Book Review: "Patient, Female" by Julie Schumacher

I first discovered Julie Schumacher when I read her absolutely hilarious book Dear Committee Members. In that book (and a few others afterward) she created a pompous college professor adrift and amidst bureaucracy.

Her latest book is a short story collection, and it really demonstrated the depth of her talent. While one story made me laugh out loud and a few others had flashes of sly humor, most of the stories had more of an emotional pull.

In “Passengers,” an overprotective mother worries about her daughter after an incident at school. “Hospital Bridge” is the story of a middle-school student who, after being forced into volunteering at a nursing home, starts gambling on bridge games with the residents. “How My Light is Spent” follows an instructor at a community college and her short story writing class.

Some of my favorite stories in the collection were “Slow Learner,” which told of a woman’s fascination at the connection between her autistic son and her dying mother; “Your Better Self,” about a couple who get gifted a trip to a wellness spa by their late neighbor; “Syllabus,” a hilarious story written as a syllabus; “Spin,” in which four friends play a game with real-life implications; and the title story, in which a professional patient runs into someone she used to know.

As with most collections, not every story is a home run. But Schumacher creates such vivid characters, and I know I’ll have a few of these stories running through my mind for a while.

Book Review: "Phoebe Berman's Gonna Lose It" by Brooke Avelar

I believe the last few years have seen more phenomenal debut novels than ever before. I love reading books from my auto-buy authors, but I get so excited when the book I’m loving is a debut. Add this one to the list—it was great!!

“There were approximately one hundred and fifty boys in my grade at Manhasset Central Middle School. By the time I turned twelve, I had been in love with at least one hundred and twenty-five of them. If I didn’t have a crush, I didn’t see the point of getting out of bed in the morning.”

Phoebe is in love with love. She’s been reading romances since she was young, hiding the smuttier ones under her bed. In seventh grade she was more than ready for her first kiss—but the expectation led to anxiety, which led to, well, a disastrous reaction. Since that moment, getting close to a guy makes her so nervous that she usually cancels dates.

But now, a month from her 30th birthday, Phoebe is still a virgin. She’s determined to change that, so being the overly organized teacher that she is, she puts together a checklist on losing her virginity in 30 days. (And she laminates it.)

As she starts making her plans, she unexpectedly winds up with three potential suitors. There’s Finn, the hot new 4th grade teacher; Matthew, a former high school classmate with whom she competes in Wordle and Words with Friends; and then there’s her roommate, Jonathan, who has been one of her best friends since college. Will one of these men help her achieve her goal?

This was a fun book, with lots of banter between the characters. And while Phoebe’s plight is definitely amusing, I loved the way this book dealt with her anxiety and other mental health issues. As Brooke Averick says in her author’s note, we rarely see this side of a character in a romance, and I’m so glad that we did!

Book Review: "The Things We Never Say" by Elizabeth Strout

“In his study of history, he had learned about the leaders, and the various groups involved, but he had somehow missed this fact about every single person: that they held within themselves a vast, unknowable universe. And he understood that it could make a person lonely; people had to take and give to one another whatever they could. If it was not enough…Well, then it meant one just had to be a grownup.”

The power of Elizabeth Strout’s storytelling often catches me by surprise. At first glance, her books seem to be straightforward, yet when I’ve finished, I find myself marveling at the numerous moments which took my breath away. This was also the case with her newest book, The Things We Never Say.

Artie Dam is a high school history teacher. He loves his job and he loves his students, and they love him right back. He’s the kind of teacher that you look back on years later and you realize what a profound impact he’s had on your life. He always has a kind word for those in need.

But while Artie seems like an affable guy—a good husband, father, and friend—internally, he is struggling. As the 2024 presidential election looms, he’s becoming increasingly disheartened by the world around him. He feels lonely, even when he is surrounded by people. He thinks about taking his own life in a way that can’t be classified as suicide.

One day, his son shares a secret that has been kept from Artie for a number of years. He cannot believe it, and it turns his world upside down. How can life go on as usual? Should he pretend not to know anything about the secret, or should he confront the person responsible? This knowledge changes his perspective, not to mention his relationship with many people.

