These are the books I read in June 2021 with a rating reflecting my opinion on them. I am leaving books not available in English out for your convenience. LGBTQ+ narratives are indicated with a pride flag in recognition of Pride Month. At the bottom, I will be sharing some recommendations that fall under the category fiction, non-fiction, or non-fiction political. These recommendations are books I have not read myself, so proceed with caution as I cannot speak to their actual quality.
Read
Not Alone by Sophie Sapounas
This short graphic novel set in a zombie apocalypse didn’t end up impressing me. The characters were alright and the plot average at best and confusing at worst. Overall this would have been fine if not for the art style. It seems incredibly unpolished and lazy in a way that doesn’t seem intentional. I’m all for experimental art in graphic novels, but there is a difference between a draft you scribble in your notebook and a finished product. Publishing Date: July 22, 2021.
🏳️🌈 I love this part by Tillie Walden
This is a really simple but powerful story of love and loss, beautifully illustrated. I absolutely adore the atmosphere this graphic novel conjures up, it’s very dreamy and solemn at the same time. The art style and the atmosphere compensate for the lack of depth, but it is still quite limited in scope.
🏳️🌈 The Passing Playbook by Isaac Fitzsimons
Read this for a book club and quite enjoyed it. A trans teen being the new kid, trying to find their space on the soccer team as well as navigating the world? Sign me up! Spencer and his family were a delight and I loved the nuance brought to coming out and family responses. Often coming out is shown in black and white, either complete acceptance or rejection. It isn’t like that for many people. How much of this book was about soccer threw me a little off, especially when it was really detailed. One thing I do want to point out is that Spencer’s experience with physical transition in particular rubbed me the wrong way a little. Of course it is amazing to have young trans kids who get support earlier and thus get to take advantage of things like puberty blockers, but I would have loved to have a kinder inclusion of the fact that so many trans and otherwise non-cis people’s experience is decidedly not that. Still, I really enjoyed this book and am glad to have read it.
Mr Salary by Sally Rooney
Read this for university and feel very ambivalent about it. This story has some stunning language and I appreciated the exploration of complicated relationships. It has many elements common in Sally Rooney’s writing, some of which I like more than others. Yet, I found the sexual overtones uncomfortable and the story a bit boring at times.
🏳️🌈 Party Girls by Alice Oseman
This little crossover story between two of the author’s previous books was fun to read. I enjoyed the dialogue and the themes throughout. There is so much about the older teen/young adult perspective that is absolutely fascinating and I appreciated how interwoven everything was. Still, I didn’t feel like the characters had that much chemistry and it was a bit trite in my view. Cute, but nothing outstanding.
Hollow City by Ransom Riggs
I quite enjoyed this second installment of the series! Seeing more of the world especially was lovely, the details of peculiar folks were incredibly captivating. The peculiar animals in particular were amazing! Lots of action and angst, but camaraderie as well. It was a bit long-winded at times and I found a few characters a bit annoying, but overall a compelling read!
Hamilton: The Revolution by Lin-Manuel Miranda & Jeremy McCarter
What a love letter to a brilliant musical! I adored following the journey of Hamilton and the people involved with it, the pictures, the details, the gorgeous narration. Truly a testament to passion, creativity, and determination. I did know quite a bit already and the lyrics take up a lot of space, but this is still an incredible piece of work.
🏳️🌈 Release by Patrick Ness
Read for VC book club, this is admittedly a bit of an odd read. One day experienced by two very different beings. Adam Thorn, a gay teenager from a pastoral family, who is dealing with love, heartbreak, and growing up. A mysterious spirit searching for something. Their paths largely don’t cross, but are a bit parallel. A lot of topics are touched upon, from sexual assault to homophobia to teenage relationship to murder and drug usage. But also philosophical themes of judgment forgiveness. The language is seriously stunning throughout, even as some elements seem a bit weird. Very fascinating read!
🏳️🌈 Through the Wardrobe by Lucy Caldwell
This is a simple yet powerful story of a young trans girl and her experiences. Narrated in the second person, this story aims to transport the reader into the main character’s shoes and foster empathy. There isn’t much depth, but it is quite good regardless.
Recommendations
Fiction
The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas by Ursula K. Le Guin
“Some inhabitants of a peaceful kingdom cannot tolerate the act of cruelty that underlies its happiness.”
Sooner or Later Everything Falls Into the Sea by Sarah Pinsker
“The baker’s dozen stories gathered here (including a new, previously unpublished story) turn readers into travelers to the past, the future, and explorers of the weirder points of the present. The journey is the thing as Pinsker weaves music, memory, technology, history, mystery, love, loss, and even multiple selves on generation ships and cruise ships, on highways and high seas, in murder houses and treehouses. They feature runaways, fiddle-playing astronauts, and retired time travelers; they are weird, wired, hopeful, haunting, and deeply human. They are often described as beautiful but Pinsker also knows that the heart wants what the heart wants and that is not always right, or easy.”
Political
After the Fall: Being American in the World We’ve Made by Ben Rhodes
“In 2017, as Ben Rhodes was helping Barack Obama begin his next chapter, the legacy they worked to build for eight years was being taken apart. To understand what was happening in America, Rhodes decided to look outward. Over the next three years, he traveled to dozens of countries, meeting with politicians, activists, and dissidents confronting the same nationalism and authoritarianism that was tearing America apart. Along the way, a Russian opposition leader he spends time with is poisoned, the Hong Kong protesters he comes to know see their movement snuffed out, and America itself reaches the precipice of losing democracy before giving itself a second chance.”
How the Good Guys Finally Won: Notes from an Impeachment Summer by Jimmy Breslin
“After the Watergate scandal corrupted American democracy, it took a gang of honest politicians to restore honor. Not long after burglars were caught raiding the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate Hotel, Congressman Tip O’Neill noticed that Democratic fundraising efforts for the 1972 election had stalled. Major contributors were under IRS investigation, and Republican lackeys were threatening further trouble if those donors didn’t close their checkbooks. O’Neill sensed a conspiracy coming from the Nixon administration, but it wasn’t until the scandal broke that he connected the threatened donors with the Watergate burglary. In the boldest move of his career, he did something that would shock the nation: O’Neill decided to impeach the President. This blow-by-blow, conviction-by-conviction account is a gripping reminder of how O’Neill and his colleagues brought justice to those who abused their power, and revived America after the greatest political scandal in its history.”
Nonfiction
Chatter: The Voice in Our Head, Why It Matters, and How to Harness It by Ethan Kross
“Tell a stranger that you talk to yourself, and you’re likely to get written off as eccentric. But the truth is that we all have a voice in our head. When we talk to ourselves, we often hope to tap into our inner coach but find our inner critic instead. When we’re facing a tough task, our inner coach can buoy us up: Focus–you can do this. But, just as often, our inner critic sinks us entirely: I’m going to fail. They’ll all laugh at me. What’s the use?”
What Happened To You?: Conversations on Trauma, Resilience, and Healing by Bruce D. Perry & Oprah Winfrey
“Have you ever wondered “Why did I do that?” or “Why can’t I just control my behavior?” Others may judge our reactions and think, “What’s wrong with that person?” When questioning our emotions, it’s easy to place the blame on ourselves; holding ourselves and those around us to an impossible standard. It’s time we started asking a different question. Through deeply personal conversations, Oprah Winfrey and renowned brain and trauma expert Dr. Bruce Perry offer a groundbreaking and profound shift from asking “What’s wrong with you?” to “What happened to you?” Our earliest experiences shape our lives far down the road, and What Happened to You? provides powerful scientific and emotional insights into the behavioral patterns so many of us struggle to understand.”
The Congressional Report 