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Crystal's House of Queers
Three senior girls in rural Alaska escape their abusive pasts
by raising their dyke flag for themselves and their community.
Crystal Rose woke up at three in the morning today, drenched in sweat and breathless after another sex dream with Haley Carson. Later at school in the tiny town of Clear, Alaska, Crystal saves Haley from an assault by her abusive boyfriend.
The two girls renew a love started years ago that had to stay hidden until now. But with Crystal’s grandparents in the hospital with Covid and the possibility of her drug addict parents returning from a 14-year absence, Crystal needs Haley as much as she needs Crystal.
They connect with Payton Reed, a gun-toting artist who helps them feel proud to be gay and willing to stand up to anyone. Together they struggle to make Crystal’s house safe for those who are hated for their love.
by raising their dyke flag for themselves and their community.
Crystal Rose woke up at three in the morning today, drenched in sweat and breathless after another sex dream with Haley Carson. Later at school in the tiny town of Clear, Alaska, Crystal saves Haley from an assault by her abusive boyfriend.
The two girls renew a love started years ago that had to stay hidden until now. But with Crystal’s grandparents in the hospital with Covid and the possibility of her drug addict parents returning from a 14-year absence, Crystal needs Haley as much as she needs Crystal.
They connect with Payton Reed, a gun-toting artist who helps them feel proud to be gay and willing to stand up to anyone. Together they struggle to make Crystal’s house safe for those who are hated for their love.
330 pages, Paperback
First published May 20, 2021
11 people are currently reading
786 people want to read
About the author
Brooke Skipstone
5 books74 followersBrooke Skipstone is a multi-award-winning author who lives in Alaska where she watches the mountains change colors with the seasons from her balcony. Where she feels the constant rush toward winter as the sunlight wanes for six months of the year, seven minutes each day, bringing crushing cold that lingers even as the sun climbs again. Where the burst of life during summer is urgent under twenty-four-hour daylight, lush and decadent. Where fish swim hundreds of miles up rivers past bear claws and nets and wheels and lines of rubber-clad combat fishers, arriving humped and ragged, dying as they spawn. Where danger from the land and its animals exhilarates the senses, forcing her to appreciate the difference between life and death. Where the edge between is sometimes too alluring.
The Queering is her fifth novel. Visit her website at https://www.brookeskipstone.com for information about her first four novels—The Moonstone Girls, Crystal's House of Queers, Some Laneys Died, and Someone To Kiss My Scars.
The Queering is her fifth novel. Visit her website at https://www.brookeskipstone.com for information about her first four novels—The Moonstone Girls, Crystal's House of Queers, Some Laneys Died, and Someone To Kiss My Scars.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 84 reviews
March 5, 2022
This book made me want to legitimately cry 😢. This was filled with so much pain. I also appreciated that it focused on current events.
The story
The story follows Crystal Rose a queer girl who is being raised in rural Alaska during the COVID-19 pandemic. The story takes place in the beginning of the pandemic when everyone assumed the virus was just a hoax. Crystal and her older brother JD are being raised by their grandparents. This becomes an issue because JD and Crystal have to go back to school because they have learning disabilities. The issues with having older guardians is that they can actually give them this horrible virus and this may effect them sooner than they think.
Later that week,Crystal and JD are heading to class and their grandpa 👴 is just coughing and heaving. Their grandmother is terrified that the virus may have infected everyone in the house at this point. Crystal is a complete jerk and demands to go to school and she picks a fight with her grandma. YAY !!!!! We love teens. "SIKE!!!" 😳😞
Now not only will Crystal and her brother expose their classmates to the virus. Nope, a chain of events will change the course of her life forever and she may get the person of her dreams “maybe”!!
Crystal is stubborn, angsty, super bad a** and she won’t stop until she gets exactly what she wants. She might just draw ✍🏽 it into existence. Crystal may have short coming when it comes to school but she can draw anything. Her drawing show the world 🌎 just how strong she is.
My Opinion
The narrator is awesome and I felt like I was listening to nagging teens. And the intimacy scenes are so intense and raw. 😘 😘
This was a 4 star ⭐️ read but this is a bit on the darker side. These are a few things that would typically give you pause so I have listed a few of them below.
Slight spoiler below👇
*Abuse on & off page
*assault
*kidnapping
*body shaming
*homophobia
Special thanks to NetGalley for providing me an Audiobook ARC !!! I am leaving this review voluntarily and all thoughts are my own.
The story
The story follows Crystal Rose a queer girl who is being raised in rural Alaska during the COVID-19 pandemic. The story takes place in the beginning of the pandemic when everyone assumed the virus was just a hoax. Crystal and her older brother JD are being raised by their grandparents. This becomes an issue because JD and Crystal have to go back to school because they have learning disabilities. The issues with having older guardians is that they can actually give them this horrible virus and this may effect them sooner than they think.
Later that week,Crystal and JD are heading to class and their grandpa 👴 is just coughing and heaving. Their grandmother is terrified that the virus may have infected everyone in the house at this point. Crystal is a complete jerk and demands to go to school and she picks a fight with her grandma. YAY !!!!! We love teens. "SIKE!!!" 😳😞
Now not only will Crystal and her brother expose their classmates to the virus. Nope, a chain of events will change the course of her life forever and she may get the person of her dreams “maybe”!!
Crystal is stubborn, angsty, super bad a** and she won’t stop until she gets exactly what she wants. She might just draw ✍🏽 it into existence. Crystal may have short coming when it comes to school but she can draw anything. Her drawing show the world 🌎 just how strong she is.
My Opinion
The narrator is awesome and I felt like I was listening to nagging teens. And the intimacy scenes are so intense and raw. 😘 😘
This was a 4 star ⭐️ read but this is a bit on the darker side. These are a few things that would typically give you pause so I have listed a few of them below.
Slight spoiler below👇
*Abuse on & off page
*assault
*kidnapping
*body shaming
*homophobia
Special thanks to NetGalley for providing me an Audiobook ARC !!! I am leaving this review voluntarily and all thoughts are my own.
April 9, 2021
I have had the privilege of reading the manuscript of Brooke Skipstone’s Crystal’s House of Queers, and I can wholeheartedly say that this story touched me in a way that no other book has. Despite growing up in a very different environment than Crystal (a liberal New England town as opposed to a conservative town in Alaska), as a queer teenage girl, I felt very proximate to the experiences of the characters in this novel. It was a powerful feeling to relate so deeply to characters who have grown up so differently, and I gained a lot of perspective and care for issues of sexual assault and types of homophobia that I have been privileged enough to not experience first hand.
From the moment I started reading I felt captivated by the characters in this novel. Crystal’s life is riddled with hardship. She struggles with special needs, COVID-19 threatens her and her family including her grandparents, and on top of it all she struggles with her sexuality and the suffocating presence of toxic masculinity and abuse in her small town. Yet through it all, Crystal remains levelheaded, kind, and artistic. Her art, and the art included throughout this novel, enhanced my connection to the characters. Not only do the visuals provide me with an image of what the characters look like, but they connected me even more deeply to Crystal since they are drawn “by her.”
Each of the main characters, Crystal, Haley, and Payton, brought an important dimension to their shared experience. From all walks of high school life, these girls unite under their shared experience as queer women. They represent a spectrum of experiences that I think anyone can find themselves somewhere in. The generation and familial layers revealed throughout the story only serve to deepen the importance of the themes tackled in Crystal’s House of Queers.
As for the writing, this book is a fast-paced page turner. All of the story takes place in less than a week, and it feels that way by how quickly things move and how packed each second is with action, emotion, and development.
I highly recommend Crystal’s House of Queers to anyone, but especially to young, queer, female, readers, as I have never felt so seen and represented by a novel before.
