Into the Sunken City

Into the Sunken City
By Dinesh Thiru
HarperTeen, 2024. 347 pages. Young Adult Fiction

This YA fantasy adventure features a unique twist on Treasure Island, a magnetic second-chance romance, and a thrilling heist where the reward is great--but the risks are even greater. Five hundred years in the future, in a slowly sinking city in coastal Arizona, the days are long, the money is tight, and the rain never stops. For eighteen-year-old Jin, this is nothing new--ever since her father died in a diving accident, she's barely made ends meet for her and her younger sister, Thara. Enter a mysterious stranger claiming to know of a massive stash of gold hidden in the Treasure Island Casino in the sunken ruins of Las Vegas. Jin knows it's too dangerous, but a ragtag crew is assembled--including Jin's annoyingly hot ex-boyfriend. From there, a high-stakes heist ensues that's beyond even Jin's wildest fears. Crumbling ruins, sea beasts, pirates, and a mysterious figure named Silva all lie in wait. To survive, Jin will have to do what she promised herself she'd never do again: dive.

I was drawn to this novel by the cover art and the promise of Las Vegas being turned into a Lost City of Atlantis fantasy. I really connected with Jin's character; as the eldest daughter, she desperately wants to protect her family, but also wants to break away and live her own life. The storyline feels cinematic, the writing is fast-paced and clever, and the excitement on the high seas does not disappoint!  

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They're Watching You
By Chelsea Ichaso
Sourcebooks Fire, 2023. 370 pages. Young Adult Fiction

When high school junior Maren's best friend goes missing after receiving an invitation from their private school's most enigmatic club, the Gamemaster's Society, Maren sets out to find out what happened.  The police and her friend's parents believe the note she left behind and consider her to be a runaway. Maren has heard rumors about this secret club, and she seeks out members to help her find her missing friend. The cat-and-mouse game intensifies Maren's race against the Gamemaster's clock to find Polly, with the trials exploiting the initiates' worst fears along the way. As the stakes increase, Maren must decide if the truth is worth her life. This plot-driven thriller has excellent pacing that escalates along with the action.

Stars and Smoke
By Marie Lu
Roaring Brook Press, 2023. 328 pages. Young Adult Fiction

To the world, Winter Young has everything. He's a Chinese American international pop superstar with the voice - and face - of an angel. Winter summons legions of fans wherever he goes. But, his mother has grown distant since Winter's eldest brother died, and a string of romantic encounters with different men and women never fills the void. Enter the Panacea Group, a freelance intelligence agency. They're hunting a criminal mastermind and drug lord and his nineteen-year-old daughter is a big Winter Young fan. The Panacea Group recruits Winter to help them get close by performing a private concert for her birthday. He is forced to work with Sydney Cossette, who was raised by Panacea, and she's up for a coveted promotion. This novel is equal parts spy-against-spy and slow-burn romance. 

Thieves' Gambit
By Kayvion Lewis
Nancy Paulsen Books, 2023. 364 pages. Young Adult Fiction

A young woman looking for a new and peaceful life finds herself forced to play a game where cons and trickery are rewarded. Black Bahamian seventeen-year-old Ross Quest comes from a family of thieves; with her mother, she competes in daring heists around the globe. Though her thrilling life has afforded her close family ties, Ross has always been desperate for friends, and intends to sneak away to gymnastics camp. On the night she plans to leave her life of crime, the job her mother is on goes sideways, resulting in her capture by mysterious assailants, who hold her for a random of one billion dollars. To save her mother's life, Ross enters the Thieves' Gambit, a legendary, potentially fatal tournament in which the world's top teen thieves must complete a series of heists, competing to be granted their heart's desire. 

LKA

The God of the Woods

The God of the Woods

by Liz Moore

Riverhead Books, 2024. 487 pages. Fiction. 

