#dahlia woodson

[mccoppinscrapyard]

Read in 2023 (6/?)

Love & Other Disasters by Anita Kelly

❝ That each person could choose what brought them closest to belonging, the power in that. Knowing that one day, people might discover even better words for it. That there was only ever freedom in continuing to find new names for who we were, who we could be. ❞

[thirdandabooknerd]

Love & Other Disasters (And suckling on toes?) By Anita Kelly.

Author: Anita Kelly

Genre: Romance, LGBTQ+ Literature

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Year of Publishing: 2022

Special Qualities: Nonbinary/Queer relationships. Cooking Show drama and romance. Strained Family Relationships. Spicy Scenes.

Book Review:

Love & Other Disasters by Anita Kelly is a queer romance novel with nonbinary representation. That, itself, was enough to have me pick up this book and read it through. There are so few quality books with this type of representation, especially with our nonbinary character being our LEAD and romantic interest.

Dahlia Woodson's life is falling apart. She is recently divorced from her husband, an assumed disappointment to her mother, and has quit her job to compete for 100,000 dollars on a hit cooking bake-off show Chef's Special in LA. Think of your traditional Iron Chef episode, where contestants are given a task for the episode shooting, and must present their completed meal to a panel of three judges.

The meals seems to be the last thing on the audience's mind. They see through the screen that Dahlia Woodson has fallen in love with London Parker - our nonbinary, romantic interest. London almost experiences a love at first sight with Dahlia, while Dahlia is clumsily making her way through the first on set shoot.

As the show progresses, these two reality chefs experience both on and off screen moments together. Whether breaking into a wedding reception, milking cows, or a romantic kiss on the beach, the two seem drawn to each other.

Now, this book is called Love & Other Disasters (same as the 2006 romantic comedy). But what disasters do these two experience? Well, London's father has never used their pronouns. They do not feel validated by their father, AND they are out on national television. Talk about stress!

Speaking of television, this reality show eliminates people each week. In the final few contestants, Dahlia is eventually kicked off the show for her blackbean pumpkin soup. Apparently, this is not a pretty looking meal. She rushes out of the set, distressed, and ready to go. She loves London Parker, but now she has to leave. She lives nowhere close to London in Nashville. She assumes it to be over - back to her "disappointing" life she was able to forget as LA Dahlia.

As predicted, she ends up going to London's finale on the show (which they win). They reunite, in love, and happy. This section of the book felt a little long for me, but Dahlia does move in with London in Nashville after the finale.

Here are my positives:

+ Queer / Nonbinary Relationship

+ Fun cooking show setting

+ Great discussion of LGBTQ+ issues and societal pressures

+ London and Dahlia's romance feels light and free

Here are a few critiques:

-- There are some steamy moments in this book. Most of them, I enjoyed reading. However, there is this one scene where Dahlia describes London as "meaty" and London soon after sucks on her toes. A little out there for me, and was not able to come back from that one for awhile.

-- The cooking aspect of the book has so much potential. Yet, I did not care what contestants went home. I had not mentioned the other characters in the summary above, because I just didn't care about them. Many of the characters felt flat and dull.

-- This title is not too fitting. This is not a problem for me, but I do believe it is generic and does not fully relate to the book

This was a book that, overall, I am glad I spent my time reading. A good plot can leave readers wishing to understand the characters more, so I give the book credit for this.

What do you think?

[rockislandadultreads]

LGBTQIA+ Pride Month: Romance Recommendations

Solomon’s Crown by Natasha Siegel

“A pair of thrones between us, and my heart clutched like a rosary within his hands ...”

Twelfth-century Europe. Newly-crowned King Philip of France is determined to restore his nation to its former empire and bring glory to his name. But when his greatest enemy, King Henry of England, threatens to end his reign before it can even begin, Philip is forced to make a precarious alliance with Henry’s volatile son—risking both his throne, and his heart.

