#contemporary books

[noahhawthorneauthor]

"Every indifference to prejudice is suicide because, if I don’t fight all bigotry, bigotry itself will be strengthened and, sooner or later, it will return on me." -Bayard Rustin

*Edit to add that Adiba Jaigirdar is Bangladeshi/Irish, not Black. Apologies !

[highladyofterrasen7]

This is an appreciation post for all the authors who write books set in the past few years AND DONT MENTION COVID

THANK YOUUUUUUUU

[heartsofhorrors]

100 Queer Books: Contemporary Edition 💖📚✨

disclaimer: i have not read majority of these books so i cannot guarantee good / accurate representation! please feel free to leave any additional recs i didn’t include!

finally a new update to my 100 queer books series!! contemporary this time :) soooo many of these are my tbr already!

i’ve now done:

horror ✅

fantasy ✅

graphic novels ✅

contemporary ✅

what’s next heheh

[mangoslixes]

Fifteen sunflowers, some in bloom and some turning. Yellow on yellow pigment that darkened to ochre. Yellow earthenware vase decorated by a complementary blue line that cut across its middle. The original was painted by one of the loneliest men on earth. But painted in a frenzy of optimism and gratitude and hope. A celebration of the transcendent power of the color yellow.

mutuals as books I love: @appleinducedsleep as Tin Man by Sarah Winman

[ivaspinoza]

I've never read anything quite like Fever Dream. I couldn't understand a lot of it as I read, although I do understand the characters and plot overall. In each moment, did you understand what was happening? What did you find profound? What did you like best artistically about it, and were there any big philosophical statements?

What a cool, exciting ask! I love this book, I wrote a 6-page essay about it for college at the time and I was never able to read it again because of how strong the experience was for me (I want to preserve the memory).

Latin America's magical realism is not about introducing some fantasy features into the ordinary, is more about the mystical experience of reality itself, the haunting mysteries or inexplicable events of life. They exaggerate the surreal, "magical" aspect to highlight the main issue. I will share more about that in the end.

What I like about Fever Dream the most is its originality. Once you start the book, you have to feel lost. That's the whole point. Schweblin is so bold, she actually doesn't want you to "understand what is going on", she invites you into the MC's feverish dream, and for that to happen you literally have to let go of any expectations and let the story unfold at its own pace. I honestly will recommend this book to any writer who is willing to take the (eco)horror path.

But it's not just about that. Personally, this book got to me because of the "rescue distance" concept — a better translation of the original title. As someone who lost a baby, the whole paranoia that comes from sensing danger, but being blind to it at the same time, drove me almost mad. I ate that book in one afternoon — and I'm a slow reader. Couldn't stop turning pages. It was too similar to my personal experience of foreseeing death, knowing that something was just about to happen, and not being able to avoid it at all. Very cathartic, per se.

But to talk more directly about the book, I will use my own words from a few years back, and if you don't want spoilers, don't read it:

"In the end, the loose thread remains. The feeling of loss is inevitable. All the danger and sense of paranoia culminated in a whirlwind of unstoppable events, engulfing the reader in a tachycardic, spiralling route; and he lands with the certainty that something very important was left behind: the essential and irreplaceable — perhaps, life itself. It's like returning from a trip without your luggage, empty-handed. Maybe this loose thread is the sensation of the entire humanity when confronted with its impotence in the face of a scenario of constant catastrophe, of destruction that disintegrates everything around: the web being woven as one lives, without being able to deviate from the tracks or turn back. The inevitability of evil — are we like Amanda, doing our best to protect those we love, and always losing what matters most? What similarity would we have with David, tying everything in his room (p.136), trying to connect the loose thread of this unreachable distance that can no longer be calculated? He may be trying to connect with what little remains, that which seems solid, in search of connecting then with something familiar; something that sustains a world that seems to be in free fall, heading nowhere. And this world — this same world of mutations, poisoned mist, dead ducks buried in the backyard, of silence that devoured all things, this world of Schweblin's magical realism — this is our own world."

I might upload my reviews and essays one day if I ever have enough energy and time to open a substack or something (they are too long). Latin American literature is fire! I'm glad you have this book a chance :) and thanks again for the ask!

