Book Review: "Ship Happens" by Mason Deaver

Breakups are never easy. Owen and Jacob’s relationship ended when Jacob got an offer to move to the UK and work on a research team. Owen, who isn’t great with traveling, couldn’t fathom moving to another country, no matter how much he loved Jacob. So he let him go.

A year has passed, and Owen is still hurt and angry. It would be easier to hate Jacob, but he misses him too much. Yet when Jacob returns to San Francisco for the holidays, his presence is almost too much to bear for Owen, although he’s left with a huge jumble of emotions.

Then their best friends surprise the group with a 7-day, all-expenses-paid Alaskan cruise as an opportunity to bond. Owen’s first thought is to pass—can he really stand being in such close proximity to Jacob for a week without going crazy? But he knows this is important to his friends, so he agrees to go.

They both try to be nice to each other, and there are times when the memories of what they used to be confront them. They agree that neither is good at being an ex, and Jacob proposes that they try to be friends. Isn’t that better than not having each other in their lives?

Owen feels a bit lost, that all of his friends are moving on with their lives while he is stagnating. On top of that, he’s never stopped loving Jacob, but knows that when the cruise is over, they’ll go back to their regular lives. Then what?

I really enjoyed Owen and Jacob’s relationship. You could tell how much they cared for one another, and particularly, how protective Jacob was of Owen. But I could understand the struggles they had deciding what to do with their feelings. I’ve been a fan of Mason Deaver’s since their debut, and I love how easily they can shift from YA to adult romance.

Book Review: "Consequences of Normal" by Elle Baade

What a powerful read this was. This book was eye-opening and thought-provoking, and it hit me square in the feels. I definitely could see this being a great book to discuss with a book club or others.

Matt and Jane are leaving Texas to move back to Matt’s hometown of Atwood, Wisconsin. He has taken a job as headmaster of a prep school, and they’ve moved into an infamous old mansion in town. Jane hopes the move will be good for all of them.

Their six-year-old son Charles insists he’s a girl. He likes wearing his older sister’s hand-me-downs and watching Julia Child videos. Jane and Matt have indulged Charles’ desires and let him dress as he wants. But once Matt has settled into his new job, he wants his family to fit in.

Jane starts to realize that Charles isn’t going through a phase; he might be transgender or intersex. But Matt insists that Charles dress like a boy and cut his hair, which only makes him sad and withdrawn. When tragedy strikes, Jane knows her priority is to fight for her child to live the life she wants—before it is too late.

Many people in their lives—family, friends, teachers, doctors—weigh in with their opinions. And the more Jane stands up for her child, the angrier Matt becomes, until he realizes Jane will choose their children over their marriage.

I liked the realism in the book, that everyone didn’t suddenly do a 180 about Charles being transgender. Matt is very hard to like and it was good when Jane stopped being a doormat for everyone. But this is one of those books that definitely makes you think while it makes you feel.

Book Review: "The House of Now and Then" by Edward Underhill

I thought this was a really special book. Give me magical realism, emotional growth, and a beach cottage and I’m more than happy, but this just really hit me in all the feels.

“You ever feel like when you look back at something you know happened to you, it feels sort of like it happened to someone else? Or like you’re watching a movie? Like you can’t recognize that version of you anymore?”

Harlowe needs to get away. He and his boyfriend, Jackson, have broken up and Jackson is keeping the apartment. His academic career is going nowhere as well, just like his thesis advisor told him it would. So he rents a cottage on Cape Cod for the summer in the hopes he can reset everything.

But the cottage has some surprises. The first day Harlowe is there, he realizes he has some unwanted roommates. His father is in the kitchen, his thesis advisor is at the dining room table, and Jackson is in the bathroom. No one else can see them, they won’t go away, and Harlowe has no idea how to make them leave.

As the summer moves on and Harlowe settles into the community, he starts spending time with Nathan, the cottage owner’s nephew. A younger version of Nathan appears in the cottage as well from time to time. What do the ghosts want from him, and how can he help Nathan with his own issues.

This really moved me, and I really wasn’t sure how the story would tie up. I’ve enjoyed Edward Underhill’s YA books and I definitely hope to see more adult books from him!!

