Right on time for Spooky Season, hosts Em and Ben discuss Monstrilio by Gerardo Sámano Córdova!
This horror story opens with the death of a child and examines how the characters cope with their grief, including removing a portion of the body and growing a new creature from it. A creature that, despite what its mother desperately wishes, is not a clone of her little boy.
As always, if you're interested by the book following the podcast, consider purchasing it from your local bookstore or borrowing it from your public library!
Compound Fracture by Andrew Joseph White is a Young Adult novel about a generational blood feud in a small West Virginian town, but it's also a love letter to the people who live in coal mining towns just like it.
High school student Miles Abernathy comes across evidence that a fatal car accident years ago was planned by a local powerful family, who has the town under their heel. Before Miles can share this evidence, he's beaten within an inch of his life. As he recovers and tries to plan his next move, an apparition of one of his coal-mining ancestors appears.
This is more violent than most of the books we cover for the podcast. Please listen to the warning given at the beginning to determine if this is an episode you wish to listen to.
Hijab Butch Blues describes Lamya H's coming of age as she explores what it means to be a queer devout Muslim woman.
Growing up in an culture where it seemed no one else was like her, Lamya found kinship in an unexpected place: the Quran. Through reading the traditional stories from a queer perspective, Lamya discovers a sense of belonging. Hosts Madysen and Goldie discuss the challenges faced by immigrants, growing up queer in a religious environment, and the similarities between the Bible and the Quran.
Trans high school student Ryo is learning the importance of having people to open up to, and that first perceptions of a person are not always as they seem in the manga Boys Run the Riot by Keito Gaku.
Ryo is a boy, but nobody knows that and the only way he gets any relief is by wearing masculine-presenting clothing. Then, one day, he runs into a classmate he didn't expect at a pop-up clothing shop and makes an unlikely friend. Hosts Em and Cas discuss the struggles of being a trans high school student, clothing as armor, and the intricacies of gender exploration in this week's episode.
Shapeshifting monster Shesheshen is on the run when she meets Homily, a human, who she is instantly drawn to, in the book Someone You Can Build a Nest In by John Wiswell. Hosts Annika and Goldie explore some of the questions this story asks, such as: Is it wrong to tell your girlfriend that you want to eat her mom? What is a monster, and do we all have to see the same things as beautiful? And what does it mean to want to build a life with someone instead of eat them? Other highlights include "monster enthusiasts," mobility assistants (which may or may not be someone else's femur), stories for those who don't usually get stories, and literal gender fluidity.
Most Ardently reimagines Pride and Prejudice's protagonist as a closeted transboy in Regency London. Oliver, as he's known in this work, is intrigued by the family's new acquaintance, a handsome and aloof Darcy. Join non-Austenite hosts Em and Dani as they discuss molly houses, queer friendships, and more while delving intoMost Ardently by Gabe Cole Novoa. Em and Dani say it's worth considering even if you're not a Jane Austen fan!
If you love this take on the classic, consider checking out the rest ofRemixed Classics series!
The magic in the land is awakening, and the Other World threatens multiple realms. Meanwhile, Herla of the Wild Hunt has an awareness she hasn't felt in centuries, brought on by a woman in the midst of battle. Queen Aethelburg, likewise, can't seem to stop thinking about the strange woman on horseback.
Hosts Jamie and Amber discuss Song of the Huntress by Lucy Holland, a historical fiction set in early Britain, full of characters from Celtic mythology and history alike. Topics include supernatural and religious influences, power in the land, and different forms of queerness woven naturally into historical narratives.
How far would you go to save the one you love? Atlas and Moose grapple with this question as they navigate the dangers of a zombie outbreak in this dark romantasy horror, Sleeping Among Wolves by Royal Poff. This episode's host, Dani, is joined by the author themselves! Listen in as they talk about zombie outbreaks, mental illness, horror as a way to deal with grief, and whether York, PA is haunted. To learn more about Royal and their other works, visit https://www.instagram.com/robertroyalpoff/
If you've watched Bridgerton but thought 'this could be gayer,' you may enjoy this episode's selection! Don't Want You Like A Best Friend by Emma R Alban is a fluffy, queer historical romance set in the Victorian era, that follows new friends Gwen and Beth as they navigate the courting season and also their unexpected feelings for one another. Join hosts Jamie and Amber as they discuss poorly carried out plotting, female autonomy, historical queer couples, and the logistics of having a quickie in a corset.
There are no monsters in Lucille... Or that's what Jam has been told her whole life. She was also under the impression that people didn't come out of paintings, though, so there's a lot to learn. Join hosts Samantha and Dani as they discuss this and more, delving into Pet by Akwaeke Emezi. Discussions include queer, neurodivergent, African representation, existential queries, Bible lore, and more. Our hosts have much to talk about with this fast-paced, near-future utopian YA.
How do you balance who you are versus what you love? Join not only your hosts, Ashley and Goldie, but the author CJ Aralore himself to discuss his book that asks that and more, Gravity's Fire. With two parts fluffy rom-com, one part epic fantasy, this novel follows Nix Ashwell on his quests to find answers about himself and maybe also find a boyfriend. CJ, Ashley, and Goldie discuss the novel's inspirations, character development, magic, music, and teenage self-discovery in this speculative fiction romantasy. If you'd like to see more of what CJ's work, visit his website at http://www.cjaralore.com.
If you're interested in reading Gravity's Fire after listening to this episode, consider borrowing it from your local library or purchasing it from an independent bookstore or directly from Midnight Meadow Publishing!
The Dauphin County Library System is delighted to partner with Midnight Meadow Publishing, who specialize in LGBTQIA+ stories. This episode is the second of a series of interviews with their authors with recent releases.
