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”

Westward Women

Westward Women (publication day March 10, 2026) by Alice Martin is completely unique–speculative fiction, but in an alternate history way. It’s 1973, and an epidemic has gripped the United States at the same time as news of Watergate has broken. Women ages 18-35 are gripped with an itch that’s impossible to satisfy–both internal and external.Continue reading “Westward Women”

Anita de Monte Laughs Last

The audiobook for Anita de Monte Laughs Last (2024) by Xóchitl González (author of 2022’s Olga Dies Dreaming) completely enthralled me with the alternating stories of both Cuban artist Anita de Monte in the early 1980s and 3rd year art history student Raquel in the late 1990s. There is some controversy that shows up inContinue reading “Anita de Monte Laughs Last”

The White Hot

I consumed The White Hot (publication day 11/11/25) by Quiara Alegría Hudes in one sitting, completely engrossed in the short novel (176 pages). It’s told as a letter from a young mother to her daughter for her to read when she turns 18. April Soto had her daughter, Noelle, at 16 and dropped out ofContinue reading “The White Hot”

Wayward Girls

I was completely captivated by Wayward Girls (publication day July 15, 2025) by Susan Wiggs! It’s an epic story of friendship and survival despite the horrific conditions some girls in the United States were subjected to as recently as 50 or 60 years ago. As the book opens in 2020, we know that a fifty-yearContinue reading “Wayward Girls”

Dream Count

Dream Count (publication day March 4, 2025) is Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s first novel since 2013’s Americanah. Like Americanah, the setting of Dream Count goes back and forth between the United States and Nigeria, but Dream Count follows four African women, three living in the United States and one in Nigeria. Chiamaka’s story begins and endsContinue reading “Dream Count”

The Shutouts

The Shutouts (publication date December 3, 2024) is Gabrielle Korn’s second novel and a sequel to Yours For the Taking. I loved it, possibly even more than Yours For the Taking! Give me all of the climate fiction with lesbians at the end of the world! It could possibly work for you as a standaloneContinue reading “The Shutouts”

Go As A River

Go As A River (2023) by Shelley Read was a book group selection I probably wouldn’t have chosen myself. I did quite enjoy it, though, despite some unnecessary anti-fat bias in at least one character description. Victoria Nash is a 17-year old living on a Colorado peach farm in 1948, tending house for her father,Continue reading “Go As A River”

Out of the Dawn

Out of the Dawn (pub. date 8/8/2023) by P.C. Cast is the sequel to Into the Mist, which I listened to earlier this year and reviewed just a couple of months ago. Once I realized there was a sequel, I was anxiously awaiting it, so I was thrilled to be approved to read it onContinue reading “Out of the Dawn”

Does My Body Offend You?

Does My Body Offend You? (2022) by Mayra Cuevas and Marie Marquardt is a unique, timely story told from the alternating perspectives of two teen girls from different backgrounds, who meet when they are both new to their suburban Florida high school. Malena has just moved to be near extended family from Puerto Rico afterContinue reading “Does My Body Offend You?”