Book Review: "Waist Deep" by Linea Maja Ernst

“It is an acknowledged truth that they don’t see one another more often because of work and kids. But it’s also an excuse—work, the kids—to finally be as boring as they’ve been all along. To let go of that need to be interesting. Falling into a calm has-been existence, ruled by the joy and dread of routine.”

The six of them—Quince, Sylvia, Charlie, Karen, Gry, and Esben—have been friends since their university days. But it’s been years since they’ve all been able to spend some real time together. So this weeklong stay at a Danish lake house is something they’re both looking forward to and dreading.

No matter how much time has passed, many of them haven’t really changed. But when Karen and Esben, who’ve been together since university, announce their engagement, it throws a ripple into the group, primarily for Sylvia. She has always had a crush on Esben but never said anything, but given the fact that she’s in a monogamous relationship with her girlfriend, Charlie, she wonders if there’s a way to have it all.

Quince transitioned in the years since university. He is beautiful, an almost Pan-like figure, living his truth for the first time. But while he plays peacemaker among his friends, there’s also lines he shouldn’t cross—but can he stop himself?

I tend to enjoy books that bring a group of old friends together again after some time. This is an interesting exploration of relationships (straight and queer), as well as ambition, fidelity, and figuring out what you want from your future. It’s not as dramatic as I expected, but perhaps some of that is the Danish way. A very interesting and satisfying Pride Read!

Book Review: "One Week to Win the Chocolate Maker" by Timothy Janovsky

My favorite movie of all time is Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, so when I was offered the chance to read an ARC of a spicy M/M romance retelling of the story, I was excited and nervous. Thanks so much to Harlequin Books and NetGalley for the opportunity!

The Amorina Chocolate Factory has been in Dario Cotogna’s family for generations. Since his beloved grandfather died, Dario has been running the business, paying close attention to sustainability issues. But when his grandfather’s will is read, Dario is shocked: if he doesn’t marry before his 32nd birthday, the business will pass to his younger brother.

Dario isn’t dating anyone, but his grandfather thought of everything. A global competition is launched, and five contestants will be chosen. They’ll fly to Italy and stay for a week, to get to know Dario and the chocolate business, and then he will choose which one he wants to marry.

Charlie has never been out of his Pennsylvania hometown, let alone the country. He lives in a dilapidated house with his parents and grandparents, and he’s just found out the bank is about to foreclose. When Charlie reads about the contest, he realizes this could be his ticket to save his family and perhaps pursue his own dreams.

Charlie’s competitors are all very different: Selina, a trans supermodel; Beau, a musician always up for adventure; Ansel, a German watch expert; and Michelle, a design student. As the week progresses, Charlie and Dario’s connection deepens, but both are hiding their vulnerabilities. Will true love (and chocolate) win?

I loved that while this book was similar to the original story, it wasn’t a true retelling. (Spoiler alert: no Oompa-Loompas.) But Dario and Charlie were terrific, sympathetic characters, and their encounters were quite spicy. Timothy Janovsky never disappoints me!

The book will publish 1/27/2026.

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: "The Z Word" by Lindsay King-Miller

The first Pride was a riot. The last Pride is a bloodbath.

This was so wild and crazy and I was totally there for it! If you watched The Walking Dead and thought, “What if there were more LGBTQ+ characters?”, this one is for you.

Getting over your ex is often difficult, but when your ex is hooking up with your friends, that can be torture. That’s the issue for Wendy. She’s trying to find her way in a new place, but jealousy isn’t a good look on her.

And then the people around them start turning into zombies. Blood-thirsty zombies. Luckily, Wendy isn’t the only one who notices. Her new friends—a mixed bag of queer people, including her ex, Leah—have to band together to figure out what’s causing the outbreak. But perhaps more importantly, they have to save themselves and save Pride.

Horror is definitely not a genre I read very often, but this book definitely was more than I expected. Sure, there’s gore and violence, but there’s also humor, emotion, and lots of steam. I enjoyed how Lindsay King-Miller turned some typical stereotypes on their head and gave queer characters the power to kick some ass.

Thanks so much to Quirk Books for the complimentary copy; sorry it took me so long to read the book!

Book Review: "A Gentleman's Gentleman" by TJ Alexander

This was a fun Regency romance with a twist. Thanks so much to Vintage Books and NetGalley for the advance copy!

