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The Start of Something: The sharp, compulsive and thought-provoking book club read for 2024
by Holly Williams*A COSMOPOLITAN BEST BOOK PICK FOR 2024!*'Bold, playful, generous and lush, it's a story that feels both timeless and urgent - I loved it. Gorgeously and relentlessly queer!' DAISY BUCHANANA lover. A bartender. A husband. An artist. A student.A poet. A sex worker. A welder. A drag queen. A mother.As the sun sets over the city streets, ten ordinary lives collide with extraordinary consequences. From thrilling first meetings and impulsive liaisons, to messy misunderstandings and passionate reconciliations, each connection has the potential to be the start of something, or already hints at its own ending.Yet uniting them all is the desire to find true intimacy in a fractured modern world - to see, and to truly be seen...A razor-sharp, intoxicating and thought-provoking novel of ten interlocking sexual encounters that will appeal to fans of Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo, Conversations with Friends by Sally Rooney, and 'Modern Love' from the New York Times.Praise for The Start of Something:'A fun, big-hearted and at times thought-provoking read about the search for connection in an all-too-busy, atomised world' MARIE CLAIRE'Effortlessly fluid. Moving and suprising' LILY LINDON'Ten lives collide, and each encounter unspools in its messy, vulnerable, thrilling glory. Electrifying' MARIANNE LEVY'Williams skillfully explores connections, complications and 'situationships' in all of their messy glory' GRAZIA'An insightful, hopeful and cleverly constructed novel about sexuality, identity and friendship. Written with humour and huge compassion. Brilliant' ANNA MAZZOLA'Brilliantly clever. Surprising and hopeful' ANOUSHKA WARDEN
Step Lover: Sie liebt ihren Stiefbruder ... ein wenig zu sehr
by S. A. WestAls Max herausfindet, dass seine Stiefschwester Mel einige Freunde vom Cheerleading mitgebracht hat, um ihren Geburtstag zu feiern, hoffte er auf eine spaßige Nacht. Als dieses Missverständnis jedoch gegen ihn verwendet wird, erfährt er, wie weit seine Stiefschwester doch gehen würde, um ihm ihre Liebe zu beweisen. Diese heiße, erotische Kurzgeschichte ist die Erzählung verbotener Liebe, Lust und Verlangen.
Straddling the Line
by A. F. HenleyScott Riley has lived his whole life in the Town of Sunridge but spent most of his childhood certain that the first thing he would do when he got old enough was leave. That was until Sid's Tavern came up for sale, though. With a little bit of money and a lot of hard work, he is confident that he will be able to refresh the bar and add a little bit of life to the town. He also knows that's going to be hard to do all alone. So, when a slightly disheveled but desperate and willing to work young man shows up asking for a job, it seems as though fate has intervened.Lee Warner brings a dark past with him, but he's sober, hungry, and willing to try just about anything if it will bring him a sense of purpose and renew his energy. Walking into that tavern was meant to be nothing more than a chance for opportunity, but that was before Lee got a good look at Scott. With hair the color of a sunset and a nervous energy to match it, Scott is revitalizing Lee in ways Lee never expected.That seems to be contagious energy, however, and as Scott is as straight as they come, he can't understand why Lee is awakening feelings in him. Or how to turn those feelings off.
