2013-02 - GLBT - What will you read in February?

[Tien]

Thanks to Susan for stringing us along the past week!!

Have you ever read GLBT lit before? Which book/s interest you?

[D.G.]

I'll probably read as I need to read it for the Scripts Tower. I'll also try to read and . I may also consider which I recently got on audio.

[Tien]

Firstly, I thought I don't really read that many GLBT and that I could probably count the books in one hand but looking through, I found that I'm mistaken - I just didn't think it through... I've actually just finished reading one a couple of days ago... a YA / fantasy / circus one (eARC courtesy of Netgalley, if anyone is on Netgalley) which I thoroughly enjoyed. It was a bit slow in the middle but loving the ending, can't wait for the next book where all will be revelead (I hope). It's called Pantomime to be released 5th Feb.

One of my 2012 LOST book was also GLBT: The Book of Salt (Susan, you may recall, you picked this one for chain gang for me). This one was interesting as the main character is also Vietnamese and is a servant. Noting that this is set in early 19th century - he has 3 factors against him. If you're in Australia, I'm happy to pass you my copy (which I bought second hand but it's in good condition) - PM me your address and it's yours! First in, First served. Sorry, Intl, can't afford o/seas mail.

I've borrowed The Picture of Dorian Gray in my last visit to the library so that's what I'll be reading. I don't think I can fit in anything else though (my Feb books are set a while ago to try to complete a challenge).

[Tien]

Oooh! And of course, one of my FAVE books ever: Eon by Alison Goodman! Hhhmm... maybe I'll re-read for the nth time LOL

The Millenium trilogy is also on the shelf - if you've not read it, here's an incentive. It's a great trilogy!

[Lyn (Readinghearts)]

I am the opposite of Tien, I would have thought there would be more books that I have read or want to read on this shelf, but I am only finding one that I have read and three that I am interested in. Weird.

One is a book I have been wanting to read for a while. It is Fingersmith. Unfortunately, it is a pretty long book and I don't know if I will fit it in. I didn't see the Millenium trilogy ones, but I have only read the first, so maybe I'll go with The Girl Who Played with Fire. OR I might try Sing You Home. The one I really want to read is Tell the Wolves I'm Home, but I am still waiting for it from the library.

[Tien]

Lyn M wrote: "I didn't see the Millenium trilogy ones,..."

I went through all 30 pages of it LOL

[Lyn (Readinghearts)]

Tien wrote: "Lyn M wrote: "I didn't see the Millenium trilogy ones,..."

I went through all 30 pages of it LOL"

Somehow that doesn't surprise me, lol. I'm glad you did, cuz now I can read the second Millennium book and not have to find it. ;P

[Candiss]

I'm going to read The Drowning Girl by Caitlín R. Kiernan, I think.

[D.G.]

Oh I have on my TBR...maybe I'll get to it!

[Coralie]

I will start with Slow River which is on my LOST list.

[Darci]

There are so many books on this shelf that look interesting I'm not sure where to begin. Maybe Shine, I've heard good things about it.

[Dee]

Shine was a decent read

I really like The You Know Who Girls: Freshman Year

[Rora]

I might read Tipping the Velvet by Sarah Waters. I liked Fingersmith by her. Also I'm thinking about reading The Picture of Dorian Gray. It's one of those classic books I've been meaning to read but haven't yet.

For those who like fantasy type books I thought Ash by Malinda Lo and Luck in the Shadows by Lynn Flewelling were pretty good.

[LynnB]

I realized I had my comment in the wrong thread.... so I'm just moving it over to this one.

I went through 30 shelves and didn't find any on my TBR though there were a couple I had already read, so I went back to the start and decided I might read Sing You Home by Jodi Picoult, The Color Purple by Alice Walker, and/or Maurice by E M Forster.

[Bea]

As a general rule, I have not liked the books that I have read from this shelf, so I was a bit disappointed. However, maybe it is just the books themselves and not the topic, so I will give it another try.