Strout always shows such incredible empathy to her characters amidst their struggles and idiosyncrasies. This is an emotional book but it’s never melodramatic. It’s a beautifully written gem that will linger in my mind.

Book Review: "More Than Enough" by Anna Quindlen

“We never know what’s living inside the people around us. We only guess.”

Anna Quindlen’s books always fill me with emotion. Sometimes she makes me cry, sometimes she provokes anger, sometimes she leaves me smiling, and sometimes it’s a combination of one or more of these. But she always makes me feel something.

Polly is an English teacher at an all-girls private school. Having struggled with fertility issues, Polly has so much empathy and admiration for her students, and teaching is truly a labor of love.

Her closest friends are the three women in her book club (where they never read the books). These women have been there for each other through so much. As a joke, they buy Polly a DNA test kit, but they don’t expect her to actually do it. And then the test matches her with a secondary relative, but she can’t figure out the actual connection. So she begins a journey of self-discovery which leads to some revelations and some sorrows.

This book is all about relationships—parental, sibling, marital, friendship, and a desperation for motherhood. There are moments of beautiful loyalty, love, and anguish. And alpacas.

I really loved the characters Quindlen created here. I love the way she kept the book from veering into melodramatic territory and I loved the quiet moments as well. I thought this was beautiful.

Book Review: "Peaches and Pucks" by M.A. Wardell

This book was really sweet and sexy, and it combined some of my favorite rom-com tropes. And while it’s called “A Cheeky Hockey Novella,” I’d say it’s more hockey-adjacent. But that doesn’t detract from its appeal.⁣

⁣ Harry is a fifth-grade language arts teacher. He enjoys his job and his colleagues—except for Darius, the school’s PE teacher. Darius has made Harry uncomfortable since Harry started teaching at the school. Nothing has ever been said or done, but it’s clear to Harry that Darius doesn’t like him.⁣

⁣ As a favor to a colleague, Harry agrees to help chaperone the fifth-grade boys’ hockey team to a tournament. Sure, he barely knows anything about hockey and would much rather stay home, but without a chaperone, the team can’t go. Of course, that means he’ll be stuck spending time with Darius. Sigh.⁣

Watching Darius coach, however, makes Harry see him in a different light. And when they have to share a hotel room—with only one bed—Harry starts to wonder, is Darius hot?⁣

⁣ Darius is excited that Harry agreed to chaperone the trip. He’s spent a lot of time pretending that Harry doesn’t affect him, but maybe it’s time to stop? But will the complete change in attitude be enough to capture Harry’s heart?⁣

⁣ I really enjoy M.A. Wardell’s writing and how well he balances emotion and steam. This was a sweet story, full of fun banter and lots of hot scenes. ⁣

Book Review: "In Bloom" by Liz Allan

“It doesn’t matter anymore. We are trouble. We have always been trouble. Our mothers have been telling us this for years.“

At first glance, this book appears to be fairly simple and straightforward. But it’s only as you come to the end that you realize what quiet power Liz Allan’s debut novel really possesses.

It’s 1994 in Vincent, a small coastal town in Australia. Four high school girls, longtime friends, have a band called The Bastards, because none of them has a father present. They’re obsessed with Nirvana, with loud, angry music, and believe the band is their ticket out of their horrible little hole of a town.

These girls live by a self-fulfilling prophecy. They’re almost a group of ruffians—poor, rowdy, disdainful, and not particularly smart—so no one expects much from them. But they don’t care—they’re just biding their time. And an upcoming Battle of the Bands competition is the key to freedom.

Trouble strikes when their lead singer, Lily, drops out of the band. Shortly thereafter, she accuses the girls’ beloved music teacher (and perhaps their only champion), Mr. P, of sexual assault. The other three girls know he’s innocent and don’t understand why Lily would accuse him of such a horrible act. They’re determined to discover the truth, and nothing—or no one—will get in their way.

Most of the book is narrated by the three remaining Bastards in a collective voice. This was an interesting and very effective choice. You really feel for these girls, who just want to be viewed in a positive light by their peers and their families. The book really made an impression on me!