[coming-of-age-witch]

me when art, quotes, quotations, written lines from books,extracts of literature, pictures of empty forests, mists, nightsky, seagulls and beach, buzzing metros, space , dried leaves, hyperfixations, abstract concepts, infodumps on random topics, thoughtfulness, intense description of unexplored feelings :

in this essay i will-

[thebeautifulbook]

NORDISKA GUDAR (aka NORSE GODS) by Johan Egerkrans. ‘Hel’ Illustration by the author.

[nerdynatreads]

 ☆☆YouTube | Tumblr | Instagram | Storygraph ☆☆

book review || We Are Okay by Nina LaCour

video review || Queen of Writing Emo Girls -- Author Taste Test: Nina LaCour

Okay, so right out of the gate, there’s this somber tone throughout the writing and damn does it bring the mood down, but through the flashback chapters, there are highlights of happier, simpler times. Even in those, we eventually learn of the old scars that still haunt Marin and her grandfather. While there are no actual ghosts, Marin still talks about the ghosts in her life, the ones that haunt her once happy places. But holy shit, when we finally get answers to what occurred that made Marin run away to New York, it was a knife in the heart. This book is achingly raw in its portrayal of grief and although I would find myself wondering why Marin was acting a certain way, the final reveal really explained it all.

The loneliness Marin feels at the beginning is almost suffocating and when Mabel arrives, what should be a reprieve, just reinforces how far apart they’ve fallen. However, you can still feel the connection between them, the friendship (or more) that’s laid dormant for months. While LaCour writes sad girls incredibly well, she clearly also excels at writing realistic relationships. The nuances between her relationship with Mabel were so well done and the complications of her relationship with her grandfather were even more impressive. The way her loneliness is completely interrupted by her found family at the end brought tears to my eyes, it really showed the importance of having people who love you.

Once again, the author’s writing is so simple and yet, so powerful. The atmosphere is also fantastic. I feel like a fly on the wall with Marin and Mabel, whether they’re in their own homes or at Maeve’s college dorm. She makes things feel homey and welcoming for you, but that doesn’t hide the depression Marin is struggling with. Perfectly done juxtaposition. This was just heart-wrenchingly beautiful.

4 / 5 stars

[franticvampirereads]

I think I’ve found another favorite book of the year! This is one of the ones that I desperately wish had been around when I was in high school. I’m sitting here crying because this book made me so ridiculously happy that it exists now (and it takes so much for me to cry over a book). It’s lovely to see a fat character like Skye, genuinely loving the body they’re in and for the story to not focus on her losing weight to feel loved or accepted. It made me so, so happy to see her living her best life and standing up not just for herself, but for everyone who’s ever been told they can’t do something because of their size. There were so many lines and quotes that I highlighted in this book because they were things that hit home. I felt so seen and understood by this book. I just want to scream at the top of my lungs that everyone should read I’ll Be The One. It was a fantastic book and I’m giving it a solid five stars. And now I need to go dry my eyes 😭.

Reading Challenge Prompt Fills:

Read Queerly 2023: a queer POC main character

Shop Your Shelves: highlights or tabs, read & recommend

PopSugar 2023: a romance with a fat main character

[littleredwritinghoodsclub]

Upcoming Dates!!

On March 10th we will be opening up the book forum for I'm Glad my Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy! And just as a reminder you're totally welcome to keep sharing any thoughts or quotes from past books we've read :)

March 10-14th will be the first of two polls deciding April's book of the month. This poll will decide which genre we will read next.

March 14-18th will be the second of the two polls in deciding which of the books from the genre selected will be read for April.

TYSM and Happy Reading!

If you would like to read with us, then check out our info post about our discord server here. Or are you interested in seeing what we have on our book list? Check out our spreadsheet here.

We are also looking for mods for our server! Check out this post here if you are interested in applying.

[elizmanderson]

Henlo :3

I'm currently reading the Remarkable Retirement of Edna Fisher, and it was bugging me that I didn't know why Amir was flinching when Edna touched him, so (based on Akida's hijab and Amir's prayer rug) I looked into customs of Islam and learned some stuff and I just want to say thanks for having so many different kinds of lives in this book (: I always appreciate learning real world stuff in fun ways.

thank you so much for reading! I had a lot of help with Amir's character from Muslim friends who kindly answered my questions and/or read early drafts and gave me feedback. I'd like to take this opportunity to recommend a couple Muslim authors and their books*!

