#edward underhill

[transbookoftheday]

The In-Between Bookstore by Edward Underhill

A poignant and enchanting novel about a magical bookstore that transports a trans man through time and brings him face-to-face with his teenage self, offering him the chance of a lifetime to examine his life and identity to find a new beginning.

When Darby finds himself unemployed and in need of a fresh start, he moves back to the small Illinois town he left behind. But Oak Falls has changed almost as much as he has since he left.

One thing is familiar: In Between Books, Darby’s refuge growing up and eventual high school job. When he walks into the bookstore now, Darby feels an eerie sense of déjà vu—everything is exactly the same. Even the newspapers are dated 2009. And behind the register is a teen who looks a lot like Darby did at sixteen. . . who just might give Darby the opportunity to change his own present for the better—if he can figure out how before his connection to the past vanishes forever.

The In-Between Bookstore is a stunning novel of love, self-discovery, and the choices that come with both, for anyone who has ever wondered what their life might be like if they had the chance to go back and take a bigger, braver risk.

[the-final-sentence]

And that’s enough.

Edward Underhill, from This Day Changes Everything

[peachesobviously]

Original covers I’ve illustrated for Edward Underhill’s novels, jacket design by the incredible Kerri Resnick (sharing them now because I just realized I’ve never shared them on here)

[haveyoureadthisqueerbook]

[solreads]

The In-Between Bookstore - Review

Title: The In-Between Bookstore

Author: Edward Underhill

Genre: Fantasy, Contemporary

Audience: Adult

Format: Novel

Representation: Trans man POV character

Summary: Thirty years old, freshly laid off and broke, with the dreams of a New York City life curdling, Darby Madden moves back to his small Illinois hometown only to find himself feeling just as out of place in the home he left behind. The town has changed. It’s being developed; new shops are springing up on the corners; his mother is selling off his childhood home; and his childhood friends have grown into people he doesn’t recognize. Amidst it all, he wanders into the bookshop that was his refuge as a teenager and finds everything exactly as it was, including his pre-transition, high school self behind the register. 

With this door to the past, Darby hopes to discover what went so wrong with his closest friendship and perhaps nudge sixteen-year-old Darby down a happier path. 

Reflections: I was initially drawn in by Darby’s internal conflicts and the complicated relationship with ‘home’ and childhood born of his queerness and transness. His memories of his teenage years were all warped through the lens of this hidden turmoil he had no name for at the time. And it stuck that way; even as an adult far from his hometown, he carried that childhood turmoil. The use of the time travel element as a device to reframe this time of his life, allowing him to see that wider, adult perspective, hooked me. However, I wasn’t fully satisfied with how it played out. The magical element went fairly underused. I like how the story showed the compromises of either finding a more accepting place to build a home or making a place for yourself as a queer person in the home you already have through Darby and his friend Michael’s decisions. Similarly, I enjoyed how Darby as an adult was able to see more in his hometown and the possibilities for a life and a community there than his isolated, confused teenage self did and how he tried to provide the kinship his younger self was lacking. But Darby‘s character development still ended up feeling a little weak. 

Warnings: Mentions of misgendering, dysphoria, transphobia

Notes on Rep: Explicit on-page representation

[lakecountylibrary]

Pride Month Read & To-Read

Two great Pride Month reads Kate recommends:

Loveless by Alice Oseman (aro/ace rep)

Georgia has parents who are still in love, two sets of grandparents that are still together, and a brother who married his girlfriend. But at eighteen she has never even kissed someone (not even her lesbian best friend, Felipa) or particularly even wanted to. In college she comes to understand herself as asexual/aromantic, and tries to capture the part of her identity that has always eluded her.

Destination Unknown by Bill Konigsburg (gay rep)

1987, New York City. C.J. isn't just out-- he's completely out there, and Micah can't help but be both attracted to and afraid of someone who travels so loudly and proudly through the night. As their lives become more and more entangled in the AIDS epidemic that's laying waste to their community, whatever Micah and C.J. have between them will be a bond that will determine the course of their futures.

And two (probably) great Pride Month reads Kate is looking forward to:

Imogen, Obviously by Becky Albertalli (lesbian rep)

Imogen Scott maybe be hopelessly heterosexual, but while visiting her newly out best friend Lili at college, any support Lili needs, Imogen's all in. Even if that means bending the truth, just a little, when Lili drops a tiny queer bombshell: she's told all her college friends, including her new bestie Tessa, that Imogen and Lili used to date. And the more time Imogen spends with Tessa, the more she starts to wonder if her truth was ever all that straight to begin with.

Always the Almost by Edward Underhill (trans, gay rep)

Trans boy Miles Jacobson has two New Year's resolutions: win back his ex-boyfriend Shane, and finally beat his arch-nemesis at the Midwest's biggest classical piano competition. Miles hatches a fake-dating scheme with the new boy in town, Eric, a proudly queer cartoonist from Seattle who asks his pronouns and cares about art as much as he does. But the ruse turns real with a kiss, which throws all of Miles' plans - and feelings - into disarray.