From the moment I started reading I felt captivated by the characters in this novel. Crystal’s life is riddled with hardship. She struggles with special needs, COVID-19 threatens her and her family including her grandparents, and on top of it all she struggles with her sexuality and the suffocating presence of toxic masculinity and abuse in her small town. Yet through it all, Crystal remains levelheaded, kind, and artistic. Her art, and the art included throughout this novel, enhanced my connection to the characters. Not only do the visuals provide me with an image of what the characters look like, but they connected me even more deeply to Crystal since they are drawn “by her.”
Each of the main characters, Crystal, Haley, and Payton, brought an important dimension to their shared experience. From all walks of high school life, these girls unite under their shared experience as queer women. They represent a spectrum of experiences that I think anyone can find themselves somewhere in. The generation and familial layers revealed throughout the story only serve to deepen the importance of the themes tackled in Crystal’s House of Queers.
As for the writing, this book is a fast-paced page turner. All of the story takes place in less than a week, and it feels that way by how quickly things move and how packed each second is with action, emotion, and development.
I highly recommend Crystal’s House of Queers to anyone, but especially to young, queer, female, readers, as I have never felt so seen and represented by a novel before.
April 12, 2021
Set in rural Clear, Alaska, Crystal’s life, and the lives of her friends, are anything but clear. The use of needing clarity without secrets and lies, either intentional or by omission, creates a powerful narrative about the need to be yourself despite what society says. Crystal Rose, the main character, is both empowered and empowering throughout the course of events, finding the courage to voice thoughts she hadn’t before and helping others do the same. She offers what many LGBT+ teens (and adults!) wish they had, a safe place to stay and people who love them.
The cast of characters for this is large and diverse, in range and experience and personality. It is delightful to be able to read about them coming together, creating a community amongst themselves in the few days over which the novel takes place. There is not only romantic love, but also platonic and familial love, all presented in equal amounts. It’s amazing to read and I almost wish I could be a part of it.
The art included as well adds such a unique element to the story. In truth, Crystal’s line drawings remind me of the story itself: one continuous thread fraught with twists and turns and kinks to create something wonderful to be seen at the end. Overall, I’m delighted by the different elements that Brooke Skipstone weaves together in her narrative.
The cast of characters for this is large and diverse, in range and experience and personality. It is delightful to be able to read about them coming together, creating a community amongst themselves in the few days over which the novel takes place. There is not only romantic love, but also platonic and familial love, all presented in equal amounts. It’s amazing to read and I almost wish I could be a part of it.
The art included as well adds such a unique element to the story. In truth, Crystal’s line drawings remind me of the story itself: one continuous thread fraught with twists and turns and kinks to create something wonderful to be seen at the end. Overall, I’m delighted by the different elements that Brooke Skipstone weaves together in her narrative.
June 2, 2021
4.5
Woah. This book is super intense but oh so important. It's a difficult one to process but damn, I really loved it. It's set in this small town in Alaska where three queer girls are just trying to be out and proud and stand up to the abusive men in their lives. This book is SO FUCKING QUEER. It's unapologetic and amazing. Crystal is neurodivergent, as her her brother who is also physically disabled, due to negligence on their absent mothers part during pregnancy. They both live with their grandparents in the small Alaskan town where covid is a myth and queer people don't exist, supposedly. But Crystal is queer and she wants to be with her best friend Haley, except Haley is trapped in a toxic abusive relationship with her boyfriend who happens to be the mayors son. He has all the privilege and power and physically, emotionally, and sexually abuses Haley, out in the open and everyone except Crystal just accepts it. But Haley has finally had enough and she and Crystal end up at Crystals house along with a new girl in town. Payton has just come to town and is out and queer and not afraid of boys who hurt people. She and her younger sisters are on their own after leaving their own abusive situation and refuse to bow down to queerphobia and hatred. Payton is dead set on helping Crystal and Haley learn to "wave their dyke flag" and to fight against all the toxicity in their lives.
This book is heavy. There's on page sexual assault and drug use and emotional manipulation, in addition to covid, pregnancy, and hospitalization. There is a lot to cover but it's done with grace.
There is a lot of outwardly sexual content, which made me uncomfortable at times but that is my own sex-repulsion when it comes to sex scenes with vaginas. It is worth noting for my fellow asexuals that the sex scenes are frequent and detailed if that is also something you struggle with.
as a whole, I definitely recommend this book and was absolutely here for the unapologetic lesbian content. The only reason I didn't do 5 stars was because I felt the focus on sex was a little too pertinent. A casual comment about how physicality isn't necessary to be queer would've been appreciated.
Woah. This book is super intense but oh so important. It's a difficult one to process but damn, I really loved it. It's set in this small town in Alaska where three queer girls are just trying to be out and proud and stand up to the abusive men in their lives. This book is SO FUCKING QUEER. It's unapologetic and amazing. Crystal is neurodivergent, as her her brother who is also physically disabled, due to negligence on their absent mothers part during pregnancy. They both live with their grandparents in the small Alaskan town where covid is a myth and queer people don't exist, supposedly. But Crystal is queer and she wants to be with her best friend Haley, except Haley is trapped in a toxic abusive relationship with her boyfriend who happens to be the mayors son. He has all the privilege and power and physically, emotionally, and sexually abuses Haley, out in the open and everyone except Crystal just accepts it. But Haley has finally had enough and she and Crystal end up at Crystals house along with a new girl in town. Payton has just come to town and is out and queer and not afraid of boys who hurt people. She and her younger sisters are on their own after leaving their own abusive situation and refuse to bow down to queerphobia and hatred. Payton is dead set on helping Crystal and Haley learn to "wave their dyke flag" and to fight against all the toxicity in their lives.
This book is heavy. There's on page sexual assault and drug use and emotional manipulation, in addition to covid, pregnancy, and hospitalization. There is a lot to cover but it's done with grace.
There is a lot of outwardly sexual content, which made me uncomfortable at times but that is my own sex-repulsion when it comes to sex scenes with vaginas. It is worth noting for my fellow asexuals that the sex scenes are frequent and detailed if that is also something you struggle with.
as a whole, I definitely recommend this book and was absolutely here for the unapologetic lesbian content. The only reason I didn't do 5 stars was because I felt the focus on sex was a little too pertinent. A casual comment about how physicality isn't necessary to be queer would've been appreciated.
May 30, 2021
"I'm gay and I'm raising my dyke flag"
What a beautiful, heartwarming, and empowering read.
I deeply appreciated how organically the relationship between Haley and Crystal was shown to progress. It did not come across as if it was trying to copy any heterosexual tropes, as it often ends up feeling like while reading YA/NA LGBT+ fics, in my experience.
We do not see many examples of older gay characters finding or rediscovering their loves at a later stage in life. We got great representation for that here -
I enjoyed the depiction of sisterhood in the story, and Payton's character sliding in as sort of a role model/the ideal for the other girls, especially her younger sister, teaching them to be more empowered over the course of the book.
This is also the first story I'm reading that is set in covid times. At first, I thought that the covid setting had no relevance apart from the publishing date. is very characteristic of this pandemic. was disturbing and depressing to read, especially because we are currently still going through this crisis.
The artwork aspect was terrifically executed and smoothly integrated into the scenes. Check out the colored versions of the character art on the author's website - https://www.brookeskipstone.com/
The intoning and the use of different voices for each character were fun to listen to. The narrator of the audiobook, Hayley Peterson, did the job super well!
Thanks to Netgalley for approving a copy of this novel!
TW: Parental abuse, homophobia, bullying, sexual assault, substance abuse, addiction, close encounter gun violence, estranged family
What a beautiful, heartwarming, and empowering read.
I deeply appreciated how organically the relationship between Haley and Crystal was shown to progress. It did not come across as if it was trying to copy any heterosexual tropes, as it often ends up feeling like while reading YA/NA LGBT+ fics, in my experience.
