Hey! You’re here. Thank you.
Here’s Yaya in case you need her.
As our friend Kendra said last week, “No Kings, iust Queen Yaya.”
Now that we’ve given Yaya her due, let’s get into the books.
Believe it or not we are half way through the year, and as usual I’m thinking about books - the ones I’ve read, the ones I can’t believe I haven’t read, the ones I want to read, the fantasies I have of abandoning all my responsibilities so I can read even more. You get it!
This mid-year reading round up is inspired by
and the #midyearfreakouttag on bookstagram.Whether you’ve read 5 books or 10 books or 100 books, make your own list and tell me your favorites in the comments.
best book I’ve read so far
Ask me about how Ocean Vuong just sold out an 800 seat theater in our little town!!
I wrote about what this book means to me here.
a book that made me laugh
Trust & Safety by Laura Blackett & Eve Gleichman
I can’t shut up about this book! I wrote about it here. I laughed and I winced in recognition. Call me when you read it, you’ll know what I mean.
a book that made me cry
No explanation needed.
new favorite character
Maureen from The Emperor of Gladness. Maureen hive rise up.
favorite new to you author
Darcy Liao, author of one of my favorite recent romance novels, Make Room for Love.
favorite book by a debut author
Ordinary Time by Annie B. Jones
I wrote about my experience reading this lovely, warm memoir here.
biggest disappointment
Flirting Lessons by Jasmine Guillory
I was super hyped for this sapphic romance and sadly it just didn’t do it for me. That said, romance is so personal to every reader so don’t just take my word for it on this one. Jasmine Guillory remains one of my favorite authors out there, this one just didn’t live up to hype for me.
biggest surprise
Challenger by Adam Higginbotham
She read a 576 page book about the Challenger space shuttle disaster?? And she loved it?? Yes and yes. Though of course if you listen to The Stacks you know this should not really be a surprise.
most anticipated release for the second half of the year
Articulate: A Deaf Memoir of Voice by Rachel Kolb
I am so excited about this upcoming debut memoir by my friend
. I’m a huge fan of books that combine memoir and cultural exploration/history so I can’t wait to dig into this one. Rachel is a brilliant writer and reader and I know this book is going to inspire rich, fascinating, important conversations. It comes out September 16th and you can pre-order it now.Friendly reminder that pre-orders always make a huge difference for authors and indie bookstores, but they are particularly impactful for debut authors. Give your future self a gift and pre-order a 2025 book by a debut author from your local indie bookstore. Trust me, it’s a win win win.
In the meantime, you can also subscribe to Rachel’s wonderful Substack.
new release you haven’t read but want to
Three Wild Dogs (and the Truth) by Markus Zusak
The author of The Book Thief wrote a memoir about “his family’s adoption of three troublesome rescue dogs - a charming and courageous love story about making even the most incorrigible animals family” Um hello??? I haven’t seen this one many places but it sounds like something I have to read.
book I want to read by the end of the year
A Sharp and Endless Need by Marisa Crane
I hear tell that this is a lesbian high school basketball novel and, once again, hello??? Was this made in a lab for me?? Readers I trust tell me this book contains untold amounts of gay yearning (and basketball) so yeah sign me up.
most beautiful book I’ve acquired this year
It’s my dream to own and read Carson McCullers’ entire catalogue so I was thrilled to find this copy of Clock Without Hands at the incredible treasure trove that is West Side Books in Denver, CO. I love this book and I love that I can remember the exact moment I spotted it on the shelf. I love that the bookseller who checked me out at the counter was a Carson fan and we had a whole little moment for our girl.
Okay that’s all I’ve got for you today. If you’ve read this far you are the real winner. Tell me what in the comments books you’ve loved so far this year and what books you are itching to get to.
Tell Dunkin he is a good boy.
Be good to yourself. We love you.
Love,
Rosamond
Agree on Emperor of Gladness! It's tied with Beautyland as my fave book so far this year. I've read 142 books so far this year, so that's high praise!
I'd also shout out Stop Me If You've Heard This One by Kristen Arnett if you want something delightfully queer (lesbian clowns!) but also deeper than it seems.
I want to read A Sharp and Endless Need also, just waiting on my copy I won from the publisher (woo!) Need to read my preorders that are being ignored, Flashlight, Atmosphere, Bury Our Bones etc!
Dunkin is a good boy and Yaya is a queen.
“Was this made in a lab for me?” 🤣🤣🤣 I feel that way about books sometimes and those books are THE BEST. That Mac Crane is also on my wish list for this year, if you would like a buddy reader. 😊 At the mid-year point my hands-down fave is One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This. Emperor is up there, too, of course!!