WEEKLY HIGHLIGHTS books to read for pride month
I’ve reviewed several books with LGBTQ+ characters on Grab the Lapels, though some I read before I started this site in 2013. While I did not plan any reading in 2021 around celebratory months, I have interviewed LGBTQ authors and read books with Queer characters throughout June (happily but) unintentionally.
- 100 Times: A Memoir of Sexism by Chavisa Woods
- Rolling in the Deep and Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant
- Too Much Lip by Melissa Lucashenko
- Meet the Writer: Rebecca Frost
- Fat Poets Speak, edited by Frannie Zellman
- Meet the Writer: Monica Nolan
- The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers
- Fat Girl Finishing School by Rachel Wiley
- Half Broke by Ginger Gaffney
- Misadventures of a Curvy Girl by Sierra Simone
- Forward by Abby Wambach
- Things to Do When You’re Goth in the Country by Chavisa Woods
- Meet the Writer: Mary Saracino
- Belly Songs by Susan Stinson
- Meet the Writer: S.M. Reine
- Redefining Realness by Janet Mock
- Knit One, Girl Two by Shira Glassman
- The Lesbian Career Girl series by Monica Nolan
- Meet the Writer: Alyse Knorr
- The Last Herald-Mage series by Mercedes Lackey
- Fat Girl Dances with Rocks by Susan Stinson
- The Albino Album by Chavisa Woods
- Fun Home by Alison Bechdel
- Coffee Will Make You Black and Ain’t Gonna Be the Same Fool Twice by April Sinclair
- Nothing is Okay by Rachel Wiley
- Fat Angie and Fat Angie: Rebel Revolution by e.E. Charlton-Trujillo
- Bogeywoman by Jaimy Gordon
- Blue is the Warmest Color by Julie Maroh
- Kill Marguerite and Other Stories by Megan Milks
- Meet the Writer: Susan Stinson
- Love Does Not Make Me Gentle or Kind by Chavisa Woods
- Meet the Writer: Jen Michalski
- SuperMutant Magic Academy by Jillian Tamaki
- Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit by Jeanette Winterson
- The Color Purple by Alice Walker
- The Gilda Stories by Jewelle Gomez
- Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal by Jeanette Winterson
- Could You Be With Her Now by Jen Michalski
Reviews of books with LGBTQ characters and an interview with a trans woman forthcoming within the next month:
- An American Radical by Susan Rosenberg
- Ultra by Olivia Hill
- The Secret to Superhuman Strength by Alison Bechdel
- Martha Moody by Susan Stinson
- Meet the Writer: Olivia Hill
THIS WEEK’S BLOG POSTS
This week kicked off with my review of Follow the Rabbit-Proof Fence by Doris Pilkington Garimara. I’ve been trying to locate and read books recommended by my Australian readers, but I was surprised by the connections my Canadian readers made between the girls stolen and transported to a “school” in Australia and the 215 children’s bodies found in a mass grave in near a Canadian “school” for indigenous children.
Then, we hopped back to the United States to meet Rebecca Frost, a writer whose work focuses on the American true crime novel, its origins, and why readers are so fascinated. Her forthcoming work examining Stephen King’s books garnered attention, too!
NEXT WEEK’S BLOG POSTS
What happens when a mother sleepwalks herself to the river and drowns, leaving behind a grieving husband, an unmanageable teen, and a precocious ten-year-old daughter named Elvis? Why, they bake enough 3-D rabbit cakes to be entered to have a Guiness World Record. Review Tuesday.
Both books reviewed forthcoming this week have more than a healthy dose of satire, that sense of “this would never happen” but kinda/sorta seems like it could. When Laura Rider plans to write her first-ever romance novel, she orchestrates her husband and the local NPR-type radio host as the lead characters. Review Thursday.
BOOKS ADDED TO THE TBR PILE
Owned Books on TBR at Beginning of Year: 242
Owned Books on TBR Today: 223 (<this number is moving up and down more than I would like)
I found the “more new recommendations for you” button on The Story Graph and was attacked by so many made-for-me titles. Also, thanks to Laila @ Big Reading Life for her recommendation.
Grab the Lapels 
I think the only book I know of all you mention here is the Aussie one. I missed your review, so will go back and check it. Sounds like you had a good discussion.
As for next week’s books, I do like satire. The book I’m reading now is satirical.
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Oh, wonderful! Laura Rider’s Masterpiece is the blatant satiric work of the two, so I would point you that-a-way.
Did you read the Aussie book, Too Much Lip?
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I sure did. Are you planning to? It’s a great example of a page turner with complex characters and issues.
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My review is linked above. I enjoyed it!
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Well, that’s what you get for not listing books alphabetically! What the, I thought? Where is it? I had to use the find function to find it! (Not complaining, just observing. I will go look now.)
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And, haha, I read and commented on your post back in November. Sorry, that I didn’t remember you’d read it.
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We’ve had a long bookish relationship, Sue! It’s easy to forget what we’ve read of each other’s blogs.
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True!
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Hahahha, if I had planned ahead better, I would have been more organized, absolutely. I was working on the post around 11:30 at night because I had worked that day. I’ll likely still add books to it and probably alphabetize it. I’ve never put all of my LGBTQ books in a list before.
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Its a good list. I think you should alphabetise for your own sake I think! Particularly if you grow it.
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Yay, Pride! ❤
I want to go to the Detroit Pride parade this year. 🙂
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I love Detroit. I want it to come back to life so hard.
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Me too!
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The Rabbit Cake book sounds very interesting – I look forward to reading your review!
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I had a 3-D duck cake for my birthday, once, and it was frosted in neon green. I confess I kept picturing that whenever the book mentioned the rabbit cakes!
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For once I’m ahead of WG, I’ve read 2 – Too Much Lip and The Long Way .. (your recommendation. I must buy #2. Also I have The Snow Queen keyed up to read later this week, speaking of SF rather then LGBTQ).
As I said, I was really pleased you reviewed Follow the Rabbit Proof Fence. I’m sure there are parallels in the US as well as Canada. We can look for them next year. I’ll write something on my blog soon, as you suggested, and we can start choosing titles.
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Nice! I can’t wait to read what you think about The Snow Queen. I will say it dumps you in at the beginning, so I just had to keep reading and wrap my head around it, though a more avid sci-fi fan like yourself might take to it like a fish to water.
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Your girl is ace, so add me to the accidental pride list. 🖤🤍💜
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Will do!
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I like the look of the Hibbert novels so will look out for your review with interest. I have read Jonathan from Queer Eye’s memoir and have a book with a trans theme later in the month, so doing my bit where I can, though forgot to hashtag JVN’s.
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Next year, once I’m done with #ReadingValdemar, I’m going to make a plan with a spreadsheet to actually review celebratory months at the right time! Basically, I don’t want to read books by and about LGBTQ people in June, I want to publish the reviews in June.
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I’m excited for your interview with the trans writer! Also I love the covers of the Lesbian Career Girl Series, I really must read one…
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My absolute favorite was Bobby Blanchard, Lesbian Gym Teacher, though the story of Lois Lenz also gives you a good idea of the “career girl”/secretary trope that was really funny. She was obsessed with filing systems.
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