Book Review: "Half His Age" by Jennette McCurdy

“How does one know their worth? What constitutes worth? I’m seventeen with bad grades. I live in a nine-hundred-square-foot apartment with a single mom. Most of the things I ingest are sold in a 7-Eleven. And I know people say worth is a thing you’re born with, a thing you just intrinsically have by nature of being a human being, but I’m not so sure. People are too precious about what it means to be human. We’re just people.”

Waldo is a high school senior who is in many ways wise beyond her years, but in other ways she is a needy 17-year-old desperate for love and to be noticed. She practically raised her own mother, whose emotional ups and downs correlated with whether or not she was in a relationship. But Waldo never lets anything stand in the way of getting what she wants.

And what she wants is Mr. Korgy, her writing teacher. He’s 40, married with a young son, has a bit of a paunch, and definitely is showing signs of aging, but none of that matters to Waldo. Mr. Korgy makes her feel seen, and that intensifies her desire for him.

Waldo sets about her plan to seduce her teacher. But it’s not just about sexual conquest—she feels that she can learn so much from him, and he can help her feel better about herself. And while he tries to resist her flirtatious advances, he starts to see her as an oasis from his exhausting life.

Will they get caught in the throes of passion? Will he abandon his wife and son for Waldo? And is this really what she wants from her life?

Obviously the main concept of this book is a bit troubling, since Mr. Korgy is an adult and should know better. But this is a powerful look at how it feels to get what you want at someone else’s expense. Is the grass always greener?

Book Review: "The Academy" by Elin Hilderbrand and Shelby Cunningham

I didn’t go to boarding school and I didn’t want to, but I cannot get enough of boarding/prep school fiction. And while dark academia can be fun, nothing beats good old-fashioned drama.

Tiffin Academy has always been in the middle of the pack where boarding schools are concerned. Yet on the first day of a new school year, a huge surprise occurs: Tiffin has risen to #2 on the annual America Today rankings. That’s a 17-point jump, and it’s even a shock to Audre, the head of school.

The board president has invested a great deal of money in improvements—including a gourmet chef. But still, no one really understands how the school climbed so high in one year, especially given the fact that a popular student committed suicide the previous year.

Like many boarding schools, academics at Tiffin take a backseat to parties and gossip. The majority of the students are children of extremely wealthy parents and are used to getting their way. Yet into the mix comes Charley, a new student from Maryland—very rarely are new students admitted as juniors. But Charley is extremely smart and she’s utterly disinterested in the social games of her peers, which of course only intrigues her classmates more.

Over the course of one year at Tiffin, there’s lots of drama to be had. The new, beautiful Canadian history teacher has secrets to hide and finds herself infatuated with an older student. The TikTok influencer is struggling with her own issues while keeping up appearances. And then a controversial app seems to know what everyone is hiding and what everyone’s missteps are.

There are a lot of characters in this book; some you root for and some you dislike. Elin Hilderbrand and her daughter have created a juicy little world and I was there for every last backstabbing minute. There were a few threads that were brought up and never resolved, so is a sequel on the horizon?

The book publishes 9/16.

Book Review: "Woodworking" by Emily St. James

What an utterly fantastic, thought-provoking, and important book this is! At a time when trans people are treated as less than, this book needs to be read.

In 2016, Erica is a 35-year-old teacher in South Dakota. Her marriage has recently ended, and she’s come to the realization that she is transgender, despite living as a man. This realization answers many questions for her, but how can she live as her authentic self without losing everything in her life?

Abigail is a student at the high school where Erica teaches. She’s the only trans girl in the school, she’s estranged from her parents and a few of her siblings, and the last thing she’s expecting is for her English teacher to out herself as trans. Abigail isn’t much interested in being Erica’s trans mom and confidante, but she knows what it’s like to have no one.

As Erica tries to decide whom to confide in and whether or not she wants to fully transition, Abigail has to decide how to support Erica while taking care of her own journey. Their stories are told against the backdrop of a local election that features an anti-trans candidate as well as the impending presidential election.

“Erica had often imagined what she might say if she ever talked to another trans woman. She always assumed she would be personable, smooth. She would find a way to be, like, “Hey, we’re all trans here, right?!” then laugh blithely.”

