So excited to read the final version of THE BEES AND OTHER WILD THINGS by Chase Connor (it‘s a sequel to A SURPLUS OF LIGHT). It‘s a great companion piece and just as touching and thought provoking. Recommend highly!

A friend warned me that I might be disappointed by this one. Unfortunately, I was. A lack of world-building, an unlikeable main character, poor handling of serious social issues…it was a “pan” for me.

I got an advanced copy of Chase Connor‘s next release, Possibly Texas. A magical realism novel set in the fictional town of…you guessed it. LOL Beautiful prose, quirky characters, rich settings, hidden meanings galore, a touch spiritual, with an ending that‘ll punch you in the gut. 5 ⭐️‘s for this one. Highly recommend!

Spending Sunday with an ARC of Chase Connor‘s next LGBTQIA YA Book. I‘ve read it already, but really enjoyed this one, so I‘m going to read it once more. Queer rep, POC rep, disability rep, show tunes, horror movies, and heart. What‘s not to like?

I recently read an ARC for Briefly Buddies—coming August 6th, 2021—by Chase Connor. Hilarious, sexy, fun, great gay and bi rep, and #LGBTQIA rep in general. I‘m not a big #erotica reader, but this #newadult #mmromance, billed as “An LGBTQ+ New Adult Erotic Comedy” was simply a lot of fun. Definitely recommend to M/M, LGBTQ+, erotica, new adult, and comedy readers.

Finally getting to do some reading. This passage was a punch to the gut. I wasn‘t sure about this book...but now I‘m hooked.

I listened to this on audiobook through Libby, which I never do. However, I found the narration perfect and charming. It didn‘t make me a total convert, but I enjoyed it. Not much really happens in the story, but it is a good, light “read” with a main character with ASD, and it is enjoyable, so I‘ll call it a “pick.”

I‘ve read all of Chelsea Handler‘s books and I never fail to laugh uproariously. I laughed loudly at least three dozen times, but unlike her other books, this one also made me nearly cry. Much more mature, self-aware, poignant (and a little dark at times), this book felt like the most accurate representation of Handler as a human, not a “celebrity”. You‘ll laugh out loud, then flip the page, and feel like crying. I love Chelsea more now.

I love Chelsea Handler. I have a free afternoon. So....

I have to say, the resolution in the final chapter of this book wasn‘t satisfying enough. It didn‘t match the brilliant, sharp prose of the rest of the book. Having said that—I adored this one. Saenz is sharp, concise, and writes vivid characters you will fall in love with. Definitely a pick! 😍🤩

Truth.

It‘s been a minute since I‘ve done a “This or That”, so, why not this one? @rheareads @Menjivar1978 @MargieW

Finally going to start this one soon! My friends have been badgering me enough...

I don‘t know if I can fully process this one right now ‘cause it got me right in the gut. Such an important YA book about racial injustice and inequity. I recommend it as required reading for that alone. But I definitely recommend it for how Nic Stone illustrated that hope can come out of tragedy and how, regardless of how injustices and bigotry affect us, we get to decide for ourselves who we will be. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Book #7 in an always entertaining, thrilling series. Visiting Samantha Moon, Vampire for Hire, is like visiting old friends. If you‘re not following this series, you should be!

I‘ve followed Eddie Izzard‘s career since I first saw “Dress to Kill” in the late 90s. Just like his one man shows, Izzard discusses the most heartbreaking and harrowing topics with intelligence, wit, and poignancy. Also like his one man shows, take your time. Read. Reread. There are stories and allegories, all meant to be relished and savored. I adored this! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

My favorite books of 2018. Hopefully, the books I read in 2019 are just as wonderful!

Who better to read on New Year‘s Day? Going to snuggle in with this one.

Last book of 2018 read—with an hour to spare! I can‘t do a decent review now because this book leaves the reader with so many thoughts and emotions. But this was a definite YES! I know I‘ll be thinking about this one for a long time to come.

@TricksyTails - I couldn‘t fit EVERYTHING in the picture. 🤣 Thank you so much! I‘m so excited to read all the books and eat all the goodies! Merry Christmas!🎄🎁 #FeedAReader

#in2018 @RealLifeReading

Finally got my copy out of the POB. 😃

@Menjivar1978 and I watched the movie tonight FINALLY. Soooo freaking good, y‘all. Great acting, stayed fairly faithful to the source material, awesome soundtrack—golly dang it was good! Highly recommend reading the book and then watching the movie. Both are superb! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

We were going to see the movies...but decided we wanted to read the books first. 😁

I was a beta-reader on this one awhile back and forgot to review it! Chase Connor released this first book in his LGBTQ paranormal romance series...and it was so much fun! Romance, fashion, celebrity, danger, drag queens, werewolves, crotchety granny...it‘s got everything. And, as always, Chase is a master of witty, entertaining dialogue. Definitely a must!