Straight Acting: The Many Queer Lives of William Shakespeare
by Will Tosh'Engrossing, enlightening and hugely entertaining'SARAH WATERS, author of Fingersmith'Brilliant - so vivid and so sharp, fantastically clever and consistently fascinating'KATHERINE RUNDELL, author of Super-InfiniteWas Shakespeare gay? The answer is both simpler and more complex than you might think . . .Shakespeare's work was profoundly influenced by the queer culture of his time - much of it totally integrated into mainstream society. From a relentless schooling in Latin and Greek homoeroticism, to a less formal education on the streets and in smoky taverns, from the gender-bending of the early comedies to the astonishingly queer literary scene that nurtured Shakespeare's sonnets, this is a story of artistic development and of personal crisis.Straight Acting is a surprising portrait of Shakespeare's queer lives - his own and those in his plays and poems. It is a journey back in time and through Shakespeare's England, revealing a culture that both endorsed and supressed same-sex desire. It is a call to stop making Shakespeare act straight and to recognise how queerness powerfully shaped the life and career of the world's most famous playwright.'Magisterial and saucy . . . This fresh account kickstarts the queer canon of English literature: Shakespeare won't go back in the closet again'EMMA SMITH, author of This Is Shakespeare
Straight Acting: The Many Queer Lives of William Shakespeare
by Will Tosh'Engrossing, enlightening and hugely entertaining'SARAH WATERS, author of Fingersmith'Brilliant - so vivid and so sharp, fantastically clever and consistently fascinating'KATHERINE RUNDELL, author of Super-InfiniteWas Shakespeare gay? The answer is both simpler and more complex than you might think . . .Shakespeare's work was profoundly influenced by the queer culture of his time - much of it totally integrated into mainstream society. From a relentless schooling in Latin and Greek homoeroticism, to a less formal education on the streets and in smoky taverns, from the gender-bending of the early comedies to the astonishingly queer literary scene that nurtured Shakespeare's sonnets, this is a story of artistic development and of personal crisis.Straight Acting is a surprising portrait of Shakespeare's queer lives - his own and those in his plays and poems. It is a journey back in time and through Shakespeare's England, revealing a culture that both endorsed and supressed same-sex desire. It is a call to stop making Shakespeare act straight and to recognise how queerness powerfully shaped the life and career of the world's most famous playwright.'Magisterial and saucy . . . This fresh account kickstarts the queer canon of English literature: Shakespeare won't go back in the closet again'EMMA SMITH, author of This Is Shakespeare
The Struggle to Be Gay—in Mexico, for Example
by Roger N. LancasterBeing gay is not a given. Through a rigorous ethnographic inquiry into the material foundations of sexual identity, The Struggle to Be Gay makes a compelling argument for the centrality of social class in gay life—in Mexico, for example, and by extension in other places as well. Known for his writings on the construction of sexual identities, anthropologist and cultural studies scholar Roger N. Lancaster ponders four decades of visits to Mexican cities. In a brisk series of reflections combining storytelling, ethnography, critique, and razor-edged polemic, he shows, first, how economic inequality affects sexual subjects and subjectivities in ways both obvious and subtle, and, second, how what it means to be de ambiente—"on the scene" or "in the life"—has metamorphosed under changing political-economic conditions. The result is a groundbreaking intervention into ongoing debates over identity politics—and a renewal of our understanding of how identities are constructed, struggled for, and lived.
Suffering Sappho!: Lesbian Camp in American Popular Culture
by Barbara Jane BrickmanAn ever-expanding and panicked Wonder Woman lurches through a city skyline begging Steve to stop her. A twisted queen of sorority row crashes her convertible trying to escape her queer shame. A suave butch emcee introduces the sequined and feathered stars of the era’s most celebrated drag revue. For an unsettled and retrenching postwar America, these startling figures betrayed the failure of promised consensus and appeasing conformity. They could also be cruel, painful, and disciplinary jokes. It turns out that an obsession with managing gender and female sexuality after the war would hardly contain them. On the contrary, it spread their campy manifestations throughout mainstream culture. Offering the first major consideration of lesbian camp in American popular culture, Suffering Sappho! traces a larger-than-life lesbian menace across midcentury media forms to propose five prototypical queer icons—the sicko, the monster, the spinster, the Amazon, and the rebel. On the pages of comics and sensational pulp fiction and the dramas of television and drive-in movies, Barbara Jane Brickman discovers evidence not just of campy sexual deviants but of troubling female performers, whose failures could be epic but whose subversive potential could inspire. Supplemental images of interest related to this title: George and Lomas; Connie Minerva; Cat On Hot Tin; and Beulah and Oriole.
The Summer Queen (The Buried and the Bound Trilogy #2)
by Rochelle HassanThis captivating sequel to The Buried and the Bound draws readers into the twisted and irresistible world of the Fair Folk—perfect for fans of The Cruel Prince and The Hazel Wood.As a new coven, Aziza, Leo, and Tristan faced evil and triumphed. All that’s left is to put their lives back together, a process complicated by the fallout from painful secrets, the emotional and physical scars they now carry, and the mysteries that still haunt them. But with the approach of the solstice comes the arrival of strange new visitors to Blackthorn: the Summer Court, a nomadic community of Fair Folk from deep in Elphame. They’ve journeyed to the border between the human world and fairyland, far from their usual caravan route, to take back something that belongs to them—something Leo’s not willing to lose.Refusing to give up without a fight, he makes a risky deal with the Summer Court’s princess and regent. The challenge she proposes sends Coven Blackthorn into the farthest, wildest reaches of Elphame.But when you play games with the Fair Folk, even winning has a cost.