There are parts of this book that need to unfold for you, so you can feel their power. I love how Emily St. James uses shaded gibberish in place of Erica and Abigail’s dead names, because they say they hear them through a fog. All in all, this is an unforgettable book. What a debut.

Book Review: "This is a Love Story" by Jessica Soffer

This was definitely a book I loved the concept of more than the execution. It’s definitely an emotional read, however, and there is content that could be triggering for some.

Abe and Jane have been together for more than 50 years. They’ve shared a beautiful love story, raised a son, and each experienced great success—Abe as a writer and poet, and Jane as an artist. Life hasn’t always been perfect, and they’ve struggled through the years, but there have been so many memorable moments.

Now, June is dying. Abe is recounting their love story for Jane to ensure she remembers what they’ve shared. He doesn’t just talk about the times when their love was new, fiery, and pure. He also talks about the challenges—Jane being angry when she felt Abe wasn’t concentrating on his art, the lack of connection between Jane and their son, Max, and times when it was easier for them to be apart than together.

One consistent fixture in their lives was Central Park. They went there as young lovers, as parents, and as they aged. They visited together and alone, at times joyous, inspired, sad, or angry.

The book shifts through past and present, and is narrated by Abe, Jane, Max, and a former student of Abe’s. There are also sections “narrated” by Central Park, which serve as a Greek chorus of sorts, reflecting upon how so many lives passed through the Park.

Jessica Soffer’s use of language and images is exceptional. She has a very unique style which worked at times for me but not always. Just as I got used to one character’s narration, someone else would take over. I really wanted to love this, so I’m a bit disappointed, but I’m still glad I read it.

Book Review: "The Romantic Tragedies of a Drama King" by Harry Trevaldwyn

Thanks so much to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for the complimentary advance copy of this book!

Patrick (call him “Patch”) is ready for an amazing school year. The thing he’s most looking forward to is finding a boyfriend, one whom he can take to Prom. The challenge is, the only openly gay boys in school are dating each other. So what now?

And then two boys arrive at the first drama club meeting of the year. Peter, an American from New York (fabulous) moved to England to live with his best friend Sam’s family. Patch is determined that one of them will be his boyfriend. (He’s fine with either of them.)

The thing is, Patch is full of personality. Maybe too full? He desperately wants to make a good impression on Peter and Sam but mostly winds up tripping over his words and embarrassing himself. The quest to get one of them to be his boyfriend gets more complicated when Sam doesn’t appear to like Patch, and Peter (who is bi) starts dating Tessa, Patch’s former friend and current nemesis.

As Patch tries to negotiate matters of the heart without tripping over himself, he has his devoted best friend Jean to confide in, as well as Ms. Beckett, a former teacher he’s appointed his life coach. He also relies on his mother’s self-help books, but they’re not particularly helpful in his case.

Patch is one of the most hysterically vain and egotistical characters who made me laugh at every turn. (To try and land the lead role in Sweeney Todd, he decided to shadow some barbers, for example.) This is a fun and sweet book about being yourself no matter how wacky and annoying you might be.

The book will publish 1/28.

Book Review: "Deck the Palms" by Annabeth Albert

I’ve been loving the holiday books I’ve read so far, but given it’s been a long time since I’ve seen a white Christmas, it’s always fun to read about a less-traditional celebration. And what better place than Hawaii?

Nolan has been in love with the theater since he was young, and he’s been lucky to perform both on and off Broadway. He loves NYC, but when his sister-in-law has complications with her pregnancy and his brother is in the middle of his deployment, he drops everything and heads to Oahu to help.

Once his nephew gets out of the NICU, Nolan plans to stay in Oahu for the fall season, and takes a short-term job as the music teacher and choir director at a middle school. His responsibilities include directing the school’s holiday festival, for which he’s teamed with the school’s hunky shop teacher, Merry.

Merry, a single dad to twin boys who happen to be in Nolan’s class, comes across as a giant surfing curmudgeon. It’s not that he doesn’t like Nolan (although it seems that way), it’s just that he’s learned not to get attached to people who are in Hawaii for a short time. And despite their attraction to one another, Merry is determined to keep things professional with Nolan.

