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”
Tag Archives: contemporary fiction
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”
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”
Love By the Book
I was very much looking forward to the advance review copy of Love By the Book (publication day April 7. 2026) by Jessica George, as I loved her first book, Maame. I was not disappointed!! Remington (Remi) is a twentysomething writer, the daughter of a single mother by choice, and one of a group ofContinue reading “Love By the Book”
Second Chance Romance
Second Chance Romance (2025) by Olivia Dade is the second book in the Harlot’s Bay series, set in that small town along the coast of Maryland. It features the grumpy baker Karl from At First Spite, and the one that got away, his high school one and only friend, Molly. Molly is recently divorced, fromContinue reading “Second Chance Romance”
A Crushing Walk in Cornwall
A Crushing Walk in Cornwall (publication day March 31, 2026) by Nicholas George is the third book in a series written by Nicholas George that follows retired San Diego detective Rich Chasen, who goes by Chase. He loves to go on walking tours of different parts of England in his retirement, and this one isContinue reading “A Crushing Walk in Cornwall”
Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers and Guide to Snooping (On a Dead Man)
Jesse Q. Sutanto has created an unforgettable (if sometimes annoying) character in Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers (2023) and Vera Wong’s Guide to Snooping (On a Dead Man) (2025)! I so enjoyed the audiobooks, each narrated by Eunice Wong. Set in San Francisco’s Chinatown, Vera Wong is a widow, set in her ways ofContinue reading “Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers and Guide to Snooping (On a Dead Man)”
Reading While Fat 