The Picture of Dorian Gray is on my TBR. so I might try that one. Also, since I like mysteries, I might try Fatal Shadows, if I can get it on interlibrary loan.

[Dee]

Bea - do you have a kindle? I think I might have Fatal Shadows for loan

ETA - I do - I have the combo of book 1 and 2 if you would like to borrow

[Susan]

Tien wrote: "Lyn M wrote: "I went through all 30 pages of it LOL"

BUT there are way more than 30 pages on the shelf. Keep entering a page number, and you'll keep getting more, until you're totally worn out and give up. :)

[Susan]

Moving my what-I've-liked-&-think-some-of-you-might message over from the shelf-picker thread to here:

Those of you who are looking for something that treats glbt topics without focusing on sex might want to try some young adult books. David Levithan may be my favorite of those authors, and I recommend Will Grayson, Will Grayson which he co-wrote with John Green. Julie Peters has also written a lot for young-adults. My favorites of hers so far are grl2grl, a short story collection, and Luna.

My favorite book of all time is Ursula Le Guin's Left Hand of Darkness, and I recently discovered several great books when I put it in to Tien's "Please Give Me More" game. Ammonite turned out to be very hard to find, but worth it -- 5 stars.

Those of you who like Bohjalian's work should consider Trans Sister Radio.

If you're interested in memoirs, Rita Will is by Rita Mae Brown of the Sneaky Pie cat series; Allison Bechdel's Fun Home is the first of two memoirs told as graphic novels; and She's Not There: A Life in Two Genders is just what its subtitle says.

[Susan]

Wow! You're all finding lots of great books. I'll be interested to read what you think about them in the reviews thread later.

I'm definitely going to read Daughters of the North and China Mountain Zhang.
I'm debating whether to try John Irving's new In One Person -- I sometimes find him frustrating to read.
I want to read another of Nicola Griffith's books, but haven't decided between Slow River, which is science fiction/fantasy and The Blue Place, which is the first in a mystery series set in Scandinavia.
I might try Gore Vidal's The City and the Pillar, which would hit 1948 on the Freedom Tower.
And I'll probably use this as an excuse to read City of Fallen Angels, the 4th in the Mortal Instruments series.

[Susan]

Bea wrote: "Also, since I like mysteries ..."

The Blue Place, is also a mystery. I haven't read it, but I have liked other things by its author.

[Tien]

Susan wrote: "Tien wrote: "Lyn M wrote: "I went through all 30 pages of it LOL"

BUT there are way more than 30 pages on the shelf. Keep entering a page number, and you'll keep getting more, until you're totally..."

I just meant that I went through the effort for 30 pages ;)

[Lyn (Readinghearts)]

Tien wrote: "Susan wrote: "Tien wrote: "Lyn M wrote: "I went through all 30 pages of it LOL"

BUT there are way more than 30 pages on the shelf. Keep entering a page number, and you'll keep getting more, until ..."

Ya, Tien, the more I look at the list, the more I find that might be good. There are the Armistead Maupin Tales of the City books. Also, The Blue Place looks good. Plus I just realized that the Mortal Insturments books are on the list. I have City of Glass to read. And then, as Susan mentioned, Trans-Sister Radio is on the list and Chris Bohjalian is one of my favorite authors.

[Bea]

I can get The Blue Place also through interlibrary loan. I think I will see which comes in first.

[Bea]

Dee, I have a Kindle app but not a Kindle itself.

[Dee]

i think you can borrow on that - I just need your email, if you want to pm it to me - but i'll hold off sending until closer to Feb (since they are only 2 week loans) - I really enjoyed the Adrien English series - not too smexy - you might also look at Neil Placky's Mahu series if you want more of a mystery aspect

[Lauren]

This is not a genre that I usually read and I didn't think I'd find anything on the shelf but it turns out that not only have I read and loved but there are also two books on my TBR - and . Going to give them a whirl.