Have you ever listened to “At last I see the light” from Tangled and thought, ‘this could be gayer’? Then this book (and podcast episode) might be for you! Join hosts Em and Cas as they take this opportunity not just to explore the book The Princess and the Thief, but to discuss it with the author, Mary Lynne Gibbs, herself! Topics include DnD-inspired meet- cutes, the importance of nuanced bisexual (and other queer) representation, and finding love when you least expect it. If you’d like to see other works from Mary, visit her website at https://www.marylynnegibbs.com/.
If you're interested in reading The Princess and the Thief after listening to this episode, consider borrowing it from your local library or purchasing it from an independent bookstore or directly from Midnight Meadow Publishing!
The Dauphin County Library System is delighted to partner with Midnight Meadow Publishing, who specialize in LGBTQIA+ stories. This episode is the second of a series of interviews with their authors with recent releases.
Transcript of the episode available here
This episode hosts Em and Annica have an exciting guest as they discuss the book Design of Darkness- the author himself, RD Pires! This epic fantasy is filled with magic and mysticism, forbidden love, family, and untold dangers as some set out to save what they hold dear and others trifle with powerful, dark forces. Listen in as we dive into questions about non-eurocentric inspired fantasy, multi-perspective storytelling, and fantasy worldbuilding (and the delightful creatures contained therein). If you’d like to learn more about RD and his other publications, visit his website at https://rdpiresauthor.com/ If you're interested in reading Design of Darkness after listening to this episode, consider borrowing it from your local library or purchasing it from an independent bookstore or directly from the publisher! Midnight Meadow Publishing
The Dauphin County Library System is delighted to partner with Midnight Meadow Publishing, who specialize in LGBTQIA+ stories. This episode is the first of a series of interviews with their authors with recent releases.
Transcript of the episode available here
Drawn in by the promise of bookbinding and sapphic secrets, hosts Amber and Annika discuss Endpapers by Jennifer Savran Kelly.
Dawn is at a point in her life where her art feels blocked, she doesn’t know where her relationship is going, and she isn’t sure who she is and how she wants to be perceived. When she comes across a letter on the back of a lesbian pulp novel cover, hidden in the endpapers of a book she is restoring for work, she thinks that maybe finding answers to that mystery will help her figure out her own life.
Discussion topics include: finding the people who will support you as you are, the Lucas haters club©, gender, art as a form of expression and protest, and texting in 2003.
CW: homophobia, violence, panic attacks, anxiety
If you're interested in reading Endpapers after listening to this episode, consider borrowing it from your local library or purchasing it from an independent bookstore!
Sometimes what we need for Christmas is a spicy story(“raunch-com?”) about chaotic bisexuals making a Hallmar- we mean, Hope Channel movie while pretending to be Wholesome©. Hopefully nobody realizes that one of them is an adult film star and that the two of them are hooking up on the down low. Join cohosts Jamie and Ashley as they discuss A Merry Little Meet Cute by Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone.
If you're interested in reading A Merry Little Meet Cute after listening to this episode, consider borrowing it from your local library or purchasing it from an independent bookstore!
Robin Gow joins cohosts Ashley and Amber in this episode as they discuss faer YA book, A Million Quiet Revolutions. A beautiful story about two trans boys, A Million Quiet revolutions discusses so many aspects of queer youth including themes of family, acceptance, change, and community. We couldn’t wait to ask Robin all manner of questions about his experience with queer history, using poetry to tell stories, and what one actually does at a reenactment.
If you're interested in reading A Million Quiet Revolutions after listening to this episode, consider borrowing it from your local library or purchasing it from an independent bookstore!
When they heard the name Chuck Tingle in connection with a horror novel about a queer conversion camp, cohosts Amber and Anne were not sure what to expect! What they got though was, in their own words, an engaging, fast paced, well written, and “shockingly relatable book for one that has demons.” Listen in to hear as they talk about Camp Damascus and discuss found family, religious trauma, and the worst horror trope to exist- throwing up bugs.
If you're interested in reading Camp Damascus after listening to this episode, consider borrowing it from your local library or purchasing it from an independent bookstore!
With a laundry list of content warnings, cohosts and longtime horror fans Em and Dani discuss what might be the most graphic book we’ve reviewed so far. Wilder Girls by Rory Power is a vividly written tale about a girl's school that has been isolated as its students and faculty grapple with a toxin infecting everything and everyone. Listen in as our hosts discuss the undefined yet inherently queer relationship between the three main characters, how YA horror compares to adult horror, and this story’s parallels with Lord of The Flies.
CW: mentions of violence, gore, body horror
If you're interested in reading Wilder Girls after listening to this episode, consider borrowing it from your local library or purchasing it from an independent bookstore!
This book made us so hungry! Annika and Anne interview Curtis Chin about his memoir, Everything I Learned, I Learned in a Chinese Restaurant, which describes what it was like growing up in 1980s Detroit. In this interview, we discuss trauma, resilience, the importance of family, and the importance of working together despite our differences. Curtis Chin was amazing to speak with and had us laughing the entire time.
If you're interested in reading Everything I Learned, I Learned in a Chinese Restaurant after listening to this episode, consider borrowing it from your local library or purchasing it from an independent bookstore!
YA novels often help tackle themes that are difficult to address even as adults. This is central to discussion in this episode, as cohosts Dani and Anne discuss Sonora Reyes’ The Luis Ortega Survival Club. A group of teens work to reclaim their agency and hold a school rapist accountable, and in the process find genuine friendship and acceptance. Topics include navigating social cues as a person with autism, the mindset of a sexual predator, and the work still to be done in believing and supporting survivors.
CW: Off page rape, sexual assault
If you're interested in reading The Luis Ortega Survival Club after listening to this episode, consider borrowing it from your local library or purchasing it from an independent bookstore!