The Summoning
by Patrick Bryce WrightKohmi Sakurai loses his parents before his freshman year of college and relocates from Seattle to Kentucky to be near his only remaining relative, his half-brother Heiki, whom he barely knows. Heiki teaches at the local university and Kohmi enrolls there, despite fears about attending college in rural Kentucky as a gay Wiccan. However, Heiki is starting GASA, the Gender and Sexuality Alliance, as the faculty sponsor. Maybe Kohmi can start a new life after all: get to know his half-brother, have a supportive college experience in a community of fellow LGBTQIA+ people, fall in love, and settle down.Even better, the gorgeous redhead from Kohmi’s composition class, Morey Ives, is at the first GASA meeting. Morey’s Southern manners make it difficult to tell if he’s genuinely into Kohmi or if he’s just that good at being nice. As if Morey wasn’t amazing enough, he’s also Wiccan and comes from a long line of rural Wiccans, but he isn’t conceited about it, unlike the “blood witches” Kohmi met in Washington state. Kohmi is officially infatuated.But the university president’s son Keith also wants Morey and views Kohmi as an interloper. Also Wiccan, Keith intends to start a Wiccan club on campus, with or without his Catholic father’s approval. When this fails to impress Morey or make an impression on Kohmi, Keith pays local dark magic pariahs to have demons scare Kohmi away.Unfortunately, it goes wrong, and a horde of demons is unleashed on everyone in Morey’s social group, including Keith’s brother. Worst of all? The people who summoned the demons can’t un-summon them. Kohmi, Morey, Keith, and all their Wiccan friends must set aside their differences and work together to find a way to dismiss the demons. But every day the attacks get worse. Will their magic be powerful enough, or will the demons succeed in killing them?
Sunrise: Jonathan
by Tim MeadYou are cordially invited to view another of a triptych of stories involving the lives and loves of gay men who work or volunteer at the Sunrise Arts Center in Stafford, North Carolina.Dr. Jonathan Baker volunteers to man the reception desk because, like he says, he enjoys meeting people. He also boasts he folds a mean program. Everyone tells him he's wasting his talents at doing such menial tasks. But Jonathan is lonely and needs to keep busy.After retiring, Jonathan decides to move back to his hometown. Although he was quietly out at work, he's uncomfortable in disclosing his sexual orientation in the more conservative hometown. This is despite the new director of the Arts Center being out and proud. Whitney is young, Jonathan is not.In a further effort to meet people, and to dip a toe into the waters of the local gay scene, Jonathan joins a men's book group at his local church, most of whose members are gay. The person chairing the first meeting is high school English teacher Frank Cummings. Frank confesses he knows of Jonathan through scholarly articles Jonathan had written.Frank and Jonathan soon find they have several things in common. Both teachers of English, both belong to the same church, and both are of a similar age. This last is the problem. Jonathan has previously lost a lover to illness and fears history repeating itself. Is it fair to burden someone with looking after him if/when he becomes frail? Should people their age enter into relationships or just stay friends? Only time will tell, but how much time do they have?
Sunrise: Louis
by Tim MeadYou are cordially invited to view another of a triptych of stories involving the lives and loves of gay men who work or volunteer at the Sunrise Arts Center in Stafford, North Carolina.High school senior Louis LeFevre feels he doesn't fit in. He's Haitian by birth and doesn't resemble the African-American students. His French-sounding name doesn't help him fit in either. Although he does phys ed -- he's gay and wants to look good -- he prefers arts, particularly photography. He spends much of his free time at the Sunrise Arts Center, whose new and incredibly sexy director helps Louis put together a portfolio of his work for his college applications.The quintessential soccer jock, Judd Thomas, is keeping a secret. He's gay. He struggles to write a term paper on the sculptor Bernini and his art teacher is little help so he's introduced to Louis to help him get the art terms and concepts right. Judd and Louis make for unlikely study buddies, much less lovers, but they say opposites attract, and Judd and Louis are definitely attracted to each other.Some members of the soccer team object to their star striker associating with someone they perceive as gay, and try to ruin Judd's chances of getting a soccer scholarship to college. Judd and Louis are still young, and their lives are bound to go in different directions after graduation. Will their relationship develop into something beautiful, or will they be forced to call it quits and walk away?