Of course, their collaboration and friendship includes lots of flirting and even a little matchmaking on the part of Merry’s kids. But what happens when Nolan’s job ends and he heads back to NYC? Is the possibility of love worth the risk of pain?

Hawaii is one of my favorite places, and so it’s the perfect setting for this rom-com. I really enjoyed both of the main characters and their banter (not to mention the steam) and I found many of the supporting characters to be a lot of fun, too.

Book Review: "The Anonymous Hookup and The Unforgettable Hookup" by Jax Calder

Over the last month or two I’ve become a huge fan of Jax Calder. She writes rom-coms and romances with such humor and heart, not to mention steam, terrific characters, and great banter.

I recently read Calder’s Hookup Duology, which included The Anonymous Hookup and The Unforgettable Hookup. Both books were funny, romantic, super steamy, and just so endearing, and once again, all I want to do is read more of her books.

It’s been nearly six months since Lane and his boyfriend Preston broke up. While it appears that Preston has had no problem moving on, Lane isn’t ready to look for another relationship yet. And that’s why his best friend Jules has challenged him to find an anonymous hookup. Maybe having no strings attached sex with a stranger will do the trick.

They go to a bar and Lane clumsily makes a move on an exceptionally handsome man. Their intense chemistry is evident from their first greeting, and it’s not long before they’re headed to a hotel room. And after some utterly mind-blowing sex when no names were revealed, they’re ready to move on. But it seems like anytime Lane turns around, there’s Sam, and it’s starting to feel like more than a one-night stand.

The second book tells the same story, only it’s from Sam’s perspective. It’s so fascinating to see the story you just read, yet told through another character’s eyes. It deepens the story, as it doesn’t feel as one-sided. I read one book after the other but it didn’t feel like it was a complete duplicate.

Lane and Sam were such terrific characters and I loved rooting for them. And you can bet I’ll be picking up more of Calder’s books as well!!

Book Review: "Given Our History" by Kristyn J. Miller

Clara has wanted to teach history for as long as she can remember. She’s finally achieved her goal, teaching at a private college in Maryland, and her department chair wants to submit her name for tenure.

When her boss asks if she’d be willing to share her office with a visiting scholar, she agrees without considering the consequences. And then she learns that the visitor is Theodore Harrison—Teddy—with whom she fell in love when they were teenagers. She’s not seen him apart from a very brief run-in since she broke his heart 10 years ago.

Teddy tries to stay out of Clara’s way, but both feel the pull of attraction and their mutual history. As they work together on a project and reminisce about their days attending a camp for homeschooled children, and think about the relationship that grew out of periodic phone calls and sharing CDs and history books, they can’t help but wonder whether they’re being given a second chance.

However, knowing how things turned out the first time has them both guarding their hearts this time. They’ve both gotten older, and Clara wonders if their past history will keep Teddy from fully trusting her, not to mention the fact that he’s only here for a semester.

The narrative shifts back and forth, between the present and the start of their relationship at camp, to when it fell apart. Along the way we get a glimpse of the challenges that each faced with their families, which also had an impact.

I enjoyed these characters as well as some of the supporting ones. I think the story would have benefited from getting Teddy’s perspective instead of seeing everything just through Clara’s eyes. And of course, far too much of their issues stemmed from miscommunication, which is my least favorite trope. But it was a fun and charming story.

Book Review: "The Summer Between" by Robert Raasch

A few days before they graduate from high school in 1978, Andy tells his best friend (and ex-girlfriend) Elena that he’s bi. Or maybe gay. While at first Elena worries that it was something about her that made Andy gay, she quickly realizes that his disclosure isn’t as surprising as she initially thought it was.

With just the summer remaining before Andy heads to NYU to study art, and Elena remains in New Jersey for college, Andy begins to take a few tentative steps out of the closet. While New York City has a reputation as a dangerous place, it’s also one of the epicenters of queer life, so he ventures into Greenwich Village.

