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Ice Apprentices: A BREATHTAKING new children's fantasy series
by Jacob NorthA frozen world, mighty monsters and spellbinding magic. Journey to the very edge of the world in this BREATHTAKING fantasy trilogy. Perfect for fans of Skandar and Philip Pullman . . .&“The Ice Apprentices is an extraordinary fantasy debut. The world-building is stunning, the pacing perfect, the characters immediately relatable. Oswin is endlessly curious, hilariously funny and wonderfully kind - he became my new favourite hero within a few sentences. North is such an exciting new talent in middle grade.&” A.F. Steadman, author of the Skandar series Tundra is the last settlement in a world of ice. Oswin Fields is its only stray – a foundling, rescued from the Endless Expanse. So, when he's summoned to the school for ice apprentices, he sets out to prove his worth. But all isn&’t as it seems in this enchanted place. When the beasts begin to strike, Oswin has to risk everything he holds dear. Can he look deep within himself to find the strength to prove that he belongs? .
Ice Apprentices (Ice Apprentices)
by Jacob NorthPerfect for fans of Skandar and Wilderlore, this compelling middle grade adventure follows a magical apprentice in a land of ice and snow who must uncover why strange monsters are attacking his fellow apprentices…or else suffer the tragic consequences.Tundra is the last settlement in a world of ice. Oswin Fields is its only stray—a foundling rescued from the ice who many think is a drain on scarce resources meant for Tundrans. Then Oswin is summoned to Corridor by Grandmaster Yarrow to learn magic, finally giving him a chance to prove his worth. But Oswin barely has time to embrace his new role before his fellow apprentices start being attacked by monsters. Perhaps even worse, he learns his deceased adopted uncle is considered the most infamous Tundran to ever have lived and might have left followers behind who want to destroy the settlement. Now grappling with an unwanted legacy and mysterious foes, Oswin must look deep inside himself for the strength to prove he belongs in Tundra.
Idolfire (Idolfire)
by Grace Curtis'Times like these you wish you had something to pray to'Idolfire is an epic sapphic fantasy inspired by the fall of Rome from the author of the Frontier and Floating Hotel.ON ONE SIDE OF THE WORLD, Aleya Ana-Ulai is desperate for a chance. Her family have written her off as a mistake, but she's determined to prove every last one of them wrong.ON THE OTHER, Kirby of Wall's End is searching for redemption. An ancient curse tore her life apart, but to fix it, she'll have to leave everything behind.Fate sets them both on the path to Nivela, a city once poised to conquer the world with the power of a thousand stolen gods. Now the gates are closed and the old magic slumbers. Dead - or waiting for a spark to light it anew . . .
Idolfire
by Grace Curtis'Charming and insightful, tender yet honest' C.L. CLARKOne curse. Two destinies. A thousand stolen gods.Two women embark on an epic journey in this sapphic fantasy with a slow-burn romance inspired by the fall of Rome, from the author of the Frontier and Floating Hotel.ON ONE SIDE OF THE WORLD, Aleya Ana-Ulai is desperate for a chance. Her family have written her off as a mistake, but she's determined to prove every last one of them wrong.ON THE OTHER, Kirby of Wall's End is searching for redemption. An ancient curse tore her life apart, but to fix it, she'll have to leave everything behind.Fate sets them both on the path to Nivela, a city once poised to conquer the world with the power of a thousand stolen gods. Now the gates are closed and the old magic slumbers. Dead - or waiting for a spark to light it anew . . .READERS LOVE IDOLFIRE'Grace Curtis, you've made a believer out of me' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'The warmth, the joy, the *art* of IDOLFIRE made it a delicious reading experience that I took pains to savour over many week' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'This book has officially solidified Grace Curtis as an auto-buy author for me. I can't wait to see what she does next!' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'My perfect book everything about it feels so perfect for what I want! I love a quest, I love an interesting magic, I love a bit of intrigue, I love love!!!! What a book! One of the greatest quest books of all time??? An absolute banger a million stars a million hearts' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'Truly a delight! i warmly recommend it far and wide, even to those who might not think they'd be into it. give it a go!!!' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The In-Between Bookstore: A Novel