Sunrise: Whitney
by Tim MeadYou are cordially invited to view one of a triptych of stories involving the lives and loves of gay men who work or volunteer at the Sunrise Arts Center in Stafford, North Carolina.When Dr. Whitney Pell's relationship with his long-term partner comes to a surprising and acrimonious end, Whitney decides a change of scene is in order. Becoming the director of an arts center close to where he grew up seems like the perfect opportunity for a fresh start.Whitney is busy at his new job, enjoying the challenge. He soon finds a house he likes. His personal life is less settled however. Hurt at the breakup of his previous relationship, Whitney enjoys playing the field ... for a while. Then he begins to miss being part of a couple. But finding Mr. Right isn't as easy as finding a house or settling into his new job.Whitney feels an immediate attraction to Stuart Blount, the hunky art teacher at the local high school. However, the wedding band on Stuart's finger indicates he's married and probably straight. Things between Stuart and Whitney continue to hot up, and Whitney learns more about Stuart's past, showing he isn't as straight as Whitney first believed. But will Whitney's present cause the picture of domestic bliss they're painting to be torn apart?Note: This story has a minor character discusses past physical abuse from a former partner.
Sunset (Bonfires #3)
by Amy LaneLarx and Aaron have faced a lot together—small-town prejudice, work injuries, and pregnant daughters. But finally two of their teenagers have graduated and Larx is making moves to lessen his workload in anticipation of Aaron being elected sheriff in the fall. Maybe, just maybe, they can start planning the wedding they&’ve longed to have. Then a student goes missing and Aaron&’s mentor takes a bullet during the search. Larx and Aaron backburner their plans and jump into what they do best—taking care of their people. They don&’t expect to be the ones who end up in danger. While Larx and Aaron struggle to get out of their perilous situation, their family is galvanized into action. Just like Larx and Aaron&’s relationship, their rescue is going to take hard work, ingenuity, and a solid sense of humor, but the people whose lives they&’ve touched are up for the job. Nobody will rest until Larx and Aaron are safe and sound—and ready to ride off into the sunset toward the beginning of the rest of their lives.
Sunset Club Box Set
by A. C. KattThis box set combines A.C. Katt's best-selling series Sunset Club, which focuses on the premier gay club on the Jersey Shore with the same name. Contains all 5 books in the series, including:You in My Arms: Jason Monroe is his sister Kitty’s guardian after their parents’ death. He's working two jobs to keep them afloat, and doesn't have time for love. Until Zach Montgomery, the owner of the Asbury Park Sunset Club, the premier gay bar and dance club on the Jersey Shore, comes calling. Can Zach make it easier for Jason to uphold his priorities ... and maybe get himself added to the list?Bobby's Old Man: Keith is in love with Bobby but thinks he’s too old for the younger man. The two start as “friends with benefits,” but Keith dumps Bobby when it turns serious, leaving Bobby broken-hearted. When tragedy strikes and Bobby needs Keith, he lacks trust in his former lover. Can Keith convince Bobby that this time is for real, or will the two never reconcile?Waiting for Mark: For more than a year, Reggie has been sitting at the end of the bar waiting for Mark to see him as something other than a customer. Then Mark gets in trouble helping Reggie's friend Bobby. Now a violent ex-lover is threatening Mark. Reggie offers Mark the safe haven of his basement apartment. Can Reggie convince Mark his safe haven is his arms instead?Beau's Baby: Jack discovers his first love's wife has died in childbirth and his ex-lover killed himself, leaving the sickly newborn to Jack. Carlo has been chasing Jack for nine months and sees baby Bella as an opportunity to get Jack in his house, as well as his bed, permanently. Can they find their way in their new relationship as partners, husbands, fathers?Average Gray: Grayson Grey has a huge crush on Enzo Del Monte, but Enzo is distracted with Sunset manager Mike Green. Two revelations are going to change all that’s going on: Gray finds out Mike is not gay, he’s just working Enzo for a large sum of money, and Mike is stealing from the Sunset. Gray attempts to ride to the rescue but winds up being rescued himself.