Andy’s first foray into a gay bar leads to an unfortunate encounter that affects him more than he’s willing to admit. But it’s not long after that he meets Ben, an NYU graduate, and they begin dating. Ben also takes a protective interest in Andy, trying to help him become less sheltered and more open-minded, so hopefully he’ll stay safe.

For Andy, the summer is full of spending time with Elena and other friends, having evenings and weekends with Ben in NYC, and eagerly anticipating the start of college. But it’s also a time of crises, of wanting friendships to last forever even while growing apart, and of coming out to those you care about most.

As Andy tries to find his way, he’ll experience the highs and lows of first love, loneliness, envy, and random encounters. He’ll also realize those who are in his corner and those he can leave behind.

I love coming-of-age stories, and I really enjoyed this book. Andy’s voice was so authentic—I remember being on the cusp of adulthood yet still not there yet. I also remember what it felt like when your emotions are so close to the surface that you become attached to someone that’s not in the same mindset as you. It’s hard to believe that this is Robert Raasch’s debut, and it’s a book I’ll definitely think about for a while.

Book Review: "The Life Impossible" by Matt Haig

I’m a huge Matt Haig fan. The Midnight Library, The Comfort Book, and How to Stop Time are some of my favorite books. Given that fact, his newest book was one of my most eagerly anticipated this year. Unfortunately, this one didn’t live up to my expectations.

Grace has spent much of her life grieving: first, her son was killed before he became a teenager, and then her husband recently died. But then she gets a surprise out of the blue when she learns that a woman she knew briefly when she was teaching has left her a house on Ibiza.

Why would Christina leave her a house? They hadn’t been in touch for so long. Grace wants to make sense of it all, so she heads to Ibiza to see what answers she can find. She has no plan, she barely speaks Spanish, and she doesn’t know what to expect.

Ibiza awakens a lot of feelings for Grace, and forces her to come to terms with her own past, present, and future. And as she searches for answers about how Christina died and why she picked Grace to bequeath her house to, things get stranger and stranger. For a woman who has always turned to mathematics to help her cope with chaos, keeping an open mind is a challenge.

The book is told as a letter Grace is writing to a former student. While Haig paints an evocative picture, the narrative drags in a number of places and feels a bit schizophrenic in others. And although magical realism is one of my favorite plot devices, in this book it was all a bit too bizarre for me.

I’m definitely sad when a book I’ve been looking forward to is disappointing. But that won’t keep me from eagerly awaiting Haig’s next book.

Book Review: "The Champions" by Kara Thomas

Hadley is new to Sunnybrook, as her mother took a job as the superintendent of schools there. She is biding her time, hoping her senior year will result in her being named editor-in-chief of the school newspaper and getting accepted to Columbia so she can study journalism.

She’s not particularly thrilled that her first assignment is to write an article about the Tigers, Sunnybrook’s football team. They’ve won two consecutive state championships and are hoping to make history by winning a third. Everything in school—and in the town—revolves around the Tigers.

She receives an anonymous email warning her to stay away from the football team, and another telling her not to go to a party being thrown by one of the star players. But Hadley goes to the party, and one of the players that she interviewed collapses and falls into a coma. The players wouldn't let Hadley call an ambulance, and everyone was acting strangely. It turns out he was poisoned.

Eleven years ago, five of Sunnybrook’s cheerleaders were murdered. When another football player winds up dead after causing trouble at a game, Hadley is determined to figure out what’s behind the tragedies. Her investigative methods make her an outcast, but she’s able to track down some people who remember what happened 11 years ago.

What secrets are being hidden? Who is responsible for what is happening? Could Hadley be a target? And most importantly, can the truth be uncovered before someone else dies?

This was a great story, full of drama and twists and turns. It’s a follow-up to Kara Thomas’ book The Cheerleaders, but this can be read as a standalone. Reading this made me glad I didn’t go to high school when social media existed!

Book Review: "Some Strange Music Draws Me In" by Griffin Hansbury

“For some of us, there comes a moment when we realize that the object of our desire lies outside our known world, beyond our towns and families. Out there, we understand, there is another way to want, to have, to be. Sometimes, even when we do not venture out to find it, when we try to want only what we are given, the object comes to us. And the world, without our consent, breaks open and expands.”