by Edward Underhill“What would you tell your teen self if you could go back in time? Underhill’s tender, innovative debut is the smartest take on this trope I’ve ever read. . . and for the record, I read it in a single sitting. A beautiful, thoughtful study of how we find our truest selves, and whom we choose to trust with that gift.” — Jodi Picoult, #1 New York Times bestselling authorA poignant and enchanting novel about a magical bookstore that transports a trans man through time and brings him face-to-face with his teenage self, offering him the chance of a lifetime to examine his life and identity to find a new beginning.When Darby finds himself unemployed and in need of a fresh start, he moves back to the small Illinois town he left behind. But Oak Falls has changed almost as much as he has since he left.One thing is familiar: In Between Books, Darby’s refuge growing up and eventual high school job. When he walks into the bookstore now, Darby feels an eerie sense of déjà vu—everything is exactly the same. Even the newspapers are dated 2009. And behind the register is a teen who looks a lot like Darby did at sixteen. . . who just might give Darby the opportunity to change his own present for the better—if he can figure out how before his connection to the past vanishes forever.The In-Between Bookstore is a stunning novel of love, self-discovery, and the choices that come with both, for anyone who has ever wondered what their life might be like if they had the chance to go back and take a bigger, braver risk.
In Defense of Sex: Nonbinary Embodiment and Desire
by null Christopher BreuExamines the need to recenter the category of sex–theorizing sex itself as nonbinary–in contemporary studies of gender and sexualityGender has largely replaced sex as a category in critical theory, in progressive cultural circles, and in everyday bureaucratic language. Much of this development has been salutary. Gender has become a crucial site for theorizing trans identifications and embodiments. Yet, without a concomitant theory of sex, gender’s contemporary uses also intersect with late neoliberalism’s emphasis on micro-identities, flexibility, avatar culture, and human capital. Contemporary culture has also grown more ambivalent about sexual desire and its expression. Sex is seen as both ubiquitous and ubiquitously a problem.In Defense of Sex theorizes sex as both a nonbinary form of embodiment (one that can complement recent trans conceptions of gender as multiple and nonbinary) and a crucial form of social desire. Drawing on intersex and trans theory as well as Marxist theory, feminist new materialism, psychoanalysis, and accounts of the flesh in Black studies, author Christopher Breu argues for a materialist understanding of embodiment and the workings of desire as they structure contemporary culture. Moving from critique to theorizing embodiment, desire, and forms of bioaccumulation, In Defense of Sex concludes by proposing the unabashedly utopian project of building a sexual and embodied commons.In Defense of Sex: Nonbinary Embodiment and Desire is available from Knowledge Unlatched on an open-access basis.
Isaac's Song: A Novel
by null Daniel Black*A Washington Post Best Book of January 2025**A Book of the Month Pick for January 2025**From the Viral Clark Atlanta University Commencement Speaker**From the Georgia Author of the Year Award Winner*&“Isaac's Song is the lullaby we all need and the healing balm for generations to come.&” —JOYCE WHITE, author of Ecology, Spirituality, and Cosmology in Edwidge DanticatThe beloved author of Don&’t Cry for Me and Perfect Peace returns with a poignant, emotionally exuberant novel about a young queer Black man finding his voice in 1980s ChicagoIsaac is at a crossroads in his young life. Growing up in Missouri, the son of a caustic, hard-driving father, he was conditioned to suppress his artistic pursuits and physical desires. But now, in late &’80s Chicago, Isaac has finally carved out a life of his own and built up the courage to seek out a community. Yet just as he begins to embrace who he is, two social catalysts—the AIDS crisis and Rodney King&’s attack—collectively extinguish his hard-earned joy.At a therapist&’s encouragement, Isaac begins to write down his story. As he taps into his creative energy, he commences a journey back to his family, his ancestral home in Arkansas and the inherited trauma of the past. But a surprise discovery will either unlock the truths he&’s seeking or threaten to derail the life he&’s fought so hard to claim.Poignant, sweeping, and luminously told, Isaac's Song is a return to the beloved characters of Don&’t Cry for Me and a high-water mark in the career of an award-winning author.
