#its The Lesbianas Guide to Catholic School

[jessie-jem]

Cannot handle my love for this fuckin book and I'm gonna explode out my fuckin eyes because it's so fuckin good and dhsbaabsbbe my coworker is gonna hate me because this is all I will talk about tomorrow fnnsdbsbdhrbdhdbehd motherfucker I loveeeeeee mediaaaaaaaaaaaaa all hail the literatureeeeeeeeeee djfjdjssn

[lalalaets]

run (feat ed sheeran) (taylor's version) (from the vault) from the album red is andreil coded🤭

[sonora-reyes]

IM READING THE LESBIANA’S GUIDE TO CATHOLIC SCHOOL AND ITS SO GOOD!!!!!!!!

ahhh I'm so glad you're enjoying it!! <3

[bookaddict24-7]

REVIEWS OF THE WEEK!

Books I’ve read so far in 2022!

Friend me on Goodreads here to follow my more up to date reading journey for the year!

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261. Forgiving Lies by Molly McAdams--⭐️

Beware of this book for those who need TW!!!! There’s a very descriptive r@pe scene. There is physical and emotional abuse. There is victim blaming. There is stalking. There is an insta romance that the MC falls into very close to her attack and I know everyone handles the trauma differently, but it felt a little too…easy for her to just move on to another guy? Also, warning for the MC saying that it’s not r@pe because he didn’t finish. Yeah, this book was a lot. I’m glad I’m finished it and that it’s not on my shelf anymore. Also there’s a sequel which just seems…pointless?

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262. So You Want to Be A Wizard by Diane Duane--⭐️⭐️⭐️

I’ve had this book on my bookshelves for years and I’ve always been curious if I would actually like it. While it wasn’t what I was expecting, it had its entertaining moments. This gave me similar vibes to A WRINKLE IN TIME in that it explores magic and the whimsical, but in a logical and slightly over wordy way. It had its moments where I was confused because of the writing and it made me remember how different fantasy and sci-fi were written in the past in comparison to today. I have the whole series, so I will try to read it 😂

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263. Moonlight by Rachel Hawthorne--⭐️⭐️⭐️

After having this on my currently reading list for far too long, I finally finished!! While this wasn’t a perfect read, it was actually a lot of fun. I already want the sequel for future reading. I enjoy the occasional werewolf (or shifter) lore and this one entertained me. The romance with the brooding tough boy was predictable but still fun. The writing is a little simple and predictable, but I think it would make for a great summer read.

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264. The Lesbiana’s Guide to Catholic School by Sonora Reyes--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Please check out the trigger warnings before you read this book, specifically TWs for: Homophobia, racism, Depression, and mention of suicide. One of the first times this book came to my attention was when one of my friends mentioned the first sentence of the book. Pick up a copy and read that sentence--I'm sure it'll hook you right away. This book had so many layers to it and Reyes captured them beautifully. One of the things I appreciated the most was how Latine culture can or might look at the topic of the LGBTQ+ community. This book shows how some people can surprise us, but others can fall into the homophobia that sometimes thrives in some Latine families/homes. Another thing I really appreciated was Reyes's representation of how depression can present itself differently and how good some people are at masking it. This particular part of the book will get your heart going, but I think that the topic was appropriate, especially because it could touch a reader who is quietly struggling. The MC was great and I loved seeing her character growth; especially because it was so imperfect. That fear of not knowing who to trust with one of your biggest secrets and maintaining that self-security one might build from living a life surrounded by those who fight to keep others like you down is very real. I think many will be able to relate to her--especially because of her imperfections. I really enjoyed this book and I think it's an important one for people to check out. I think this is one of those quiet YA books that will be one of those "I can't believe I hadn't read this until now" type of books.

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265. Stay True by Hua Hsu--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I have been reading sooooo many memoirs lately and I'm really here for it. I never thought I would be so intrigued by other peoples' lives and histories. Although this takes place during a time where I was barely alive, I found it fascinating to hear about someone's younger years during some pretty pivotal decades. I also have a soft spot for memoirs that speak about a family's immigration experience--although this time, it was a life story from a first generation immigrant child and not a .5 generation immigrant child. It was fascinating seeing how different his life was when I recall reading histories of others who went to their new countries as children as opposed to children who were born in the new countries. When it got to a certain part, my heart broke for the author. That was such a jarring moment that I had to pause for a second to fully understand what I had just read. This whole memoir felt like a dedication to the subject. It was written in such a compelling way that I couldn't believe it was over when it ended.