Lord Christopher Eden has no use for many things that other men of his station desire. He’d rather spend time with his elderly butler and cook than socialize with other people his age, and beyond them, he doesn’t need other servants. He is perfectly happy caring for and riding his horse, spending his free time with his books.

But when he finds out from his solicitors that his late father’s will requires he must marry before he turns 25, it throws his life into chaos. Given that he’s not attracted to women, and as a trans man, has secrets he has kept from most everyone, he can’t imagine he’d be able to make a wife happy.

But in order to ensure his family’s legacy isn’t destroyed, he must go to London for the season and find a wife. He also has to appear to have all of the trappings a man of his station requires, so he must hire a valet to take with him to London, a task he asks his solicitor to handle. And James, his new valet, is exceedingly handsome (although fixated on the traditional role of a valet), which complicates things further.

Christopher and James start becoming friends once they navigate Christopher’s need for privacy. But when they get to London, tensions start to rise, as Christopher has to find a woman to marry. And both men are sharing secrets which could change it all.

I am a fan of TJ Alexander’s books and I definitely loved the concept of this story. It is just the slowest of slow burns and I really wanted things to happen quicker. But I really enjoyed the characters.

The book will publish 3/11/2025.

Book Review: "The In-Between Bookstore" by Edward Underhill

Darby moved to NYC to go to college and put some distance between him and Oak Falls, his small Illinois hometown. As a trans man, getting a fresh start was exactly what he needed, away from those who looked down on him.

Now, as he nears 30, he’s just lost his job, his rent is increasing, and he’s feeling rudderless. It feels like all of his best friends are making progress in their lives, while he’s not. When he learns that his mother is planning to sell his childhood home and move into a new condo, he decides to move back to Oak Falls.

So much has changed in Oak Falls since Darby left. But one thing hasn’t: In Between Books, the store where he worked in high school. In fact, when he goes into the store, the new releases and the newspapers are all from 2009. And the kid behind the counter seems so much like Darby at 16…could it be Darby?

As Darby tries to connect with his teenage self, he also tries to figure out where his life went off track, and how to fix it. He also encounters Michael, his best friend while growing up, whom he hasn’t seen since their friendship ended dramatically before Darby left Oak Falls.

I love time travel and time loops, and how characters learn from the past. But this book never really took off for me. I didn’t really feel like Darby learned much, and I felt like everything in the book was left fairly unresolved.

Edward Underhill has written three YA books that I’ve enjoyed, so I was looking forward to his adult debut. I like the way he writes, so hopefully his next book will have more of a spark for me.

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: "The Prospects" by KT Hoffman

I am obsessed with hockey romances, and now I can add this baseball romance to the list of books I love. I seriously found myself grinning like an idiot while reading this.

Gene Ionescu is the first openly trans professional baseball player. It’s been his dream for as long as he could remember—his dad was a baseball player, too—but he never imagined that given who he is, he’d have the chance to make his dreams come true.

His happiness is upended when his former college teammate and close friend, Luis Estrada, is traded to Gene’s minor league team. For reasons Gene never understood, Luis just stopped being his friend one day, so their reunion is a bit awkward, even more so when Luis takes over for Gene at shortstop.

The two can barely have a conversation, let alone find a rhythm to play together successfully. But Gene is determined to make their on-field connection work, and after extra practices, they start to become friends again, too. Little by little, as the season moves on, they start to open up to one another, and Gene finds himself hoping—and yet fearing—that Luis’ interest in him is more than just baseball-related.

The closer they draw to one another, the more the line blurs between their relationship and their ambitions. Does love mean giving up your dreams for a safer path, or is love worth the risk of pursuing what you want? Can they have everything they want, personally and professionally, or is that too much?

I couldn’t love this more if I tried. It’s sweet, sexy, funny, and hopeful, and although this situation is more fiction than possibility right now, it’s fun to dream of this kind of world. KT Hoffman has made me a fan of his for sure!!

Book Review: "Really Cute People" by Markus Harwood-Jones

While I definitely have a fondness for books about family drama and dysfunction, what I love more are books about chosen family. That is something Really Cute People has in heartwarming abundance.

“If you think you’ve found your people, hold on tight. From there, everything else will sort itself out.”

