Here are all the notable books I read in June, and by notable I mean I had thoughts, not that I necessarily loved them all — books are all queer in one way or another!
Nevada by Imogen Binnie
Synopsis in a sentence: trans woman goes on a road trip
A fast-paced, disillusioned, lovely book. I wasn’t taken with the narration at first, but it creates this distinctly laid back and almost remiss narration and narrative, and it works exceptionally well. I loved that the ending didn’t wrap everything up and wasn't a ‘good’ ending, per say, and that it ended like most things do: uneventfully. It’s not a perfect book, of course, there’s criticism out there, but I hold that (for the most part and certainly in this case) spent time reading about a different lived perspective is never time wasted.
Summer Sons by Lee Mandelo
Synopsis in a sentence: boy sees ghosts
I wrote about how much I adored The Woods All Black, Mandelo’s latest book, and I have noticed that his books are visceral, there’s always emphasis on textures, tastes, that sort of thing, but Mandelo creates such complex characters that their perceptions serve to solidify the story rather than distract from it. I enjoyed Summer Sons but not as much as The Woods All Black, as the writing in the latter is much improved and tighter, but I do think Summer Sons is worth a read; it’s eerie, full of dread and messy, loveable characters, not to mention the intense sexual tension that is not too much but instead an integral part of the story.
Yours for the Taking by Gabrielle Korn
Synopsis in a sentence: climate change corporate solution gone wrong
This one was a severe disappointment. I wanted to like it; the concept is intriguing, but there truly isn’t much to it. There’s not much to critically engage with and analyze, and other than the core concept, which I suppose is the dangers of a specific, industrialized brand of ‘feminism’, which is all fine and good, everything else is immensely flat; the characters, the ‘message’, the issues, the nuance, the story, it’s all devoid of actual meaning, so I can’t recommend this one.
Rainbow Black by Maggie Thrash
Synopsis in a sentence: girls parents convicted in a satanic panic case
This one was compelling and I loved how it focused on one specific person to illustrate the larger sociological implications and consequences of the satanic panic. The characters were brilliantly fleshed out, and the sharp change in setting and the time jump halfway through the book wasn’t distracting; it was done well. I love the way Thrash depicted a messy queer relationship and the lasting effects of trauma, specifically how it can affect two people differently. The writing was engaging, but above all, it’s such a fresh concept; if you’re ever worried books are kind of all the same recycled premises, read this.
Sister Outsider by Audre Lorde
Synopsis in a sentence: collection of essays on a wide range of topics
Audre Lorde was such a phenomenal writer, speaker, and woman. She was and still is a gift to this world. There is a distinct thread of mutual love and respect and healing throughout all the essays in Sister Outsider, and while she writes about hard, biting truths and does so without reservation, as needed, there is such an embracing aspect of community in all her writing. I am a strong believer that everyone should read this book at least once in their life, I know I will be returning to it.
You Exist Too Much by Zanina Arafat
Synopsis in a sentence: Palestinian-American bi woman traversing messy relationships
I simply cannot overstate how much I adored this book. The writing is brilliant, the main character is so messy and loveable and it’s such an affecting book. If you love books about 20 something queer women who are a little lost and trying to find common ground with their mothers, you’ll love this book. With pieces of Palestinian history weaved into it, Arafat creates this wonderful story about tense mother-daughter relationships, belonging, and healing.
I am in the middle of Red Doc> by Anne Carson (not a typo, that’s the title), the sort of sequel to Autobiography of Red, and loving it so far.
I’ve excluded a few books that were not notable or ones I didn’t have much to say on, but all in all June was a great reading month. I hope you all enjoyed this and I want to know what you read in June! What were your notable books?
As well, I will direct you over to Billie’s lovely roundup of queer books for even more suggestions!
That’s all for now, take care of yourself!
I’ve wanted to pick up Rainbow Black for so long! You’ve successfully convinced me!!
I've got Rainbow Black on my summer TBR, glad to hear you thought it worthy!!! The premise is so intriguing