It's a Love/Skate Relationship
by Carli J. CorsonFans of Rachael Lippincott, Elise Bryant, and Dahlia Adler will love this joyful debut novel, a sapphic enemies-to-lovers romance between a hotheaded hockey player and the ice princess at the figure skating rink next door.Charlie Porter is a force to be reckoned with, both on and off the hockey rink. When she accidentally starts a brawl after a game, she’s suspended from school, meaning no hockey this season—and no chance to play in front of college scouts.Alexa Goldstein’s pairs skating partner was hurt in the fight, and with only four months until their next competition, pickings for a replacement are slim. So she strikes a deal with Charlie—skate with her at the competition well enough to place, and her Olympian mother will use her formidable connections to get Charlie in front of scouts at D-1 schools, even without her team.It seems impossible, and not just because Charlie has never figure skated before. Where Charlie is powerful, Alexa is elegant; where Charlie is quick to blow up, Alexa is cold as ice. But as the frostiness between them starts to thaw, they begin to wonder if they’ve found a partner for more than just skating.“Clever and intricate, with sizzling chemistry both on and off the ice. Charlie is a brash, endearing heroine who finds the perfect foil in ice queen Alexa.” —Kelly Quindlen, bestselling author of She Drives Me Crazy "With characters who are easy to root for, nail-biting competitions, and a gorgeous slow-burn romance, Carli J. Corson has written a book deserving of a gold medal. Grab your skates and swish on over to the bookstore to get It's a Love/Skate Relationship!" —Jason June, New York Times bestselling author"Fiercely competitive and fantastically fun, It's a Love/Skate Relationship has enough sparks in its enemies-to-lovers romance to melt an entire ice rink. A definite winner of a sports romance, with high marks for great banter and a delightful cast!" —Dahlia Adler, award-winning author of Home Field Advantage"This is the sapphic skating story I’ve been waiting for! Corson beautifully tackles the raw emotions and chaos of teen life with humor, compassion, and charm. It's a Love/Skate Relationship shows the power of teaming up to win gold and the magic of winning each other’s hearts along the way." —Jenna Miller, author of We Got the Beat“An utterly charming rom-com bursting at the seams with heart and humor. You’ll be rooting for Charlie and Alexa—on and off the ice—from the very first page.” —Alex Crespo, author of Saint Juniper's Folly and Queerceañera
It's All or Nothing, Vale
by null Andrea Beatriz ArangoA poignant novel in verse in which, after a life-changing accident, one girl finds her way back to her life&’s passion. From the Newbery Honor-winning author of Iveliz Explains It All.All these months of staring at the wall?All these months of feeling weak?It&’s ending—I&’m going back to fencing.And then it&’ll belike nothing ever happened.No one knows hard work and dedication like Valentina Camacho. And Vale&’s thing is fencing. She&’s the top athlete at her fencing gym. Or she was . . . until the accident.After months away, Vale is finally cleared to fence again, but it&’s much harder than before. Her body doesn&’t move the way it used to, and worst of all is the new number one: Myrka. When she sweeps Vale aside with her perfect form and easy smile, Vale just can&’t accept that. But the harder Vale fights to catch up, the more she realizes her injury isn&’t the only thing holding her back. If she can&’t leave her accident in the past, then what does she have to look forward to?In this moving novel from the Newbery Honor-winning author of Iveliz Explains It All, one girl finds her way back to her life&’s passion and discovers that the sum of a person's achievements doesn&’t amount to the whole of them.
It's in the Heel
by Alexandra CaluenDarius Adams is at the pharmacy for his fall vaccines when he meets Rafael Balam. He’s instantly attracted to the cute, nonbinary costume designer. Over drinks at a nearby café, they discover a lot of things in common, from recently losing parents and moving house to people Rafael knows at Darius’ new teaching job.It doesn’t take long to decide they want to see a lot more of each other. Neither was on the hunt for a new relationship, but when it seems a good one has opened up in front of them, they walk right in.During the next few months, Darius and Rafael learn how to be boyfriends, then lovers. Then they open up the living-together conversation. At midlife, are they too set in their ways, or do they love each other enough to make it work?
