Migrant Heart: Essays About Things I Can’t Forget (publication day May 12, 2026) by Reyna Grande is a beautifully-written collection of memoir pieces about a variety of things. Grande writes about her relationship with her parents, who separated when she was little, and who she spent several years away from when they came to theContinue reading “Migrant Heart: Essays About Things I Can’t Forget”
Author Archives: bbwesquire
A Grandmother Begins the Story
A Grandmother Begins the Story (2023) by Michelle Porter is an inventive, beautifully-written book that tells the story of five generations of Métis women and the bison and the land they live on. The audiobook is read by a full cast of 16 different actors, who read the chapters written from the perspectives of theContinue reading “A Grandmother Begins the Story”
The Library of Flowers
The Library of Flowers (publication day May 3, 2026) by L.C. Chu (aka Lily Chu) has a little bit of everything. This hard-to-categorize, enjoyable fantasy/historical/ romance/family drama/coming of age features Lucy Hua, the latest in a long line of Hua women perfumers who can create perfumes that can affect emotion or even summon true love–calledContinue reading “The Library of Flowers”
Fat Swim
Fat Swim (publication day April 28, 2026) by Emma Copley Eisenberg (of the Frump Feelings Substack, Housemates, and The Third Rainbow Girl) is a beautiful collection of semi-linked short stories that is a celebration of fat, queer love. All of the stories are set in or around Philadelphia and feature fat and queer characters inContinue reading “Fat Swim”
The Duke
The Duke (publication day April 28, 2026) by Anna Cowan is a sapphic political romance set in a Regency era where women can inherit title! Kate, the Duke of Howard, inherited when she was a young teenager after her own treachery, born of her youth, inexperience, and ambition. Now much-feared, she cultivates her icy reputation.Continue reading “The Duke”
We Burned So Bright
We Burned So Bright (publication day April 28, 2026) by T.J. Klune is a short standalone dystopian fantasy that also happens to be uplifting, despite being set at the end of the world because a black hole is coming to swallow the earth. As the book opens, 72-year old Rodney and 78-year old Don, aContinue reading “We Burned So Bright”
The Frozen River
The Frozen River (2023) by Ariel Lawhon (2024 Goodreads Choice Nominee for Reader’s Favorite Historical Fiction) was a recent book group choice, and I’m so glad that it was. Although I love historical fiction, I might not have gotten to it as quickly if it hadn’t been a book group choice. And it has theContinue reading “The Frozen River”
While You Were Seething
While You Were Seething (publication day April 14, 2026) by Charlotte Stein is a cute, fat-positive, enemies-to-lovers hetero rom-com. The third book in a trio of standalones with some of the same characters (When Grumpy Met Sunshine, My Big Fat Fake Marriage), Seething features public relations professional Daisy Emmett and mega best-selling author Caleb Miller.Continue reading “While You Were Seething”
Cherry Baby
Cherry Baby (publication day April 14, 2026) is only the second Rainbow Rowell book I’ve read, and wow!! (I read her amazing historical YA romance Eleanor and Park ten years ago!) Cherry Baby is fat positive in the best ways, and though Cherry has to deal with anti-fat bias (as we all sadly do inContinue reading “Cherry Baby”
Cleo Dang Would Rather Be Dead
Cleo Dang Would Rather Be Dead (publication day April 14, 2026) by Mai Nguyen is a well-written, funny book about a subject that is the furthest thing from funny–getting through the loss of an infant. So be warned if you want to stay far away–I wouldn’t blame you for not feeling up to it. ButContinue reading “Cleo Dang Would Rather Be Dead”
Reading While Fat 