Does listening to audiobooks count as reading? Here it does. Let’s discuss your favorite reads — or listens.
From the Bible to “World War Z,” humanity has turned to art and literature to help understand pandemics, which, in reality, are a not infrequent occurrences when you look at world history. And part of that healing and processing comes from being entertained.
Expectation: A high-brow thriller set in the post-apocalyptic Midwest.
Reality: A richly drawn character study that expertly balances multiple, intersecting plots and timelines.
Expectation: An Americana-hued ghost story.
Reality: Heavy on ambition, light on originality. You’ve heard variations of this story before – and by stronger authors.
Expectation: An historical fiction epic focusing on the early days of aviation.
Reality: Heavy on scope and scale, light on focus. It’s mostly enjoyable but also didn’t need to be 600+ pages.
Expectation: I honestly thought this was a young adult novel.
Reality: A contender for the shortlist of my favorite adult high-brow gay fiction.
Watching the “Fear Street” trilogy on Netflix got me thinking about the book adaptations I actually want to see.
Of the 43 books completed, most have been relatively mediocre with only five solidly five-star reads a few more strong recommendations.
Expectation: “28 Summers, Part II,” also known as a quick cash grab by Hilderbrand.
Reality: An effective and rewarding mini sequel that honors the original while giving the reader closure to the rushed ending of “Summers.”
Expectation: “The Stand” meets “The Walking Dead.”
Reality: A mostly solid end-of-the world story that is a tad too long to provide maximum impact.
Expectation: Another character-driven crowd pleaser from Taylor Jenkins Reid.
Reality: A mostly solid endeavor that keeps you entertained, but outside of one character it doesn’t deliver the emotional depth of her previous work.
Expectation: A coming-of-age story about overcoming outside forces to live your life fully.
Reality: Another historical fiction gay love story that felt a bit recursive.
Expectation: A YA romance with a different point-of-view.
Reality: A disconnected effort with a strong plot focused on identity and acceptance brought down by the typical YA tropes of too smart, too woke kids being mad at the world.
Part personal memoir, part family history and part cultural commentary, “Mama’s Boy” is nonfiction that follows the formula of quality historical fiction – a strong female character, intersection with landmark events and overcoming barriers both within yourself and from the world around you.
Expectation: A fast-paced apocalyptic survival tale.
Reality: A slow-burn family drama that packs a lot of understated horror and emotional attachment to the main characters into the rich prose.
Three standout essays show the potential of what this memoir-manifesto could’ve been if only Johnson showed more focus.
Expectation: A YA wish-fulfillment fantasy featuring a BIPOC queer lead.
Reality: A funny, heartfelt and quickly paced story that reminded me of the best late-90s teen comedies.
While “Dream House” didn’t totally work for me, it is an important work. How Machado uses her experiences to raise awareness of the challenges same sex couples face when reporting abuse, to addressing the ways in which the queer community will turn on its own, is important and urgent.
Expectation: A what-would-you-do dramedy tailor-made to us queers that relish being the “cool” uncle or aunt.
Reality: A campy, somewhat stereotypical story that runs a little long but delivers a lot of humor and heart.
For Pride month, I’ve committed to reading only stories written by LGBTQIA+ writers and/or featuring predominately queer characters.
If you’re interested in a similar challenge, let me help you narrow down your choices with a little “Read This, Not That: Pride Edition.”
At only five hours, I’d encourage anyone to listen to “Songteller,” but it’s probably best suited for fans rather than casual observers of the superstar.