We do not see many examples of older gay characters finding or rediscovering their loves at a later stage in life. We got great representation for that here -
I enjoyed the depiction of sisterhood in the story, and Payton's character sliding in as sort of a role model/the ideal for the other girls, especially her younger sister, teaching them to be more empowered over the course of the book.
This is also the first story I'm reading that is set in covid times. At first, I thought that the covid setting had no relevance apart from the publishing date. is very characteristic of this pandemic. was disturbing and depressing to read, especially because we are currently still going through this crisis.
The artwork aspect was terrifically executed and smoothly integrated into the scenes. Check out the colored versions of the character art on the author's website - https://www.brookeskipstone.com/
The intoning and the use of different voices for each character were fun to listen to. The narrator of the audiobook, Hayley Peterson, did the job super well!
Thanks to Netgalley for approving a copy of this novel!
TW: Parental abuse, homophobia, bullying, sexual assault, substance abuse, addiction, close encounter gun violence, estranged family
June 11, 2021
I picked up this book because I thought it would be like about queer empowerment, and it definitely did have that and that aspect was great, but I didn't love this book.
What I did like:
- the queer representation
- disability representation, because books rarely, very rarely, feature characters like Crystal, JD, etc., and I love that the author attempts to destigmatize and debunk stereotypes and like truly portray the characters positively as well as writing about their challenges
- awareness on important problems like bullying, harassment, abuse, addiction
- the artwork was absolutely gorgeous. like very very very beautiful.
What I didn't like:
- so many cliches about love and lust and high school that it made a lot of the story and even writing feel immature
- I almost felt like the story relied on like social and political issues to the point that it felt almost excessive. like instead of trying to protest and advocate twenty ideas, it would've been less complicated and also just like more powerful to read if the focus was on a few
- COVID...I really didn't like the addition of the corona virus in the story. the pandemic is our inescapable reality and I would've really liked to escape into a world where I didn't have to think about it
- the blurb made me think this was going to be like a new adult novel where the characters would be adults (because what high school student is a homeowner?), but they were actually only in high school and that made some events in this book seem a little unrealistic.
- with so much queer and disability representation...did they have to be all white characters? i mean like it's great that there's a lot of diversity, but honestly that almost makes it worse that there's no racial diversity, because it's very clear the author is progressive on so many important issues but apparently it would have been too much to make the characters not all White and blond :|
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
What I did like:
- the queer representation
- disability representation, because books rarely, very rarely, feature characters like Crystal, JD, etc., and I love that the author attempts to destigmatize and debunk stereotypes and like truly portray the characters positively as well as writing about their challenges
- awareness on important problems like bullying, harassment, abuse, addiction
- the artwork was absolutely gorgeous. like very very very beautiful.
What I didn't like:
- so many cliches about love and lust and high school that it made a lot of the story and even writing feel immature
- I almost felt like the story relied on like social and political issues to the point that it felt almost excessive. like instead of trying to protest and advocate twenty ideas, it would've been less complicated and also just like more powerful to read if the focus was on a few
- COVID...I really didn't like the addition of the corona virus in the story. the pandemic is our inescapable reality and I would've really liked to escape into a world where I didn't have to think about it
- the blurb made me think this was going to be like a new adult novel where the characters would be adults (because what high school student is a homeowner?), but they were actually only in high school and that made some events in this book seem a little unrealistic.
- with so much queer and disability representation...did they have to be all white characters? i mean like it's great that there's a lot of diversity, but honestly that almost makes it worse that there's no racial diversity, because it's very clear the author is progressive on so many important issues but apparently it would have been too much to make the characters not all White and blond :|
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
June 2, 2021
Crystal’s House of Queers is a story of love, coming out, and fighting to protect a way of life. In-person school has just started in mid-September in the small town of Clear, Alaska, after Covid shut the school from mid-March through May and from mid-August until early September. Crystal Rose, a senior, sees her long-time friend Haley for the first time in months. Though Haley has had many boyfriends for the past several years, she and Crystal kissed frequently in fifth grade. Now they both are very interested in each other. Crystal stops Haley’s boyfriend from his daily assault on Haley in the lockerroom, starting a chain of threatening events and a renewed physical relationship between the two girls. Enter the charismatic and fearless Payton, openly gay, who helps them both to come out, be proud, and defend themselves against toxic male masculinity.
Complicating the girls’ love is the hospitalization of Crystal’s grandparents due to Covid and the potential return of her parents who abandoned her and her disabled brother fourteen years ago.
This book is empowering and very entertaining. All the young women stay strong, even as they evince an air of vulnerability. The characters are unique and deeply layered. The pacing is perfect, full of suspense and danger, as well as love, humor, redemption, and friendship.
Complicating the girls’ love is the hospitalization of Crystal’s grandparents due to Covid and the potential return of her parents who abandoned her and her disabled brother fourteen years ago.
This book is empowering and very entertaining. All the young women stay strong, even as they evince an air of vulnerability. The characters are unique and deeply layered. The pacing is perfect, full of suspense and danger, as well as love, humor, redemption, and friendship.
June 8, 2021
What a roller coaster of a book!
Let me preface this review by saying hats off to this author for tackling a number of difficult topics, including the pandemic, teen pregnancies, sexual assault and harassment, homophobia, disability representation, abuse, addiction and absent parents. Phew, it's a lot!
I started out enjoying this book. I liked being introduced to a new setting that I've yet to read or visit - rural Alaska - with a strong queer character of Crystal who seemed really lovely. But then, the book took a bit of a turn and I started to feel really uncomfortable reading it.
For me, this started at the point where these kids (they are about 17/18 year olds) talk about really adult things in a very blasé way. For instance, sex, drugs, guns, marriage and pregnancy. It was confronting initially and then it became a little too unrealistic. I just couldn't get past how unrealistic aspects of this book were. This book features two teen pregnancies, with none of the teens batting an eye at the seriousness of this. Having a kid is not something to take lightly and ironically, they say this about marriage and how serious it is. No, in marriage you can get divorced, when you have a kid you will literally be attached for life. It's a big friggin' deal.
Additionally, these teens also discuss guns and shooting others in a very blasé way. I don’t know if it’s because I’m Australian but I found it very confronting how much they talk about guns and shooting and how normalised it is to pull out a gun to protect themselves. Is this a common thing in rural Alaska for teens to see it in this way? I highly doubt it.
I found the second half of the book to really slow down in pace. There was also a lot of angst and drama, to the point where I found that it was exhausting to read, especially as the pace was so slow. I found my eyes rolling quite a few times as they were all so young and silly.
The nail on the coffin for me was the weirdness that developed between JD (17 yo) and Sidney (12 yo) late in the book, where she starts crushing on him and the people in the house just think it's cute. It wasn't. At all. I truly wish the author shut down that conversation very early on as again, this was something else that made me feel uneasy.
In hindsight, I don't think I'm the target market for this book as a 33 year old. I thought this was more New Adult going into it, but its definitely Young Adult as they are still in High School.
Many thanks to Netgalley and Skipstone Publishing for a copy of this novel. ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
Let me preface this review by saying hats off to this author for tackling a number of difficult topics, including the pandemic, teen pregnancies, sexual assault and harassment, homophobia, disability representation, abuse, addiction and absent parents. Phew, it's a lot!
I started out enjoying this book. I liked being introduced to a new setting that I've yet to read or visit - rural Alaska - with a strong queer character of Crystal who seemed really lovely. But then, the book took a bit of a turn and I started to feel really uncomfortable reading it.
For me, this started at the point where these kids (they are about 17/18 year olds) talk about really adult things in a very blasé way. For instance, sex, drugs, guns, marriage and pregnancy. It was confronting initially and then it became a little too unrealistic. I just couldn't get past how unrealistic aspects of this book were. This book features two teen pregnancies, with none of the teens batting an eye at the seriousness of this. Having a kid is not something to take lightly and ironically, they say this about marriage and how serious it is. No, in marriage you can get divorced, when you have a kid you will literally be attached for life. It's a big friggin' deal.