Adiba Jaigirdar is an auto-buy author for me! three of her books are queer YA romance - The Henna Wars, Hani & Ishu's Guide to Fake Dating, and The Dos and Donuts of Love (the last one is coming out in June) - but she also has A Million to One, which is a heist story set on the Titanic. that one just released in December, so I haven't read it yet, but I'm SO EXCITED for it. check out Adiba's books on her website.

Priyanka Taslim is a fellow 2023 debut whose book I looked forward to for ages, and it did not disappoint! The Love Match is pitched as a Bangladeshi-American YA romance that will appeal to fans of Jane Austen (and also it will appeal to tea-lovers everywhere). it has fake dating, complicated family dynamics, and a love triangle that really kept me guessing. Priyanka also has an adult novel, From Mumbai With Love, anticipated to release early in 2024, so add it on GoodReads now. check out Priyanka's website here.

Kataru Yahya is another fellow debut whose book is alas not out yet, but I can't wait to read it! Home Is a Silhouette is a loose, contemporary retelling of Beauty & the Beast that is set in Ghana. If you haven't seen the cover yet, be sure to take a look, because it's ridiculously gorgeous. add the book on GoodReads now, and check out Kataru's Linktree here. (she is also a poet, and some of her poetry is linked on Linktree if you're interested!)

Aamna Qureshi is the definition of "it's about the range": if you're looking for an author who can do contemporary, fantasy, long-form, short-form - look no further. The Lady or the Lion and The Man or the Monster (a YA fantasy duology retelling of the story "The Lady or the Tiger") are out now. keep an eye out for When a Brown Girl Flees (2023), If I Loved You Less (2024), and My Big, Fat, Desi Wedding (edited by Prerna Pickett, 2024) if you prefer contemporary! see more details on Aamna's website.

Khadijah VanBrakle is another fellow debut, and her book comes out next month! Fatima Tate Takes the Cake is recommended for fans of Elizabeth Acevedo and Ibi Zoboi (um, YES) and is yet another debut with an absolutely gorgeous cover that I'm obsessed with. if you like coming-of-age stories that are gritty yet hopeful, be sure to give this one a look. see more details on Khadijah's website!

*I write adult contemporary fantasy, and you'll notice this list is like. mostly YA contemporary/YA romance with a sprinkling of YA fantasy. that is because, as much as I love adult fantasy and writing in the adult fantasy space, most of what I read in general tends to be YA, and most of what I've read since the pandemic started leans romance (because low stakes and a guaranteed HEA are exactly what I have needed since the pandemic started).

[content-cat]

On this thing that we're doing.

So, in 2022, to combat the mental illnesses of our time (capitalism) five of us agreed to start a digital queer romance literary press. And then we founded:

Space Fruit Press!*

And it has continued to be a wonderful experience. Somehow we all still enjoy working together. That is always a miracle and a blessing.

On to the queer sweet & spicy 🌶 stuff—we have a variety of spiced or sweet content for those itching for a good bedtime read.

All Our Books Our Authors

If you ever have any questions or want a more detailed tag or spoiler for any story please email us at spacefruipress@gmail.com and we will answer any question you may have.

*the name started as a joke, that we wanted something spacey and something fruity and so we came up with about a million fun combinations but then we just kept referring to it as 'space fruit press' and it stuck.

[laiinereads]

 “I want the wedding sooner rather than later. I’m not wasting another minute without making you my wife. You can have anything you want. A big church wedding. A backyard barbecue. A five-figure wedding dress. But I have one demand.”

“What’s that?”

“I want daisies in your hair.”

𝐼𝑌𝐾𝑌𝐾 🌼🌼🌼

📖 Things We Never Got Over by Lucy Score

[boooklover]

“Things that are over aren’t the same as things that never happened.”

Sally Rooney, Conversations with Friends

[scribblingsfromadreamer]

When you go from reading, a literary masterpiece with amazing writing, and great storytelling to an average contemporary book

[readsofawe]