When Barbara Van Laar is discovered missing from her summer camp bunk one morning in August 1975, it triggers a panicked, terrified search. Losing a camper is a horrific tragedy under any circumstances, but Barbara isn't just any camper, she's the daughter of the wealthy family who owns the camp--as well as the opulent nearby estate, and most of the land in sight. And this isn't the first time a Van Laar child has disappeared in this region: Barbara's older brother also went missing 14 years earlier, never to be found. How could this have happened yet again? Out of this gripping beginning, Liz Moore weaves a richly textured drama, both emotionally nuanced and propelled by a double-barreled mystery. Chasing down the layered secrets of the Van Laar family and the community working in its shadow, Moore's multi-threaded drama brings readers into the hearts of characters whose lives are forever changed by this eventful summer.

If you follow new book releases at all, I’m sure you’re aware of Liz Moore’s new book The God of the Woods. This book has been hyped all summer and I finally got the chance to read it and can concur it is worth the hype. Moore seamlessly weaves timelines, develops characters and builds suspense creating a book that was hard to put down and oh so satisfying in the last few pages. My perception of characters shifted as the story unfolded and I enjoyed seeing women defy their 1970’s gender roles and be strong capable characters in the story.

If you liked The God of the Woods you might also like:

All Good People Here

By Ashley Flowers 

Bantam, 2022. 312 pages. Fiction.

Everyone from Wakarusa, Indiana, remembers the infamous case of January Jacobs, who was discovered in a ditch hours after her family awoke to find her gone. Margot Davies was six at the time, the same age as January--and they were next-door neighbors. In the twenty years since, Margot has grown up, moved away, become a big-city journalist. But she's always been haunted by the fear that it could've been her. And the worst part is, January's killer has never been brought to justice. When Margot returns home to help care for her uncle after a diagnosis of early-onset dementia, it all feels like walking into a time capsule. Wakarusa is exactly how she remembered--genial, stifled, secretive. Then news breaks about five-year-old Natalie Clark from the next town over, who's gone missing under eerily similar circumstances. With all the old feelings rushing back, Margot vows to find Natalie and solve January's murder once and for all. But the police, the family, the townspeople--they all seem to be hiding something. And the deeper Margot digs into Natalie's disappearance, the more resistance she encounters, and the colder January's case feels. 

All the Colors of the Dark

by Chris Whitaker 

Crown, 2024. 595 pages. Fiction.

1975 is a time of change in America. The Vietnam War is ending. Mohammed Ali is fighting Joe Frazier. And in the small town of Monta Clare, Missouri, girls are disappearing. When the daughter of a wealthy family is targeted, the most unlikely hero emerges—Patch, a local boy with one eye, who saves the girl, and, in doing so, leaves heartache in his wake. Patch and those who love him soon discover that the line between triumph and tragedy has never been finer. And that their search for answers will lead them to truths that could mean losing one another. A missing person mystery, a serial killer thriller, a love story, a unique twist on each, Chris Whitaker has written a novel about what lurks in the shadows of obsession, and the blinding light of hope.

JK

Bittersweet in the Hollow

Bittersweet in the Hollow
by Kate Pearsall
New York: Putnam’s Sons, 2023. 373 pages. YA Fiction

When a girl goes missing in her secluded Appalachian town, seventeen-year-old Linden, who can taste other people's emotions, recovers haunting memories of her own disappearance and explores the legend of the Moth-Winged Man, leading her to wonder if there are some secrets best left buried.

I loved listening to Bittersweet in the Hollow; the audiobook narrator’s clear and emotional voice truly enhanced my connection to the story. The relationships between the main character, Linden, and her sisters were engaging and fun, while the sweet romance added to the book’s charm. The mystery and suspense kept me engaged, balancing the lighter moments with intrigue. The writing is beautifully descriptive, immersing me in the vivid imagery of the setting. Additionally, Linden’s unique gift to feel others’ emotions through the sense of taste adds a compelling layer to the narrative, making the exploration of its bittersweet themes all the more intriguing.

