Mini-reviews of three queer young adult novels and one queer contemporary polyam romance: Dark and Deepest Red, Only Mostly Devastated, In the Shadow of the Sun, and Three Part Harmony. All read as audiobooks!
Rating refresher! Categories are based on whether or not we recommend them to fellow readers - DNF (Did Not Finish), Pass, YMMV (Your Mileage May Vary), Read it Eventually, Read it Soon.
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Dark and Deepest Red, by Anna-Marie McLemore
Suzanne says: Read it Eventually
Dark and Deepest Red, a retelling of the story of the Red Shoes, is told in two timelines by three narrators. In 1500's Strasbourg, a Roma girl is blamed for a dancing plague and she and her trans boyfriend fear for their lives. In modern day United States (Texas? I don't remember, sorry) a French/Roma/American boy and his Mexican-American childhood best friend work together to save Rosella from dancing shoes that have turned against her in a town that has a magical event every year (usually good things). It's a complicated narrative that takes some time to get into, but McLemore's signature lush prose and heartfelt queer narratives are worth it if your brain can handle that initial investment. HEA/HFN for all, so don't worry.
Content Warnings: homophobia, transphobia, witchburning, expulsion of Roma, racism, physical injury due to dancing, mass hysteria
Suzanne received a digital copy of this book for review but listened to it via her Scribd subscription.
Only Mostly Devastated, by Sophie Gonzales
Suzanne says: Read it Eventually
Amazon ◊ Barnes & Noble ◊ Kobo ◊ Apple Books ◊ Bookshop
Suzanne received a digital copy of this book for review but read it on audio via her Scribd subscription.
In the Shadow of the Sun, by EM Castellan
Suzanne says: Read it Soon
Amazon ◊ Barnes & Noble ◊ Kobo ◊ Apple Books ◊ Bookshop
Content Warnings: murder, misuse of magic (siphoning from magic users), cheating, childbirth (secondary character)
Suzanne purchased this audiobook.
Three Part Harmony, by Holley Trent
Suzanne says: Read it Eventually
Amazon ◊ Barnes & Noble ◊ Kobo ◊ Apple Books
Raleigh is buttoned up and cautious (until he's not), Bruce is so full of love and just needs people to love him back (also he's super hot) and Everley is the round, ambitious but stuck woman of their (my) dreams. I loved how the two men treated her body and how they worked out their trust issues as a group. My only wish is that we'd had more time with them after they figured out their relationship. When the MCs come together at 93%, it's hard to get a feel for how they'll work together, even if there's an epilogue. I need the feels!
Content Warnings: manipulative parents (all of them!), past: mistreatment of MC due to neurodivergence
Suzanne purchased this audiobook.
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Three of these books are published by Macmillan imprints. Macmillan is currently embargoing titles for libraries only. More information on this here.
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