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266. A Little Bit Broken by Roz Weston--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Please look for the TWs before you pick this one up! I'm going to be honest, I didn't even know who Roz Weston was before I came across his memoir at work. And because I've been falling in love with memoirs and autobiographies, I HAD to read this one. I wasn't disappointed. Weston has gone through A LOT. Honestly, when he started detailing his self-destructive behaviour and self-worth issues I wasn't wholly surprised. It's incredible to see how put together of an image some people can show off to the world, but inside they're a storm cloud of emotions and experiences they can't voice or even begin to fully comprehend. This was a beautiful, raw, and heartbreaking life story and frankly, good for him for succeeding despite the trauma he faced. I also liked seeing the complicated relationship he had with his dad, even though his dad wasn't like the other dads of the time. I highly recommend you give this a read--especially the audiobook since he narrates the book himself. He has a great voice.

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267. Astrophysics for People in a Hurry by Neil deGrasse Tyson--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I'm not going to lie, I feel like I didn't actually understand most of what I listened to in this audiobook, but Tyson has such a compelling way of teaching his readers that I enjoyed just listening to his words. Definitely recommend this one for anyone who is looking for a great storyteller that teaches you some science about our universe.

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268. Mr. Wrong Number by Lynn Painter--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I had a lot of fun reading this one--especially when it started getting spicy. Not only did we get a great enemies to lovers trope, but we got some hilarious text conversations between two characters with a ridiculous level of chemistry. If you want to giggle and just enjoy some good old fashioned tension, then this might be the next read for you!

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269. Deception by Lee Nichols--⭐️⭐️⭐️

I finally finished this book after having it on my bookshelf for forever and a day. I won't lie--I was thrown off at the beginning because the writing was incredibly juvenile. But as the story progressed, the MC grew and the writing matured a bit more. It got more interesting and I found myself being drawn back to the book more than when I first started it. I think the concept is really interesting and some of the mysteries were great and will most likely lead to an equally entertaining sequel. There were some dumb things here and there that made me roll my eyes, but I'm hoping to see some resolutions regarding those issues in the sequel. I'd recommend this series for those who like ghost stories with a bit of mystery and romance. Just keep in mind that this is an older book, so it might feel a little young (back when YA read younger).

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270. Forever Birchwood by Danielle Daniel--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I went into this a little wary because I wasn't entirely in the mood, but I became more intrigued when I realized when this story is set and when we started going into more detail about the friend group. Though this is set in Canada, it gave me strong NOW & THEN vibes. One of the things I love about these kinds of middle grade books is that some of the situations that would normally be used to create drama in older books are quickly resolved. It was interesting seeing these young girls on the brink of teenhood finding themselves while also trying to save something they love. I think young readers will appreciate and be able to relate to the changes the girls experience and the challenges they face that comes with growing up. Also, it was great to see that this story was set in a place so close to home and featured some great Indigenous representation!

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Happy reading!

[treesap-blogs]

“The Lesbiana’s Guide To Catholic School” review! this. might be kind of turning into a book account lol

Hello, Tumblrians! While I don’t have a very big following at the moment (only one of my followers is legit, the others are bots)(seriously, leave me alone p^rn bots), and I can’t say popularity is what’s motivated me to continue doing these reviews, my last one was a blast to write so I’m doing one for my most recent read; A Lesbiana’s Guide To Catholic School by Sonora Reyes! 

Equal parts hopeful and gut-wrenching, Sonora Reyes writes what I believe is a truly impactful story about learning to find(and express) your truth, and how difficult that is for a person who is marginalized in multiple ways. This was also one of the first books I’ve read to have the main character completely crush any opportunities of rushed, half-assed third act redemptions for other characters! (Very glad that we didn’t have any of that, especially with the offenses committed by other characters in a story like this! A different piece of queer media, The Prom, really pissed me off with its unrealistically optimistic ending of basically everyone making up after being homophobic to the main character and her girlfriend, and I’m glad they did not do it here.) I’m not really a fan of stories that largely focus on romance instead of having it as a side plot, but here I didn’t mind it! Perhaps it’s because it was queer(in comparison to the heterosexual romance books I’ve read), perhaps it was because of its importance as part of Yamilet’s coming out story. (Also I was like..squealing and stuff at Yamilet and Bo’s relationship they were the cutest!) And although I have never been part of the Catholic nor Christian faith like Yamilet, much less go to a Catholic school, I really resonated with a lot of her internalized homophobia. (Perhaps it was due to having Catholic and Christian beliefs surrounding me during the course of my elementary school years? Huh.) (Saving that dissection for my therapist not Tumblr though.)