If you liked Bittersweet in the Hollow you might also like:

The Depths
by Nicole Lesperance
Penguin Random House, 2022. 356 pages. YA Fiction

After suffering a near-fatal freediving accident, seventeen-year-old Addie Spencer tags along on her mother's honeymoon to a private island where she unearths dark secrets--a child ghost, moody flowers, and a deep pool where no one feels pain--before realizing the island might not be willing to let her go.

Delicious Monsters
by Liselle Sambury
New York: Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2023. 504 pages. YA Fiction

Told in alternating timelines, seventeen-year-old Daisy and her mother move into her deceased uncle's mansion, only to find horrors waiting inside, and ten years later, Brittney investigates the mystery behind the Miracle Mansion that turned her mother's life around.

BWW

When Women Were Dragons

When Women Were Dragons 

By Kelly Barnhill 

Doubleday, 2022. 340 pages. Sci-Fi 

After the Mass Dragoning of 1955, when thousands of women, including her beloved Aunt Marla, transformed into dragons, left a trail fiery destruction and took to the skies, young Alex Green must face the consequences of this event as she learns to accept people as they really are. 

This allegorical tale tells the story of a family of women and how the Mass Dragoning affects each one, as they either accept it or reject it in their lives. It also weaves in fictitious scholarly research surrounding the event, rounding out Alex’s hazy childhood memories. This is a great read for anyone who enjoys the often dual role of Magical Realism, as it can not only present an engaging story about dragons, but also reveal insight on societal problems.

If you like When Women Were Dragons, you might also like: 

Shark Heart 

By Emily Habeck 

Marysue Rucci Books, 2023. 408 pages. 

When her husband Lewis, a few weeks after their wedding, receives a rare diagnosis that his physical body will gradually turn into a great white shark, Wren, struggling with his fate, finds his developing carnivorous nature activating long-repressed memories which forces her to make an impossible choice. 

The Power 

By Naomi Alderman 

Little Brown and Company, 2017. 386 pages. Sci-Fi 

When a new force takes hold of the world, people from different areas of life are forced to cross paths in an alternate reality that gives women and teenage girls immense physical power that can cause pain and death. 

AB

Better Living Through Birding: notes from a Black man in the natural world

 Better living through birding : notes from a Black man in the natural world
by Christian Cooper

Random House, 2021. 282 pages. Non-fiction

When birdwatching in the park one morning in May 2020, Cooper was engaged in the ritual that had been a part of his life since he was ten years old. But when a routine encounter with a dog-walker escalates age old racial tensions, Cooper's viral video of the incident would send shockwaves through the nation. In Better Living Through Birding, Cooper tells the story of his extraordinary life leading up to the now-infamous encounter in Central Park and shows how a life spent looking up at the birds prepared him, in the most uncanny of ways, to be a gay, Black man in American today.

“Better Living Through Birding” isn't just for bird lovers; it's primarily a reflection on Christian Cooper's life. You might know him from the incident in Central Park in 2020 but book explores much more of his life, including his upbringing in New York, his relationships with his parents, his identity as a black gay man, his career at Marvel, his travels, and his involvement in civil rights movements. It offers an honest and vulnerable look at his experiences, with the 2020 Central Park incident being a minor part of the narrative. The audiobook, narrated by Cooper himself, conveys deep passion and is enhanced by bird sounds during poignant moments. I think this heartfelt story offers a unique perspective that Americans can connect with in one way or another.

If you liked Better living through birding, you may also like…

The Backyard Bird Chronicles
by Amy Tan
Alfred A. Knopf, 2024. 288 pages. Non-fiction

In 2016, author Amy Tan grew overwhelmed by the state of the world: Hatred and misinformation became a daily presence on social media, and the country felt more divisive than ever. In search of peace, Tan turned toward the natural world just beyond her window and, specifically, the birds flocking to the feeders in her yard. But what began as an attempt to find solace turned into something far greater--an opportunity to savor quiet moments during a volatile time, connect to nature in a meaningful way, and imagine the intricate lives of the birds she admired. Tracking the natural beauty that surrounds us, The Backyard Bird Chronicles maps the passage of time--from before the pandemic to the days of quarantine--through daily entries, thoughtful questions, and beautiful original sketches. With boundless charm and wit, Amy Tan charts her foray into birding and the natural wonders of the world.