Richard, Duke of Aquitaine, never thought he would be King. But when an unexpected tragedy makes him heir to England, he finally has an opportunity to overthrow the father he despises. At first, Philip is a useful tool in his quest for vengeance... until passion and politics collide, and Richard begins to question whether the crown is worth the cost.

When Philip and Richard find themselves staring down an impending war, they must choose between their desire for one another and their grand ambitions. Will their love prevail, if it calls to them from across the battlefield? Teeming with royal intrigue and betrayal, this epic romance reimagines two real-life kings ensnared by an impossible choice: Follow their hearts, or earn their place in history.

Love & Other Disasters by Anita Kelly

Recently divorced and on the verge of bankruptcy, Dahlia Woodson is ready to reinvent herself on the popular reality competition show Chef’s Special. Too bad the first memorable move she makes is falling flat on her face, sending fish tacos flying—not quite the fresh start she was hoping for. Still, she's focused on winning, until she meets someone she might want a future with more than she needs the prize money.

After announcing their pronouns on national television, London Parker has enough on their mind without worrying about the klutzy competitor stationed in front of them. They’re there to prove the trolls—including a fellow contestant and their dad—wrong, and falling in love was never part of the plan.

As London and Dahlia get closer, reality starts to fall away. Goodbye, guilt about divorce, anxiety about uncertain futures, and stress from transphobia. Hello, hilarious shenanigans on set, wedding crashing, and spontaneous dips into the Pacific. But as the finale draws near, Dahlia and London’s steamy relationship starts to feel the heat both in and outside the kitchen—and they must figure out if they have the right ingredients for a happily ever after.

I’m So (Not) Over You by Kosoko Jackson

It's been months since aspiring journalist Kian Andrews has heard from his ex-boyfriend, Hudson Rivers, but an urgent text has them meeting at a café. Maybe Hudson wants to profusely apologize for the breakup. Or confess his undying love... But no, Hudson has a favor to ask--he wants Kian to pretend to be his boyfriend while his parents are in town, and Kian reluctantly agrees.

The dinner doesn't go exactly as planned, and suddenly Kian is Hudson's plus one to Georgia's wedding of the season. Hudson comes from a wealthy family where reputation is everything, and he really can't afford another mistake. If Kian goes, he'll help Hudson preserve appearances and get the opportunity to rub shoulders with some of the biggest names in media. This could be the big career break Kian needs.

But their fake relationship is starting to feel like it might be more than a means to an end, and it's time for both men to fact-check their feelings.

Sizzle Reel by Carlyn Greenwald

For aspiring cinematographer Luna Roth, coming out as bisexual at twenty-four is proving more difficult than she anticipated. Sure, her best friend and fellow queer Romy is thrilled for her--but she has no interest in coming out to her backwards parents, she wouldn't know how to flirt with a girl if one fell at her feet, and she has no sexual history to build off. Not to mention she really needs to focus her energy on escaping her emotionally-abusive-but-that's-Hollywood talent manager boss and actually get working under a real director of photography anyway.

When she meets twenty-eight-year-old A-list actress Valeria Sullivan around the office, Luna thinks she's found her solution. She'll use Valeria's interest in her cinematography to get a PA job on the set of Valeria's directorial debut--and if Valeria is as gay as Luna suspects, and she happens to be Luna's route to losing her virginity, too . . . well, that's just an added bonus. Enlisting Romy's help, Luna starts the juggling act of her life--impress Valeria's DP to get another job after this one, get as close to Valeria as possible, and help Romy with her own career moves.

But when Valeria begins to reciprocate romantic interest in Luna, the act begins to crumble--straining her relationship with Romy and leaving her job prospects precarious. Now Luna has to figure out if she can she fulfill her dreams as a filmmaker, keep her best friend, and get the girl. . . or if she's destined to end up on the cutting room floor.

