Pride Month: LGBTQ+ Recs

Happy Pride Month!

I meant to do this earlier in the month, but time sort of got away from me. Anyway, I know a lot of people are always on the lookout for LGBTQ+ recs, so hopefully this list will be useful all year round!

At first I was going to include all the LGBTQ+ books I’ve read, regardless of whether I’d actually recommend them or not, but then I decided to just do ones I enjoyed and would recommend. If you want to see all the LGBTQ+ books I’ve read (plus the ones on my TBR) you can visit my LGBTQ shelf on GoodReads.

Trust the Focus by Megan Erickson

Focus on Me by Megan Erickson

Out of Frame by Megan Erickson

Under the Lights by Dahlia Adler

Out on Good Behavior by Dahlia Adler

Black Iris by Elliot Wake (writing as Leah Raeder)

Cam Girl by Elliot Wake (writing as Leah Raeder)

Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz

Fans of the Impossible Life by Kate Scelsa

The Summer I Wasn't Me by Jessica Verdi (YA)

Everything Leads to You by Nina LaCour (Upper YA/NA)

Georgia Peaches and Other Forbidden Fruit by Jaye Robin Brown (out August 30th, 2016)

 
The Abyss Surrounds Us by Emily Skrutskie (YA)

Bottle Rocket Hearts by Zoe Whittall (NA)

Kiss the Morning Star by Elissa Janine Hoole (Upper YA)
 

Path of Angels #1: Michael by Patricia Josephine (NA)

Hushed by Kelley York (NA)

Midnighter by Stever Orlando (comic book)

And, for a little shameless self-promo, my own LGBTQ book!

 Take Them by Storm by is f/f NA. It's on sale for just 99 cents for the month of June (and probably a few days into July).
Amazon
Kobo
iBooks
Barnes & Noble

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Wanderlust Wednesday Review: One Paris Summer by Denise Grover Swank

 
Check out my previous Wanderlust Wednesday posts

 

One Paris Summer by Denise Grover Swank
Series: Standalone
Published: June 7th, 2016
Publisher: Blink
272 pages (eARC)
Genre: Contemporary Young Adult
Acquired this book: Via NetGalley in exchange for honest consideration
Warning: May contain spoilers
{GoodReads || Buy this book: Amazon || Chapters/Indigo}

Most teens dream of visiting the City of Lights, but it feels more like a nightmare for Sophie Brooks. She and her brother are sent to Paris to spend the summer with their father, who left home a year ago without any explanation. As if his sudden abandonment weren't betrayal enough, he's about to remarry, and they’re expected to play nice with his soon-to-be wife and stepdaughter. The stepdaughter, Camille, agrees to show them around the city, but she makes it clear that she will do everything in her power to make Sophie miserable.

Sophie could deal with all the pain and humiliation if only she could practice piano. Her dream is to become a pianist, and she was supposed to spend the summer preparing for a scholarship competition. Even though her father moved to Paris to pursue his own dream, he clearly doesn't support hers. His promise to provide her with a piano goes unfulfilled.

Still, no one is immune to Paris’s charm. After a few encounters with a gorgeous French boy, Sophie finds herself warming to the city, particularly when she discovers that he can help her practice piano. There’s just one hitch—he’s a friend of Camille’s, and Camille hates Sophie. While the summer Sophie dreaded promises to become best summer of her life, one person could ruin it all.

I keep promising myself I’m going to cut back on the books I request for review, but when I saw the cover of One Paris Summer and read the synopsis, I had to make an exception. I love books with European settings, especially when they’re places I’ve been, like Paris. Unfortunately, while One Paris Summer started out okay and there were parts I enjoyed, I spent a good portion of the book feeling irritated and contemplating DNFing it.