Surviving Transphobia
by Laura A. Jacobs, Lcsw-R, EditorThe transgender and gender nonbinary community is forever under siege. Institutional transphobia is enacted by those who would return us to the shadows, the closets, or worse. Surviving Transphobia is an anthology by transgender and gender nonbinary celebrities and experts on endurance during times of severe hostility. We share the moments when we were vulnerable, were bullied, had needs dismissed, or were discriminated against, revealing our determination and how we have (sometimes) managed to thrive. We offer loving support as you brave agony and seek joy. We also speak to our allies.We are activists, actors, athletes, authors, lawyers, doctors, nurses, therapists, sex workers, clergy, diplomats, and military veterans. We are of many ethnicities. We vary socioeconomically, educationally, and geographically. Some are neurodivergent. Several are disabled or have chronic illnesses. A few are HIV+. A small number were born elsewhere. We have survived, here's how. And if we can survive... so can you.
A Sweet Sting of Salt: A Novel
by Rose SutherlandOnce a young woman uncovers a dark secret about her neighbor and his mysterious new wife, she&’ll have to fight to keep herself—and the woman she loves—safe in this stunning queer reimagining of the classic folktale &“The Selkie Wife.&”&“Laced with a slow-building sense of Gothic dread, Sutherland&’s captivating debut is an intensely beautiful experience you won&’t soon forget.&”—Paulette Kennedy, author of The Witch of Tin MountainWhen a sharp cry wakes Jean in the middle of the night during a terrible tempest, she&’s convinced it must have been a dream. But when the cry comes again, Jean ventures outside and is shocked by what she discovers—a young woman in labor, drenched to the bone in the bitter cold and able to speak barely a word of English.Although Jean is the only midwife for miles around, she&’s at a loss for who this woman is or where she&’s from; Jean can only assume that she must be the new wife of the neighbor up the road, Tobias. And when Tobias does indeed arrive at her cabin in search of his wife, Muirin, Jean&’s questions continue to multiply. Why has he kept his wife&’s pregnancy a secret? And why does Muirin&’s open demeanor change completely the moment she&’s in his presence?Though Jean learned long ago that she should stay out of other people&’s business, her growing concern—and growing feelings—for Muirin mean that she can&’t simply set her worries aside. But when the answers she finds are more harrowing than she ever could have imagined, she fears she may have endangered herself, Muirin, and the baby. Will she be able to put things right and save the woman she loves before it&’s too late, or will someone have to pay for Jean&’s actions with their life?
A Sweet Sting of Salt: A Novel
by Rose SutherlandWhen a young woman in 19th century Nova Scotia uncovers a magical secret about her neighbour, she&’ll have to fight to keep the truth—and the woman she loves—safe in this stunning queer reimagining of the classic folktale The Selkie Wife.When a sharp cry wakes Jean, the sole midwife in Barquer&’s Bay, Nova Scotia, in the middle of the night, she&’s convinced it must have been a dream. But when the cry comes again, Jean ventures outside during a terrible tempest and is shocked by what she discovers—a young woman in labour, barely able to speak a word of English. Jean can only assume she must be Muirin, the new wife of her neighbour up the road, but when the baby arrives, Jean is only left with more questions. Why is the baby so unusual? And why is Muirin's husband so fearful of his wife and newborn son spending time by the sea?Though Jean learned long ago that she should stay out of other people&’s business, her growing concern—and growing feelings—for Muirin mean she can&’t simply set her worries aside. But when the answers she finds are more surprising than she ever could have imagined, and the truth about Muirin's mysterious behaviour reveals her marriage may not be all it seems, will Jean be able to set things right and save the woman she loves before it's too late?
Swipe Left, Power Down, Look Up
by Amy LaneBusy soccer coach Trey Novak doesn&’t have time for the awkwardness and upheaval dating can cause, but when his cousin stands him up for a lunch date, he meets someone who changes his mind. Dewey Saunders is dying to get a real job in his field and start the rest of his life, but a guy&’s got to pay rent, and the coffee shop is where it&’s at. When the handsome customer in the coach&’s sweats gets stood up, Dewey is right there to commiserate—and maybe make some time with a cute guy. Trey&’s making hopeful plans with Dewey when his professional life explodes. He and Dewey aren&’t in a serious place yet, and suddenly he&’s promising to make sports a welcoming place for all people. When Dewey puts himself out to comfort Trey after an awful day, Trey realizes that they might not be in a serious place, but Dewey has serious promise for their future. If someone as loyal and as kind and funny as Dewey is what&’s offered, Trey would gladly swipe right for love.