[haveyoureadthistransbook]

Love & Other Disaster by Anita Kelly

goodreads

Recently divorced and on the verge of bankruptcy, Dahlia Woodson is ready to reinvent herself on the popular reality competition show Chef’s Special. Too bad the first memorable move she makes is falling flat on her face, sending fish tacos flying—not quite the fresh start she was hoping for. Still, she's focused on winning, until she meets someone she might want a future with more than she needs the prize money.  After announcing their pronouns on national television, London Parker has enough on their mind without worrying about the klutzy competitor stationed in front of them. They’re there to prove the trolls—including a fellow contestant and their dad—wrong, and falling in love was never part of the plan. As London and Dahlia get closer, reality starts to fall away. Goodbye, guilt about divorce, anxiety about uncertain futures, and stress from transphobia. Hello, hilarious shenanigans on set, wedding crashing, and spontaneous dips into the Pacific. But as the finale draws near, Dahlia and London’s steamy relationship starts to feel the heat both in and outside the kitchen—and they must figure out if they have the right ingredients for a happily ever after.

Mod opinion: I haven't heard of this book before, but this sounds like a cute romance.

[transbookoftheday]

Love & Other Disasters by Anita Kelly

The first openly nonbinary contestant on America’s favorite cooking show falls for their clumsy competitor in this delicious romantic comedy debut that USA Today hailed as “an essential read.” Recently divorced and on the verge of bankruptcy, Dahlia Woodson is ready to reinvent herself on the popular reality competition show Chef’s Special. Too bad the first memorable move she makes is falling flat on her face, sending fish tacos flying—not quite the fresh start she was hoping for. Still, she's focused on winning, until she meets someone she might want a future with more than she needs the prize money.  After announcing their pronouns on national television, London Parker has enough on their mind without worrying about the klutzy competitor stationed in front of them. They’re there to prove the trolls—including a fellow contestant and their dad—wrong, and falling in love was never part of the plan. As London and Dahlia get closer, reality starts to fall away. Goodbye, guilt about divorce, anxiety about uncertain futures, and stress from transphobia. Hello, hilarious shenanigans on set, wedding crashing, and spontaneous dips into the Pacific. But as the finale draws near, Dahlia and London’s steamy relationship starts to feel the heat both in and outside the kitchen—and they must figure out if they have the right ingredients for a happily ever after.

[skylarkblue]

C F M O Q - for the ask game!!

Oh these are some fun ones! Thank you!

C: Currently Reading

Off Balance by Dominique Moceanu! It's a gymnastics memoir about Dominique's journey to the 1996 Olympic Games.

I also plan to start Iris Kelly Doesn't Date by Ashley Herring Blake tonight.

F: Fictional Character You Would Have Dated in High School

Oooh, that's a tough one. Maybe Dahlia Woodson from Love and Other Disasters? She's whip-smart and a great cook, which are qualities I admire.

M: Major Book Hangover Because Of

One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston was so good, I couldn't even look at another book for weeks. It consumed my brain in the best way.

O: One Book You Have Read Multiple Times

Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn is probably the book I've reread most as an adult. I related a lot to Camille Preaker and her deliciously fucked up family.

Q: Quote From a Book That Inspires You/Gives You Feels

Here's a line from the book of poetry that gives me the most feels:

“We have not touched the stars, nor are we forgiven, which brings us back to the hero’s shoulders and the gentleness that comes, not from the absence of violence, but despite the abundance of it.” ― Richard Siken, Crush

[anemonay]

I got into romance books. I'm reading "Love & Other Disasters". Cute, solidly 3/5 so far. Just good, nothing great. But... I identify too hard with one of the characters. Dahlia Woodson is just like me save for the pronouns. And I don't mean personality, I mean how her appearance is described and the little things-like carrying a notebook, being a morning person, and how her current age is exactly mine.

It's a little jarring honestly. I've never felt so seen before, and the character is written in a way where you're supposed to find her very likeable and it's making me go "Oh... Maybe I am likeable?"

Anyways wowza.

[jjandthebees]

Btw this is Dahlia Woodson, who should be loved and protected at all costs

[sapphicbookclub]

Love & Other Disasters by Anita Kelly

Recently divorced and on the verge of bankruptcy, Dahlia Woodson is ready to reinvent herself on the popular reality competition show Chef’s Special. Too bad the first memorable move she makes is falling flat on her face, sending fish tacos flying—not quite the fresh start she was hoping for. Still, she's focused on winning, until she meets someone she might want a future with more than she needs the prize money.