See more of Kate's recs

(Summaries provided by publishers)

[sluttylittlenewsboy]

The dedication in the book I'm reading <33

[nat-reviews-books]

Currently Reading: Always the Almost by Edward Underhill

I planned on starting this a while ago and never got past the first page. This morning, I decided I'd give it another shot and quickly read the first 2 chapters before I got ready for work. I'm loving how much reading I've been doing this month, and I'm hoping to keep up the momentum.

[herwordslikebutterflywings]

Review for the In-Between Bookstore by Edward Underhill

*I was given a free e-galley in exchange for an honest review"

My Rating: 4.25 stars

CW: talks of coming out, transitioning, and gender dysphoria, transphobia/homophobia

Super cute right from the jump. The dialogue, the narrative, the way the author just writes it, it’s so much nicer than the book I’d just finished before this (at the time of writing this review, that was The Empress, a review which I’ve posted).

Edward Underhill is a really engaging author, to start, and Darby, his protagonist, is such a breath of fresh air. You can tell he’s written by an Own Voice because he’s complex and multi-layered. Additionally, Underhill also subverts how a lot of male authors (in my experience) write queer women and non-men in general, Olivia and Joan in particular. They’re also complex and allowed to be these full beings with good relationships. The book also feels genuine in that the author writes for the age group he’s a part of, sure, some of it is a bit sappy and cringy, but in a realistic way. Real friend groups are like that, real narratives are like that. The problem with some of these narratives when there’s a generation gap between author and character is that it feels disingenuous, very “hello fellow kids” when the author could easily write characters who are their own age and not have to copy-and-paste from urban dictionary. Underhill doesn’t try-hard, his dialogue feels real and natural. It’s not trying to be punchy or lyrical or overly whimsical or purple-prose-y. It’s just…real.

Darby himself is relatable, it doesn’t feel forced, or performative, his struggles feel genuine and immersive and it doesn’t feel like a “poor millennial” schtick that keeps cropping up in books and TV. He feels like a real person with realistic struggles. Darby’s identity struggles never leave him, his identity is present in both his joy and his struggles. When someone like Underhill is writing, a transman writing a transman, complexity is allowed in a way that cisgendered and straight writers don’t always comprehend. He’s proud and happy in his body, but geography matters to his sense of safety.

We see the value of an own voice again in how the people around Darby view his identity. There’s a misconception that it’s either all love or all hate from individuals. Everyone falls in a more fluctuating place. Darby’s mom is realistic too, but their interactions are still so healing.

The concept itself is a fun twist on a common premise, rather than a character entering a time warp in a town, doing a day over and over again, or entering through some magical place and transporting back in time, Darby’s time warp is limited to the titular bookstore. Which I thought was super brilliant, and for the bookstore to be connected to Darby and an integral part of his identity was refreshing too.

I think Darby’s emotional journey was done really well too. He has a pretty realistic reaction to what happens-entering a bookstore that is stuck in 2009. He has this crisis of community, his identity is pretty set for him (his journey there in flash backs was really nice to see too). But it’s his friendships and relationships with other queer people that is what he struggles with. And he sees that in his younger self too.

I also liked Michael and Darby’s relationship development, it actually felt realistic and healthy, I’ll admit, I tend to only read MLM books written by men or nonbinary people, just as I only read sapphic books from women or nonbinary people, I make exceptions of course, and I go in warily. But Underhill’s writing is an explanation why, queer men write more authentic stories about queer men, they don’t infantilize or fetishize queer men, they give complexity to development of character and relationships, and their characters don’t come off as cartoonish. Darby’s feelings for Michael are realistic and organic, and the way their identities interact with each other feels authentic.

Underhill manages to make side characters that are not only fleshed out, but likable while being flawed. The abundant ratio of queer women and queer non binary folks to straight characters within the cast of characters is so refreshing. He writes them in healthy relationships, avoids stereotypes about bisexual women, and puts time into the descriptions of gender expression for his non-binary characters. It doesn’t come off like he just threw in identities to check something off.

I will acknowledge that both main characters are white, and the characters of color are all secondary. And I really can’t speak to the portrayal of queer women of color, as a queer white woman. So I did shave some of a star for that.

I also felt like Michael came off a bit annoying at times, he’s a great love interest, but he definitely gets to be a bit annoying at times. I like him enough, but he definitely had his moments where I wanted to strangle him for how he treats Darby at times. I don’t know if I’d forgive Michael like Darby forgives Michael.

In addition, I also thought Darby could’ve been less weird about he interacted with his younger self. I genuinely see the weirdness that Younger!Darby feels about it. I didn't really enjoy the ending much either. Overall, I think this book did really well with what it had, but there were some ways it fell short.

