Queer

Timeless

2012, Books in Bed, Favorites, Fiction, Queer, Steampunk, Women /

Thank goodness – you know how a series can get kind of boring after awhile, particularly if you read a bunch of books in the series really close together? Well Timeless, the fifth book in the Parasol Protectorate series, was excellent. As TW said, just as good as the first book and certainly better than the second and third and fourth. I was glad to see that some of the things I thought should happen in order to tie everything into a neat and pretty package DID happen. But now I’m dying to know what happens next and there is no next.  I mean I know what happens because the last book tied it all up for us but I want to READ it not just picture it. And, to not know how Ivy manages. Or see Madame LeFeoux neat and tidy. And. And. And.

Darn.

I guess I can wait for Prudence to grow up a bit more, 2013 will come around soon enough. I guess.

Posted via email from Life. Flow. Fluctuate.

Timeless Read More »

Chasing Lightning

2012, Books in Bed, Fiction, From the Stacks Challenge, Queer, Women /

We bought Chasing Lightning during our little adventure day trip a few weeks ago where we went into the city and visited three Indie bookstores that we hadn’t visited before – we always buy at least one book when we visit such stores and when possible we buy queer lit in order to support the cause. I wasn’t sure what to expect from this one, except TW read it first and said it had a lot of sex in it. It did, but not graphic sex (at least not graphic sex when you compare it to straight lit of a similar type, lol.)

I liked the book but it covered a lot of ground in a very short amount of time – short chapters, which can be a little disconcerting but also made it an easy read. It almost feels like it was intended for “new” lesbians because of the explanations about what life was like for queers in the 60’s and 70’s took up a lot of room in the book, considering how short the chapters were. Those “non-fictiony” type sections felt off and were a bit of a distraction from Scarlett’s story because some of them didn’t feel like they fit very well into the story.  

It was a nice, easy read during a busy weekend.

Posted via email from Life. Flow. Fluctuate.

Chasing Lightning Read More »

Heartless

2012, Books in Bed, Queer, Steampunk /

Gah! I was screaming “No, don’t invite them to Woolsey!” but Alexia did not listen. Sheesh, what was she thinking? Those poor wolves! And, I’m glad I was right about how the threat to the queen really happened, well sort of glad since it was sad it’s hard to be really glad, ya know? You probably don’t know if you haven’t read this series, or haven’t read Heartless – which you should go ahead and do.

Now … to wait for the next book and learn more about the baby… hmm, the next book might be both steampunk and adoption…

Posted via email from Life. Flow. Fluctuate.

Heartless Read More »

Blameless

2012, Books in Bed, Queer, Steampunk /

I have decided… I want a clockwork ladybug and a steampunk parasol. ASAP.

I enjoyed Blameless, though maybe not quite so much as I enjoyed Soulless and Changeless. There was something just a wee bit off – and it wasn’t the lack of nose negativity (of which there was almost none – YAY!) 

The biggest question I’m left with is… would I have let Biffy die? Or not?  Tough, tough call.

Posted via email from Life. Flow. Fluctuate.

Blameless Read More »

The Taker

2012, Books in Bed, Favorites, Fiction, Queer, Sci Fi and Fantasy /

The Taker is excellent, I’m glad I read it and didn’t just return it to the library because it wasn’t on my original TBR list. It’s not  about vampires, but about people who become immortal through alchemy.  I’ll admit the first couple of chapters had me rolling my eyes about a vampire book that doesn’t have vampires, but it’s better than that. Really interesting and I’m excited about the second book in the trilogy, coming in June. When I finished the book last night, I was left wondering a lot of things – about Adair and Lanore and Luke.

Posted via email from Life. Flow. Fluctuate.

The Taker Read More »

Addie on the Inside

2012, Books in Bed, Children's Literature, Favorites, Fiction, Queer, Young Adult /

I almost didn’t read Addie on the Inside because I didn’t love The Misfits enough to really want to read any more of Howe’s books in the series. But, then again, Addie is a good strong female character so… I figured what the heck. And, I think it’s No Name Calling Week, or will be next week? Right, next week, Timely.