Jimmy's Faith: James Baldwin, Disidentification, and the Queer Possibilities of Black Religion
by null Christopher HuntQSpirit Top 24 LGBTQ Christian Books of 2024A novel approach to understanding the work of James Baldwin and its transformative potentialThe relationship of James Baldwin’s life and work to Black religion is in many ways complex and confounding. What is he doing through his literary deployment of religious language and symbols?Despite Baldwin’s disavowal of Christianity in his youth, he continued to engage the symbols and theology of Christianity in works such as The Amen Corner, Just Above My Head, and others. With Jimmy’s Faith, author Christopher W. Hunt shows how Baldwin’s usage of those religious symbols both shifted their meaning and served as a way for him to build his own religious and spiritual vision. Engaging José Esteban Muñoz’s theory of disidentification as a queer practice of imagination and survival, Hunt demonstrates the ways in which James Baldwin disidentifies with and queers Black Christian language and theology throughout his literary corpus. Baldwin’s vision is one in which queer sexuality signifies the depth of love’s transforming possibilities, the arts serve as the (religious) medium of knitting Black community together, an agnostic and affective mysticism undermines Christian theological discourse, “androgyny” troubles the gender binary, and the Black child signifies the hope for a world made new. In disidentifying with Christian symbols, Jimmy’s Faith reveals how Baldwin imagines both religion and the world “otherwise,” offering a model of how we might do the same for our own communities and ourselves.
Knucklehead: Poems
by Tony Keith Jr.dear Knucklehead,perhaps you are like me:always figuring out if your soul and your skinare thick enough to protect your body from sticky stonesthrown from the mouths of those who knowthat spoken words have the power to spit out freedomand break-in bones. While society often assigns the label “knucklehead” to kids with attitude problems, this brilliant and electric poetry collection by spoken word poet and hip-hop educator Tony Keith Jr. subverts that narrow way of thinking and empathizes with young people who are misunderstood and unheard.There are poems about the power of language to transcend the racist and homophobic constructs of a society prejudging Black boys. There are poems that serve as a salve for a world that inflicts hurt, poems that offer a beacon of hope for the curious and questioning, and poems that transform the way people love Black gay boys and men.This is a journey of self-discovery through history, family, friendship, and falling in love. Knucklehead is a breathtaking work, full of black-and-white illustrations and unforgettable poetry that will heal, provoke, and inspire.
The Lamb: A Novel
by Lucy RoseA FOLK TALE. A HORROR STORY. A LOVE STORY. AN ENCHANTMENT.“This is the book I've been waiting for. Dark, twisted, and utterly enthralling, The Lamb is a novel I will never forget.”—Molly Aitken, author of Bright I BurnFrom an incendiary new talent, a contemporary queer folktale about a mother and daughter living in the woods, for fans of Angela Carter, Margaret Atwood, and Julia Armfield.Margot and Mama have lived by the forest ever since Margot can remember.When Margot is not at school, they spend quiet days together in their cottage, waiting for strangers to knock on their door. Strays, Mama calls them. People who have strayed too far from the road. Mama loves the strays. She feeds them wine, keeps them warm. Then she satisfies her burning appetite by picking apart their bodies.But Mama’s want is stronger than her hunger sometimes, and when a beautiful, white-toothed stray named Eden turns up in the heart of a snowstorm, Margot must confront the shifting dynamics of her family, untangle her own desires, and make her bid for freedom.With this gothic coming-of-age tale, debut novelist Lucy Rose explores how women swallow their anger, desire, and animal instincts—and wrings the relationship between mother and daughter until blood drips from it.