What I did like: the complex family relationships. Blended families can be difficult, uncomfortable, and fraught with tension, and this one was all those things. I also appreciated Sophie’s passion for and commitment to her music. I know what it’s like to pour yourself into something, to use your grief and anger and hurt to fuel you, and I liked how well that came across whenever Sophie was talking about music or playing the piano. As for favourite characters, I liked Sophie well enough, but it was her stepmother, Eva, who was the standout character for me.

Other than those things...I’m left with all the things that irritated me. All the characters and situations were over-dramatized to the point where I was almost constantly rolling my eyes. I lost count of the number of times Sophie or her stepsister ‘stomped’ from the room. Half the book was spent with one or more characters throwing a hissy fit or overreacting. I liked Sophie’s brother at first, but then he turned into a jerk. It went beyond just being a protective brother - he overreacted to every situation and treated her like crap. I could go on, but I don’t want it to seem like I’m bashing the book because that’s not my intention at all. I probably should have set this book aside, but I kept reading in the hopes it would get better. There were a few nice moments toward the end but for me they almost felt too little too late after all the juvenile behavior and drama. I was also a bit disappointed with the lack of descriptions about Paris, especially toward the end. At first I could picture a lot of it and I knew exactly where things were, but then as the book went on the descriptions stopped and the book basically could have been set anywhere.

Unfortunately One Paris Summer wasn't for me. However, just because it disappointed me doesn’t mean you won’t enjoy it. If you like books that deal with family issues, clandestine romances, and a passion for music, all wrapped up in a Parisian setting, give One Paris Summer a shot.

Have you read One Paris Summer? What did you think? If you haven't read it, do you plan to? Have you been to Paris? What would you do if you had a whole summer in Paris?

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Review: Out on Good Behavior by Dahlia Adler

Out on Good Behavior by Dahlia Adler
Series: Radleigh University #3
Published: June 14th, 2016
Publisher: Self-published
Genre: Contemporary New Adult/LGBTQ+        
Acquired this book: From the author in exchange for honest consideration
Warning: May contain spoilers
{GoodReads || Buy this book: Amazon || Kobo}
 

Frankie Bellisario knows she can get anyone she sets her sights on, but just because she can doesn't mean she should—not when the person she's eyeing is Samara Kazarian, the daughter of a southern Republican mayor. No matter how badly Frankie wants to test her powers of persuasion, even she recognizes some lines aren't meant to be crossed.

But when Frankie learns she's been on Samara's mind too, the idea of hooking up with her grows too strong to resist. Only Sam's not looking for a hookup; she wants—needs—the real thing, and she's afraid she'll never find it as long as Frankie's in her head.

Forced to choose between her first relationship and losing the girl who's been clawing her way under her skin, Frankie opts to try monogamy...under her own condition: 30 days of keeping things on the down low and remaining abstinent. If she fails as hard at girlfriending as she's afraid she might, she doesn't want to throw Samara's life into upheaval for nothing. But when neither the month nor Frankie's heart go according to plan, she may be the one stuck fighting for the happily ever after she never knew she wanted.

Having read and enjoyed all of Adler’s previous books, I was eager to read Out on Good Behavior, yet sad to say goodbye to the Radleigh University characters. I’d been curious about Frankie since Lizzie’s book, Last Will and Testament, and was excited to read a main character who identified as pansexual and was clearly comfortable with her sexuality.

Out on Good Behavior had so much of what I’ve been looking for (and not really finding) in f/f: on-page rep (including good definitions/explanations of pansexuality), a main character who’s out and proud, fairly low angst and drama, and a happy ending. As much as I know we’ll always, always need coming out stories and characters grappling with their sexuality and/or gender, I’ve also been desperate for characters who are out and just living life, and a story where not every thought or issue comes back to their orientation or ID. While Samara’s orientation wasn’t clear in the beginning and some of the plot did deal with her willingness/ability to come out, I appreciated Frankie’s openness. And not only her openness about her sexuality, but the fact that she enjoyed sex, was comfortable in her body, and didn’t care what other people thought. She was a refreshing character.

