I‘m starting this tonight. I‘ve never read anything by Marie Benedict before, but I‘ve been told she‘s an excellent writer. As an Agatha Christie fan, I‘m looking forward to this.

I‘m not going to recap the plot because this is a classic and even those who haven‘t read it are at least somewhat aware of/familiar with it. I‘ll just say that I read this book many years ago and I still remember every plot point and every twist and turn because it‘s literally that memorable. Agatha Christie remains the queen of mystery decades after her death. A brilliant, classic, memorable, expertly crafted novel!

Revisiting another favorite. This book is a masterpiece.

Revisiting one of my favorites today.

Tired transphobic/homophobic clichés, ridiculous plot, and gratuitous violence in a novel that reads like it was hastily scribbled on a McDonald‘s napkin by a middle school student who‘s trying to pull up their failing grade in English by trying to impress their teacher with a thin veneer of pseudo intellectualism that just comes across as being laughable. I wish I could unread this. The instructions on my box of Tampax has more literary merit.

This novel, inspired by the true story of a plague stricken English village in the 1660s, is told from the perspective of a maid named Anna Frith. Superstitions and accusations run rampant as one person after another becomes ill and the death count rises. It‘s well written and researched, but it has an unexpected ending that‘s rather abrupt and puzzling. The ending doesn‘t ruin the story, though; it‘s well worth reading. Highly recommended.

There were too many unresolved subplots and too many things were left unexplained. I also didn‘t like the ending. The pace of the story was good, and the tension and sense of danger kept things interesting. This definitely isn‘t one of his best works, though.

I loved it up until the ending. The ending was disappointing to me. It felt rushed and half baked, like he just got tired of writing and said, “Oh, screw it.” Will I keep reading his books? Absolutely. I wouldn‘t put up with this from any other author, but Stephen King is the exception. I‘ve been reading his books since I was eleven years old, and I doubt I‘ll stop now.

Interesting premise, and I like that trans and non-binary characters take center stage. I couldn‘t finish it, though. The gore was too much for me, and there was some brutal sexual violence that didn‘t do anything to further the story; it came across as being gratuitous. I found it disturbing. Some of the characters seemed underdeveloped as well. If none of this bothers you, give this book a chance; you‘ll probably like it. It just wasn‘t for me.

It took me a while to read this because it was so intense and dark, I had to take several breaks from it. I‘m glad I read it, though. It‘s brilliantly written; Margaret Atwood draws the reader in from page one. This book made me wonder if something like this could really happen. It isn‘t so far fetched. Don‘t read this at a time when you‘re stressed, anxious, angry, or feeling sad; this is not a relaxing or uplifting story. Highly recommended.

My beautiful Folio Society edition of The Handmaid‘s Tale. I‘m reading it now, and I‘m blown away! Why did it take me so long to get around to reading this?

It started out well, but it quickly went downhill. There were too many unnecessary characters, too many underdeveloped characters, and too many childish shenanigans. It felt like a YA book trying to pass itself off as deep, thought provoking literary fiction. While I enjoyed the relationship between Emmett and Billy, they weren‘t enough to keep me reading until the end. Also, Duchess and Woolly were unlikeable. For me, this one was a hard pass.

I‘m not sure I can find the words to adequately describe how much I love this book and the effect it had on me. Parts of it made me laugh, parts of it made me cry, and parts of it made me question things I have been taught all my life about gender and relationships. I‘m glad I read this. In addition to being absorbed in and entertained by the story, I learned a lot. This novel is going to stay with me. Moving, thought provoking, outstanding!

This was such a unique story. I enjoyed it so much, I read it in two days. I won‘t bother recapping the plot because it‘s been heavily publicized and promoted by numerous outlets, but I‘ll just say this book has earned the accolades it has received. Sarah Penner illustrated quite well the lack of options women had in the eighteenth century by contrasting the lives of the characters in 1791 with the life of Caroline in the present day.