[Susan]

I just remembered I also have The Danish Girl on my LOST list, and it's on this shelf, too.

[Carrie]

This is my first "pick-a-shelf" read. I don't tend to read books in this category, so this will be a nice intro to it. I've had in my bookcase for years and years, like 10 years maybe. Just never got in the mood for it, so I'm going to read that one.

[Mary]

I HIGHLY recommend Bear, Otter, and the Kid if you want something emotionally powerful, but also sweet. I recommend Cut & Run if you like FBI, Cops, Bodyguard type books. And finally if you like paranormal, I recommend Living with the Dead.

I think I will read Hot Heads. I've heard it's fun and sexy.

[D.G.]

Oh yeah...Hot Head was great (very explicit though.)

I have Bear, Otter, and the Kid on my TBR. Maybe I'll get to it!

[Susan]

Mary wrote: "I HIGHLY recommend Bear, Otter, and the Kid if you want something emotionally powerful, but also sweet. I recommend Cut & Run if you like FBI, Cops, Bodyguard type books. And finally if you like ..."

There seem to be a lot of books titled "Cut and Run." Do you remember the author of the one you're recommending?

[Mary]

I like explict, D.G.....so I'm good :)

Susan, it is written by Abigail Roux and Madeline Urban. It is the first book in a wonderful series that just gets better and better.

[D.G.]

It's this one: . It's explicit though.

[D.G.]

I'm just cautioning in case people are not into that sort of thing. :)

[Dee]

if you guys want more sweet romance (only one sex scene at the very end) - Faith & Fidelity was my first ever m/m romance and one of my favorite to this day

[Mary]

While Bear, Otter, and the Kid has sex in it, it is not explict. Just FYI

[Mindy]

This isn't a shelf that I would normally go to, though I have read a few from it. That being said, I have quite a list of books checked out from the library for this month's shelf. They are:
Will Grayson, Will Grayson
Brokeback Mountain
Tell the Wolves I'm Home
Luck in the Shadows
Shine
Boy Meets Boy
Eon: Dragoneye Reborn
Hero
and I think I might buy Among the Living. We'll just have to wait and see if I actually read all of these!

[Mary]

I LOVE Among the Living. It is sexually explict, though, and if you are anything like me, you will feel driven to devour the next 5 books after it. :)

[Sherri]

and are on my to-read, so I guess I'll go with those. I don't even remember adding the first one. lol I must get carried away with that button.

[Lyn (Readinghearts)]

That happens to me, too, sometimes Sherri. They all look so good, then I go back and think, "When did I add that one?"

[Bea]

Lyn M wrote: "That happens to me, too, sometimes Sherri. They all look so good, then I go back and think, "When did I add that one?""

Lyn, that is a better question than "Why did I add that one?" LOL

[Bea]

I just got The Blue Place from the library.

[Susan]

Sherri wrote: " and are on my to-read, so I guess I'll go with those. I don't even remember adding the first one. lol I must g..."

Annie on My Mind is considered a classic, and it's ya, a pretty easy, quick read. I'll be interested to know what you think of it. It may seem a bit dated reading it now.

BUT ... bonus ... I don't think anyone has hit 1982 on the Freedom tower yet. Go for it!

[Sherri]

Oo, I hadn't checked out the whole tower business yet, but will definitely do that now.

[Carolyn]

I liked Trans Sister Radio, as somebody mentioned above, by Bohjalian (sp.)

[Rachel]

Definitely Fingersmith, one of my favourite stories. Now this is not my genre at all but I suppose seeing I have read all of Sarah Walters books except Tipping the Velvet I should delve into it for this month's read! I was going to cheat and read Fingersmith again but I suppose that is not being very conscientious book club member!

[Paige]

I'm trying outHow I Paid for College by Marc Acito. It's pretty good so far.

[Rachel]

Enjoying Tipping the Velvet, surprised!

[Christine]

I started reading

[Rachel]

Started reading....?