The Last Bookstore on Earth
by null Lily Braun-ArnoldTwo teen girls fall in love and fight for survival in an abandoned bookstore weeks before another cataclysmic storm threatens to bring about the end of the world in this unforgettable YA debut. Perfect for fans of Station Eleven and The Last of Us.&“A thoroughly original, intimate, and sometimes harrowing meditation on survival, forgiveness, and learning how to love again at the almost end of the world.&”—Nicola Yoon #1 New York Times bestselling author The world is about to end. Again.Ever since the first Storm wreaked havoc on civilization as we know it, seventeen-year-old Liz Flannery has been holed up in an abandoned bookstore in suburban New Jersey where she used to work, trading books for supplies with the few remaining survivors. It&’s the one place left that feels safe to her.Until she learns that another earth-shattering Storm is coming . . . and everything changes.Enter Maeve, a prickly and potentially dangerous out-of-towner who breaks into the bookstore looking for shelter one night. Though the two girls are immediately at odds, Maeve has what Liz needs—the skills to repair the dilapidated store before the next climate disaster strikes—and Liz reluctantly agrees to let her stay.As the girls grow closer and undeniable feelings spring up between them, they realize that they face greater threats than the impending Storm. And when Maeve&’s secrets and Liz&’s inner demons come back to haunt them both, they find themselves fighting for their lives as their world crumbles around them.&“A hauntingly beautiful story of love, loss, and the raw fight for survival.&” —Jarrod Shusterman, New York Times bestselling author of Dry&“Hopeful, thrilling, and twisty…the snarky sapphic dystopian of our dreams.&” —Jennifer Dugan, author of Some Girls Do
The Law of Love
by Fyn AlexanderIn 1920s England, the penalty for a homosexual act is two years' hard labor. Two men cannot kiss or hold hands without being blackmailed or threatened with arrest. Rafe Devonish, a landowner and a highly respected barrister, knows the law all too well, and the dangers of being homosexual. With constant pressure from both his mother and his profession to get married, he knows he has to act soon.Then he meets Ivo Manning, young and full of enthusiasm for life. Rafe not only wants to kiss Ivo and hold his hand, he wants to take him to his bed and make love to him. Very quickly he learns Ivo wants the same.With far less to lose than Rafe, Ivo is not afraid to show his love. What Rafe wants more than anything is to marry Ivo, but that's impossible. The thing about Ivo, aside from being kind, warm-hearted, and desperate for love, is his great intuition. It is this trait that allows him to help Rafe with both an important court case and a personal matter involving a tenant on his land.As the two men spend more time together, their love grows. Their intimacy, which in the beginning frightened Rafe, becomes the cornerstone of his life.
Leo Martino Steals Back His Heart
by null Eric GeronLeo Anthony Martino loves love.Unfortunately, love doesn&’t love Leo back.Leo Martino&’s hunt for love has been a total flop. Over the years, every single crush has ghosted him, leaving him miserable and alone. By senior year, Leo concludes he must be unlovable. It&’s time to stop trying.But when he finds himself obsessing over the irresistible Lincoln Chan, Leo decides to give love one last shot—and this time, he has a plan. He&’s going to change everything about himself to become the &“perfect boyfriend.&” And the plan actually works. . .but will he take it too far?
Les Normaux: A Graphic Novel (Les Normaux #1)
by Janine Janssen S. Al SabadoBoy moves to new city. Boy meets vampire. They kiss, then become friends. But both would like something more… A global Webtoon phenomenon and LGBTQ+ graphic novel about friendship, love and magic. Sébastien recently moved to supernatural Paris hoping to get away from his troubles at home and live a peaceful life learning magic. But what are you going to do when the really hot vampire you made out with last night to forget your troubles turns out to be your new neighbor?Sébastien (a demisexual boy with “main character hair” and a bunny named Pierre), meet Elia (a hot, supermodel, vampire neighbor and crush).Join Elia, Sébastien and their assorted crew of wonderful friends, as they navigate the ins and outs of dating in a modern and paranormal love story.
