Posted in Book Tags

Read the Rainbow Book Tag 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️

Happy Monday, bibliophiles!

I’m always up for a pride-themed book tag, so when I saw The Corner of Laura’s take on this one, I knew I had to give it a try! The tag was originally created by Isabelle @ Nine Tale Vixen.

RULES:

  • Link back to the person who tagged you
  • Credit & link back to the creator: Isabelle @ Nine Tale Vixen
  • Each book you pick should have an LGBTQIA+ main character and/or an LGBTQIA+ author. Try to include diverse books: different romantic/sexual/gender orientations, different ethnicities, etc.

Let’s begin, shall we?

🌈READ THE RAINBOW BOOK TAG🌈

RED: A book that gives you courage or is about courage

An Unkindness of Ghosts is a story of courage and resistance in circumstances that have all but walled you in—a generation ship that oppresses its lower-class passengers of color much like the antebellum South. Rivers Solomon never misses!

ORANGE: A book with a passionate/fierce protagonist

Jin-Lu from Road to Ruin is as tough as they come, but will do anything to protect the ones she loves. This novel was the perfect blend of post-apocalyptic sci-fi and fantasy!

YELLOW: A book that celebrates friendship

All of Alechia Dow’s books sparkle with themes of connection, but A Song of Salvation centers around the friendship (and eventual romance) between its three unlikely leads! Not her best, but still a sweet book.

GREEN: A Middle Grade book and/or a book featuring kids

It’s been ages since I’ve read (or even thought about) Star-Crossed, but I’m glad I remembered it—such a sweet coming-of-age story about a bisexual girl playing a genderbent Romeo in her class production of Romeo & Juliet!

BLUE: A book which includes a wedding or an already-established LGBTQIA+ couple

I seriously think that The Heartbreak Bakery has the most LGBTQ+ rep I’ve ever seen in a single book—several established queer couples, and characters spanning tons of sexualities, gender identities, and ethnicities!

PURPLE: A book featuring love at first sight

The Cybernetic Tea Shop is a sweet, cozy sci-fi novella about a robot who runs a tea shop and the romance that blooms between her and a technician!

BLACK: A book centered on an antihero or villain

Off With Their Heads centers around two cunning, bloodthirsty, and vengeful characters, in an equally bloodthirsty and vengeful world loosely based on Alice in Wonderland.

BROWN: A book that celebrates family, chosen or given

Don’t let the gritty-looking title and cover fool you—Activation Degradation is one of the most emotional celebrations of found family that I’ve read all year! Highly recommend it.

LIGHT BLUE: A book about star-crossed lovers

Across a Field of Starlight features a nonbinary romance that stretches across solar systems, war, and ideology.

PINK: A book as sweet as cotton candy

Just Your Local Bisexual Disaster is a lighthearted, sweet romance about a bisexual girl scrambling to find a date for her sister’s quinceañera—and sort out her messy romantic history.

WHITE: A book that isn’t focused on romance

Another piece of lovely cozy sci-fi (from the cozy sci-fi queen herself), A Psalm for the Wild-Built has no romance, and focuses on self-discovery and friendship!

PURPLE CIRCLE: A standalone book that is perfect and complete on its own

Only This Beautiful Moment is the story of three generations of men in an Iranian family, and the interwoven threads of sexuality, trauma, and love.

RAINBOW: Free choice! Recommend any LGBTQIA+ book that you love

A Half-Built Garden was one of the best pieces of sci-fi that I read last year—a wonderfully nuanced and human vision of first contact, featuring a whole host of cleverly designed aliens!

I TAG ANYONE WHO WANTS TO PARTICIPATE!

Today’s song:

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That’s it for this book tag! Have a wonderful rest of your day, and take care of yourselves!

Posted in Book Review Tuesday

Book Review Tuesday (12/12/17)- Star-Crossed

Hey there, fellow bibliophiles! I’m back, as promised, for another Book Review Tuesday!

I just returned this book to the library *wipes single tear from cheek*, and I thought it was super cute! I found it from the Goodreads Choice Awards page, and I had read another book by the author (Barbara Dee), and I decided to give it a shot. And…it was worth it! I hope you enjoy the book and my review!

precover-starcrossed.jpg

Star-Crossed

Mattie has never been an actor. But when her English teacher announces the annual 8th Grade play, Romeo and Juliet, she auditions in an attempt to change her image. She is cast as Paris, and is soon swept up in all the ins and outs of theater. Mattie also meets Gemma-she’s new, British, and  she’s playing Juliet. As preparations continue, Mattie finds herself growing increasingly close to Gemma. And soon, after the actor playing Romeo becomes more and more unfit for his roles, she is cast as Romeo, bringing the two even closer than ever before. Can Mattie ace her performance as Romeo while dealing with inner struggles and questions about her sexuality?

 

 

I really enjoyed this book for a few key reasons:

1-One word-SHAKESPEARE! I’m actually reading a different Shakespeare play in my class right now (Macbeth), and his works are just all-around fabulous.

2-LGBTQ+! Mattie’s sexuality is not directly specified, but it’s implied that she is bisexual (she has a crush on Gemma and there’s a subplot where she has a crush on another boy in her class). Super cool!

Also, it’s just overall well-written, with realistic characters and a fun plot.

 

Thanks so much for reading this, and I hope you all have a great night! Stay warm!

 

(Also, I’d just like to point out that the cover looks super cute when the WordPress snow is falling on it.) 😊