At the halfway point of reading Aurélie Valognes’s debut Out of Sorts (2016), my mind took me to Rose’s dream sequence in the Golden Girls’ season 1 episode “A Little Romance.” It was a farcical scene that brought on much laughter mostly because of the brilliance of the four lead actresses. As an audience member, I could follow along because the set up had been clear. I was in on the joke. That wasn’t the case when I got to the midpoint of Out of Sorts. I started to […]
The Casanova of Cass County
All of the books in the pile were for my classroom library, and I was $4 short from getting the loyalty stamp card at my favorite independent book store. So back to the shelves it was so I could meet the minimum $30 purchase stamp. It took a while, but I finally settled on an author and genre of romance I had never read before: Beverly Jenkins and African-American historical romance. The selection, Jewel, turned out to be a satisfying one. Read the full review.
Developing Pride
Written a decade ago, Geography Club (2004) spawned a book series and a recent TV movie. An engaging read, I can understand why this debut novel by Brent Hartinger is so successful. After all, it was written at a time when stories featuring gay characters were rare. Read the review, here.
Living in the Aftermath
A surprisingly quick read at 192 pages, Hush (2002) is a complex YA novel that lingers. It offers readers a glimpse into the effects of events outside of some people’s control, and the harsh, seemingly bleak but ultimately hopeful aspects of living. In the aftermath of Trayvon Martin, Eric Garner, Tamir Rice, among countless others, Hush becomes an evocative, relevant, and poignant read. Read the full review, here.