The Comfort of Crows: A Backyard Year

by Margaret Renki
Spiegel & Grau, 2024. Audiobook. Non-fiction

In The Comfort of Crows, Margaret Renkl presents a literary devotional: fifty-two chapters that follow the creatures and plants in her backyard over the course of a year. As we move through the seasons—from a crow spied on New Year's Day, its resourcefulness and sense of community setting a theme for the year, to the lingering bluebirds of December, revisiting the nest box they used in spring—what develops is a portrait of joy and grief: joy in the ongoing pleasures of the natural world, and grief over winters that end too soon and songbirds that grow fewer and fewer. Renkl writes, "radiant things are bursting forth in the darkest places, in the smallest nooks and deepest cracks of the hidden world."

The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny, and Murder

The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny, and Murder 

by David Grann 

Doubleday, 2023. 329 pages. Nonfiction 

In 1741, British warship the HMS Wager journeyed across the Atlantic and around the southernmost coasts of South America, intending to capture a Spanish galleon filled with silver. After a sudden storm drove it aground on a desolate Chilean island, the surviving crew members quickly turned on one another and their leaders. Violence, murder, and even cannibalism ensue, and eventually a faction of the crewmembers mutiny, abandoning their captain to sail a longboat back to England. But the captain and his loyalists survive and ultimately return home eager to share their own version of events. 

Bestseller David Grann, author of Killers of the Flower Moon, delivers another page-turning story you probably didn’t hear about in history class. His careful research shines with frequent direct quotes pulled from first-hand accounts, newspaper articles, and court documents from the time, but The Wager remains highly readable throughout. It moves along at a fast clip, and at only 329 pages, it’s much less of a tome than many nonfiction history reads. Part naval history, part survival story, and part courtroom drama, this is a vivid retelling of a fascinating moment in time. 

If you like The Wager, you might also like: 

The Wide, Wide Sea: Imperial Ambition, First Contact, and the Fateful Final Voyage of Captain James Cook

by Hampton Sides
Doubleday, 2024. 308 pages. Nonfiction 

On July 12th, 1776, Captain James Cook, already lionized as the greatest explorer in British history, set off on his third voyage in his ship the HMS Resolution. Two-and-a-half years later, on a beach on the island of Hawaii, Cook was killed in a conflict with native Hawaiians. How did Cook, who was unique among captains for his respect for Indigenous peoples and cultures, come to that fatal moment? Hampton Sides' bravura account of Cook's last journey both wrestles with Cook's legacy and provides a thrilling narrative of the titanic efforts and continual danger that characterized exploration in the 1700s. At once a ferociously-paced story of adventure on the high seas and a searching examination of the complexities and consequences of the Age of Exploration, The Wide Wide Sea is a major work from one of our finest narrative nonfiction writers 

The Demon of Unrest: A Saga of Hubris, Heartbreak and Heroism at the Dawn of the Civil War 

by Erik Larsen 

Crown, 2024. 565 pages. Nonfiction 

On November 6, 1860, Abraham Lincoln became the fluky victor in a tight race for president. The country was bitterly at odds; Southern extremists were moving ever closer to destroying the Union, with one state after another seceding and Lincoln powerless to stop them. Slavery fueled the conflict, but somehow the passions of North and South came to focus on a lonely federal fortress in Charleston Harbor: Fort Sumter. In the middle of it all is the overwhelmed Lincoln, battling with his duplicitous secretary of state, William Seward, as he tries desperately to avert a war that he fears is inevitable--one that will eventually kill 750,000 Americans. Drawing on diaries, secret communiques, slave ledgers, and plantation records, Larson gives us a political horror story that captures the forces that led America to the brink - a dark reminder that we often don't see a cataclysm coming until it's too late.

