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cinaedTrying to be better about posting at least short book recs, and also I was part of a Trans and Nonbinary Pride book talk panel for World Pride in May so I read so many queer books last month.
Linus and Etta Could Use a Win by Caroline Huntoon - A middle grade series about a trans boy moving to a new school and a girl he befriends. Very sweet, I especially loved Linus, who came out and it went fine, everyone was supportive, but then he just kept having to come out again and again and he wanted a fresh start with people who only know him as a guy when his family moves to be closer to his elderly grandmother.
Just Happy to Be Here by Naomi Kanakia - A YA novel set in an alternate Virginia about a trans girl trying to get into an elite group at her private school. This was an interesting read-- it's very much the POV of a self-absorbed teenage girl who does not want to be face of the trans right movement, she just wants to date this other girl and talk about historical speeches. There's transphobia and racism, but Tara carves out a happy life for herself.
The Lamb Will Slaughter the Lion by Margaret Killjoy - A post-apocalyptic punk horror fantasy story about a woman trying to figure out why her best friend killed himself after leaving a mysterious town. This was a little slight for me, but the horror elements were great and I enjoyed a lot of the characters and enjoyed it enough to seek out the sequel.
The Scholar and the Last Faerie Door by G. Parry - An adult fantasy novel set post-WWI in which a woman discovers faeries and magic are real and gets a scholarship to a magic university to try and save her older brother from a faerie curse. Probably my favorite of the books I read, the worldbuilding is cool, the friendships are fascinating and complicated, there's interesting classism involved, and I just really liked the main character a lot.
In the Form of a Question by Amy Schneider - A memoir of the longest-running female contestant on Jeopardy and her journey to that and figuring out she was trans. This was a great read, I really loved how Amy's love of learning came across and her anecdotes were funny and sad and complicated but all ultimately hopeful.
The City in Glass by Nghi Vo - A fantasy novel about a demon whose mortal city is destroyed by angels and her relationship with an angel she cursed that stays in the dead city with her. What a weird book, I say with great affection. The demon has such a completely alien mind which is a great POV, and her grief over her lost city and efforts to build a new one is a compelling read. Probably my other favorite of what I read but then I love all of Nghi Vo's works.
These Fragile Graces This Fugitive Heart by Izzy Wasserstein - A post-apocalyptic scifi noir novella in which a trans woman is trying to solve the murder of her ex-girlfriend in the commune she self-exiled herself from a few years earlier. Also a wild ride! The main character makes some interesting decisions, the mystery is engaging and twisty, and I really enjoyed the ending.
Linus and Etta Could Use a Win by Caroline Huntoon - A middle grade series about a trans boy moving to a new school and a girl he befriends. Very sweet, I especially loved Linus, who came out and it went fine, everyone was supportive, but then he just kept having to come out again and again and he wanted a fresh start with people who only know him as a guy when his family moves to be closer to his elderly grandmother.
Just Happy to Be Here by Naomi Kanakia - A YA novel set in an alternate Virginia about a trans girl trying to get into an elite group at her private school. This was an interesting read-- it's very much the POV of a self-absorbed teenage girl who does not want to be face of the trans right movement, she just wants to date this other girl and talk about historical speeches. There's transphobia and racism, but Tara carves out a happy life for herself.
The Lamb Will Slaughter the Lion by Margaret Killjoy - A post-apocalyptic punk horror fantasy story about a woman trying to figure out why her best friend killed himself after leaving a mysterious town. This was a little slight for me, but the horror elements were great and I enjoyed a lot of the characters and enjoyed it enough to seek out the sequel.
The Scholar and the Last Faerie Door by G. Parry - An adult fantasy novel set post-WWI in which a woman discovers faeries and magic are real and gets a scholarship to a magic university to try and save her older brother from a faerie curse. Probably my favorite of the books I read, the worldbuilding is cool, the friendships are fascinating and complicated, there's interesting classism involved, and I just really liked the main character a lot.
In the Form of a Question by Amy Schneider - A memoir of the longest-running female contestant on Jeopardy and her journey to that and figuring out she was trans. This was a great read, I really loved how Amy's love of learning came across and her anecdotes were funny and sad and complicated but all ultimately hopeful.
The City in Glass by Nghi Vo - A fantasy novel about a demon whose mortal city is destroyed by angels and her relationship with an angel she cursed that stays in the dead city with her. What a weird book, I say with great affection. The demon has such a completely alien mind which is a great POV, and her grief over her lost city and efforts to build a new one is a compelling read. Probably my other favorite of what I read but then I love all of Nghi Vo's works.
These Fragile Graces This Fugitive Heart by Izzy Wasserstein - A post-apocalyptic scifi noir novella in which a trans woman is trying to solve the murder of her ex-girlfriend in the commune she self-exiled herself from a few years earlier. Also a wild ride! The main character makes some interesting decisions, the mystery is engaging and twisty, and I really enjoyed the ending.