After announcing their pronouns on national television, London Parker has enough on their mind without worrying about the klutzy competitor stationed in front of them. They’re there to prove the trolls—including a fellow contestant and their dad—wrong, and falling in love was never part of the plan.

As London and Dahlia get closer, reality starts to fall away. Goodbye, guilt about divorce, anxiety about uncertain futures, and stress from transphobia. Hello, hilarious shenanigans on set, wedding crashing, and spontaneous dips into the Pacific. But as the finale draws near, Dahlia and London’s steamy relationship starts to feel the heat both in and outside the kitchen—and they must figure out if they have the right ingredients for a happily ever after.

Genres: contemporary, romance

Get the book from The Book Depository here!

[drakesensworld]

Dahlia Woodson is divorced and needs money so she enters reality competition show Chef’s Special.

London Parker comes out as non-binary and sober don't accept them. But they start really liking Dahlia and she is just klutzy and fun.

Both get closer, but they are competing against each other and how can they fall in love when one of them can go home anytime.

It's a really cute romance and but something you see very much but I liked it and enjoyed it.

#nonbinarycharacter #divorce #cookingshow #competition #romance #readingismyhappyplace #romancebookstagram #bookofthemonthclub #ilovereadingromancenovels #ilovereadings #ilovebooks #bookreader #booknerd #botmclubbook

[neowitcher]

5 Favourite Books and Films | Winter 2022 Releases

1. Fresh (2022), dir. Mimi Cave  ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

Frustrated by scrolling dating apps only to end up on lame, tedious dates, Noa takes a chance by giving her number to the awkwardly charming Steve after a produce-section meet-cute at the grocery store. (Letterboxd)

This refreshing thriller starring Daisy Edgar-Jones and Sebastian Stan kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time and is easily my favourite film of the year so far. It made me think of all the best parts of You (2018-) and some of the gore in Jennifer’s Body (2009) and I highly recommend it to any thriller lover who isn’t faint of heart. It also features amazing side characters, and Jonica T. Gibbs does an especially amazing job playing Mollie, loved her and the entire film!

2. Love & Other Disasters, by Anita Kelly  ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

Recently divorced and on the verge of bankruptcy, Dahlia Woodson is ready to reinvent herself on the popular reality competition show Chef’s Special. [...] After announcing their pronouns on national television, London Parker has enough on their mind without worrying about the klutzy competitor stationed in front of them.  [...] As London and Dahlia get closer, reality starts to fall away. Goodbye, guilt about divorce, anxiety about uncertain futures, and stress from transphobia. Hello, hilarious shenanigans on set, wedding crashing, and spontaneous dips into the Pacific. But as the finale draws near, Dahlia and London’s steamy relationship starts to feel the heat both in and outside the kitchen—and they must figure out if they have the right ingredients for a happily ever after. (Goodreads)

I’m not always the biggest fan of romance novels but this one had my entire heart! It was quite spicy but also heartwarming and with its fast pace, I could hardly put it down! Key words are food play and foot play, make of that what you will. Big recommendation for anyone into (spicy queer) romance!

3. The House (2022), dir. Paloma Baeza, Niki Lindroth von Bahr and Emma De Swaef, Marc James Roels  ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

Across different eras, a poor family, an anxious developer and a fed-up landlady become tied to the same mysterious house in this animated dark comedy. (Letterboxd)

These three short stories all creeped me out in some way or another and in doing so, left a big impact on me. The animation styles are gorgeous and it’s near impossible to stop watching once you’ve started. On top of that does it have incredible soundtrack. I highly recommend to anyone who likes animation and Tim Burton.