Such a disappointment. I wanted to like this book. I like Groff‘s use of language, but this book was terrible. I felt like the author couldn‘t decide if she wanted this to be historical fiction or outright fantasy. It was so unbelievable and historically inaccurate that it was ludicrous. I don‘t want to post spoilers, but about 2/3 of the way through the book the story becomes ridiculous. I couldn‘t suspend disbelief enough to finish this.

This book didn‘t live up to the hype for me. I wanted to like it, but it was a disappointment. I didn‘t like any of the characters and I found the parts about his summer job working on a construction site to be boring. The parts of the book that were actually set in Vietnam were interesting, but they just weren‘t enough to keep me reading. The book would‘ve been much better if it had been set in Vietnam entirely. I tried, but I gave up.

Love, loss, and healing. I thought this would be a fun, lighthearted fantasy novel, but it was so much more. This was surprisingly deep, meaningful, and thought provoking. This is such a beautiful story, especially for anyone who has ever lost someone they loved and believes in or hopes for life after death. You‘ll laugh, you‘ll cry, and you‘ll believe in the power of people to change for the better. I can‘t recommend this enough. Read this book.

This was a refreshing change of pace. Set during China‘s Tang Dynasty in 758 CE, this was the most unique historical romance I‘ve ever read. A strong warrior princess heroine made this an enjoyable read. I learned a bit about China‘s history from this book, which added to the enjoyment. Good storyline, interesting characters, fascinating history, and plenty of cultural information make this highly recommended.

This is one of Philippa Gregory‘s lesser known books, and that‘s a shame. I thoroughly enjoyed this. It has an unconventional protagonist and an unconventional ending. Set in Tudor England, this tells the story of Alys, an old lord‘s scribe. Although she‘s the protagonist, Alys can easily be considered evil; she has no problem lying, scheming, seducing, and using the dark arts to get what she wants. This is a unique novel. Highly recommended.

My current read. I‘m enjoying it so far. Intense, atmospheric.

Do you enjoy historically inaccurate, racist depictions of white people murdering American Indians in the Old West? Do you feel bad for the big white man hero when he tries to help a Lakota woman but she‘s just so racist she won‘t accept his help while he and his friends are slaughtering her people? (It‘s OK, though, because the white man feels bad about the genocide he committed!) Well praise the Lord and pass the ammo, this is the book for you!

I wanted to like this book so much, I really did. I loved the TV series, and I‘m looking forward to the reboot. I had to bail on this, though. I just didn‘t like it. Personally, I just didn‘t think it was very well written; it couldn‘t hold my attention. I kept comparing it to the TV series, and it just didn‘t measure up. To each their own. I‘ll be rewatching the series instead of reading the books. Can‘t wait for the reboot series!

This is the sequel to The Tattooist of Auschwitz, and what a sequel it is! Well written and beautifully crafted by an author who apparently cares about her subject. Cilka was an amazingly strong person. This was a difficult novel to read because of what Cilka went through, but it‘s worth the time and effort. Cilka was a perfect example of the triumph of the human spirit. I highly recommend this. TW: rape, violence, mental/verbal/physical abuse.

My current read. Heavy, but well written. Cilka Klein was brave and strong.

This is the memoir of Corrie Ten Boom, a Dutch Christian woman who hid Jews during World War II with the help of her family. The Nazis ultimately discovered what they were doing and sent them and their father to concentration camps. She was an amazing woman who survived and went on to devote her life to philanthropic work and Holocaust education after the war. She also forgave those who betrayed, imprisoned, and tormented her. Powerful story!

I read this book when I was 12 years old, and I still remember it. This is considered to be a children‘s/middle grade novel, but adults can enjoy it too. This is considered to be a classic for a reason. This tells the story of Kit, an outcast girl in Puritan Connecticut who befriends an outcast old woman who is suspected of being a witch. The hatred and violence that masquerade as Christianity in this novel is astounding. The more things change…..

I love the overall message of this novel.