Charlie is definitely in a bit of an emotional slump. The queer collective they once were a part of has fallen apart, and their former housemates all seem to blame Charlie. To top it off, their job at what was once a crisis hotline—now staffed by a chatbot because of budget cuts—isn’t exciting them as it used to, although the a promotion would be appealing.

Charlie’s boss asks them to take a trip to a small town outside the city to check out a new model of community center. They can’t wait to relax in the luxurious Airbnb their boss has reserved. But when Charlie arrives, they find chaos—a couple, along with their five-year-old daughter, as well as a dog, a cat, and a bird, messed up the schedule of when they were renting their home out. However, they promise to be out of Charlie’s hair the next morning.

Except the next morning, there’s a massive snowstorm, so Charlie is stuck with Buffy, Hayden, and their family. To everyone’s surprise, Charlie seems to relish the craziness—and it doesn’t hurt that both Buffy and Hayden seem to be flirting with Charlie. Could this be what they’ve been looking for all along, or will the fantasy end when Charlie has to return home?

This story was sweet, steamy, and sensitive. As the author said in their notes, why can’t a triangle turn into a triad? I’ve really never read a book with this as its focus, and it definitely made me smile and feel all the feels.

Book Review: "Second Chances in New Port Stephen" by TJ Alexander

“…Eli’s plane ticket had been one-way because his apartment in Brooklyn was currently home to a subletter, and Eli had no idea how or when he’d be going back. The truth was Eli was possibly stuck in Florida for the foreseeable future…”⁣

⁣ It’s not always easy to return to your hometown. But for Eli, returning to New Port Stephen—especially at the holidays—is torture, because everywhere he turns he’s reminded of his life before he transitioned and got the heck out of town. He also hasn’t told his parents that he lost his job as a television writer because of a scandal with the show’s star, and his career prospects have been close to zero.⁣

⁣ The first night he is home, he runs into his ex-boyfriend from high school, Nick. Of course he looks amazing, and although he’s divorced, he has a terrific young daughter he’s devoted to. Nick and Eli have so many memories together, and despite the weirdness that surrounds their reunion, the chemistry between them still inexplicably sparks.⁣

⁣ The more time Eli spends in Florida, especially with Nick and his daughter Zoe, the more his feelings grow for both of them. But staying in Florida means saying goodbye to his career dreams and being stuck back at home. And Nick can’t quite make sense of how he feels about Eli and whether a future with him is realistic.⁣

⁣ I loved this so much! Eli is a bit of a snob, but it’s definitely a defense mechanism. This is sweet, sexy, emotional, and thought-provoking. I’ve become such a fan of TJ Alexander’s and the beauty and heart with which they imbue their books!⁣

Book Review: "This Day Changes Everything" by Edward Underhill

Even though I grew up about an hour from NYC, I can’t tell you how often I used to imagine having a magical day there, surrounded by those I cared about. This sweet book definitely reawakened those feelings!

Abby’s high school band has been chosen to march in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. She cannot wait for the opportunity to spend even a short time in New York City, because it’s the setting of her most-favorite romance novel. She’s totally ready to tell her best friend Kat that not only is she (surprise!) gay, but she’s also (surprise!) in love with her. What better backdrop exists?

Leo’s high school band also will be marching in the parade. But unlike Abby, it’s the last thing Leo wants. His whole family is going to watch the parade, which means his whole conservative, Southern family is going to see him as a trans boy. Leo is angry that his parents refuse to soften the blow for their relatives, so he’s dreading the reaction this “big reveal” will get.

On the one free day of touring the city, both Abby and Leo get on the wrong train and find themselves lost and alone, together. When Leo accidentally causes Abby to lose a special gift she was planning to give Kat, he promises to make it up to her by helping her find souvenirs from every spot mentioned in her favorite book, so she can give those to Kat instead.

The more time they spend with one another, the more they realize they have in common. And little by little, they start to see each other in a different light.

I love books about chosen family, about finding the words to be your authentic self, and finding those who love you unconditionally. This is also a story about feeling lost—literally and psychologically—and trying to find what you need to feel seen and found.