[queerographies]

[Tutta la musica che hai dentro][Edward Underhill]

Miles Jacobson, un adolescente trans, sogna di riconquistare il suo ex e di vincere una prestigiosa competizione pianistica. Ma l'amore, l'identità e la musica si intrecciano in un percorso tortuoso e commovente. Riuscirà a trovare se stesso?

Cuore, tasti e identità: un romanzo che tocca le corde del cuore Titolo: Tutta la musica che hai dentroScritto da: Edward UnderhillTitolo originale: Always the AlmostTradotto da: Chiara MessinaEdito da: De AgostiniAnno: 2024Pagine: 432ISBN: 9791221212617 La trama di Tutta la musica che hai dentro di Edward Underhill Miles Jacobson ha sedici anni, suona il pianoforte ed è un ragazzo trans.La…

[transbookoftheday]

Always the Almost by Edward Underhill

Sixteen-year-old trans boy Miles Jacobson has two New Year’s resolutions: 1) win back his ex-boyfriend (and star of the football team) Shane McIntyre, and 2) finally beat his slimy arch-nemesis at the Midwest’s biggest classical piano competition. But that’s not going to be so easy. For one thing, Shane broke up with Miles two weeks after Miles came out as trans, and now Shane’s stubbornly ignoring him, even when they literally bump into each other. Plus, Miles’ new, slightly terrifying piano teacher keeps telling him that he’s playing like he “doesn’t know who he is”—whatever that means.

Then Miles meets the new boy in town, Eric Mendez, a proudly queer cartoonist from Seattle who asks his pronouns, cares about art as much as he does—and makes his stomach flutter. Not what he needs to be focusing on right now. But after Eric and Miles pretend to date so they can score an invite to a couples-only Valentine’s party, the ruse turns real with a kiss, which is also definitely not in the plan. If only Miles could figure out why Eric likes him so much. After all, it’s not like he’s cool or confident or comfortable in his own skin. He’s not even good enough at piano to get his fellow competitors to respect him, especially now, as Miles. Nothing’s ever been as easy for him as for other people—other boys. He’s only ever been almost enough.

So why, when he’s with Eric, does it feel like the only person he’s ever really not been enough for…is himself?

[lgbtqreads]

New Releases: February 2024

Good Christian Girls by Elizabeth Bradshaw (1st) Lacey Heller is sure that nothing interesting could possibly happen at Camp Lavender, because it never does. Her parents have been running this Christian camp for girls ever since she can remember. Little does Lacey know that Jo Delgado is coming to camp this summer—and she’s going to change everything. After the incident, Jo’s aunt sends her to…

[the-final-sentence]

I lift my hands, open my eyes, and begin to play.

Edward Underhill, from Always the Almost

[bookcoversonly]

Title: This Day Changes Everything | Author: Edward Underhill | Publisher: Wednesday Books (2023)

[pridepages]

eARC Review: This Day Changes Everything

A HUGE thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan for providing me an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5

GOODREADS SYNOPSIS:  

RELEASE DATE:

See my full review under the cut!

Move over, Nick and Nora! Abby and Leo are the next lost-in-the-big-city love story.

Edward Underhill's second novel is another YA turn full of trans joy and queer romance. It's a book that reminds you what it's like to be that young in both the good ways...and the painful.

What I admire most about this novel is the ambiguity at its heart. Because here's what they don't tell you: some parts of growing up never really stop.

Sometimes we know who we are.

Other times...we are liminal. Constantly becoming and unbecoming, existing in transition because we can't predict the future. We don't know what will become of us when we choose to skip the Broadway show...to walk in the bookstore...

To get on the train.

Maybe it'll be the best thing we ever did. Maybe it'll be the worst. But as this story promises: we can learn to live with that uncertainty. We can live and love in the ever-present, ever-changing now. It might even be where the best parts are.

So this is a book I'd recommend for readers seeking a story about coming out and about struggling with their identity. But I would caution one subset of reader: despite the blurb, I wouldn't characterize this book as sapphic.

Abby, one of our main characters, is trying to figure out her feelings. She has a crush on her best friend (another girl) and she wants to explore those feelings. But, in the end, a sapphic romance is not in the cards.

To be honest, this is what cost the book half a star for me. I felt like I was promised one kind of love story for Abby, and then the ending took a turn for the unexpected (at least by her, savvy readers will figure out fairly quickly where her actual love story is going).

But I made my peace with it. A narrative about keeping your heart open to the twists and turns that life has in store for us is still a story worth honoring.

After all, the universe is what you make it!

[dominiquewritesthings]

Miles Jacobson is focused on two things this New Year, getting back with his transphobic football ex (which may be a problem since he came out as trans), and beating Shane McIntyre the pianist in the piano competition. 

Firstly, I'd like to say my review is based on an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) copy of this book. I was lucky enough to receive it due to winning a Goodreads giveaway, so here's my official review.

If you want to read my review on Ko-Fi, you can subscribe for $5 a month to read this review, past reviews, and more to come. These come out twice a month along with other amazing perks, so I hope you enjoy!