A Lethal Walk in Lakeland (A Walk Through England Mystery)
by null Nicholas GeorgeFans of Carlene O&’Connor&’s Irish Village mysteries will love the latest novel in this cozy series set in the beautiful English countryside and featuring San Diego sleuth Rick &“Chase&” Chasen. Chase has two compelling reasons for returning to England—a group walk along the famed Coast to Coast trail in the picturesque Lake District, and a chance to further his relationship with Mike, the handsome Devonshire doctor he met on his last trip. The walkers, including Chase&’s dear friend and fellow Anglophile Billie Mondreau, assemble at a Whitehaven hotel and begin their adventure with the traditional &“baptism of the boots&” in St. Bee&’s Bay. But they&’ve barely begun traveling eastward with their genial guide than the group dynamics turns unexpectedly rocky. The problem is the Uptons—a wealthy family who have arrived from Texas, and whose squabbling antics continually overshadow the bucolic surroundings. Brock Upton, tall and commanding, is traveling with his pint-sized wife and his three siblings, along with a family friend. Every member of the party cites a different reason for joining the tour, and Chase&’s instincts tell him they&’re all lying. Brock&’s heart condition hinders their progress through the Lake District&’s hills and dales. But that proves the least of their problems when one of the Uptons is fatally poisoned. Years of secrets and grudges emerge, along with a decades-old family mystery. And only Chase&’s investigative expertise can find the answers—and uncover a killer in their midst before tragedy befalls the tour again . . .
Line Drive to Love (Lorimer Real Love)
by Angel JendrickRory is a talented and dedicated softball player. The only distraction in her life is her father’s decline due to ALS, but he remains her biggest supporter. But softball plans get a lot more interesting when mainlander Shanti comes to stay with her grandparents for the summer—and the two fall into a fast romance. Between her pitching aspirations, her father's health, and trying to date Shanti, Rory's focus may be spread too thin. With pressure building on all fronts, will she choose the game or the girl? With support from Shanti and her softball team, Rory learns that sometimes you have to make tough decisions about what you care about most. Angel Jendrick is the author of Secret Me (Lorimer, 2023) and an expert at creating vivid, passionate romances. Line Drive to Love is a heartfelt love story that is perfect for those navigating competitive sports and their queer identity.
Liquid: A Love Story
by Mariam RahmaniThe Marriage Plot meets The Idiot in this brilliant debut, which tells the story of a young Muslim scholar stuck in the mire of adjunct professorship in Los Angeles who decides to give up her career in academia and marry rich, committing herself to 100 dates in the course of a single summer. By midsummer reality hits, taking her—and her project—to Tehran. The unnamed Iranian-Indian American narrator of Liquid has always believed herself to be the smartest person in the room. And from an early age, she and her best friend—a poet-turned-marketer named Adam—have turned their noses up at other peoples&’ riches. But two years after earning a PhD from UCLA, the narrator is no closer to the middle-class comfort promised to her by the prestige of her fancy, scholarship-funded education and the successes of her immigrant parents. Jokingly, Adam suggests she just "marry rich." But our protagonist, whose PhD thesis compared Eastern and Western views of marriage in film and literature, takes the idea seriously. She makes a spreadsheet and outlines a goal: 100 dates with people of all genders and a marriage proposal in hand by the official start of the fall semester. What follows is a whirlwind summer packed with dating: martinis sans vermouth with the lazy scion of an Eastside construction empire; board games with a butch producer who owns a house in the hills and a newly dented Porsche; a Venmo request from a &“socialist&” trust fund babe; and an evening spent dodging the halitosis of a maxillofacial surgeon from Orange County. Only a tragedy in Tehran and an overdue familial reckoning can alter the narrator&’s increasingly manic trajectory and force her to confront the contradictions of her life in Los Angeles. And as doubts begin to creep in about her marriage project, it suddenly seems possible that the eligible prospect she&’s been looking for has been beneath her nose the entire time. For fans of Kaveh Akbar and Elif Batuman, Liquid delivers a modern tale of romance, loss, and belonging like no other. Mariam Rahmani&’s gorgeous high-wire satire explodes off the page with verve and originality in this riveting spin on the classic romantic comedy.