4. Turning Red (2022), dir. Domee Shi  ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

Thirteen-year-old Mei is experiencing the awkwardness of being a teenager with a twist – when she gets too excited, she transforms into a giant red panda. (Letterboxd)

This!!! Watch this!!! Nothing made me happier than seeing a bunch of nerdy kids hang out and obsess over famous boy bands. The generational trauma and struggles of growing up are made into such a wonderful and accessible film that I can’t recommend enough. No more period erasure, thank you. This film is important and fun and I hope everyone cares as much for this as I do. 

5. Kimi (2022), dir. Steven Soderbergh  ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

During the COVID-19 pandemic in Seattle, an agoraphobic tech worker discovers evidence of a violent crime while reviewing a data stream, and is met with resistance and bureaucracy when she tries reporting it to her company. To get involved, she realizes she must face her greatest fear by venturing out of her apartment and into the city streets, which are filled with protestors in the wake of the city council passing a law restricting the movements of the homeless population. (Letterboxd)

Finally, the thriller that was so exciting but didn’t entirely stress me out as most thrillers tend to do. Kimi did a great job at portraying mental health issues and how the pandemic further impacted that. Zoë Kravitz is an incredibly talented actress and a pleasure to see on the screen, and she truly carried this role. Overall, not the most groundbreaking story but a solid watch nevertheless!

[whimsicaldragonette]

ARC Review: Love & Other Disasters by Anita Kelly

Preorder

Add to Goodreads

Publishing Date: January 18, 2022

Synopsis:

The first openly nonbinary contestant on America’s favorite cooking show falls for their clumsy competitor in this delicious romantic comedy debut “that is both fantastically fun and crack your heart wide open vulnerable.” (Rosie Danan, author of The Roommate) Recently divorced and on the verge of bankruptcy, Dahlia Woodson is ready to reinvent herself on the popular reality competition show Chef’s Special. Too bad the first memorable move she makes is falling flat on her face, sending fish tacos flying—not quite the fresh start she was hoping for. Still, she's focused on winning, until she meets someone she might want a future with more than she needs the prize money. After announcing their pronouns on national television, London Parker has enough on their mind without worrying about the klutzy competitor stationed in front of them. They’re there to prove the trolls—including a fellow contestant and their dad—wrong, and falling in love was never part of the plan. As London and Dahlia get closer, reality starts to fall away. Goodbye, guilt about divorce, anxiety about uncertain futures, and stress from transphobia. Hello, hilarious shenanigans on set, wedding crashing, and spontaneous dips into the Pacific. But as the finale draws near, Dahlia and London’s steamy relationship starts to feel the heat both in and outside the kitchen—and they must figure out if they have the right ingredients for a happily ever after.

My Review:

★★★★★

I absolutely LOVED this book. I wasn't sure what to expect, because I don't generally read contemporary romance, but I saw 'queer and nonbinary' and took a chance, and I'm SO glad I did. The representation in this book was SO SO good. As a queer, nonbinary person myself, so much of what London said and was rang true. And I loved queer disaster Dahlia so much for her warm acceptance of them. They were just so good together and (almost) everyone in the book was surprisingly cool with respecting them and their pronouns. I also loved how well-written this was. I was totally invested in this fictional cooking show and I don't even watch real life cooking shows. Dahlia's and London's love of cooking came through so well, I could almost taste the dishes they were creating. I was also totally invested in their relationship. And the writing was just so beautiful and there were so many passages that just viscerally struck true. I loved the discussion of Dahlia's divorce, and the way she was trying to reinvent herself in LA, and when London realized that exuberant Dahlia was just... sad. Gah I just loved it so much. *Thanks to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for providing an e-arc for review.

Favorite Quotes:

It would be September soon, and Dahlia was glad. It would be easier, somehow, she thought, to be sad in the fall.

---

A flurry of expletives ran around London’s mind like foul-mouthed bunnies on speed.