SGR

Dungeons and Drama

Dungeons and Drama 

By Kristy Boyce 

Delacorte Press, 2024. 297 pages. Young Adult 

Musical lover Riley has big aspirations to become a director on Broadway ... but when Riley takes her mom's car without permission, she's grounded and stuck with the worst punishment: spending her after-school hours working at her dad's game shop. Riley can't waste her time working ... so she convinces Nathan--a nerdy teen employee--to cover her shifts and, in exchange, she'll flirt with him to make his gamer-girl crush jealous ... Soon, Riley starts to think that flirting with Nathan doesn't require as much acting as she would've thought. 

This is definitely one of my favorite reads so far this year. The characters are likable, it’s sweet, it’s funny, and it was hard to put down. The dynamics between Riley and her parents was interesting, and it felt quite authentic. I love that when Riley gets roped into playing D&D, she makes her character a Bard and serenades her group with show tunes when the time is right. As someone learning a bit more about D&D, this book helped me learn and understand the game better in an incredibly fun way. I would definitely recommend this to anyone looking for a fun, light-hearted teen romance. 

If you liked Dungeons and Drama, you might also like: 

The Renaissance of Gwen Hathaway  

By Ashley Schumacher 

Wednesday Books, 2023. 310 pages. Young Adult 

Raised in the ren faire circuit, 17-year-old Madeline is grieving the loss of her mother when she meets Arthur, the son of the faire's new owners, who encourages her to go on adventures, take chances, and enjoy life. 

With a Little Luck  

By Marissa Meyer 

Feiwel and Friends, 2024. 360 pages. Young Adult 

Jude is a quiet high schooler who loves drawing comics, playing D&D, and working at his parents' vinyl store, aiming to stay out of the spotlight. When he suddenly gains a stroke of supernatural good luck, his dreams start coming true—his art is published, his friend's song becomes a finalist, and he wins concert tickets to ask out his longtime crush. However, as he grapples with his good fortune, Jude begins questioning whether he’s chasing the right girl. 

ACS

Third Shift Society

Third Shift Society
By Meredith Moriarty

Webtoon Unscrolled, 2024. 293 pages. Graphic Novels.

Life's funny. One minute you're jobless, deep in debt, and on the verge of eviction; the next you're in a fight with a monster and getting a job working for a paranormal detective with the head of a jack-o'-lantern. It's an age-old story. Now the clumsy but determined Ellie (who's just discovered she has strong psychic powers) and her pumpkin-headed boss Ichabod have to team up and fight the things that go bump in the night.

The full color art is beautifully rendered in print and the storyline doesn't take itself too seriously. Overall it's a fun take on paranormal investigators and will be appreciated by those wanting to get into the Halloween spirit, but not in a Stephen King kind of way. While you can tell that it was originally released in episodes, it starts to hit its' stride before you're halfway through, leaving the reader eager for more chaos, and backstory, in the subsequent volumes.
 
If you liked Third Shift Society, you may also like:
 

Black Butler
By Yana Toboso
Yen Press, 2010. 184 pages. Graphic Novels.
 
Earl Phantomhive, the Queen's faithful servant and twelve-year-old boy, is aided by his butler Sebastian whenever he is called in to save a dinner party gone awry or uncover the dark secrets of London's underground.

Tokyo Ghoul 
By Sui Ishida
VIZ Media, 2015. 213 pages. Graphic Novels.
 
College student Ken Kaneki is thrilled to be going on a date with beautiful Rize, but when the encounter turns violent, he is transformed into a human-ghoul hybrid who must learn to deal with Ghoul turf wars, Ghoul society, and his new powers.

