Eira Grey
This was my second Jim Grimsley novel, after Dream Boy, so I fully expected it to be very dark and heartbreaking. I was surprised that it had a lot more bittersweet or romantic moments, even though I spent most of the book internally screaming at Ronny, the main character, to stop willfully ignoring red flags. Grimsley writes in a unique, captivating style that's so spare and yet somehow descriptive and visceral when it needs to be. Like Dream Boy, The Dove in the Belly left me unsure if I should be delighted or horrified by the ending. It's maddening in the best way, especially with characters who I can tell will haunt me for a while.
The Boy With the Heart of Sea Glass is a really sweet love story with vibrant characters and a setting so vivid that it left me feeling homesick once I finished the book. I went into this one thinking it was just an M/M romance with no fantasy elements, so was genuinely blindsided around halfway through when... stuff... started happening! I hope there is a planned second installment, as the ending felt a bit rushed, and I can't tell whether some loose ends were left there intentionally as a setup for a sequel or not. I really think this could have been two books, with the amount of things that are packed into the last third of the book or so, but I loved it anyway. My favorite thing in the story was the way in which Sam refuses to think or talk about the trauma that occurred in his last relationship, so the reader gradually pieces it together alongside the other characters. Definitely recommend for anyone who wants a cute new adult romance story with some mystical/fantastic elements.
Sweet, steamy, cute, and satisfying in a lot of ways. I love how Parrish didn't feel the need to explain everything, leaving room for mystery and uncertainty while still filling in the necessary blanks and telling a damn good love story in the process. I loved seeing Poe move from distant and surly to becoming a member of Edgar's family again, and the story from Jamie's POV was perfect. André Santana's narration was excellent as always, and I really grew to appreciate Dani Martineck's ability to bring Jamie's chapters to life.
My only complaint about this book is really minor: it could have used better line editing, as certain words and phrases get overused, which I personally found a little jarring and disruptive to the experience of the story.
Overall, The Most Unusual Haunting of Edgar Lovejoy is a wonderful cozy romance that isn't afraid to tackle grief, difficult family dynamics, and the corrosive, isolating power of fear. Highly recommend to anyone looking for a lightly spooky queer love story with a bit more substance than is typical for the genre.
Contains spoilers
I enjoyed this book a lot but struggled with the overly posh, dramatic voice the main character uses in narrating the story. It didn't feel very believable, and made me roll my eyes a few times (I'm sorry but a teenage MC using the word "whilst" and talking about smartphones in the same breath just kinda threw me off). The CWs could have been a little more accurate, too. "Light child abuse" doesn't begin to cover the gut-wrenching scenes from Augustus's childhood.
[It bugs me—probably more than it should—that the only character I felt any meaningful connection to (Auden) ended up being a figment of Augustus's imagination. The "twist" just felt gimmicky and there for its own sake without adding much to the story.
Despite all my griping, I did like Hallowed Be Thy Name. The inner voice of the devil in Augustus's head was done well, and Winters really nailed the feeling of brokenness/worthlessness so many people carry after leaving high-control religion. I just think I had higher (or different) expectations for a queer book about religious trauma.
I genuinely do not get the review-bombing hate on this novella. I don't pretend to have great taste and I'm not really a snob about a lot of the issues other reviewers are complaining about, but I know what I like, and I really liked Automatic Noodle. This is probably an unhelpful review, because I have zero notes. If you want a "cozy", fun, quick read, and are actually willing to let your disbelief be suspended instead of nitpicking themes or judging the author on her Goodreads bio (really guys?), then I'd recommend checking this one out. :)
I had some misgivings at the start of this book, I'll be honest. I struggled with how Nina's character was written, and didn't love Big Eddie throwing the word "tr*nny" around, but once I realized this was one of Klune's earlier works, it was easier to cut him some slack as I kept reading. I'm really glad I did, honestly! This book handles grief expertly and intimately, and seemed to come along right when I needed it the most. I went into this one with the expectation "gay angel romance, this should be fun" and came away from it in tears that wouldn't stop. All of Klune's books have a lot of heart, but there's something special about this one, a depth that is alluring and strange and beautiful. It's unpolished, a bit rough around the edges, but that ended up making me love it even more. Overall, I'm just delighted to have read this book. I highly recommend if you're struggling with the loss of a loved one, or with grief in general.
The world was bigger than anyone could ever know. Maybe that was hardly a bad thing.
Palaver was the first audiobook I've listened to in a while, and the narration was flawless. I usually hate it when narrators do "voices" for the characters (part of why I usually avoid audiobooks), but André Santana did a phenomenal job bringing each character to life. I highly recommend listening to this book, rather than reading it!
This book is a great example of what I crave in queer fiction. Washington's characters and the setting were both so vivid! I feel like I've been to Tokyo now, and I already miss the main character's beautiful queer friend group. The evolution of the MC's difficult relationship with his mother was spellbinding in kind of a voyeuristic way, and genuinely made me hopeful for reconciliation with some of my own estranged family members someday.
In short: Washington nailed it. I can't think of a single thing I didn't like about Palaver. Definitely one of my top books this year-I have been ranting about it to anyone who will listen!
I have zero valid complaints about this book. A queernorm m/m fantasy based on Welsh folklore and history sounds like it was written specifically for me, so I had to get into it as quickly as possible. I don't usually read the first in a series unless there's at least another book out, so I was really cranky with the cliffhanger ending here, but that's on me for not paying attention! While reading Princeweaver, my only gripe was that I just found it difficult to really care about the characters until the second half of the book, but I think the series is headed in a great direction! Excited for book two. 🦊
Interesting take on the Tarot. Rachel Pollack infuses all her books with such genuine wisdom! Personally, this work did not resonate with me as much as it should have, as I'm very much a Tarot newbie, so I think it will be something to come back to later in the journey. I can definitely see how it would be tremendously helpful for experienced Tarotists in shifting some entrenched ways of looking at the entire system. Pollack urges readers to "play" with the Tarot, encouraging a sense of wonder, which is a refreshing break from studying formulaic meanings and structures.
This book is an incredible resource! I have a feeling I'lI be returning to it many times to review the impressive range of understandable explanations and insightful analyses of the cards that Pollack provides. I highly recommend this work to anyone who, like me, has struggled with other more formulaic or dense books on the Tarot.
I know Suzuki is viewed as controversial and problematic by traditional Pure Land Buddhists who believe in the Pure Land as a sort of “heaven”, similar to many Christians, but I enjoyed the way he writes immensely. Suzuki argues that the Pure Land is “right here, and those who have eyes can see it around them. And Amida is not presiding over an ethereal paradise; his Pure Land is this defiled earth itself.”
I don't know where I fall on that spectrum of belief just yet, but what I can say is that this is the most concise, clear explanation of Jodo Shinshu I have ever read. It may help that Suzuki directly compares and contrasts aspects of Shin Buddhism with Christianity- as a recovering Catholic, I found this really helpful. I wish I had read Buddha of Infinite Light a year ago, instead of starting with River of Fire, River of Water (╥﹏╥)
I highly recommend Suzuki's writing to anyone who is trying to get a fuller picture of the Shin tradition as a whole. He does not shy away from controversy, and explains his take on Jodo Shinshu in a forthright and simple manner.
