my pride month TBR (fiction/horror)
okay definitely a little bit late here but I have been so busy lately I totally forgot to read the books I (planned) on reading during june aka pride month and I usually have a super hard time finding queer books that aren’t in the romance genre bc I don’t like romance novels but these ones were finally something new!
I had bought these books at the end of may to read this month but after taking way too long to finish my last book and being so busy, I only got to finish 1 but i’m just going to read them into july (never a bad time to read queer fiction). these were some of the most popular books I found in the genres I like and I am so excited to read them all!! here is the description and genres of each book:
her body and other parties (short stories/fiction) - In Her Body and Other Parties, Carmen Maria Machado blithely demolishes the arbitrary borders between psychological realism and science fiction, comedy and horror, fantasy and fabulism. While her work has earned her comparisons to Karen Russell and Kelly Link, she has a voice that is all her own. In this electric and provocative debut, Machado bends genre to shape startling narratives that map the realities of women’s lives and the violence visited upon their bodies. A wife refuses her husband’s entreaties to remove the green ribbon from around her neck. A woman recounts her sexual encounters as a plague slowly consumes humanity. A salesclerk in a mall makes a horrifying discovery within the seams of the store’s prom dresses. One woman’s surgery-induced weight loss results in an unwanted houseguest. And in the bravura novella “Especially Heinous,” Machado reimagines every episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, a show we naively assumed had shown it all, generating a phantasmagoric police procedural full of doppelgängers, ghosts, and girls-with-bells-for-eyes. Earthy and otherworldly, antic and sexy, queer and caustic, comic and deadly serious, Her Body and Other Parties swings from horrific violence to the most exquisite sentiment. In their explosive originality, these stories enlarge the possibilities of contemporary fiction.
wilder girls (horror/fiction)- It's been eighteen months since the Raxter School for Girls was put under quarantine. Since the Tox hit and pulled Hetty's life out from under her. It started slow. First the teachers died one by one. Then it began to infect the students, turning their bodies strange and foreign. Now, cut off from the rest of the world and left to fend for themselves on their island home, the girls don't dare wander outside the school's fence, where the Tox has made the woods wild and dangerous. They wait for the cure they were promised as the Tox seeps into everything. But when Byatt goes missing, Hetty will do anything to find her, even if it means breaking quarantine and braving the horrors that lie beyond the fence. And when she does, Hetty learns that there's more to their story, to their life at Raxter, than she could have ever thought true.
our wives under the sea (horror/fiction) - I actually just finished this book and really enjoyed it a ton! check back tomorrow for the plot and my thoughts on the book :))
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#lemon8bookclub #lemon8bookchallenge #reading #lgbtqbooks #queerbooks #pridemonth #pride #queer #books
It's always a challenge to find queer books that break away from the romance genre, isn't it? As someone who loves a good thrill and thought-provoking fiction, I was so excited to discover these gems for my reading list. They truly offer something different and powerful, especially for those looking to expand their queer literary horizons beyond conventional love stories. First up, 'Her Body and Other Parties' by Carmen Maria Machado. This collection of short stories isn't just fiction; it's a masterclass in genre-bending. Machado completely blurs the lines between horror, fantasy, fabulism, and psychological realism. What strikes you immediately is her incredibly unique voice. The stories, like 'The Husband Stitch' with its mysterious green ribbon, or the reimagined 'Law & Order: SVU' novella 'Especially Heinous,' delve deep into the realities of women's lives and the violence (both overt and subtle) they face. The queerness in these narratives isn't just a side note; it's intricately woven into the fabric of identity and experience, making it incredibly resonant. If you're searching for something truly original and unsettling, this book, with its striking cover, is a must-read. It’s no wonder it’s often highlighted as a standout short story collection. Then there’s 'Wilder Girls' by Rory Power. This one delivers on the horror promise! Set in a quarantined all-girls boarding school, it presents a chilling scenario where a mysterious 'Tox' infects everyone, turning bodies 'strange and foreign.' The atmosphere is palpable – isolated, dangerous, and full of uncertainty. What I loved about this novel is how the queer relationships feel so integral to the characters' survival and emotional journey, without becoming the central focus of the plot. It’s a story about strength, resilience, and finding your way in a broken world, where the queer experience is simply part of the fabric of these girls' lives. The cover itself, often depicting a haunting, desolate environment, perfectly encapsulates the book's mood. It's a gripping read that stays with you long after you've turned the last page. And finally, 'Our Wives Under the Sea' by Julia Armfield. I actually just finished this one, and wow, it left me with so many feelings! It's a gorgeous, melancholic, and deeply unsettling horror story that explores grief and transformation through the lens of a queer relationship. The premise is fascinating: a wife returns from a deep-sea mission changed, and her partner struggles to understand what happened. Armfield crafts such a unique, atmospheric narrative that pulls you into the depths of the ocean and the depths of human emotion. It felt like a profound exploration of loss, otherness, and how love can contend with the incomprehensible. The way the horror slowly unfurls, subtle yet pervasive, is truly brilliant. This novel is not just a horror story; it’s a poignant exploration of what it means to lose someone, even when they’re right beside you. These books really stand out as exceptional examples of queer fiction and horror that offer rich narratives and powerful themes. They prove that queer stories are incredibly diverse and can explore every genre imaginable. I highly recommend picking one up if you're looking for something new and impactful!