Swole: The Making of Men and the Meaning of Muscle
by Michael Andor BrodeurFrom a Washington Post critic and self-described meathead: a witty, incisive, poignant exploration of male body image, from the history of the gym to the politics of superheroes to the world of manfluencersMichael Brodeur is a Gen-X gay writer with a passion for bodybuilding and an insatiable curiosity about masculinity--a concept in which many men are currently struggling to find their place. In our current moment, where "manfluencers" on TikTok tease their audiences with their latest videos, where right-wing men espouse the importance of being "alpha," as toxic masculinity and the patriarchy are being rightfully criticized, the nature of masculinity has become murkier than ever.In excavating this complex topic, Brodeur uses the male body as his guide: its role in cultures from the gymnasia of ancient Greece to Walt Whitman's essays on manly health, from the rise of Muscular Christianity in 19th-century America to the swollen superheroes and Arnold Schwarzeneggers of Brodeur's childhood. Interweaving history, cultural criticism, memoir, and reportage, laced with an irrepressible wit, Brodeur takes us into the unique culture centered around men's bodies, probing its limitations and the promise beyond: how men can love themselves while rejecting the aggression, objectification, and misogyny that have for so long accompanied the quest to become swole.
Take All of Us
by Natalie LeifA YA unbury-your-gays horror in which an undead teen must find the boy he loves before he loses his mind and body.Five years ago, a parasite poisoned the water of Ian&’s West Virginia hometown, turning dozens of locals into dark-eyed, oil-dripping shells of their former selves. With chronic migraines and seizures limiting his physical abilities, Ian relies on his best friend and secret love Eric to mercy-kill any infected people they come across.Until a new health report about the contamination triggers a mandatory government evacuation, and Ian cracks his head in the rush. Used to hospitals and health scares, Ian always thought he'd die young... but he wasn&’t planning on coming back. Much less face the slow, painful realization that Eric left him behind to die.Desperate to find Eric and the truth before the parasite takes over him, Ian along with two others left behind—his old childhood rival Monica and the jaded prepper Angel—journey to track down Eric. What they don't know is that Eric is also looking for Ian, and he's determined to mercy-kill him.
Teenage Dirtbags
by James AckerFrom the author of The Long Run comes another unflinchingly raw and boldly hilarious novel about an unlikely group of teens coming together to exact revenge on the person who wronged them.All&’s fair in love and revenge…Phil Reyno is a &“troublemaker.&” With a punk aesthetic and a quick temper, Phil knows that it&’s surprising to see him dating universally beloved Cameron Ellis, whose viral coming out video made him an internet darling.Jackson Pasternak is a &“good guy.&” Junior class president, star rower, and Ivy bound, Jackson is burnt out and misses the only person who ever truly knew him—his ex-best friend, Phil.When Cameron dumps Phil and torpedoes his already-iffy reputation in the process, Phil hatches a plot to expose Cameron as the two-faced liar he truly is. And he finds the perfect weapon in his old pal Jackson, who agrees to infiltrate Cameron&’s circle and uncover dirt.But as Phil and Jackson rediscover their friendship—and more—they start to wonder… Will knocking Cameron off his pedestal really solve their problems?Praise for The Long Run&“Written with equal doses of heart and ferocity, this is a fabulous debut.&” —Abdi Nazemian, author of Stonewall Honor book Like a Love Story and The Chandler Legacies&“Raw, real, electric, and unputdownable.&” —Steven Salvatore, critically acclaimed author of And They Lived…&“James Acker is a splashy new voice with an unforgettable romcom about tough guys with soft hearts.&” —Adam Sass, award-winning author of Surrender Your Sons and The 99 Boyfriends of Micah Summers* &“A stunning novel.&” —Bookpage, starred review
Tell Me More
by Jaymie WagnerThe day Kaylee O’Connell meets a cute redheaded girl in her college O-chem class, she has no idea she’s found the love of her life.Rachel Nikolides loves to learn about all kinds of strange and interesting things, and Kaylee loves to listen to her info dump. Eight years later, the flames are still burning between them, but how sexy can to a trip to the local flea market be?