It’s the summer of 1984 in the small town of Swaffham, Massachusetts. Thirteen-year-old Mel (short for Melanie) will start high school in the fall, so she plans to spend the summer with her best friend Jules, riding their bikes around town, avoiding their parents, and getting into mischief.

One day she sees Sylvia, a strong woman with bravado, who reminds her of Joan Jett. She is utterly transfixed by Sylvia, strange feelings for Mel. Then she learns that Sylvia is a trans woman—a choice not particularly popular in Swaffham. But Mel is drawn to Sylvia, who takes her under her wing, which causes trouble with her mother and Jules, among others.

In 2019, Mel is now Max, a trans man whose teaching career is in jeopardy because he still thinks of things with more traditional labels. He returns to Swaffham to deal with his depression and clean out his late mother’s house, but being home triggers many memories and traumas.

This is a powerful and moving book that definitely may trigger some people. It shifts back and forth between the 1980s and 2019, and looks at the personal dynamics of a teenager struggling with their sexual and gender identity and dealing with how different they are from their friends. It also looks at how, in the present, there are some who struggle with a person who is confident in their own gender if it doesn’t fit their own views of the world, family or no, and it provides perspective on how societal thinking shifts and changes.

Book Review: "Providence" by Craig Willse

“Before I completely destroyed my life, I taught English at Sawyer College in Ohio. I wasn’t the world’s greatest professor, but I also wasn’t the worst—although it’s possible I would become that.”

Mark is growing weary of teaching, of the pressure to publish and schmooze. He’s definitely one of those people who is happiest alone, which isn’t particularly satisfying for his boyfriend, a mathematics professor at Sawyer, or his fellow professors he considers his friends. He knows there’s got to be something better out there.

Two weeks into the semester, Tyler comes into his class. He’s a sophomore, a scholarship student among an immensely wealthy student body, yet he’s highly intelligent, as Mark witnesses when Tyler participates in a class lecture.

Little by little, Mark finds himself growing obsessed with Tyler, even though he knows pursuing a student is the last thing he should be doing. But one night, Tyler makes the first move, and they wind up having sex. It becomes a strange relationship, alternately attracting and repelling Mark, yet he starts losing sight of everything but Tyler.

Mark starts to realize Tyler hasn’t been entirely truthful with him. But while the red flags should be a sign to stay away, Mark winds up getting manipulated by Tyler into helping with something unspeakable. Can Mark take control of his life before it goes fully off the rails? Does he even care?

I loved the concept of Providence, and the idea of a teacher obsessed with a student. But while this book is marketed as a thriller, I didn’t find it particularly thrilling; while there is a bit of mystery, the pacing of the plot drags for three-quarters of the book and then leaves you hanging a bit at the end. While these issues dampened my enjoyment, I did like the intense mood of the book.

Book Review: "The Breakup Lists" by Adib Khorram

“Even though I’m the Theatre Kid, my sister is the dramatic one.”

Jackson is proud to be a “techie”—he’s the stage manager for his high school’s theater department. He doesn’t mind being behind the scenes instead, because he knows he’s the glue keeping the shows running, keeping his teacher on track, and helping wherever he can.

He’s also a cynic when it comes to romance, having had his heart broken once and watching his parents get divorced. But his sister Jasmine is constantly crushing on someone, dating them, and then the relationship ends. So Jackson helps Jasmine by creating “breakup lists” for each of her exes, which list all of their faults, both serious and superficial.

When Liam, a handsome swimmer, decides to audition for the musical, he and Jackson become very good friends. Jackson definitely is attracted to Liam, and sometimes he thinks Liam is flirting with him, but Liam is straight, right? So when Jasmine starts crushing on Liam, he encourages Liam to start dating Jasmine. Which, of course, fills him with jealousy.

This is a sweet story of friendship, love, family drama, and fighting to be seen and heard and valued. It’s predictable, sure, but Adib Khorram gives the story extra depth because it also deals with disability, specifically hearing impairment and deafness, and the struggles—and beautiful moments—that people living with those disabilities face.

I’ve loved everything Khorram has written, and this was no exception.

Thanks to NetGalley and The Dial Press for the advance copy!!