LGBT Month is hosted by Cayce at Fighting Dreamer and Laura at Laura Plus Books. It runs throughout April and it's here to celebrate LGBT readers, LGBT authors and of course LGBT books!
I wish I wasn't signing up almost halfway through the month for LGBT Month, but better late than never, right? :)
I'm currently reading If You Could Be Mine by Sara Farizan and am 60% of the way through as of this posting. I'm liking it although I'm finding it hard to accept that the main character, Sahar wants to get a sex change when she doesn't truly want to become a boy.
I get that she loves Nasrin so much she'd do anything to be with her but can't be because it's illegal in Iran; however, I wish they'd try to run away to another country or something. What saddens me equally is the treatment of the LGBT community AND women. It's sickening, and I feel like I'm reading a dystopian. It's hard to believe I'm not.
Here are some LGBT books that I'm planning to read, and most likely I won't finish them this month but will continue on supporting LGBT books, authors, and readers well past April! <3
Reading Goals
- Circus Escape by Lilliana Rose
- Frenemy of the People by Nora Olsen
- Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green & David Levithan (for the read-a-long)
- No One Needs to Know by Amanda Grace (Just was approved for a copy on Netgalley! The expected publication isn't until September, so I'll be reviewing this closer to then. I'll probably pick a different book to read and review now, but I'm DYING to read this one!)
- Tell Me Again How a Crush Should Feel by Sara Farizan (I just realized after I was approved for this on Netgalley this is the same author who wrote If You Could Be Mine. Duh me, lol!)
I'd like to have discussion posts in addition to my reviews. I'm starting to get a bit burned out with reviews, and I think discussion posts would be a nice change of pace. :)
If you're participating, let me know! :)
Hey! Thanks for raising awareness since I did not know about it and would like to take part too. Def something to include on my blog in the future. I appreciate the list of books too since I would like to read some books with LGBT themes and don't know that many : )
ReplyDeleteThat's very cool to hear! I'll soon list some more that are published more recently. Two of the above aren't coming out until the fall. One author I highly recommend is Poppy Z. Brite. :)
Delete*ha* We're both 'fashionably' late to this one, Jennifer! :) I think it's interesting that If You Could Be Mine has a dystopian feel - all because of the unfair treatment of women and the LGBT community. I hadn't thought of it that way but you're right. Why can't we all just get along?!? Right?? I like the list of books you provided...I've wanted to read Will Grayson Will Grayson myself. I know I won't get more than one book read this month because of my crazy review schedule. But I too will continue to support these books and authors. Oh, and I love the idea of discussion posts!! Let's do it!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad I'm not the only one fashionably late, lol! ;) It does have that feel to it. I can't imagine living the way women must in Tehran. If your elbows are exposed, the police can stop you and basically call you a whore. It's deplorable. I'm all for people having the freedom to practice their religion, but it's so hard to feel that way when women are treated like they're inferior.
DeleteI have a crazy review schedule, too, so I'm afraid I won't get more than one, maybe two read. I'm so sad I still haven't finished the first book of the Georgina Kincaid series because of all the review books I have (mostly my own fault). :/ I will read that series back to back until the end though, hopefully this summer! :)
It sounds like you have some ideas up your sleeve for discussion posts!! I'm excited! :D
Jennifer, I agree about the part where you say that it is pretty bad and sad that she wants to go through a sex change so she can be with her girl. Especially because she really enjoys being a girl, too.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed the story, but maybe the cultural differences made it a little less something I felt completely immersed in.
I want to read Will Grayson, Will Grayson, too. And you already know that I loved Frenemy of the People :)
Happy reading, Jennifer.
Lexxie @ (un)Conventional Bookviews
I think it bothered me so much because Sahar loved Nasrin so much she was willing to take that drastic measure so she could marry Nasrin, but Nasrin didn't seem to reciprocate the love. And I don't think Sahar would be happy as a man. I know there's no easy answer, and I'm angered by the way women are treated. It's hard to understand since it's a lot different from where we live. I'm looking forward to Frenemy so much!! It sounds so great, and I can't wait for Will Grayson, Will Grayson. I'm reading Two Boys Kissing by David Levithan right now, and it is pure magic! Thank you, Lexxie! :)
DeleteYou know I'm there for discussion posts! I'm a sad book blogger as it is with my few reviews that I post. You're so right on about the dystopian feel to the book you're reading. When prejudice is backed up by the government and police the result is so much like an end of the world story! I like my books a little more hopeful. I loved Will Grayson for sure and you know Aristotle and Dante knocked my socks off. You will just love it. I know it! I only read one LGBT book this month too, but I plan to read one a month from now on, yeah (I just decided that as I typed it).
ReplyDeleteYou've got a lot going on - parenting, writing, working, having fun - I don't know how you do it! It's all about quality not quantity. :)
DeleteThe experiences the girls had with police while being out in public was just wild to me. I couldn't imagine living in a place where I couldn't even show my elbow. I'm excited to read both of those books! I wish I had participated more in this month's activities, and I still haven't written any discussion posts. God I'm so lazy. :/ Always promising discussions but don't deliver. >.<
I also read Two Boys Kissing and will have my review up for that hopefully tomorrow. OMG, you've got to read it! I was laughing, crying, and sometimes both. The way David Levithan writes is poetic.
LOL you decided that as you typed it! I love it!! :)