RBL

Steeped in Stories

 

Steeped in Stories: Timeless Children's Novels to Refresh Our Tired Souls
by Mitali Perkins
Broadleaf Books, 2021. 240 pages. Nonfiction

Blending personal narrative, accessible literary criticism, and spiritual and moral formation, Perkins delves into novels by Louisa May Alcott, C. S. Lewis, L. M. Montgomery, Frances Hodgson Burnett, and other literary "uncles" and "aunts" that illuminate the virtuous, abundant life we still desire. These novels are not perfect, and Perkins honestly assesses their critical frailties and flaws related to race, culture, and power. Yet reading or rereading these books as adults can help us build virtue, unmask our vices, and restore our hope. Reconnecting with these stories from childhood isn't merely nostalgia. In an era of uncertainty and despair, they lighten our load and bring us much-needed hope.

As a lover of children’s literature, I found Perkins' narrative and literary analysis of some of the best classics both refreshing and beautiful. Perkins delves into her personal life and her relationship with these classic treasures. The girls Perkins read about in her youth were different from her, yet she found ways in which they were alike. They provided her with a mirror of herself while also offering a window into a world different from her own. Perkins' writing felt like sitting down with a friend. She shares her love for the classics while acknowledging their imperfections. It reminded me that these stories can be read and re-read and are meant for all the young at heart.

If you liked Steeped in Stories you might also like…

Wild things: the joy of reading children's literature as an adult
by Bruce Handy
Simon and Schuester, 2017. 307 pages. Nonfiction

Now that we're living in a golden age of children's literature, what can adults get out of reading Where the Wild Things Are and Goodnight Moon, or Charlotte's Web and Little House on the Prairie? In Wild Things, Vanity Fair contributing editor Bruce Handy revisits the classics of every American childhood, using context and biography to understand how some of the most insightful, creative, and witty authors and illustrators of their times created their often deeply personal masterpieces. Wild Things will bring back fond memories for readers of all ages, along with a few surprises.

A reader's book of days: true tales from the lives and works of writers for every day of the year
by Tom Nissley
Norton & Company, 2014. 448 pages. Nonfiction

Book connoisseur Tom Nissley has combed literary history to capture the stories that make writers' lives perennially fascinating: their epiphanies, embarrassments and achievements. Each handsome page in A Reader's Book of Days is devoted to a day of the year, featuring original accounts of events in the lives of great writers, and fictional events that took place within beloved books.

BWW

Navigating With You

Navigating with You
By Jeremy Whitley
Maverick, 2024. 220 pages. Young Adult Comics.

When new students Neesha Sparks and Gabby Graciana discover they like the same obscure manga series, they become friends and set out on a mission to find the remaining books in the series.

This graphic novel was so sweet! I was expecting it to be more informational about the struggles someone exploring their gender identity or experiencing ableism, but was pleasantly surprised to have the author include these elements while still focusing on the plot of the novel. The author hints at many of the answers as to why the girls are struggling early-on in the novel, however, leaves the reveal of how these things happened until near the end, creating a lovely story with beautiful character arcs.  It has full-color illustrations for the main story and black and white illustrations for the manga inserts, I would recommend this to anyone who is searching for a somewhat laid-back coming-of-age story with plenty of romance!
 
If you liked Navigating with You, you may also like:
 

The Princess and the Grilled Cheese Sandwich
By Deya Muniz
Little, Brown and Company, 2023. 235 pages. YA Comics.
 
Cam disguises herself as a man to inherit her father's money and estate, and though she tries to keep a low profile, she ends up falling for Crown Princess Brie.

Ready or Not
By Andi Porretta
Atheneum, 2024. 329 pages. YA Comics.
 
With senior year finally behind them, Cassie and her three best friends are on their way to what's next. Like their parents, the crew has always been inseparable. This summer is their last chance to make memories together in New York City before everyone but Cassie scatters across the globe for college--and she's determined to make the most of it. Her plan? They'll spend August playing the game of dares and risks they invented as kids! From adventurous to outrageous, these dares will definitely make for an unforgettable summer. Even better, Cassie is hopeful they'll help the group stay friends no matter what . . . because she is not ready for a future without them.

