If I had to describe this book in two words it would be unsettling and meditative. Don't let that short description put you off to this spectacular dystopian novel though. The Memory Police was originally published before I was born, but was recently translated to English in 2019. It had caught my eye on a few different reading lists because I am a lover of dystopian fiction, so when I saw it at the library, I figured I would give it a try. I don't know where I would even begin with writing a summary for this book. There are so many different storylines and themes that I would want to talk about, but I don't know how to do that without spoilers. I encourage you to google this title to get the official "blurb" and then give it a chance if it sparks your interest. 

I was super excited when I borrowed Honey Girl from my library. I had seen glowing reviews about the story and was all in for an adult lesbian romance (especially because lgbtq+ representation is a lot more prevalent in the YA genre). However, I want to make this very clear to other readers, this book isn't really a romance at all. Yes, it has a romantic storyline, but the main focus is on the protagonist, Grace, and her mental health. If I had known this going in, I think I may have enjoyed this book more. Another complaint I had about this title (and it's not a big one) was Grace's relationship with her father. She calls him "Colonel" as he is an ex-military man and I think it was to show how odd their relationship was. However, I think Rogers, the author, could have pulled it off without the weird nickname thing. With all that being said, this book was not bad by any means and if you want to read it, go for it! It just didn't really work for me.

I've had this memoir on my radar for a while now, but I was finally given the push to read it when an online book club I am a member of chose it for their June read. How We Fight For Our Lives is a short book (just under 200pgs) written by Saeed Jones. Jones writes about his experiences as a black, gay man in the United States. In addition to these topics, he writes about his family. These chapters stood out to me specifically because I was raised in a nuclear family structure. Reading, especially reading nonfiction, allows me to learn about people who have lived differently from me and develop empathy and understanding for others. This memoir should be in every library and readers from all backgrounds should take the time to pick up this title.

The Music of What Happens is the perfect YA queer romance book - if it isn't on your reading list already, you should add it immediately. Konigsberg, the author, made the characters of Jordan and Max feel so real and I loved watching them develop throughout the story. Don't let the cutesy cover fool you - there are some heavy topics explored in this novel, including sexual assault and mental illness. This title would be a great read for any time of the year (not just Pride month!) and I cannot recommend it enough

Satisfaction Guaranteed is a romance book with a big focus on sex-positivity. Cade and Selena work together to save a local sex store after the owner (a family member and friend to each woman) leaves it for them in her will. While they embark on this journey, the business partners quickly start to catch feelings for each other. This novel was entertaining and emotional, but I felt like something was missing. I wanted to see a deeper connection between the two love interests and found the sex scenes to be randomly placed throughout the story. I probably wouldn't go out of my way to read more books by this author as I thought this title was just okay. 
(PUB DATE: AVAILABLE NOW)
(I received a digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed above are my own.)

I kind of went into this book blind! I have never read Brammer's advice column before, but I am now a fan! Hola Papi dives into the life of John Paul and his experiences as a gay, Mexican-American man. Each chapter is preceded by a Hola Papi write-in question which sets up the main topic he will be writing about. In this memoir, he touches upon issues such as race, forgiveness, sexuality, and relationship problems while sharing his own experiences with the reader. Overall, this is a great memoir and I highly recommend picking this one up once it is published!
(PUB DATE: 06/08/2021)
(I received a digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed above are my own.)

As a modern take on Shakespeare's Hamlet, Haig's novel The Dead Fathers Club was disappointing. Yes, it stayed pretty true to the play, but the execution was just bad. The book is told from the perspective of Philip, an eleven-year-old boy whose father has recently passed away. Personally, I am not a huge fan of adult novels with narration from children. It made the book feel more juvenile than what is appropriate for the topic matter. In addition to this, the ending left me confused. I am not one to complain about cliffhangers on standalone titles, but I do think there is a proper way to do them, such as leaving enough information for the reader to be able to make their own guesses as to what happens next. Overall, I would not recommend this title for the reasons stated above.

Happiness for Beginners is a hilarious romance novel. Literally, I laughed out loud constantly while reading this title. If you are into the age-gap romances (not the creepy kind) this is the book for you. This is my second book from Katherine Center and it definitely won't be my last! She is slowly working her way into my favorite authors list - I have a personal requirement of reading at least three titles before "inducting an author" to that small group. Anyways, if you are looking for something lighthearted and witty, I would recommend this title!

Stay With Me is a literary fiction novel set in Nigeria. Adébáyọ̀, the author, weaves in many cultural aspects into her writing including the normalized practice of polygamy. The story is told from the viewpoints of a husband and wife who introduce a new woman into their marriage because of their lack of success in getting pregnant. However, this title explores other topics including religion, politics, and the hardships of romantic relationships. I did enjoy this book, but I am not sure I would go out of my way to recommend it to others unless they were looking for a book specifically written by an African author.

Where the Grass Is Green and the Girls Are Pretty was a pretty boring novel. It's another book about rich, white people in New York City dealing with problems that they solely bring upon themselves. I am over reading literature with this kind of storyline (I have read three or four titles within the last year with similar themes) because the characters are completely unrelatable. I do not recommend this title and am positive that it would not have been published if not for the success of the author's previous books. 
(PUB DATE: AVAILABLE NOW)
(I received a digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed above are my own.