[rockislandadultreads]

LQBTQA+ Romances: Trans & Nonbinary Characters

Chef's Kiss by Jarrett Melendez, Danica Brine (Illustrations)

Watch things start to really heat up in the kitchen in this sweet, queer, new adult graphic novel! Now that college is over, English graduate Ben Cook is on the job hunt looking for something…anything…related to his passion for reading and writing. But interview after interview, hiring committee after hiring committee, Ben soon learns getting the dream job won’t be as easy as he thought. Proofreading? Journalism? Copywriting? Not enough experience. It turns out he doesn’t even have enough experience to be a garbage collector! But when Ben stumbles upon a “Now Hiring—No Experience Necessary” sign outside a restaurant, he jumps at the chance to land his first job. Plus, he can keep looking for a writing job in the meantime. He’s actually not so bad in the kitchen, but he will have to pass a series of cooking tests to prove he’s got the culinary skills to stay on full-time. But it’s only temporary…right? When Ben begins developing a crush on Liam, one of the other super dreamy chefs at the restaurant, and when he starts ditching his old college friends and his old writing job plans, his career path starts to become much less clear.

Love & Other Disasters by Anita Kelly

Recently divorced and on the verge of bankruptcy, Dahlia Woodson is ready to reinvent herself on the popular reality competition show Chef’s Special. Too bad the first memorable move she makes is falling flat on her face, sending fish tacos flying—not quite the fresh start she was hoping for. Still, she's focused on winning, until she meets someone she might want a future with more than she needs the prize money. After announcing their pronouns on national television, London Parker has enough on their mind without worrying about the klutzy competitor stationed in front of them. They’re there to prove the trolls—including a fellow contestant and their dad—wrong, and falling in love was never part of the plan. As London and Dahlia get closer, reality starts to fall away. Goodbye, guilt about divorce, anxiety about uncertain futures, and stress from transphobia. Hello, hilarious shenanigans on set, wedding crashing, and spontaneous dips into the Pacific. But as the finale draws near, Dahlia and London’s steamy relationship starts to feel the heat both in and outside the kitchen—and they must figure out if they have the right ingredients for a happily ever after.

The Love Study by Kris Ripper

Declan has commitment issues. He’s been an office temp for literally years now, and his friends delight in telling people that he left his last boyfriend at the altar. And that’s all true. But he’s starting to think it’s time to start working on his issues. Maybe. When Declan meets Sidney—a popular nonbinary YouTuber with an advice show—an opportunity presents itself: as part of The Love Study, Declan will go on a series of dates arranged by Sidney and report back on how the date went in the next episode. The dates are…sort of blah. It’s not Sidney’s fault; the folks participating are (mostly) great people, but there’s no chemistry there. Maybe Declan’s just broken. Or maybe the problem is that the only person he’s feeling chemistry with is Sidney.

I Wish You All the Best by Mason Deaver

When Ben De Backer comes out to their parents as nonbinary, they're thrown out of their house and forced to move in with their estranged older sister, Hannah, and her husband, Thomas, whom Ben has never even met. Struggling with an anxiety disorder compounded by their parents' rejection, they come out only to Hannah, Thomas, and their therapist and try to keep a low profile in a new school. But Ben's attempts to survive the last half of senior year unnoticed are thwarted when Nathan Allan, a funny and charismatic student, decides to take Ben under his wing. As Ben and Nathan's friendship grows, their feelings for each other begin to change, and what started as a disastrous turn of events looks like it might just be a chance to start a happier new life. At turns heartbreaking and joyous, I Wish You All the Best is both a celebration of life, friendship, and love, and a shining example of hope in the face of adversity.

[lgbtqreads]

hi! i have 2 requests for recs, 1 is just like non-ya bi/pan women protagonists, i’ve seen a few but would love more. 2 is books by queer women of color. as a white queer person i’m tryna expand my understanding of queer issues and want to read stories from a new perspective. thank you loads :)

Can do! One great place to find #2 is on the @wocinromance site, which has an LGBTQ+ section. It’s run by Rebekah Weatherspoon, whose name you’re about to see a bunch as I answer your questions ;)

OK, so, #1!

So Sweet is the first novella in Rebekah Weatherspoon’s m/f novella series with a bi female protag. She also has a lesbian vampire sorority series, starting with Better Off Red, that has a bunch of bi/pan women. And she’s also a queer woman of color who is an amazing person to support.