Additionally, these teens also discuss guns and shooting others in a very blasé way. I don’t know if it’s because I’m Australian but I found it very confronting how much they talk about guns and shooting and how normalised it is to pull out a gun to protect themselves. Is this a common thing in rural Alaska for teens to see it in this way? I highly doubt it.
I found the second half of the book to really slow down in pace. There was also a lot of angst and drama, to the point where I found that it was exhausting to read, especially as the pace was so slow. I found my eyes rolling quite a few times as they were all so young and silly.
The nail on the coffin for me was the weirdness that developed between JD (17 yo) and Sidney (12 yo) late in the book, where she starts crushing on him and the people in the house just think it's cute. It wasn't. At all. I truly wish the author shut down that conversation very early on as again, this was something else that made me feel uneasy.
In hindsight, I don't think I'm the target market for this book as a 33 year old. I thought this was more New Adult going into it, but its definitely Young Adult as they are still in High School.
Many thanks to Netgalley and Skipstone Publishing for a copy of this novel. ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
May 29, 2021
This is a contemporary YA novel about a group of high schoolers who are creating a safe haven for the gay/marginalised community in their town. The story mainly follows Crystal as she falls in love with her classmate Haley.
There were definitely aspects of this book that I loved. Crystal’s character was extremely endearing and her though processes were a great insight. There were some amazing moments particularly between Crystal and her brother which I would have loved to see more of. I loved the representation of both the queer and disabled community. However, I would have liked to see a broader spectrum of the LGBTQIA+ community; with so many of the characters simply being labelled as ‘gay’ it would have been nice to have a bigger variety in such a huge amount of characters identifying as being somewhere on the queer spectrum. This being said, the context of the story taking place in rural Alaska makes the lack of wider LGBTQIA+ representation more understandable. This is just my personal view and preference whilst reading.
The author brought a lot of attention to a variety of problems such as addiction, teen pregnancies, bullying, abuse and sexual assault which are often overlooked in literature. The audiobook was 100% the best way to consume this. I’m not a big audiobook gal but I know that I would have DNF’d this if I hadn’t been listening. The narrator was great at bringing each of the characters to life and it brought some sense of reality to the story. I also really loved the setting being in Alaska and found that to be an extremely unique aspect of the plot which brought a new viewpoint to the book community.
The main thing that brought this book down was the fact that it took place over a few days. There was A LOT that happened and it just seemed a little… far-fetched? We read about a teen-pregnancy, a COVID scare, 2 estranged parents returning, a sexual assault, a new child, another teen pregnancy, about 4 coming-outs and a lot of drug use and drinking. Furthermore, the majority of the characters were in high-school which only made it even more unbelievable and difficult to read.
Generally, due to the book taking place in such a short time frame, the constant drama began to feel extremely unrealistic and it got to the point that I was sat there thinking ‘really? Anything else?’. Perhaps it would have been better to have focused on only a couple of these key issues rather than rushing through and including every single one into a story which takes place over only a few days. Overall, although I enjoyed parts of the book I think that if it had been extended over a longer period of time I would have been able to become more engrossed in the story and there would have been a lot more character development which ultimately would have made the storyline more believable.
As previously noted, there was a lot of inclusion and conversation regarding autism and sexuality, although there was very little racial diversity. I loved reading about the Native Alaskan people and would have liked to see more of a focus on this as I found it to be extremely educational and a brilliant addition to the book. It would have been great to read about characters that were not white and that identified as different sexualities (e.g. pansexual, transgender etc.) as opposed to just ‘gay’ and ‘lesbian’.
I definitely felt that aspects of the book were brilliant in terms of representing me as a lesbian, white female but struggled to identify with other areas and don’t see many people being able to identify deeply with any of the characters. The book addressed some key issues but it would have been great to see this plot stretched over a longer timeline with older characters to make it more believable.
Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
There were definitely aspects of this book that I loved. Crystal’s character was extremely endearing and her though processes were a great insight. There were some amazing moments particularly between Crystal and her brother which I would have loved to see more of. I loved the representation of both the queer and disabled community. However, I would have liked to see a broader spectrum of the LGBTQIA+ community; with so many of the characters simply being labelled as ‘gay’ it would have been nice to have a bigger variety in such a huge amount of characters identifying as being somewhere on the queer spectrum. This being said, the context of the story taking place in rural Alaska makes the lack of wider LGBTQIA+ representation more understandable. This is just my personal view and preference whilst reading.
The author brought a lot of attention to a variety of problems such as addiction, teen pregnancies, bullying, abuse and sexual assault which are often overlooked in literature. The audiobook was 100% the best way to consume this. I’m not a big audiobook gal but I know that I would have DNF’d this if I hadn’t been listening. The narrator was great at bringing each of the characters to life and it brought some sense of reality to the story. I also really loved the setting being in Alaska and found that to be an extremely unique aspect of the plot which brought a new viewpoint to the book community.
The main thing that brought this book down was the fact that it took place over a few days. There was A LOT that happened and it just seemed a little… far-fetched? We read about a teen-pregnancy, a COVID scare, 2 estranged parents returning, a sexual assault, a new child, another teen pregnancy, about 4 coming-outs and a lot of drug use and drinking. Furthermore, the majority of the characters were in high-school which only made it even more unbelievable and difficult to read.
Generally, due to the book taking place in such a short time frame, the constant drama began to feel extremely unrealistic and it got to the point that I was sat there thinking ‘really? Anything else?’. Perhaps it would have been better to have focused on only a couple of these key issues rather than rushing through and including every single one into a story which takes place over only a few days. Overall, although I enjoyed parts of the book I think that if it had been extended over a longer period of time I would have been able to become more engrossed in the story and there would have been a lot more character development which ultimately would have made the storyline more believable.
As previously noted, there was a lot of inclusion and conversation regarding autism and sexuality, although there was very little racial diversity. I loved reading about the Native Alaskan people and would have liked to see more of a focus on this as I found it to be extremely educational and a brilliant addition to the book. It would have been great to read about characters that were not white and that identified as different sexualities (e.g. pansexual, transgender etc.) as opposed to just ‘gay’ and ‘lesbian’.
I definitely felt that aspects of the book were brilliant in terms of representing me as a lesbian, white female but struggled to identify with other areas and don’t see many people being able to identify deeply with any of the characters. The book addressed some key issues but it would have been great to see this plot stretched over a longer timeline with older characters to make it more believable.
Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
February 27, 2022
I know some will agree with me and some won’t, but I am one of those firm believers that We, the people should be honored. I believe that all men are created equal, as well as women, by the way. I believe Black lives matter, as well as everyone else’s. And I believe that all people should love whoever they want to love, and that choice isn’t anyone else’s business. I was born in a conservative household, raised by great parents, believe in God, and still love Kiefer Sutherland to this day, and none of that is anyone’s business to judge. I also believe you should never judge a book (literally) by its cover, title, synopsis, etc. Because if you do, you’re guaranteed to miss out on something.
In the very beginning of this poignant book, a quote is offered from one of the characters by the name of Crystal Rose: “We all need to be held and loved. Why do people take issue with
who does the holding?” And after that important thought, the book speeds forward to tell a tale of kindness, anger, judgment, love, abuse, drama and more, by utilizing a great plot and equally great characters.
Friends since the fourth grade, Crystal and Haley were always close. Even at a young age, they felt a special kind of love for one another, but neither really knew what category to place that emotion into. Now, Crystal is 18 and her dreams about Haley have matured along with her years. Crystal is an artist who uses her ability to calm herself as well as spark her imagination. This one morning, after dreams of Haley have interrupted her sleep, she heads out on a nature trail that takes her past the fog-encrusted pond in the woods behind her house located in Clear, Alaska. Readers learn from Crystal, as she describes herself, that she is a “special needs” kid with a special power. (And the awesome illustrations on the cover and within the book prove that talent). You see, she can draw the shape of virtually everything using one continuous line, never removing her pen from the paper while creating the creature, image, location, etc.