I love this book! It features a gay romance, chosen/found family, fantasy creatures, and an uplifting story in which the characters fight to be together. To me, it feels like a gay themed “Harry Potter” with elements of “1984.” (That‘s a good thing.) It‘s categorized as a novel for adults, but I think older children and teenagers could read it as well. In general, it‘s a sweet, uplifting, entertaining story. I‘ve found a new favorite author. A+!

This book has received global praise and I wanted to like it, but I just didn‘t. The rambling, stream of consciousness style of writing just wasn‘t for me. Personally, I found it to be a mess. The novel was originally written in Greenlandic, so maybe it loses something in the translation; I don‘t know. Disappointing, because a novel from an emerging Greenlandic lesbian writer sounds intriguing. If stream of consciousness appeals to you, read it.

This book is only in print as an e-book today, but used copies can be found in paperback and hardback. It tells the story of Clifford, who is gay and raised Catholic, and Janice, his straight best friend. This book tells their story from their first meeting in third grade in Catholic school in the 1960s to the early 1990s. Religion, sexuality, love, loss, and the bounds of friendship are explored in this novel. The AIDS crisis is also featured.

A haunted house, a murder/suicide, time travel, an alternate dimension, an FBI manhunt, and a gay romance makes this an interesting read. I can always count on Poppy Z. Brite to be delightfully and entertainingly weird. I particularly liked the supporting character Eddy, who I think deserves her own novel. As with all of Poppy Z. Brite‘s novels, this is filled with sex, violence, and alienated characters living on the fringe of society. Unique.

I enjoyed this one. This is the first book of a four volume series. This tells the story of Annice, who renounces her royal heritage in order to become a bard with the ability to summon spirits from all four elements (“quarters”). To the dismay of her female lover, she becomes pregnant and has to go on the run as an outlaw when she rescues the father of her unborn child from execution. Excellent LGBT themed fantasy novel with great world building.

There were some elements of this story I didn‘t care for, but overall I enjoyed this book. This is the second book in the Runnymede series, and it takes place seven years after the first volume. In this book, self-identified, out lesbian Nickel Smith is doing her best to keep an eye on her quarrelsome aunt and mother while embarking on an affair with a married man that rocks the town once her fellow residents find out. Interesting but flawed.

Mary “Frazier” Armstrong is a successful art gallery owner in Charlottesville,VA who writes letters to all her family and friends in which she outs herself as a lesbian after receiving a terminal lung cancer diagnosis. She‘ll be dead by the time they read the letters, she figures. But, surprise! She‘s misdiagnosed and she‘s going to live! Hilarious, heartfelt, and heart wrenching as she deals with the fallout. I loved this one. Highly recommended.

This is the story of Alex, the son of the American President and Henry, a Prince of The United Kingdom. Once adversaries, the fallout from an international incident requires them to spend a lot of time together and they end up falling in love. This is a well written and entertaining novel. There were several times I laughed out loud while reading this, and I thought the ending was perfect. I hope there will be a sequel someday. Highly recommended!

This book takes me back to my Goth youth when I dressed in black, wore ankh necklaces, and smoked clove cigarettes like there was no tomorrow. This book, initially published in the early 1990s, has a strong Goth feel. Homicidal vampires, a bisexual artist heroine in mortal danger, and a gay male love story add up to an entertaining read. This book is much tamer and less explicit than “Exquisite Corpse,” but still has some sex and violence.

I don‘t read much horror, but this novel by trans male author Poppy Z. Brite is brilliantly written. This is a gay themed novel based on Jeffrey Dahmer and Dennis Nilsen. I don‘t want to spoil anything, but this will stay with you. This tells the story of gay men Tran, Jay, Andrew, and Lucas as their lives become entwined and caught up in a web of lies, sex, and murder. TRIGGER WARNING: EXPLICIT CONTENT. This book has been banned many times.

In her second memoir, Janet Mock tells the story of her 20s, a time in her life that was a period of intense change and growth for her. She fills in some gaps from her previous memoir while also going beyond the first book by telling of some experiences she had after that volume ended. This book allows the reader to get to know her much better. Ms. Mock has been to hell and back and has overcome much; she has my respect. TRIGGER WARNING: RAPE.