I think one of the things I liked best about the book was that Frankie - confident, badass Frankie - was taken out of her comfort zone and put into situations that were new for her and allowed her to grow in a natural way. I love when characters who have a distinct personality are able to change and become something new without sacrificing the core of who they are. Adler did a great job of this, and I was so proud of Frankie’s growth. I really enjoyed Frankie and Sam’s friendship and blossoming slow-burn romance, the witty banter between them, plus the steamy sexytimes. And, as with the other books in the series, I enjoyed the scenes where everyone was together and wished I could be friends with this dynamic trio of ladies and their significant others (although I still want Connor for myself - #sorrynotsorry Lizzie!).

Out on Good Behavior is a strong finish to a fantastic New Adult companion series. Lizzie, Cait, and Frankie felt like my own friends while I was reading. I’m sad to say goodbye to them, but I know they’ll stick with me for a long time.

 

 

 

{My review of Behind the Scenes || My review of Under the Lights}

 

{My review of Just Visiting}  

{My review of Last Will and Testament || My review of Right of First Refusal}

Have you read Out on Good Behavior? What did you think? If you haven't read it, do you plan to? Have you read any of the other Radleigh University books? What are your favourite college-set books?

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Review: One True Loves by Taylor Jenkins Reid

One True Loves by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Series: Standalone
Published: June 7th, 2016
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Canada
350 pages (ARC)
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Acquired this book: From the publisher in exchange for honest consideration
Warning: May contain spoilers
{GoodReads || Buy this book: Amazon || Chapters/Indigo}

 In her twenties, Emma Blair marries her high school sweetheart, Jesse. They build a life for themselves, far away from the expectations of their parents and the people of their hometown in Massachusetts. They travel the world together, living life to the fullest and seizing every opportunity for adventure.

On their first wedding anniversary, Jesse is on a helicopter over the Pacific when it goes missing. Just like that, Jesse is gone forever.

Emma quits her job and moves home in an effort to put her life back together. Years later, now in her thirties, Emma runs into an old friend, Sam, and finds herself falling in love again. When Emma and Sam get engaged, it feels like Emma’s second chance at happiness.

That is, until Jesse is found. He’s alive, and he’s been trying all these years to come home to her. With a husband and a fiancé, Emma has to now figure out who she is and what she wants, while trying to protect the ones she loves.

Who is her one true love? What does it mean to love truly?

Emma knows she has to listen to her heart. She’s just not sure what it’s saying.

When I read Taylor Jenkins Reid’s debut, Forever, Interrupted in 2013 I knew she was going to become a favourite author. Three years and three books later, TJR is still blowing me away with her ingenuity and storytelling ability. One True Loves is a beautiful, unique, honest, heartbreaking, but ultimately hopeful story about true love, family, loss, and finding the strength to continue living even when your whole world is ripped away from you.

Jenkins Reid has this amazing ability to take a story that should seem unrealistic and make it completely believable. One True Loves is no exception. I was hooked from the first page, and I felt like I went on an emotional roller coaster by Emma’s side. I enjoyed watching her fall in love with Jesse, grieved with her when she lost him, and felt so much pride when she slowly started growing stronger and living again, especially when she opened her heart to Sam. It was interesting to see Emma at different stages in her life and to essentially watch her grow up over the course of several years. And did she ever grow. Just thinking about all she went through makes me tear up and it also makes me proud because she felt like a real person and her struggles and triumphs rang so true.

As with TJR’s other books, One True Loves is a love story in every sense of the word. I loved Emma’s relationship with her family and how it evolved realistically over the years. Emma’s relationships with Jesse and Sam were both enjoyable to read and made me run the gamut of emotions. And, like with TJR’s other books, this one made me think about life, family, love, what true love really means, and how we change over the years in big ways and small.