-SPOILERS! Tw for discussions of su!cidal ideation and mental health.-

Reyes also writes in their list of content/trigger warnings before the story that they tried to write about all of their subject matter with the utmost care, something that they definitely followed throughout the course of the book. One of these topics was mental health, something that was discussed not overtly in the beginning of the book, but became crucial to the plot once Cesar was revealed to be su^cidal. His struggle was extremely realistic(something that caught me off-guard as someone who also struggles with their mental health), to the point where I found morbid humor in him using lighter vocabulary to discuss finding coping mechanisms when he’s starting to spiral again. While I wasn’t surprised by the reveal of him being depressed (there were signs of it during a particular scene in the book that made me concerned), it probably shook me up just as much as Yamilet because goodness, the fourth-fifth of the book was intense. I literally didn’t want to stop reading it because I was so concerned and I needed to know he got better.

(How much can I talk about that kind of subject matter on Tumblr before I get shadowbanned or taken down?! Shoot, guess I’m about to find out!)

I think that’s all spoilers-related that I want to cover?

-END OF SPOILER DISCUSSION.-

Anyhow, I can’t really name any significant flaws with this book? It didn’t feel like everyone did a complete 180 and supported Yamilet(and, I guess spoilers but not really?, her girlfriend Bo), the book was clear about that being only a portion of the conservative Catholic school she goes to, and the parts of the plot about culture(being disconnected or connected to it), racism, and homophobia felt very realistic. It’s what made this a bit difficult subject-matter-wise but also well-written.

A whopping ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 :)!

(And before I go, I will also need to figure out how to remove my bot followers, even if it will taint my ego.)

Paz, signing off. 👋

(Book trigger/content warnings are listed inside but include: Deportation and immigration, experienced racism, homophobia, self harm, suicidal ideation and the hospitalization of a character.)

[tobias-fell]

3 & 5?

ty for the ask!!

What were your top five books of the year?

watch me forget everything ive ever read--

uhhh the lies of locke lamora by scott lynch is #1, rule of wolves and king of scars by leigh bardugo take #2 and #3, the martian by andy weir takes #4, and if we were villains by M.L. Rio takes #5. yes TM was 4 stars and IWWV was 5. no that doesnt make sense. its abt How it scratched my brain

(honorary mentions for on earth we're briefly gorgeous and here lies daniel tate at 6 and 7th place. i had to mention them)

What genre did you read the most of?

theres probably an easier way to do this than individually counting and categorizing every single book i read this year into genres but oh well

i think??? its contemporary??? heartstopper, which i read 5 of (all 4 + the first one again), heartbreak bakery (mid book), lesbiana's guide to catholic school (good-to-mid book), i kissed shara wheeler, oewbg, real friends + best friends, radio silence, swing it sunny, all's faire, camp, it ends with us. yeah ok thats 16 so probably

unfortunately many of these contemporaries were . not good . shoutout to oewbg iksw and heartstopper tho those were really good and lesbiana's guide was also fun

[sadpandareads]

Book with LGBTQIA’s that’s I love. HAPPY PRIDE MONTH 2024

Cemetery boys Aiden Thomas (Tran mmc) ya

The sunbearer trails Aiden Thomas (Tran mmc) ya

Flip the script lyla lee ( sapphic) ya

Indivisible Daniel Aleman (gay mmc) ya

Perfect on paper Sophie Gonzales ( bi female ) ya

The city beautiful Aden polydoros (m|m) ya

The deeper water ft likens (m|m) ya

Dark and hollow stars (this is a series) Ashley shuttleworth (LGBTQIA’s) ya

Darius the great is not okay adib khorram (gay mmc) ya

The lesbiana’s guide to catholic school Sonora Reyes (f|f) ya

Hani and ishu guide to fake dating adiba jaigirdar (bi f|f) ya

Ace of spade Faridah abike iyimide (gay mmc,lesbian fmc )ya

Hell followed with us Andrew Joseph white (Tran mmc) ya

The spirit bare its teeth Andrew Joseph white (Tran fmc)ya

A master of djinn p.djeli Clark (sapphic) adult

A marvelous light freya marske (this is a series first one m|m second is f|f and third is m/m) adut

