Books I Read (and Loved) in April and May 2023
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It was only a matter of time before I fell off for a month on making these book review posts. Although I created an entire skeleton document for April and another for May, I never wrote or posted either—so this post combines my favorite books from both months. That’s something, right?
In the weeks leading up to my hysterectomy (I’ll have a post about that soon), I piled my plate high with deadlines so I could take a proper break to recover, rather than scramble to hit deadlines and pick up or complete gigs. In the two and a half weeks since, I’ve been playing a lot of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. But I’m continuing to chip away at my TBR and my library holds list. Actually forcing myself to rest has been great for my brain and my heart, and I’m grateful for the space and support to be able to do that securely. Now I just need to get better at balancing video games and reading, which have become two of my favorite go-to relaxation activities.
Anyway! With the exception of titles I read for work purposes and can’t talk about yet, here are my favorite four reads from April and May.
Cosmoknights Book Two
Although I’ve been burning up with the desire to read the sequel to one of my all-time favorite comics, I only just got around to devouring Cosmoknights Book Two—and I highly suggest you dive in immediately! This sapphic take on Pacific Rim and outer-space colonialism complete with dowries and barbaric, one-on-one duels to marry a princess follows a group of ragtag queer people (mostly women) hellbent on destroying the patriarchy one giant mech fight at a time. This volume has snappier dialogue, even brighter colors, bolder lines, and stronger facial expressions than its predecessor, which seems impossible. I love these lesbians and queers. You will too.
Lesbian Love Story
In a book that’s part-memoir, part-historical record of lesbians in the 20th century, Amelia Possanza examines what it means to be a hopeless romantic for community and advocates for queer recordkeeping by queer people. Lesbian Love Story is a detailed, wildly evocative love letter to archival work, historical lesbians, community-building, and radicalization worth taking your time to fully ingest.
Light from Uncommon Stars
This award-winning sci-fi/fantasy novel is a fascinating exploration of human nature, autonomy, and found family featuring a flawed but incredible cast. Once-famous violinist Shizuki Satomi made a deal with the devil to deliver seven souls in exchange for her own; she’s delivered six and has one year to deliver the seventh. Katrina Nguyen, a young transgender woman escaping an abusive home, is a self-taught violin prodigy whose approach to music is completely opposite Shizuki’s. And then there’s Lan Tran, interstellar refugee, starship captain, and donut shop owner, whose family throws even more chaos into the mix. As these three women cross paths, they’re forced to reconcile their worst mistakes, accept their greatest flaws, and be vulnerable in ways they never expected.
She Is a Haunting
This atmospheric and hungry haunted house story follows Jade Nguyen, a queer teen, whose dreams of college hinge upon her estranged father’s willingness to bankroll them. They make a deal: She’ll spend five weeks in Vietnam with him while he restores a French colonial house, and at the end, he’ll cut her a cheque. That plan is complicated by sleep paralysis, bugs in places they shouldn’t be, and the ghost of a young bride who gives Jade a simple but cryptic warning: “Don’t eat.” This young adult horror story is fast-paced and incredibly tense, equal parts creepy as it is disorienting. As Jade struggles to find out why she and her family are being targeted, she uncovers surprising facts about the colonialist history of her ancestral home and her personal determination to rattle the people whose violence landed her here in the first place.
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