The List
by Casper GrahamColton Harper doesn’t believe in long-term relationships. He prefers one-night stands and friends with benefits. Everything changes when he sees Julius Collier. It’s love at first sight for him. He’s excited when Julius, surprisingly, takes the initiative to ask him out on a date. The problem is he doesn’t know what to do on a date. He gets ideas from his older brothers and by researching things online before making a list.Colton’s feelings for Julius grow stronger and deeper with each passing day. Things proceed smoothly between him and Julius. Then, on one of their dates, his past catches up to him. He and Julius meets one of his friends with benefit while out on a date. He feels ashamed about his past. He doesn’t know how Julius feels about the encounter, and he doesn’t have the guts to inquire about it.Will Colton get his happy ending with Julius?
Loca
by Alejandro HerediaIf Junot Diaz&’s critically acclaimed collection Drown and Janet Mock&’s Emmy-winning series Pose produced offspring, Alejandro Heredia&’s Loca would be their firstborn.It&’s 1999, and best friends Sal and Charo are striving to hold on to their dreams in a New York determined to grind them down. Sal is a book-loving science nerd trying to grow beyond his dead-end job in a new city, but he&’s held back by tragic memories from his past in Santo Domingo. Free-spirited Charo is surprised to find herself a mother at twenty-five, partnered with a controlling man, working at the same supermarket for years, her world shrunk to the very domesticity she thought she&’d escaped in her old country. When Sal finds love at a gay club one night, both his and Charo&’s worlds unexpectedly open up to a vibrant social circle that pushes them to reckon with what they owe to their own selves, pasts, futures, and, always, each other. Loca follows one daring year in the lives of young people living at the edge of their own patience and desires. With expansive grace, it reveals both the grueling conditions that force people to migrate and the possibility of friendship as home when family, nations, and identity groups fall short.
The Long Beach Gay Trials: A History of Injustice (True Crime)
by Gerrie SchipskeHow Long Beach caused the death of John A. Lamb. Immediately after his 1914 election as mayor of Long Beach, Louis Napoleon Whealton fired the chief of police and raided the city treasury. To replenish the funds, Mayor Whealton concocted a scheme to collect fines from any male “who made advances toward other men.” Two special police officers entrapped and arrested thirty-one men, dragging them before a judge to pay up or risk a public trial. When one victim refused to play along, newspapers were quick to publish the names of everyone accused, including local pharmacist and popular churchman John A. Lamb. His suicide made headlines, but the city continued to target gay men well into this century. Author and historian Gerrie Schipske uncovers the story of a tragic death with far-reaching consequences in Long Beach.
Love in a F*cked-Up World: How to Build Relationships, Hook Up, and Raise Hell Together
by Dean SpadeIn this inspiring self-help handbook, a trans activist dares us to be the change we want to see—both out in the world, and amongst our closest connections. Lifelong activist and educator Dean Spade dares us to decide that our interpersonal actions are not separate from our politics of liberation and resistance. Many activist projects and resistance groups fall apart because people treat each other poorly, trying desperately to live out the cultural myths about dating and relationships that we are fed from an early age. How do we divest from the idea that one romantic partner will be the solution to all our problems? How do we bring our best thinking about freedom and justice into step with our desires for healing and connection? Love in a F*cked-Up World is a resounding call to action and a practical manifesto for how to combat cultural scripts and take our relationships into our own hands, preparing us for the work of changing the world.
Love is a Dangerous Word: the Selected Poems of Essex Hemphill
by null Essex HemphillThe incendiary, sensual poems of Essex Hemphill, now in a new landmark selection For three decades, the legacy of writer, editor, performer, and activist Essex Hemphill has been lovingly sustained through xeroxed copies of his few published works. They are as potent now as they were in the 1980s. With tenderness and rage, Hemphill's poems unflinchingly explore the complex, overlapping identities of sexuality, gender, and race, the American political landscape, and his own experiences as a black gay man during the HIV/AIDS crisis. Edited by John Keene and Robert F. Reid-Pharr, Love is a Dangerous Word contains selections from Hemphill's only published full-length collection, Ceremonies—named one of the 25 most influential works of postwar queer literature by the New York Times—alongside rarely seen poems from magazines and chapbooks. It serves as both an introduction to Hemphill’s poetic prowess and a treasure trove for those who have long awaited his return to the literary spotlight.