The fifth season N.k jemisin (lgbtq)adult

The jasmine throne Tasha Suri (f|f) adult

The witch’s heart Genevieve gornichec (bi fmc ) adult

A lady for a duke Alexis hall ( Tran fmc) adult

Teacher of the year M.A Wardell (m|m) adult

The charm offensive Alison cochrun (gay mmc,demi sexual mmc)adult

Kiss her once for me Alison cochrun (demi sexual fmc, sapphic) adult

[darthnaderer]

The Lesbiana's Guide to Catholic School by Sonora Reyes

Category: Walter Honor Book, Teen

Summary: Yamilet, known as Yami to her friends and family, was stabbed in the back by her former BFF. Not literally, but metaphorically. Yami had trusted Bianca with her secret (she's a lesbian), and Bianca spread the news around the school and kicked Yami out of her friend group. Meanwhile, Yami's brother, Cesar, has been getting in fights with other students at school, so when their mother decides to enroll Cesar at Slayton Catholic High School (he has a full academic scholarship). Yami leaps at the chance to go with him, both to help keep him out of trouble like their mother asked and as a way to not be forced out of the closet before she's ready. However, she needs a way to earn money to pay her half of the tuition, which she begins by revamping her mother's Etsy store, getting the traditional Mexican jewelry that her mother used to make as a hobby trending on Instagram and TikTok. What could go wrong with that? At school, Yami is awash in a sea of white, preppy faces, where she is looked down on as "ghetto." But she tries to play by the rules, constantly asking herself "What Would a Straight Girl Do?" But WWSGD isn't going to help her for long when she becomes friends with Bo, another queer girl, who may just make Yami blow her straight girl cover.

Justification: Reyes's debut novel has received numerous awards and honors including The Walter Honor in 2023, for a diverse book by a diverse creator, The Morris Debut Award, for a first-time author writing for teens, The National Book Award Finalist, for a US author producing outstanding literary work, The Lambda Award, for its depiction of LGBTQ+ representation, and a Pura Honor, for a Latinx author portraying the Latino cultural experience. Furthermore, this novel is another excellent example of books serving as "mirrors, windows, and sliding glass doors" as it provides insight into not only queer and Latino culture, but also showcases the experience of going to a private, religious school--something student may either relate to or be curious about. I appreciated that the beginning of the book cautions readers that sensitive topics such as homophobia, racism, and mental health issues will be discussed, so readers who do not feel comfortable with that material may opt out before reading any further.

Reader's Response: What I love about this novel is the way so many different aspects of Yami can be reflected back at the reader. I was also a closeted queer kid at a Catholic school, so every time Yami asked herself "WWSGD?" I laughed. The description of the portables was spot on as well. I also tried my hand at an Etsy store, but didn't have nearly the viral success Yami did; although with how difficult it became to juggle, I'm now rather grateful mine didn't take off like that. Yami and Cesar's relationship reminded me of my relationship with my younger sibling. Both queer, both keeping each other's secrets, both covering for each other and providing alibis. I thought Reyes also did an excellent job portraying the way boys, especially younger boys, are often babied in the family while girls, especially older girls, have a large amount of responsibility and stress placed on their shoulders. Reading about the experience from Yami's perspective made me more aware of the microaggressions (as well as straight-up racism) that POC have to deal with when they're in a mostly white environment. I thought the suspense of how Yami's mother would react if (when) she found about about Yami and Cesar both being queer was an excellent thread to keep us on our toes as readers. Even though the story was written with humor, there were definitely times when I was holding my breath. My only criticism is that at some points the story was moving very fast and weaving together many threads, so a reader really has to pay close attention and remember the small details.

Reyes, S. (2022). The lesbiana’s guide to Catholic school. Balzer + Bray.

[slaughter-books]

hello! i noticed u read the lesbiana’s guide to catholic school, which is currently my obsession right now. i was wondering if you have any books featuring lgbtiq/latinx characters to recommend me? I love YA because its easy to read and im building up my book reading habit

Hi! I loved The Lesbiana's Guide to Catholic School too and I can't wait for more by Sonora Reyes!😊

I would reccomened Cemetery Boys and The Sunbearer Trials, both by Aiden Thomas, to you if you haven't read them already?😋 They are both fantastic lgbtqia+/latinx books and the author is also lgbtqia+/latinx, the same as Sonora Reyes!😊

I hope this helps and I hope you succeed in building up your book reading habit, good luck!😊👍

[tracichee]