ERB

Ace

Ace: What Asexuality Reveals About Desire, Society, and the Meaning of Sex
By Angela Chen
Beacon Press, 2020. 210 pages. Nonfiction.

An engaging exploration of what it means to be asexual in a world that’s obsessed with sexual attraction, and what the ace perspective can teach all of us about desire and identity. What exactly is sexual attraction and what is it like to go through life not experiencing it? What does asexuality reveal about gender roles, about romance and consent, and the pressures of society? This accessible examination of asexuality shows that the issues that aces face—confusion around sexual activity, the intersection of sexuality and identity, navigating different needs in relationships—are the same conflicts that nearly all of us will experience. Through a blend of reporting, cultural criticism, and memoir, Ace addresses the misconceptions around the “A” of LGBTQIA and invites everyone to rethink pleasure and intimacy.

Chen provides both an introduction to asexuality as an identity and commentary on how society views different types of relationships.  The tone is very conversational, trading between storytelling and late night discussion vibes throughout. I especially appreciated that the author never assumes you will know what something means.  Each new label or phrase that is brought up is explained, making this a great resource for people with varying degrees of familiarity with queer vernacular.    

If you like Ace, you might also like: 

He/She/They

By Schuyler Bailar

Hachette Go, 2023. 370 pages. Nonfiction.

A life-changing, lifesaving book for anyone and everyone. Anti-transgender legislation has been introduced all across the United States in record-breaking numbers. Trans people are under attack in sports, healthcare, entertainment, school and education, bathrooms, and nearly everywhere else. He/She/They clearly and compassionately addresses fundamental topics, from how being transgender is not a choice and why pronouns are important, to more complex issues including how gender-affirming healthcare can be lifesaving and why allowing trans youth to play sports is good for all kids. With a relatable narrative rooted in facts, science, and history, Schuyler Bailar helps restore common sense and humanity to a discussion that continues to de divisively co-opted and deceptively politicized.

Sounds Fake But Okay

By Sarah Costello

Jessica Kingsley, 2023. 160 pages. Nonfiction.

Sarah and Kayla invite you to put on your purple aspec glasses - and rethink everything you thought you knew about society, friendship, sex, romance and more. Drawing on their personal stories, and those of aspec friends all over the world, prepare to explore your microlabels, investigate different models of partnership, delve into the intersection of gender norms and compulsory sexuality and reconsider the meaning of sex - when allosexual attraction is out of the equation. Spanning the whole range of relationships we have in our lives - to family, friends, lovers, society, our gender, and ourselves, this book asks you to let your imagination roam, and think again what human connection really is.

Before We Were Trans

By Kit Heyam
Seal Press, 2022. 343 pages. Nonfiction.

Today's narratives about trans people tend to feature individuals with stable gender identities that fit neatly into the categories of male or female. Those stories, while important, fail to account for the complex realities of many trans people's lives. Before We Were Trans illuminates the stories of people across the globe, from antiquity to the present, whose experiences of gender have defied binary categories. Blending historical analysis with sharp cultural criticism, trans historian and activist Kit Heyam offers a new, radically inclusive trans history, chronicling expressions of trans experience that are often overlooked, like gender-nonconforming fashion and wartime stage performance.

KJ

The Sweet Spot

The Sweet Spot

By Amy Poeppel

Atria, 2023. 394 pages. Fiction. 

In the Sweet Spot, a dive bar at the heart of Greenwich Village, three women, when a baby lands on their collective doorstep, rise to the occasion in order to forgive, to forget and to track down the wayward parents, unexpectedly finding their own happily-ever-afters along the way. 

I enjoyed this book and loved watching the relationships between the 3 women start very contentious and transform into a chosen family. Even with a large cast of characters, the writing was clear and each person unique enough that it was not difficult to follow all the intricate plot details. The men take a back seat in this story and the women are the leads. A very feel-good read that is humorous and all about misunderstandings and new beginnings.