And now I’m glad I read it.

Told in verse – nicely done verse – it’s a super fast read and a bit of a page turner, too.

All of the normal stuff. Middle school sucks. Bullies suck. And sometimes bullies are bullies because they’re trying to survive their own kind of hell. Being queer in middle school sucks. Trying to start a Day of Silence program in middle school sucks. Dealing with annoying teachers in middle school sucks. Dealing with race issues sucks. Heck, everything about middle school pretty much sucks. Addie knows all of this but that doesn’t really make it any easier to deal with the middle school suckage (or suckers, for that matter.)

Posted via email from Life. Flow. Fluctuate.

Addie on the Inside Read More »

Kissing Babies at the Piggly Wiggly

2011, Books in Bed, Chick Lit, Fiction, Queer, Women /

Kissing Babies at the Piggly Wiggly was cute but not as cute as the first book. Probably because the Piggly Wiggly isn’t the Piggly Wiggly any longer so it’s not quite the same, ya know?  I’ll still read the third book but I kind of hope there aren’t any more after that – unless the Piggly Wiggly reopens as a Piggly Wiggly. But I doubt that’s going to happen.

Posted via email from Life. Flow. Fluctuate.

Kissing Babies at the Piggly Wiggly Read More »

The Bird Sisters

2011, Books in Bed, Favorites, Fiction, Queer, Women /

The Bird Sisters was in my Evernote as “reserve this later” – well before later arrived, TW grabbed it from the shelf at the library. I growled a little because I was falling behind on reading and was afraid it would have to go back before I could get to it. And in fact, I ended up returning it late because once I started it, I couldn’t take it back. It was EXCELLENT.

I love Milly & Twiss. I even loved Bette – though it was hard there at the end. Very, very hard.

(And for those keeping track – this one has a wee bit of a lesbian theme tossed in.)

Posted via email from Life. Flow. Fluctuate.

The Bird Sisters Read More »

Sing You Home

2011, Adoption Reading Challenge, Books in Bed, Favorites, Fiction, Queer, Women /

Jodi Picoult makes me growl – but in a good way.

I knew two things about Sing You Home before I reserved it at the library. I knew it had a gay theme of some sort, because I saw a Mombian mention it, and I knew it would be a complete mess. Nobody can pack more tragedy into one novel than Jodi Picoult.

Turns out it was about gay stuff. And also death, infertility, religion, abortion, alcoholism and probably more stuff that I can’t even remember.

And the reason I keep reading Jodi Picoult is because she writes really great characters – great characters who have more than their fair share of problems.

By the time I’d read the first section of the book, I figured what was going to happen was… exactly what DID happen. And as the story progressed, I knew exactly what the next problem Zoe was going to have to deal with would be. And by the time that problem showed up, I knew what the next issue was going to be. Picoult is predictable, but it’s weird because it doesn’t make me want to stop reading. It makes me yell out loud a lot. And say things like OMG, out loud. (At which point TW looks up and says, “WHAT?!” and before I can say anything, she says, “Oh. You’re reading Picoult.” And then she goes about her business.) 

Yea. It’s like that.

I don’t want to give away spoilers because I do want you to read this. I want you to know that even though I’ve never dealt with infertility, I think she did a nice job of telling the infertility portions of these stories.

I am queer and I think she did a tremendous job with Zoe and Vanessa. I don’t think I’d have changed anything – except giving them fewer issues and not having them choose to open THAT particular can of worms. Because duh – your ex husband NEVER reacts sanely. I do not care how great a guy he is. Or was.

And before I ruin the story for you. I’ll stop right there.

OH wait, one more interesting thing – the book includes a music CD (which I admit to not listening to yet) – that’s pretty interesting. Zoe is a music therapist and Picoult wrote the lyrics to the songs and a friend of hers wrote the music. You are invited to listen to a sing, after each section of the book, so you can hear Zoe through music as she goes through each of those sections. Really interesting addition to the book. I like the idea. It makes sense for Zoe.

Posted via email from Life. Flow. Fluctuate.

Sing You Home Read More »