Book Review: "Most Ardently: A Pride & Prejudice Remix" by Gabe Cole Novoa

As many of you know, I love a good retelling, and boy, did I absolutely love this one! This book is part of a series called Remixed Classics, in which authors from marginalized backgrounds reinterpret classic works through their own cultural lens to subvert the overwhelming cishet, white, and male canon. (Two years ago, Self-Made Boys, a retelling of The Great Gatsby, was in my top 5 favorite books.)

Oliver Bennet longs for a life different than the one he is stuck in, a life away from gowns, corsets, and the pressures of society. Because Oliver is known to the majority of his family and friends as Elizabeth, and he is expected to dance at balls, flirt coquettishly, and act like a lady, in order to attract a suitable husband. Oliver has no desire to live his life as someone he is not; he cannot imagine life married to someone who wants to suppress his true identity and his spirit.

While his mother is desperate to marry off all of her daughters, Oliver resists every attempt. Sometimes he is able to sneak out of his house dressed in the way he feels most comfortable, as a young gentleman. And on one of his outings, he runs into Darcy, the handsome young man who is a close friend of Bingley, of whom Oliver's sister Jane is enamored. Oliver is shocked that Darcy is sensitive, intelligent, and enjoyable company, especially since he was rude to "Elizabeth" at a ball.

The more time Oliver spends with Darcy, the more he starts to believe he might be able to have the life—and love—he truly wants. But as some suitors become more persistent, and even threaten to reveal Oliver's true identity to his family, he has to decide whether to follow his heart and risk disgracing his family, or living the life that society expects "Elizabeth" to.

I am a huge fan of Pride & Prejudice and this "remix" hit all of the right notes. Gabe Cole Novoa did such an incredible job with this book. My heart swelled, I got teared up, and immediately needed to watch the film version of the original book, in which Colin Firth looked immensely delicious. Many thanks to NetGalley and Feiwel & Friends for an advance copy of the book!

Book Review: "Bellies" by Nicola Dinan

“I wore a dress on the night I first met Ming.”

When Tom meets Ming at a drag night at a bar near their university, both men are mutually attracted to one another. Tom, only recently out, is attracted to how together Ming seems, how serene, how confident in his future as a playwright and his sexuality. It’s not long before the two become inseparable.

As their relationship deepens, Tom realizes that Ming not only struggles with anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder, but he seems increasingly dissatisfied with his body and appearance for reasons he cannot explain to Tom. After graduation, the couple moves to London, but no matter how they try to settle into their future together, the tension between them starts to intensify.

And then Ming tells Tom he intends to transition and become a woman.

The second half of the book follows Ming and Tom’s lives after Ming’s transition. Not only does this affect their relationship but their circle of mutual friends, and each confronts their own professional and personal issues. What happens after someone transitions? Can this individual who is finally living authentically find peace and satisfaction? And what parts of our lives should be open to public consumption?

This was a tremendously interesting premise. It was thought-provoking, emotional, funny, and insightful. Not much really happens in the book: it’s definitely character- and dialogue-driven, and it reminded me of a Sally Rooney novel. (That could be a positive or negative comparison depending on your opinions of her books.)

In the end, I just wish I enjoyed the characters more, so I could have been fully invested in the story.

Book Review: "Pageboy" by Elliot Page

I read very few celebrity memoirs, but when I heard that Elliot Page had written a book about his journey from struggling with being queer to the realization and acceptance of his identity as a trans man, I knew it was the perfect read for Pride Month.

Raised by divorced parents, verbally and emotionally abused by his stepmother and stepsiblings, Elliot had a rich fantasy life. He really wanted to be a boy, and often insisted on wearing boyish clothes and short hair. But as he grew older, his mother was less supportive of what she saw as merely tomboyish qualities.

He turned to acting as an escape from reality. At times it was frustrating that he had to wear dresses for the female characters he played. But as success grew—including an Oscar nomination for Juno—he found himself being forced into the role of quirky actress, and forced to hide who he truly was.

This was a terrific book, full of emotion, uncomfortable moments (for Elliot), sadness, and jubilant self-acceptance. There’s even a little Hollywood gossip.

“The act of writing, reading, and sharing the multitude of our experiences is an important step in standing up to those who wish to silence us. I’ve nothing new or profound to say, nothing that hasn’t been said before, but I know books have helped me, saved me even, so perhaps this can help someone feel less alone, seen, no matter who they are or what journey they are on.“

Book Review: "I Was Born for This" by Alice Oseman

Meeting her favorite band is far more than she ever expected.