If you like The Sweet Spot you might also like:

Family Family

By Laurie Frankel 

Henry Holt and Company, 2024 386 pages. Fiction.

India Allwood grew up wanting to be an actress. Armed with a stack of index cards and a hell of a lot of talent, she goes from awkward 16-year-old to Broadway ingenue to TV star. But while promoting her most recent project, a film about adoption, India does what you should never do - she tells a journalist the truth: it's a bad movie. Like so many movies about adoption, it tells only one story, a tragic one. But India's an adoptive mom herself and knows there's so much more to her family than tragedy. Soon she's at the center of a media storm, battling accusations from the press and the paparazzi, from protesters on the right and advocates on the left. Her daughter Fig knows they need help - and who better to call for help than family? Because India's not just an adoptive mom. She also had a baby she gave up for adoption her senior year of high school. That baby is now sixteen, excited to meet her birth mother and eager to help, but she also has an agenda and secrets of her own.

Pineapple Street

By Jenny Jackson 

Pamela Dorman Books/Viking, 2023. 304 pages. Fiction. 

Darley, the eldest daughter in the Stockton family, has never worried about money. The product of generational wealth and capitalist success, Darley renounced her inheritance when she married Malcolm, a first generation Korean American with a lucrative job in banking. Sasha, Darley's new sister-in-law, has come from more humble origins, and her hesitancy about signing a pre-nup has everyone worried about her intentions. Georgiana, newly graduated from Brown and proud to think of herself as a "do-gooder," has enough money from her trust that she's able to work for a pittance at a not-for-profit, where she has started a secret love affair with a senior colleague. But when a scandal derails Malcolm's career, leaving Darley financially in the lurch, when Sasha glimpses the less-than-attractive attributes beneath the Stockton brood's carefully-guarded fȧade, and when Georgiana discovers her boyfriend is married and still in love with his wife, they must all come to terms with what money can't buy--the bonds of love that can make and unmake a family. Rife with the indulgent pleasures of affluent WASPS in New York and full of recognizable if fallible characters (and a couple of appalling ones!), it's about the peculiar unknowability of someone else's family, about the haves and have-nots and the nuances in between, and the insanity of first love--Pineapple Street is a scintillating, wryly comic novel of race, class, wealth and privilege in an age that disdains all of it.

JK

Witch of Wild Things

Witch of Wild Things 

by Raquel Vasquez Gilliland 

Berkley, 2023. 311 pages. Romance

Sage Flores has been running from her family—and their “gifts”—ever since her younger sister Sky died. Eight years later, Sage reluctantly returns to her hometown and takes back her job at Cranberry Rose Company. She uses her ability to communicate with plants to discover unusual heritage specimens in the surrounding lands, accompanied by the man who broke her heart in high school, Tennessee Reyes. 

 After writing several successful young adult novels, Witch of Wild Things is a triumphant first adult novel for Gilliland. Combining second chance romance, sister relationships, and magical realism, Gilliland tells the story of Sage Flores and her journey to reconnect with her family and her past. Sage doesn’t have time for romance, but Tennessee is a male lead that cannot be ignored. I loved this romance that offered a fuller tale of Sage’s life, sisters, and magical gifts. 

If you like Witch of Wild Things, you might also like: 

The Enchanted Hacienda

by J.C. Cervantes 

Park Row Books, 2023. 363 pages. Fiction

Harlow Estrada returns to the enchanted Hacienda Estrada, a family farm in Mexico where her mother, sisters, aunt, and cousins harness the magic of charmed flowers, but when she’s chosen to watch over the farm, she panics since she, herself, is magic-less, until she opens her heart to love and creativity. 

Lost and Found Sisters

by Jill Shalvis 

William Morrow, 2017. 371 pages. Romance 

Feeling empty after the accidental death of her sister, a Los Angeles chef is shattered when a lawyer reveals a devastating family secret that prompts her to relocate to a different town, where she finds solace in simple pleasures and a kindhearted new friend. 

AB