Crystal also states that she has no fear, which amazes the reader as facts are unveiled about her backstory. Her brother, JD, and Crystal are being raised by their grandparents, Mac and Summer. Mom left them fourteen years ago and never returned. The grandparents state that there was a car wreck and blame their father, Eugene, for the entire event. But, as with all plotlines in this story, there are a variety of tales, fact and fiction, to be explored.
JD is a sweet brother to Crystal. A large linebacker of a guy, JD is, unfortunately, disabled. His hips deformed, he walks with a limp and is the focus of bullies who love to tease him. He also has a hard time in school when it comes to classes, failing every subject. However, even when people wish to give up on JD’s future, Crystal trusts that his MacGyver-like talents to hunt, fish, build anything out of literally anything, added to the love he receives from his girlfriend Gena, will allow JD to live a good, solid life on his own one day.
Now that in-person school has started up, closed since the lockdown brought about by the pandemic, Crystal’s life is literally focused on Haley once again. And when she saves Haley from a harsh assault by her abusive boyfriend, the love between them is rekindled. But instead of happiness, Crystal’s life is turned upside down when Covid strikes her grandparents, and suddenly her drug-addicted parents may just return from their supposed graves.
Add in another amazing character by the name of Payton—an artist who likes to carry a gun by her side and is more than proud of the gay community—and you have a plot that author Brooke Skipstone invented perfectly. Touching upon a myriad of subjects ranging from the pandemic to sexual identity to living life with a disability, this is one upcoming author who delivered a fantastic story to readers. It does not take a crystal ball to state that, if this book is the “norm” when it comes to Ms. Skipstone’s writing abilities, she will gather many awards. Well done!
In the very beginning of this poignant book, a quote is offered from one of the characters by the name of Crystal Rose: “We all need to be held and loved. Why do people take issue with
who does the holding?” And after that important thought, the book speeds forward to tell a tale of kindness, anger, judgment, love, abuse, drama and more, by utilizing a great plot and equally great characters.
Friends since the fourth grade, Crystal and Haley were always close. Even at a young age, they felt a special kind of love for one another, but neither really knew what category to place that emotion into. Now, Crystal is 18 and her dreams about Haley have matured along with her years. Crystal is an artist who uses her ability to calm herself as well as spark her imagination. This one morning, after dreams of Haley have interrupted her sleep, she heads out on a nature trail that takes her past the fog-encrusted pond in the woods behind her house located in Clear, Alaska. Readers learn from Crystal, as she describes herself, that she is a “special needs” kid with a special power. (And the awesome illustrations on the cover and within the book prove that talent). You see, she can draw the shape of virtually everything using one continuous line, never removing her pen from the paper while creating the creature, image, location, etc.
Crystal also states that she has no fear, which amazes the reader as facts are unveiled about her backstory. Her brother, JD, and Crystal are being raised by their grandparents, Mac and Summer. Mom left them fourteen years ago and never returned. The grandparents state that there was a car wreck and blame their father, Eugene, for the entire event. But, as with all plotlines in this story, there are a variety of tales, fact and fiction, to be explored.
JD is a sweet brother to Crystal. A large linebacker of a guy, JD is, unfortunately, disabled. His hips deformed, he walks with a limp and is the focus of bullies who love to tease him. He also has a hard time in school when it comes to classes, failing every subject. However, even when people wish to give up on JD’s future, Crystal trusts that his MacGyver-like talents to hunt, fish, build anything out of literally anything, added to the love he receives from his girlfriend Gena, will allow JD to live a good, solid life on his own one day.
Now that in-person school has started up, closed since the lockdown brought about by the pandemic, Crystal’s life is literally focused on Haley once again. And when she saves Haley from a harsh assault by her abusive boyfriend, the love between them is rekindled. But instead of happiness, Crystal’s life is turned upside down when Covid strikes her grandparents, and suddenly her drug-addicted parents may just return from their supposed graves.
Add in another amazing character by the name of Payton—an artist who likes to carry a gun by her side and is more than proud of the gay community—and you have a plot that author Brooke Skipstone invented perfectly. Touching upon a myriad of subjects ranging from the pandemic to sexual identity to living life with a disability, this is one upcoming author who delivered a fantastic story to readers. It does not take a crystal ball to state that, if this book is the “norm” when it comes to Ms. Skipstone’s writing abilities, she will gather many awards. Well done!
April 30, 2021
On her way out of the house, Crystal's grandmother scolds her for not wearing a bra. Her grandfather tells her not to bend over in front of the boys. Why? Because it would be Crystal's fault if the boys think dirty thoughts? Crystal knows she can't talk to her grandparents about her sex dreams of girls or about her sexual encounter last Saturday with her longtime friend, Kato, an event she now regrets. Later during lunch, Crystal returns to her house only to find her grandparents leaving for the hospital in Fairbanks because they both might have Covid. Her brother may be moving away with his girlfriend tomorrow. Crystal would then be alone in her house that evening. However, over the next two days, her house fills with friends, gay like herself. All because Crystal dares to defend Haley from abuse by her supposed boyfriend.
This story is filled with suspense, revelations, love, and humor. I cried and laughed and always wanted to read more. I loved Crystal's drawings, "tough girl" Payton, cute-as-hell Sydney, the sex scenes (there are a few), and the message of being true to yourself and your needs and don't take shit from anyone.
This story is filled with suspense, revelations, love, and humor. I cried and laughed and always wanted to read more. I loved Crystal's drawings, "tough girl" Payton, cute-as-hell Sydney, the sex scenes (there are a few), and the message of being true to yourself and your needs and don't take shit from anyone.
May 22, 2021
See my full review at BookshelfSOS.com
Crystal's House of Queers is a contemporary young adult novel about a group of friends who create a safe-haven for outcasts and gay teenagers within the home of Crystal, a high school senior with a crush on her classmate Haley.
There is a lot to like about this book. It started off really strong for me. I loved Crystal's character especially. I like the inclusion of her learning disabilities and how they are accommodated for at her school, and I loved her nature-y, artistic personality. The inclusion of Crystal's drawings and Payton's paintings within the book was such a fun and creative addition to the story. Every time I sensed a new drawing coming I was excited to turn the page and see it revealed. I also liked that this story was set during the pandemic. This is the first book I've read that has been set during Covid-19 and that shows some of the upheaval that high school kids have experienced. I appreciated that, and I think it's important to write stories about what this time has been like to live through.
The story stalled out for me a bit after about the 60 or 70 percent mark. A lot of the mysteries that had been set up in the beginning were revealed by then and the rest of the book was mostly dealing with the fallout. I think the book would have benefitted a lot from having the timeline expanded so that instead of taking place over the course of just a few days it spanned a few weeks or even a few months. I would have loved to see more of the town of Clear, and maybe the non-stop drama would have felt a little more realistic if it had unfolded over a slightly longer time period.
Overall I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a sweet lesbian YA book, particularly if you love found families and girls being loving and supportive to one another.
Crystal's House of Queers is a contemporary young adult novel about a group of friends who create a safe-haven for outcasts and gay teenagers within the home of Crystal, a high school senior with a crush on her classmate Haley.
There is a lot to like about this book. It started off really strong for me. I loved Crystal's character especially. I like the inclusion of her learning disabilities and how they are accommodated for at her school, and I loved her nature-y, artistic personality. The inclusion of Crystal's drawings and Payton's paintings within the book was such a fun and creative addition to the story. Every time I sensed a new drawing coming I was excited to turn the page and see it revealed. I also liked that this story was set during the pandemic. This is the first book I've read that has been set during Covid-19 and that shows some of the upheaval that high school kids have experienced. I appreciated that, and I think it's important to write stories about what this time has been like to live through.