Angel’s favorite band is The Ark. She loves them more than almost anything, much to the chagrin of her parents, who want her to focus more on school. But she’s kind of obsessed, and spends tons of time online communicating with fellow fans, dissecting the latest gossip.

Jimmy loves being part of The Ark, making music with his best friends. And although success is all he’s dreamed of, it also exacerbates his anxiety. Fame is amazing, but it’s come with a price—he was forced to come out as trans sooner than he would’ve liked, and while most of the fans have been accepting, they also love imagining he and his best friend and bandmate, Rowan, are in a relationship. But that isn’t the case.

When Angel gets to attend a meet-and-greet with the band, who are just on the cusp of international stardom, the last thing she’s expecting is to connect with Jimmy. It turns out they understand each other far more than they’d imagine.

Alice Oseman is so good at creating diverse casts of characters without it seeming forced or fake, and each character has their own issues they’re dealing with. This is a sweet story but one which also addresses heavier issues like anxiety, parental pressure, addiction, and more.

It’s interesting: this was featured as a new release at my bookstore a month or two ago but it turns out this was from 2018, so if you’re an Oseman fan, this may be familiar to you already!

Book Review: "The Feeling of Falling in Love" by Mason Deaver

Nothing can ruin your life like an “I love you.”

Neil and Josh are longtime best friends and currently friends with benefits. They’ve promised each other no strings, no feelings, just fun. And it seems to be working, until Josh tells Neil he loves him. Why did he have to go and ruin everything?

Of course, this happens just at the start of spring break, when Neil has to fly home to California and spend a week with his horrible family for his brother’s wedding. Josh was supposed to be his date, his buffer, and now that can’t happen.

Enter Wyatt, Neil’s roommate and the bane of his existence. Why does he always have to be so NICE all the time? Somehow, despite the fact that Neil doesn’t treat Wyatt all that well, he convinces him to fly home with him and pretend that they’re dating. Hopefully this will convince Josh, who also will be at the wedding, that there’s no chance of anything happening between them.

As the week unfolds, Wyatt realizes that Neil’s family is just as bad as advertised, which explains why Neil acts the way he does. And the more time they spend together, the more they start having feelings for one another. But of course, the truth about them is bound to come out…

I’m a big fan of Mason Deaver’s books, and the characters they create. There are diverse sexualities and ethnicities and it never feels forced or cookie-cutter. I’ll admit that Neil was a bit of a spoiled jerk at first, but like Wyatt, I understood why he was the way he was the more I read.

Love makes me happy.

Book Review: "Self-Made Boys" by Anna-Marie McLemore

The Great Gatsby, but make it queer and YA.⁣

⁣ I loved this book so much. It definitely will be a contender for one of my favorite books of the year. And amazingly, it’s the second fantastic Gatsby retelling I’ve read this year (although this one is referred to as a “remix”)—I absolutely loved Jillian Cantor’s Beautiful Little Fools, too. ⁣

⁣ Nicolás Caraveo is a 17-year-old trans boy from a small Wisconsin farm town who moves to New York City in 1922. He’s offered a job in the stock market and he’s determined to make a better life for his family. He’ll be reunited with his cousin, Daisy Fabrega-Caraveo, who already has made a life for herself.⁣

⁣ Imagine Nick’s surprise, however, when he discovers that Daisy is nearly engaged to wealthy Tom Buchanan—and she’s reinvented herself as Daisy Fay, passing for white despite her Latina heritage.

⁣ ⁣ Nick has a small cottage in West Egg. And then he meets his neighbor, the magnetic young Jay Gatsby, whose house is host to the most extravagant parties and who wears the most beautiful clothes. Nick is drawn to Jay, and then he discovers that Jay is also transgender. But he also finds out that Jay is slightly obsessed with Daisy, and Nick is willing to bring the two together—even if it means Nick has to ignore his own feelings for Jay.⁣

⁣ This is such a beautifully written, creative book. I was drawn into all of these characters, some who are more familiar to the original than others. And knowing the story as I do, I was totally hooked in needing to see how McLemore pulled everything together. Just incredible.⁣