Books

Book 1,053: Hotel du Lac – Anita Brookner

What an interesting novel. I had no idea what to expect going into this. I knew it was famous, I knew it was Brookner’s most famous novel and I knew it won the year I was born. That’s about it.

I picked it up almost a decade ago because I knew it was a Booker Prize winner and at the time I had intentions of reading the full list. And, while I still may read the full list, there are no pressures or time constraints. That being said I’m starting to pare down my physical book collection and I’m sure I’ll be reading more and more as I have plenty physical books.

Continue reading “Book 1,053: Hotel du Lac – Anita Brookner”

Books

Book 1,035: Bloom – Kevin Panetta & Savanna Ganucheau

I forgot how beautiful the graphics are and how sparse and yet well written the story is in this graphic novel. I read Bloom back in 2019 and adored it, but re-reading it this time and knowing the gist of the story allowed me to truly luxuriate in the graphics and the relationship of Ari and Hector.

As part of my graphic novel/manga binge I was always going to revisit this, but when Panetta and Ganucheau announced there was going to be a follow up, I 100% knew I was going to reread this at least once—if not multiple times—in the lead up to its release, which was originally projected for Fall 2023 but is still TBD.

Continue reading “Book 1,035: Bloom – Kevin Panetta & Savanna Ganucheau”

Books

Books 1,033 & 1,034: #Hockey & Sticks and Scones (Check, Please! 1 & 2) – Ngozi Ukazu

Toward the end of January 2024, I was coming out of an intense January term course and entering my final semester of grad school and I needed a break so I leaned HEAVILY into graphic novels. It started a random evening when I passed the bookshelf in our bedroom where my graphic novels live on the top shelf. I was like “OH I could read all of #Hockey! tonight as a palate cleanser.”

Continue reading “Books 1,033 & 1,034: #Hockey & Sticks and Scones (Check, Please! 1 & 2) – Ngozi Ukazu”

Books

Book 1,032: Something Like Summer (Something Like . . . #1) – Jay Bell

I have had this book on my radar for as long as I can remember. Definitely long before the 2017 adaptation (which I still need to watch), but I’m not sure when or how I heard of it. I’m sure it was back in the early 2010s not long after it was originally written, and I was desperate to find LGBT love stories. What a world we’re in now where there’s a plethora of all genres and all tastes!

Something Like Summer is the tale of the tumultuous relationship between openly gay Ben who is a total nerd and artsy and the new kid Tim who’s moved to town and immediately falls in with the popular kids. What starts out as an unrequited crush quickly turns into a DL friends with benefits and Bell takes it from there through a lifetime.

Continue reading “Book 1,032: Something Like Summer (Something Like . . . #1) – Jay Bell”

ARC, Books

Book 975: A Gift-Wrapped Holiday (Lighthouse Bay #4) – Amy Aislin

I requested a copy of this from Gay Romance Reviews because it’s Maine and I remembered enjoying the couple of books I read by Amy Aislin.*

This is the story of Luca who fled the west coast after his family shot down his idea to make their wrapping paper company more eco-friendly and environmentally conscious to open his own holiday wrapping store, and Mal, a single dad and graphic designer who recently moved back to his home town to be closer to family.

Continue reading “Book 975: A Gift-Wrapped Holiday (Lighthouse Bay #4) – Amy Aislin”