Also m/f with a bi protag is A Gentleman in the Street by Alisha Rai, which I love, and the author and MC are both WoC.

For some pan female MCs, try Out on Good Behavior by Dahlia Adler, Double Exposure by Chelsea Cameron, The Melody of You and Me by M. Hollis (possibly currently out of print), and Your Heart Will Grow by Chace Verity.

For some bi female MCs, try these:

All Inclusive by Farzana Doctor

Vow of Celibacy by Erin Judge

The First Bad Man by Miranda July

The Mathematics of Change by Amanda Kabak (Amz)

The Last Place You Look by Kristen Lepionka (Amz)

They Call Me Mad Dog!: A Story for Bitter, Lonely People by Erika Lopez

In Case of Emergency by Courtney Moreno

Young God by Katherine Faw Morris

The Life and Death of Sophie Stark by Anna North

Conversations With Friends by Sally Rooney

She of the Mountains by Vivek Shraya

The Passion by Jeannette Winterson

Winter’s Bone by Daniel Woodrell

and keep an eye out for The Best Bad Thing by Katrina Carrascowhen it comes out in November!

OK, for #2! My top Must-Read for my fellow white queer people is Juliet Takes a Breath by Gabby Rivera which honestly does some really nice handholding through the issues of queer white feminism and is such an inclusive book. I also strongly suggest Little & Lion by Brandy Colbert; the author is a WoC, and though she’s not queer, I think she really well handles issues of having multiple marginalized identities intersecting, some of which are more visible than others. (The MC is a bi Black Jewish girl.)

Some great QWoC authors to check out (in addition to those mentioned above):

CB Lee, Riley Redgate, and Malinda Lo are all authors of Chinese descent who write great queer YA - superhero sci-fi, contemporary, and a whole bunch of genres, respectively

Anna-Marie McLemore is one of the most beautiful authors writing right now, and all of her books and short stories following her debut are queer magical realism. (Her debut is also amazing magical realism, just not queer.)

Jacqueline Woodson has books in three different age categories and is just amazing. If you’re looking for more adult reads, try Another Brooklyn.

Speaking of adult novels, check out Here Comes the Sun by Nicole Y. Dennis-Benn and The Summer We Got Free by Mia McKenzie, both Black female authors.

I’m trying to veer away from YA because I assume from your first question that you’re not so interested in it, but if you are, some more great authors: Sara Farizan, Tehlor Kay Mejia, Candice Montgomery, Rebecca Barrow, Nic Stone, Dhonielle Clayton, Ashley Woodfolk, and I don’t know whether she IDs as a woman but Heidi Heilig. I’m sure I’m forgetting a hundred more (slash I’m not sure how openly some ID as queer) but there are so many and they’re so, so great.

OK I think that’s a lot to start with but if you’re looking for more or something different, please hit me up again!

[willreadforbooze]

DRUNK REVIEW: Love & Other Disasters by Anita Kelly

" something tasty enough to drink that could also be used to deglaze a pan and make whatever your making taste amazing" - @ginnypomm Reviewed by Ginny #willreadforbooze

Love & Other Disasters by Anita Kelly Reviewed by GGGinny What I drank: slushy margaritas. It’s hot as hell here and a friend and I wanted to check out a new Mexican restaurant and the food was good and the drinks were pleasantly strong. Goodreads Overview: Recently divorced and on the verge of bankruptcy, Dahlia Woodson is ready to reinvent herself on the popular reality competition show…

[flaviathebibliophile]

Love & Other Disasters by Anita Kelly (Review)

Love & Other Disasters by Anita Kelly (Review)

Title: Love & Other Disasters Author: Anita Kelly Type: Fiction Genre: Adult, Contemporary, Romance, LGBTQ+ Publisher: Forever (Hachette Book Group) Date published: January 18, 2022 A complimentary physical copy of this book was kindly provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Recently divorced and on the verge of bankruptcy, Dahlia Woodson is ready to reinvent herself on the…