I thought this one was “okay”. Loved the diversity of female archetypes and LGBTQ representation—but like a lot of books that I‘ve read lately, I feel that it took the scenic route in telling the story. If Ms. Waters had cut some of the book and been more succinct in some places, I would have been absolutely stunned. Overall, though, amazing historical fiction with a twist from an exceptional writer.

My next adventure for book club.

Donna Tarrt is an exceptional writer. This book is not exceptional. It‘s boring, bloated, and takes a really long road to the destination: “people look out for and protect beautiful things.” I just did not find this one entertaining or enjoyable at all. The Pulitzer Prize Board disagrees, so take that as you will. 🤷🏼‍♂️ Sorry my first time posting in weeks is this. 🤣

Just a few books bought at independent/used bookstores today. 😁

Onve again, Chase Connor knocks it out of the park with an LGBTQ novella. This one is even more touching and endearing than his others. Mike, one of the MC‘s is told “He‘s a psycho” when he asks who the kid with the iceberg eyes is. Told over 8 years time, this is a lovely tale about burgeoning love. Highly recommend!

My next book. Been meaning to read this since it came out...and it‘s 1 of 5 books I promised I‘d read in 2018, so....
#2018Reads

Just finished this beautiful collection of stories, and...WOW. Sachdeva has a real knack for telling the story of a life in a few short pages. From sci-fi, to magical realism, to plain ole fiction, the stories cover several genres. And each proves Sachdeva‘s capability as a writer. Stunningly haunting, heartbreakingly beautiful, and unabashedly bold. Every story is a gem.

Gonna start this one today. It‘s one of the 5 I promised myself I‘d read in 2018, so...

Couldn‘t resist anymore. 🤫🤣

I struggled with how to review this book. And the only thing I can think to say is that, after ‘A Man Called Ove‘, I didn‘t think Fredrik Backman could write a better book. This one proved me wrong. ‘Us Against You‘ is a masterpiece in writing and storytelling, and even better than ‘Beartown‘, in my opinion. No one understands the human condition like Backman. This was absolutely brilliant while being excruciatingly heartbreaking. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Another YA LGBTQ novel I recently read. Just like Chase Connor‘s other book “Just a Dumb Surfer Dude”—this one was so fun! Witty dialogue, characters you‘ll fall in love with, and you‘ll be wiping tears away at the end. And ✊🏼 for POC representation! I would definitely recommend this to YA lovers!

It was a mild, rainy day in my neck of Texas—so what better to do than read? People say so many great things about this book—and it is interesting and engaging—but I finished it hating nearly every character in it. Especially Anse, the patriarch of the family. To me, the story was just a long way of saying “sin begets sin”. Maybe, in twenty years, I‘ll reread it and find a deeper appreciation for it. Until then: 🤬

A few books were purchased today. 😁 #bookhaul #buylocal

At the bookstore and saw these HP editions. ❤️😍

Perfect meal to eat while watching the film adaptation on Amazon Prime! #yummy

Just saw this article on Buzzfeed about “YA Queens of Color” that is not only EVERYTHING, but will give you a lot of books to TBR. Picture credit: Buzzfeed, Nicola Yoon, author of “Everything Everything”.

https://www.buzzfeed.com/ehisosifo1/ya-novel-diverse-queens?utm_term=.xq2aNzB5X1...

1. Ice cream. Ice cream any day any time. 🤤
2. No. Please no.
3. Once when I was 16. That was *mumbles* years ago.
4. Music. Usually utilize the aux jack.
5. On it! 👍🏼
#FRIYAYINTRO

Today, I‘m going to start this one that was sent to me by my #FeedAReader buddy @marywag08 earlier this month. I‘m so excited! I LOVE Fredrik Backman! 😍

When I read books, more than anything, I decide how much I like them based on how they make me feel. This one hit all the feels. This is a YA novel that, while quite a bit over the top, reminds the reader that life isn‘t just about being alive. A great first love story, an adventure, a mystery, a lament on how life is worth dying for—this book is everything.

Why readers are the best.

That‘s as far as I‘ve made it in the book. Exactly 100 pages. Life gets ahead of you. I have GOT to do some reading tonight! 🤣

I read this ebook on Kindle Unlimited this morning as a palate cleanser. It‘s a gay coming-of-age love story, and a little predictable—but so much fun. Lots of witty dialogue, LOVE the relationship between Cooper (the MC) and his father, and it left me with a warmed heart. And it‘s 125ish pages, so it‘s a quick read. Oh, and it‘s FREE on Kindle Unlimited!!! What more could you want?

We‘ve all been there. 🤣

Next? This chunkster. It‘s for August book club, but I want to make sure there‘s plenty of time. 😊

How would you live if you knew when you‘d die? Would you squeeze every bit of juice from the orange...or stagnate in worry about your choices? Every “YES!” to this one. A book about life, death, and choices. The freedom to choose and finding joy in that freedom. While Simon‘s and Varya‘s sections were my favorite parts, the entire book should be savored. Supremely moving, incredibly heartbreaking, and stunningly beautiful. Just like life.