For August 5th’s All the Books episode, I picked Extinction Capital of the World: Stories by Mariah Rigg, which is a collection of stories set across generations in Hawai’i. (It also checks off task #1: Read a 2025 release by a BIPOC author and task #8: Read literary fiction by a BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, and/or disabled author.) I thought this was really well done, and it has lots of casual queer representation. I do wish I had spaced out the stories a bit, though: I think this benefits from being read slowly.
The other book I read for the podcast was Tantrum by Rachel Eve Moulton, which definitely counts for task #11: Read a work of weird horror. This horror novella did not go where I was expecting. I think it could get lost in all the recent motherhood horror books, but this one has something unique to offer.
One I picked up for book club was Hijab Butch Blues by Lamya H., which I’ve heard such great things about—and for good reason! I was completely pulled into this memoir, and it was really interesting to see how she used stories from the Quran to complement her life story. Since it also discusses her life as an immigrant, I think it’s a good pick for task #5: Read a book about immigration or refugees.
The romantasy book I read at the beach was Blood on the Tide (Crimson Sails #2) by Katee Robert, which is an F/F romance between a selkie and vampire. I thought the first book was fun, if flawed, so when I was looking for a beach read, this seemed like the perfect choice. I think it could have been edited down some: the same sentiment is often expressed multiple times in the same few pages. But I still had a good time reading it. This series works for task #19: Read a queernorm book.
Right now, I’m reading The Adventure Zone, Vol. 5: The Eleventh Hour by Clint McElroy, Griffin McElroy, Travis McElroy, Justin McElroy, and Carey Pietsch. It’s based on a podcast I love, The Adventure Zone, so it counts for task #7: Read a book about a piece of media you love.
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