The story stalled out for me a bit after about the 60 or 70 percent mark. A lot of the mysteries that had been set up in the beginning were revealed by then and the rest of the book was mostly dealing with the fallout. I think the book would have benefitted a lot from having the timeline expanded so that instead of taking place over the course of just a few days it spanned a few weeks or even a few months. I would have loved to see more of the town of Clear, and maybe the non-stop drama would have felt a little more realistic if it had unfolded over a slightly longer time period.
Overall I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a sweet lesbian YA book, particularly if you love found families and girls being loving and supportive to one another.
April 30, 2021
I have never read another book which dealt with special needs teens with such honesty and positivity. Crystal and her brother JD were both affected by their mother’s drinking and drug use during pregnancy. Both have struggled in school as a result, but both have become excellent human beings with their own gifts and talents. Through Crystal’s bravery and determination and ability to forgive, she creates a safe environment for others who are punished for their sexual preference, for who they are.
The story is filled with twists and turns, tense and engaging moments, and sheer fun. This is a quick and fulfilling read.
The story is filled with twists and turns, tense and engaging moments, and sheer fun. This is a quick and fulfilling read.
June 15, 2021
2.5 stars. I DNFed this at 33% percent.
This book had a really great premise, and I was very interested going in. I love a small town with atmosphere, I like queer-centric stories. This is labelled as New Adult so I expected it to cover some hard-hitting topics.
And it does. There's some graphic scenes in this, some violent, some sweet, but it's all very strong. Some of it feels left of reality, some of it is so painfully searing that I want to commend the author. However these emotional moments were ruined for me. The tone flip-flops often, and I feel like I'm reading a younger YA with adult topics. It's quite strange in tone, and it made me feel uncomfortable in a way that I don't think was intended. These girls are teens, and they're very sexualised. Then they talk about how they're sick of men sexualising them. It made me as a reader feel icky. It's a very strange lense to look through at these topics, but I don't think the author ever intends for me to feel that way. There's a missing element of awareness.
The story also contains a lot emotionally, and I was already exhausted at 30%. It tries to shove all of these topics into the story, and doesn't do a great job at handling these topics. It touches on class, female friendship, sexual awakening, coming if age, feminism and male domination, current/recent social and health issues including Trump and COVID (this is the first book I've read where covid is featured, and wow, did that make my head spin), disability, possible death of a family member queerness, trauma, abandonment... And the list goes on. All that, in only the first third! My head is reeling and it makes the story feel like it's fighting itself. I'm getting whiplash, and these topics aren't being given enough time to breathe and to be given care and attention.
I really liked the idea and the writing is clean, the atmosphere is nice. The characters outside of the three girls fall a little flat for me, and even Crystal, the main girl, seems to only have a few personality traits. I think this community and area could've been a really strong setting for a interesting story to blossom, but the tone was just really weird and the story felt unfocused. Ultimately it putters out and left me wanting, and I'm too uncomfortable to finish.
thanks to netgalley for providing me with a copy of this audiobook.
This book had a really great premise, and I was very interested going in. I love a small town with atmosphere, I like queer-centric stories. This is labelled as New Adult so I expected it to cover some hard-hitting topics.
And it does. There's some graphic scenes in this, some violent, some sweet, but it's all very strong. Some of it feels left of reality, some of it is so painfully searing that I want to commend the author. However these emotional moments were ruined for me. The tone flip-flops often, and I feel like I'm reading a younger YA with adult topics. It's quite strange in tone, and it made me feel uncomfortable in a way that I don't think was intended. These girls are teens, and they're very sexualised. Then they talk about how they're sick of men sexualising them. It made me as a reader feel icky. It's a very strange lense to look through at these topics, but I don't think the author ever intends for me to feel that way. There's a missing element of awareness.
The story also contains a lot emotionally, and I was already exhausted at 30%. It tries to shove all of these topics into the story, and doesn't do a great job at handling these topics. It touches on class, female friendship, sexual awakening, coming if age, feminism and male domination, current/recent social and health issues including Trump and COVID (this is the first book I've read where covid is featured, and wow, did that make my head spin), disability, possible death of a family member queerness, trauma, abandonment... And the list goes on. All that, in only the first third! My head is reeling and it makes the story feel like it's fighting itself. I'm getting whiplash, and these topics aren't being given enough time to breathe and to be given care and attention.
I really liked the idea and the writing is clean, the atmosphere is nice. The characters outside of the three girls fall a little flat for me, and even Crystal, the main girl, seems to only have a few personality traits. I think this community and area could've been a really strong setting for a interesting story to blossom, but the tone was just really weird and the story felt unfocused. Ultimately it putters out and left me wanting, and I'm too uncomfortable to finish.
thanks to netgalley for providing me with a copy of this audiobook.
November 2, 2023
This story had a lot of potential. I love the idea of queer teenagers standing in their truth, and making a safe house for other LGBTQ teens in Alaska.
But it was so dialogue driven, to the deference of description. The dialogue is what makes the story high drama and fast-paced. But the lack of attention to description gives the impression that the visuals would almost take away from the intensity of the story, when in reality, if done well, they could heighten the intensity of the story and it's themes.
More to the point, I don't think the drawings in the book truly compensated for the lack of attention to developing description throughout the novel. If anything, they were kind of a distraction. In my mind, the point of reading a novel is to imagine what people look like. The cover art was sufficient enough so that the reader can imagine Crystal drawing portraits from one line. There wasn't a need to include portraits in the book.
But the lack of attention to description affected the character development. I can only intuit that Crystal's family are indigenous, based on their descriptions of going to the village to hunt wales. But I don't even know if I'm on the mark or completely off-base. It's almost ironic how for all the drawings that were included, the races and/or ethnicities of these folks are not given many descriptive qualities so you can actually imagine what they look like on your own.
I enjoyed the ride this book took me on. I do think with more drafting, it could have been stronger, and that much more beautiful.
But it was so dialogue driven, to the deference of description. The dialogue is what makes the story high drama and fast-paced. But the lack of attention to description gives the impression that the visuals would almost take away from the intensity of the story, when in reality, if done well, they could heighten the intensity of the story and it's themes.
More to the point, I don't think the drawings in the book truly compensated for the lack of attention to developing description throughout the novel. If anything, they were kind of a distraction. In my mind, the point of reading a novel is to imagine what people look like. The cover art was sufficient enough so that the reader can imagine Crystal drawing portraits from one line. There wasn't a need to include portraits in the book.
But the lack of attention to description affected the character development. I can only intuit that Crystal's family are indigenous, based on their descriptions of going to the village to hunt wales. But I don't even know if I'm on the mark or completely off-base. It's almost ironic how for all the drawings that were included, the races and/or ethnicities of these folks are not given many descriptive qualities so you can actually imagine what they look like on your own.
I enjoyed the ride this book took me on. I do think with more drafting, it could have been stronger, and that much more beautiful.
June 4, 2021
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the advanced copy of this book.
I was excited to read this during Pride Month and thought it sounded like a great book.
So... I actually struggled massively with this book. I barely finished it if I'm perfectly honest.
I'm just going to break it down:
The characters: Crystal is great. She seems really likeable, sensible and has a massive heart obviously with how she wants to create a safe space for all the other characters in the book.
I thought a lot of all the other characters could have been developed more but it wasn't a major negative point for me.
The message: this book has great lesbian representation and I think that's the shining light of this book. The core message is obviously important and puts an emphasis on the importance of acceptance and love. It also covers other important topics including drug abuse, sexual abuse, teen pregnancy, as well as current topics such as covid.
