive the disastrous magic of the 2000s or simply research modern media classics of the era, you HAVE to read this!
Isabel has always been the quiet "easy" kid of the family, a do-gooder often left alone at home. The only regular attention she gets is from her controlling boyfriend. Ironically, it's when she's trying to avoid him that she accidentally stumbles headfirst into a stand-up comedy event-- not just as a spectator, but as a performer. On stage she becomes Izzy V., far more clever and funny than the Isabel she's perceived to be. Through comedy and the new friends she makes in the scene, Izzy learns a lot about the people in her life, but most of all herself. There were so many times I saw myself in Izzy, and wished I could reach out to her! I was completely wrapped up in this beautiful, humorous, and bittersweet novel of growing up and self-worth.
Never have I read such a captivating, wrenching, and emotional memoir centered around an affair, a subject that typically brings judgemental grimaces and disdain. Frangello had long been part of a loveless marriage that included mentally taxing outrages and even the occasional push from her husband, but these buildups weighed on her more and more as she reluctantly falls into a clandestine romance she has never felt with such intensity before with a man referenced only as "her lover". Within the confines of her marriage, secrets, and illness, Frangello weaves much speculation and reflection on family, infidelity, chronic pain, and patriarchal double standards in the powerful and salacious Blow Your House Down.
Only words of the highest caliber can be used to describe How Moon Fuentez Fell in Love with the Universe. This novel is phenomenal, extraordinary, spiritual, and breathtaking-- just to name a few. This book cracked open my ribcage and made both my heart and soul ache in the most wonderful way. Moon talks of how flowers become seeds, to flowers again, and how life remakes us anew through all sorts of experiences-- just being on this journey with her had that effect on me. I was wholeheartedly immersed in this stellar narrative of bittersweet healing.
Salih's debut novel explores a deep parallel duality between two gay childhood friends that cross paths at a wedding shortly after gay marriage becomes legal nationwide. There's Sebastian, a high school teacher that aches for domestic bliss, and there's Oscar, disgusted by how mainstream and tame his fellow gay men have become, feeling like sideshow entertainment to heteronormative society. While Sebastian finds himself intoxicated by a student's open, free, and innocent gay identity in the modern era, Oscar becomes attached to an author twice his age, glorifying his liberated sexual conquests over the decades, desperate to replicate and live through him.
First in a four-book series, Rho Grace is the chosen one to defeat Ophiucus, the 13th Zodiac sign that was exiled so long ago people think he is merely a fairy tale. In this universe, everyone comes from a different planet based on their zodiac sign, and our heroine hails from the Cancer planet. Sci-fi readers and astrology nerds will inhale this series!
Nina, a senior in high school, joins an unlikely group of people for a class elective hosting a radio show. She's expecting a fairly easy A, but finds a whole lot more than just a grade. This gang includes Josh, a longtime friend of the family, and a past rift in their friendship makes things a bit awkward. Emma Mills is one of the few authors I know whose books will NEVER fall short of perfect. Her understanding of the everyday teenager's humor, dialect, and friendships is outstanding. Lucky Caller is another gorgeous, funny, and sweet book under Mills's belt of riveting reads.
This is such a beautiful and bittersweet novel about a man on a road trip with his darling cat, Nana, narrated by Nana himself. At each stop, you learn a story from the man's childhood that has shaped him and his compassion. This book truly captures the everlasting bond between human and feline, how your companion just might know you better than any person could. The Travelling Cat Chronicles is a heartwarming, engaging tale that I will never forget.