Ten Bridges I've Burnt: A Memoir in Verse
by Brontez Purnell"This book is brutal and brutally honest, but still perversely addictive because Brontez Purnell is a performer in the truest sense. Reading Ten Bridges I've Burnt, I felt tucked-in with him, along for the intimate ride, and paused only once to write down a part I’d been looking for my whole life." —Miranda JulyFrom the beloved author of 100 Boyfriends, a wrenching, sexy, and exhilaratingly energetic memoir in verse.In Ten Bridges I’ve Burnt, Brontez Purnell—the bard of the underloved and overlooked—turns his gaze inward. A storyteller with a musical eye for the absurdity of his own existence, he is peerless in his ability to find the levity within the stormiest of crises. Here, in his first collection of genre-defying verse, Purnell reflects on his peripatetic life, whose ups and downs have nothing on the turmoil within. “The most high-risk homosexual behavior I engage in,” Purnell writes, “is simply existing.”The thirty-eight autobiographical pieces pulsing in Ten Bridges I’ve Burnt find Purnell at his no-holds-barred best. He remembers a vicious brawl he participated in at a poetry conference and reckons with packaging his trauma for TV writers’ rooms; wrestles with the curses, and gifts, passed down from generations of family members; and chronicles, with breathless verve, a list of hell-raising misadventures and sexcapades. Through it all, he muses on everything from love and loneliness to capitalism and Blackness to jogging and the ethics of art, always with unpredictable clarity and movement. With the same balance of wit and wisdom that made 100 Boyfriends a sensation, Purnell unleashes another collection of boundary-pushing writing with Ten Bridges I’ve Burnt, a book as original and thrilling as the author himself.
These Bodies Between Us
by Sarah Van NameA wistful coming-of-age story with a haunting twist about four friends who spend their summer learning to become invisible—but disappearing comes at a cost.Four girls. Four girls skating home, both sides of the road, fearless. Four girls at the mouth of an infinite ocean, sugared and salted with sand and seawater, the tide licking their sunburned feet.This summer, they&’re going to disappear. For seventeen-year-old Callie and her best friends Talia and Cleo, every summer in their small North Carolina beach town is as steady as the tides. But this year, Cleo has invited enigmatic new girl Polly to join them, creating waves in their familiar friendship. And Cleo has an idea, gleaned from private YouTube videos and hidden message boards: they&’re going to learn how to make themselves invisible.Callie thinks it&’s a ridiculous, impossible plan. But the other girls are intoxicated by the thought of disappearing, even temporarily—from bad boyfriends, from overbearing families, from the confusing, uncomfortable reality of having a body altogether. And, miraculously, it works.Yet as the girls revel in their reckless new freedom, they realize it&’s getting harder to come back to themselves… and do they even want to?
These Letters End in Tears: A Novel
by Musih Tedji XaviereSet in a country where being gay is punishable by law, These Letters End in Tears is the heart-wrenching forbidden love story of a Christian girl with a rebellious heart and a Muslim girl leading a double lifeBessem notices Fatima for the first time on the soccer field—muscular and focused, she&’s the only woman playing and seems completely at ease. When Fatima chases a rogue ball in her direction, Bessem freezes, mesmerized by the athlete&’s charm and beauty. One playful wink from Fatima, and Bessem knows her life will never be the same.In Cameroon, a country where same-sex relationships are punishable by law, the odds are stacked against Bessem and Fatima from the start. And when Fatima&’s older brother, a staunch Muslim, finds out about their affair, he intervenes by physically assaulting them, an incident that precedes a police raid at the only gay bar in town. After spending days in jail, Fatima goes missing without a trace, and Bessem is left with only rumors of her whereabouts. Has Fatima been sentenced to an unknown prison? Has she been banished from her community, or married off, as some have suggested? Or something even more sinister?Thirteen years later, Bessem is now a university professor leading a relatively quiet life, occasionally and secretly dating other women. However, she has never forgotten Fatima. After spotting a mutual friend for the first time in years—the last person who may have seen Fatima—Bessem embarks on a winding search for her lost love.