One True Loves is another beautiful book from Taylor Jenkins Reid. It’s an emotional journey that will put your heart through the wringer but also patch it back up. I think this book will be very healing for people who have suffered or are suffering from grief. As emotional and bittersweet as it is, it’s also hopeful and left me smiling through my tears.

{My review of Forever, Interrupted || My review of After I Do || My review of Maybe in Another Life}

Have you read One True Loves? What did you think? If you haven't read it, do you plan to? Have you read any of Taylor Jenkins Reid's other books?

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Wanderlust Wednesday Review: Wanderlost by Jen Malone

Check out my previous Wanderlust Wednesday posts

Wanderlost by Jen Malone
Series: Standalone
Published: May 31st, 2016
Publisher: HarperTeen
352 pages (eARC)
Genre: Contemporary Young Adult
Acquired this book: Via Edelweiss in exchange for honest consideration
Warning: May contain spoilers
{GoodReads || Buy this book: Amazon || Chapters/Indigo}

Aubree can’t think of a better place to be than in perfectly boring Ohio, and she’s ready for a relaxing summer. But when her older sister, Elizabeth, gets into real trouble, Aubree is talked into taking over Elizabeth’s summer job, leading a group of senior citizens on a bus tour through Europe.

Aubree doesn’t even make it to the first stop in Amsterdam before their perfect plan unravels, leaving her with no phone, no carefully prepared binder full of helpful facts, and an unexpected guest: the tour company owner’s son, Sam. Considering she’s pretending to be Elizabeth, she absolutely shouldn’t fall for him, but she can’t help it, especially with the most romantic European cities as the backdrop for their love story.

But her relationship with Sam is threatening to ruin her relationship with her sister, and she feels like she’s letting both of them down. Aubree knows this trip may show her who she really is—she just hopes she likes where she ends up.

Since I have a never-ending case of wanderlust, I was immediately intrigued by Wanderlost. Between the beautiful cover and the European setting, I was eager to read this one, and it didn’t disappoint.

Aubree is happy with her small-town life. She has no desire to stray far from home, and no plans to travel...until an incident leaves her older sister Elizabeth in trouble and Elizabeth convinces Bree to take her spot for the summer as a European tour guide for a small group of seniors. Elizabeth prepares Bree to the best of her ability, then sends Bree off to Europe on her own. What ensues is a lot of misadventures, a sweet romance, and plenty of character growth.

I’ve been to Europe twice: once when I was about Bree’s age, and again last year. Even at the age I was last year, I would have folded under the kind of pressure Bree experienced. I was practically panicking just reading about the first incident that happened when she arrived. How she handled things felt (mostly) realistic, and I appreciated her strength and how she was (again, mostly) able to keep a cool head. It was all easy to picture, from her freak-outs to her embarrassing moments to her triumphs to her travels through all that gorgeous, history-filled countryside. It definitely stirred my wanderlust and made me itch to get back on a plane.

This book had a great cast of side characters. One of my favourite series is the Passport to Peril series by Maddy Hunter, where a woman in her thirties leads a group of seniors on European (mis)adventures, so in a way Wanderlost reminded me of the YA version of that. I liked how the seniors were up for almost anything, and their quirks were endearing and amusing. I also loved Sam; he was hilarious and adorable, and the banter between him and Bree had me giggling and swooning.

Wanderlost is a perfect summer read - light, fun, funny, and romantic. Aubree was a great main character, and her growth made me so proud. I even cried at the end because I was so proud of her. If you’re looking for a fun, swoony, low drama-and-angst read with a wonderful cast of characters and a chance to vicariously travel through Europe, I highly recommend Wanderlost.

Need a little more convincing that this is a must read? Tiff from Mostly YA Lit wrote a fantastic 4.5-star review of Wanderlost!

Have you read Wanderlost? What did you think? If you haven't read it, do you plan to? Have you been to Europe? Ever travelled solo (if so, major kudos - I couldn't do it!)? Have any fun/funny/scary stories about getting lost while travelling?

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