So that's basically where the book fell flat for me. This plot definitely tried to cover too much and felt so farfetched, there was no way I could commit to this story being any way realistic which took away from the whole book, for me. The plot seems to take place over the course of 2-3 days? And we go from Crystal and Haley being friends, to Crystal saving Haley twice from her boyfriend trying to assault her, them becoming serious girlfriends, Haley being pregnant, Crystals estranged parents both coming back with different agendas after years away, Crystals new friends who yield guns at the age of 12, Crystals grandparents essentially on their deathbeds in hospital with COVID (which I'm sorry, noone seems to really care about???) And Crystal inviting a load of people she just met to live with her. Oh I almost forgot about Crystals 17 year old brother who's girlfriend basically tricked him into impregnating her to go live in some village far away against his will?
I actually also thought for a book solely based on queer representation, it only worked to represent a small spectrum of LGBTQIA+, while I expected a book focused on representation to include maybe characters of other sexual identities, or maybe races or cultures?
Overall, it was just too much. There was no need for all the plot points and I think it really took away from what could have been great. Apologies if this sounds harsh but it's just my opinion, this book seems to be receiving great reviews so maybe I'm missing something.
I was excited to read this during Pride Month and thought it sounded like a great book.
So... I actually struggled massively with this book. I barely finished it if I'm perfectly honest.
I'm just going to break it down:
The characters: Crystal is great. She seems really likeable, sensible and has a massive heart obviously with how she wants to create a safe space for all the other characters in the book.
I thought a lot of all the other characters could have been developed more but it wasn't a major negative point for me.
The message: this book has great lesbian representation and I think that's the shining light of this book. The core message is obviously important and puts an emphasis on the importance of acceptance and love. It also covers other important topics including drug abuse, sexual abuse, teen pregnancy, as well as current topics such as covid.
So that's basically where the book fell flat for me. This plot definitely tried to cover too much and felt so farfetched, there was no way I could commit to this story being any way realistic which took away from the whole book, for me. The plot seems to take place over the course of 2-3 days? And we go from Crystal and Haley being friends, to Crystal saving Haley twice from her boyfriend trying to assault her, them becoming serious girlfriends, Haley being pregnant, Crystals estranged parents both coming back with different agendas after years away, Crystals new friends who yield guns at the age of 12, Crystals grandparents essentially on their deathbeds in hospital with COVID (which I'm sorry, noone seems to really care about???) And Crystal inviting a load of people she just met to live with her. Oh I almost forgot about Crystals 17 year old brother who's girlfriend basically tricked him into impregnating her to go live in some village far away against his will?
I actually also thought for a book solely based on queer representation, it only worked to represent a small spectrum of LGBTQIA+, while I expected a book focused on representation to include maybe characters of other sexual identities, or maybe races or cultures?
Overall, it was just too much. There was no need for all the plot points and I think it really took away from what could have been great. Apologies if this sounds harsh but it's just my opinion, this book seems to be receiving great reviews so maybe I'm missing something.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 5, 2021
Crystal's House of Queers by Brooke Skipstone is a novel about, Crystal Rose, the main character, and her group of teenagers living in the small town of Clear, Alaska. It's a queer coming of age story, a portrait of struggling amid the Covid Pandemic crisis, and a tender and heartbreaking love story, complete with a collection of memories of abuse, trauma, joy, and survival. Crystal lives with her loving but rigid grandparents and younger brother. Deserted by her abusive parents, believed to have died in a car accident, she finds an unexpected home in the tight-knight conservative community which lies virtually in the center of the great state of Alaska. Skipstone adds a beautiful queer romance at the center of the novel that is breathtaking in its honesty and complexity.
The pages are adorned with numerous illustrations that represent sketches by the protagonist, Crystal Rose. They add immensely to the narrative by helping the reader to visualize characters and events better. This warmhearted and sex-positive book focuses on a confused teenager struggling to claim her true sexual identity, and it's got an adorable F/F romance and a wonderful cast of interesting characters.
The pages are adorned with numerous illustrations that represent sketches by the protagonist, Crystal Rose. They add immensely to the narrative by helping the reader to visualize characters and events better. This warmhearted and sex-positive book focuses on a confused teenager struggling to claim her true sexual identity, and it's got an adorable F/F romance and a wonderful cast of interesting characters.
June 21, 2021
Really, this is a 4.5/5 stars for me.
IF YOU WANT TO READ THIS BOOK, BE SURE TO CHECK FOR TRIGGER WARNINGS BEFORE READING IT!
While this book had some triggering moments, the moments were important and something that definitely led to important conversations. They also weren't the entire plot, just a point in the story.
I really enjoyed this book - I had no idea what to expect going into this story, but 'House of Queers' being in the title had me honestly sold on it, considering in high school my house, and one of my friends' houses kind of became those for us as safe havens.
I related to this book in a few ways: lesbian teenager in a place where being queer wasn't accepted, (I identified as a lesbian, in high school, [2007-2010], in Southern Alberta, so, I get that). I also related to having that one girl you love so much, more than anything, that you'd do anything for them.
I also love that this book is about found family.
Seriously, thoroughly enjoyed this book.
IF YOU WANT TO READ THIS BOOK, BE SURE TO CHECK FOR TRIGGER WARNINGS BEFORE READING IT!
While this book had some triggering moments, the moments were important and something that definitely led to important conversations. They also weren't the entire plot, just a point in the story.
I really enjoyed this book - I had no idea what to expect going into this story, but 'House of Queers' being in the title had me honestly sold on it, considering in high school my house, and one of my friends' houses kind of became those for us as safe havens.
I related to this book in a few ways: lesbian teenager in a place where being queer wasn't accepted, (I identified as a lesbian, in high school, [2007-2010], in Southern Alberta, so, I get that). I also related to having that one girl you love so much, more than anything, that you'd do anything for them.
I also love that this book is about found family.
Seriously, thoroughly enjoyed this book.
May 24, 2021
This book made me extremely uncomfortable.
I was not aware that this book was set during covid, and at times it felt very overplayed and a little too realistic. The teachers were always reminding students to pull up their masks, the older people were in constant fear, etc. and it all just hit really hard after a full year of this pandemic. I just felt antsy reading about it.
The other thing I didn't like was the graphic sex scenes, all of the characters in this book are minors and I just don't enjoy explicit scenes that involve people under 18. The opening of the first chapter is literally such a vivid description of a sex scene that I had to put my phone down.
Overall this was not the book for me, and I think I might have been less turned off by it if I had more warnings of the content.
I was not aware that this book was set during covid, and at times it felt very overplayed and a little too realistic. The teachers were always reminding students to pull up their masks, the older people were in constant fear, etc. and it all just hit really hard after a full year of this pandemic. I just felt antsy reading about it.
The other thing I didn't like was the graphic sex scenes, all of the characters in this book are minors and I just don't enjoy explicit scenes that involve people under 18. The opening of the first chapter is literally such a vivid description of a sex scene that I had to put my phone down.
Overall this was not the book for me, and I think I might have been less turned off by it if I had more warnings of the content.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 7, 2021
I don't typically read LGBTQ books, but this one caught my attention because it is set in a tiny town in the middle of Alaska and Payton is a gun-toting artist. Sounded unique! And yes, the book is very unique, very action-packed, and very emotional. All the characters are amazingly layered and distinct. Crystal and her friends face down threats from various men and provide a home for themselves and other queers in the area. They've all had to cope with past traumas but find the strength to overcome them through the strength of their love for each other. As Payton says, they all have special needs. It's their life mission to discover what they are for themselves and for others. I loved the story.
May 28, 2021
Set during the pandemic, this book explores the difficulties and challenges that many (if not most) teenagers and young adults who identify as Queer have to endure. In Alaska, Crystal reconnects with a dear friend she has loving feelings for when she rescues her from man abusive Ex. Together they set out to discover what it means to be true to oneself and live without worry about others views.