A THOUSAND STEPS INTO NIGHT is on the 2022 National Book Award Longlist for Young People's Literature! 🌠 Thank you so much to the judges for recognizing this goofy, demony, second-world fantasy road trip in all its patriarchy-smashing ferocity. 👹 And HUGE CONGRATULATIONS to all the longlisters! 🎉

Kelly Barnhill, The Ogress and the Orphans

Isaac Blum, The Life and Crimes of Hoodie Rosen

Traci Chee, A Thousand Steps into Night

Johnnie Christmas, Swim Team

Anna-Marie McLemore, Self-Made Boys: A Great Gatsby Remix

Sonora Reyes, The Lesbiana’s Guide to Catholic School

Tommie Smith, Derrick Barnes, and Dawud Anyabwile, Victory. Stand!: Raising My Fist For Justice

Sabaa Tahir, All My Rage

Sherri Winston, Lotus Bloom and the Afro Revolution

Lisa Yee, Maizy Chen’s Last Chance

[richincolor]

Sometimes it's fun to revisit books you love. Today we're taking a quick look at three Latine books we loved so far this year! Have you read them, or are they on your TBR list?

Ophelia After All by Racquel Marie Feiwel & Friends || Group Discussion

A teen girl navigates friendship drama, the end of high school, and discovering her queerness in Ophelia After All, a hilarious and heartfelt contemporary YA debut by author Racquel Marie. Ophelia Rojas knows what she likes: her best friends, Cuban food, rose-gardening, and boys - way too many boys. Her friends and parents make fun of her endless stream of crushes, but Ophelia is a romantic at heart. She couldn't change, even if she wanted to.

So when she finds herself thinking more about cute, quiet Talia Sanchez than the loss of a perfect prom with her ex-boyfriend, seeds of doubt take root in Ophelia's firm image of herself. Add to that the impending end of high school and the fracturing of her once-solid friend group, and things are spiraling a little out of control. But the course of love--and sexuality--never did run smooth. As her secrets begin to unravel, Ophelia must make a choice between clinging to the fantasy version of herself she's always imagined or upending everyone's expectations to rediscover who she really is, after all.

The Lesbiana's Guide to Catholic School by Sonora Reyes Balzer & Bray || Review

Seventeen-year-old Yamilet Flores prefers drawing attention for her killer eyeliner, not for being the new kid at a mostly white, very rich, Catholic school. But at least here no one knows she's gay, and Yami intends to keep it that way. After being outed by her crush and ex-best friend, she could use the fresh start.

At Slayton Catholic, Yami has new priorities: make her mom proud, keep her brother out of trouble, and most importantly, don't fall in love. Granted, she's never been great at any of those things, but that’s a problem for Future Yami.

The thing is, it’s hard to fake being straight when Bo, the only openly queer girl at school, is so annoyingly perfect. And smart. And talented. And cute. Either way, Yami isn’t going to make the same mistake again. If word got back to her mom, she could face a lot worse than rejection. So she’ll have to start asking, WWSGD: What would a straight girl do?

Told in a captivating voice that is by turns hilarious, vulnerable, and searingly honest, The Lesbiana’s Guide to Catholic School explores the joys and heartaches of living your full truth out loud. -- Cover image and summary via Goodreads

Our Shadows Have Claws: 15 Latin American Monster Stories edited by Yamile Saied Méndez Algonquin Young Readers || Review

From zombies to cannibals to death incarnate, this cross-genre anthology offers something for every monster lover. In Our Shadows Have Claws, bloodthirsty vampires are hunted by a quick-witted slayer; children are stolen from their beds by “el viejo de la bolsa” while a military dictatorship steals their parents; and anyone you love, absolutely anyone, might be a shapeshifter waiting to hunt.

The worlds of these stories are dark but also magical ones, where a ghost-witch can make your cheating boyfriend pay, bullies are brought to their knees by vicious wolf-gods, a jar of fireflies can protect you from the reality-warping magic of a bruja—and maybe you’ll even live long enough to tell the tale. Set across Latin America and its diaspora, this collection offers bold, imaginative stories of oppression, grief, sisterhood, first love, and empowerment.

Full contributor list: Chantel Acevedo, Courtney Alameda, Julia Alvarez, Ann Dávila Cardinal, M. García Peña, Racquel Marie, Gabriela Martins, Yamile Saied Méndez, Maika Moulite and Maritza Moulite, Claribel A. Ortega, Amparo Ortiz, Lilliam Rivera, Jenny Torres Sanchez, Ari Tison, and Alexandra Villasante. -- Cover image and summary via Goodreads