This book was a great book. There are not many out there that will speak to those in the LGBTQ community that portrays characters outside of a trope or stereotype and gives them a voice as a major character. I see this book as valuable for younger readers especially, as well as adults. I really liked it.
This book was a great book. There are not many out there that will speak to those in the LGBTQ community that portrays characters outside of a trope or stereotype and gives them a voice as a major character. I see this book as valuable for younger readers especially, as well as adults. I really liked it.
May 2, 2021
So many good lines in this book:
"If you come out, people hate you. If you don't, you hate yourself.”
“We all need to be held and loved. Why do people take issue with who does the holding?”
"We are not all the same. We all have special needs. Society cannot deny me an education because I don’t learn like most others. They have to accommodate me.” She can’t stop the tears from rolling out of her eyes. “Society cannot deny queers a normal life because they don’t act like everyone else. Everyone needs to hear that message."
Humor, sex, threats of violence, family reconciliation, powerful girls, and lots of queer love—what more could you want in a story?
"If you come out, people hate you. If you don't, you hate yourself.”
“We all need to be held and loved. Why do people take issue with who does the holding?”
"We are not all the same. We all have special needs. Society cannot deny me an education because I don’t learn like most others. They have to accommodate me.” She can’t stop the tears from rolling out of her eyes. “Society cannot deny queers a normal life because they don’t act like everyone else. Everyone needs to hear that message."
Humor, sex, threats of violence, family reconciliation, powerful girls, and lots of queer love—what more could you want in a story?
August 7, 2021
If you wanna good cry go read this book!!!
This story start at the beginning of the pandemic where everyone just thinks that Covid-19 is a lie. (Super strange to read about the pandemic) Crystal and her brother have to go back to school because they have learning disability but she is being raised by her grandparents, she is very insistant in going but certain events transpire. Their is a diverse cast of characters and they were just bouncing of the pages it was amazing to see so many different stories being told so beautifully.
Thank you netgally and the publisher for giving me a free copy of Crystal's house of Queers for an honest review.
This story start at the beginning of the pandemic where everyone just thinks that Covid-19 is a lie. (Super strange to read about the pandemic) Crystal and her brother have to go back to school because they have learning disability but she is being raised by her grandparents, she is very insistant in going but certain events transpire. Their is a diverse cast of characters and they were just bouncing of the pages it was amazing to see so many different stories being told so beautifully.
Thank you netgally and the publisher for giving me a free copy of Crystal's house of Queers for an honest review.
May 24, 2021
I loved the idea of this story, but was afraid I might be put off by the use of Covid in the plot. That didn't happen, however. It actually made the story seem more realistic and contemporary without triggering anything for me. I adored Crystal, Haley and Payton. Their bonds of friendship and love are amazing and the whole book made you want to stand up and cheer for them and then go out and stand up and save a bit of your own world. An amazing, empowering, emotional read.
July 3, 2021
I don't tend to read new adult/ young adult titles, but I do love LGBTIQA+ books and so I gave this a go, and pleased I did. It was a great listen, with interesting characters, and storyline. Most of all, I think it would be great for the younger audience, particularly late teens and early adults, as indicated. Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review!
May 7, 2021
The thing I really liked was that the book conveyed well how the Crystal's disability was just another aspect of her character, not what defined her. You don't find that in a lot of reading. I highly recommend. We quickly get attached to characters. Thank you Brooke for being such a great author.
June 24, 2021
At first I wasn't sure I would enjoy this book but the more I got to know the characters the more I wanted to see what happened to them. I ended up truly enjoying it by the end of the last page.
June 7, 2021
Crystal's House of Queers by Brooke Skipstone is a diverse, LGBTQIA novel.
The story focuses on what happens when you do and don't live your life as your most authentic self.
It is a quick read, with humour in places but mainly it centers around Crystal, her friends and their extremely traumatic lives. The way they use their creativity to break free from their fear, and the way friendship and found family can sometimes be the support you need to be the real you!
I would put a TW on this one because there is abuse, sexual, mental and physical, there is also talk of alcohol and substance abuse.
I found this to be a quick, powerful, somewhat painful read with a very satisfying conclusion.
A lot happens in only a short book, so the pace is fast but it keeps you glued to the page and although some of events that happen seem almost outlandish it is important to remember that these types of things do happen. Not everywhere and not everyone understands that LOVE IS LOVE no matter gender, sex or identity.
Crystal's House of Queers is diverse and inclusive. I think this a book that Crystal, Haley and Payton would love!
Thanks to @brookeskipstone and @pridebooktours for the opportunity to be part of the book tour and for my copy.
The story focuses on what happens when you do and don't live your life as your most authentic self.
It is a quick read, with humour in places but mainly it centers around Crystal, her friends and their extremely traumatic lives. The way they use their creativity to break free from their fear, and the way friendship and found family can sometimes be the support you need to be the real you!
I would put a TW on this one because there is abuse, sexual, mental and physical, there is also talk of alcohol and substance abuse.
I found this to be a quick, powerful, somewhat painful read with a very satisfying conclusion.
A lot happens in only a short book, so the pace is fast but it keeps you glued to the page and although some of events that happen seem almost outlandish it is important to remember that these types of things do happen. Not everywhere and not everyone understands that LOVE IS LOVE no matter gender, sex or identity.
Crystal's House of Queers is diverse and inclusive. I think this a book that Crystal, Haley and Payton would love!
Thanks to @brookeskipstone and @pridebooktours for the opportunity to be part of the book tour and for my copy.
May 3, 2021
Great read
May 9, 2021
Skipstone examines sexual identity, self-doubts, and familial tension in this contemporary LGBT drama about a teenager’s struggles to find her place in a conservative small town.
COVID has wreaked havoc on people’s lives. Crystal Rose, a high-school senior, is looking forward to starting the in-person classes at the school. An unexpected incident brings Crystal close to Haley, her childhood friend and long-time crush, and the two girls begin to see each other. But coming out is something Crystal will rather avoid. When the confident, openly gay Payton joins the school, the things change for Crystal and Haley.
Skipstone beautifully portrays the awkward, insecure Crystal, complete with her self-doubts, fears, desires, dreams, and internal turmoil. Haley and Payton are equally convincing, and the impressively drawn setting of the small Alaskan town brings the place to life.
Though Crystal’s extreme insecurity can initially feel frustrating, her slowly growing confidence is reassuring, and main themes of self-discovery and finding one’s voice offer readers a promising message of hope. The story is not only sharp and moving, but distinguished by its exploration of the themes of bullying, abuse, addiction, and stigma related to disability and LGBTQ among teens and young adults. The accompanied illustrious are absolutely gorgeous.
Through Crystal’s journey to finding her voice, Skipstone provides an intelligent meditation on love, family, friendship, and identity.
COVID has wreaked havoc on people’s lives. Crystal Rose, a high-school senior, is looking forward to starting the in-person classes at the school. An unexpected incident brings Crystal close to Haley, her childhood friend and long-time crush, and the two girls begin to see each other. But coming out is something Crystal will rather avoid. When the confident, openly gay Payton joins the school, the things change for Crystal and Haley.
Skipstone beautifully portrays the awkward, insecure Crystal, complete with her self-doubts, fears, desires, dreams, and internal turmoil. Haley and Payton are equally convincing, and the impressively drawn setting of the small Alaskan town brings the place to life.
Though Crystal’s extreme insecurity can initially feel frustrating, her slowly growing confidence is reassuring, and main themes of self-discovery and finding one’s voice offer readers a promising message of hope. The story is not only sharp and moving, but distinguished by its exploration of the themes of bullying, abuse, addiction, and stigma related to disability and LGBTQ among teens and young adults. The accompanied illustrious are absolutely gorgeous.
Through Crystal’s journey to finding her voice, Skipstone provides an intelligent meditation on love, family, friendship, and identity.
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