Queereaders discussion

Tell us what you are reading this month.

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Just started The Paying Guests by Sarah Waters. One chapter in and I'm hooked.

Jonathan wrote: "Just started The Paying Guests by Sarah Waters. One chapter in and I'm hooked."

I really want to read that as well, I've really enjoyed all her books so far, especially the Victorian ones. Good to hear it gets off to such an absorbing start!

I've just finished reading Dawn a post apocalyptic SF book with tentacled aliens. I stumbled across it quite randomly and read it in a couple of sittings. I've got the rest of the trilogy to read now...

I am nearly done with All I Could Bare: My Life in the Strip Clubs of Gay D.C.. Imagine my surprise when I realized I know this author back in his stripping days while we were both in college 20 years ago in the dirty, dirty city of DC. This was when Marion Barry, that crackhead, was the mayor of DC. Such heady days!

Got a couple audio-books for review but...

Started listening to Frog by Mary Calmes and liked the opening phone conversation but the flashback to the "sex at first sight" scene left me a bit put-off.

I then switched to listening to We Danced by Jeff Erno and on their second meeting they're rutting like animals in the bar office (and the kid's been left home alone?) Needed a break from that too.

I'm all for "sex the sport" but in my MM romance, I want a bit more of the romancing before the rutting.

Guess it's back to Shattered Glass. At least there Austin takes "Bunny Slippers" out on a date before they attempt to procreate. Plus the dialogue is snarky, plus the chapter titles are creative and entertaining, plus I actually learn enough about the characters to like them.

Just finished The Albertine Workout which I adored. Started Hangover Square in prep for a trip to London, and pulled out City of Dreadful Delight for the same reason. May purchase Paying Guests in London.

I am currently reading Body Counts: A Memoir of Politics, Sex, AIDS, and Survival

It is a truly amazing memoir. I almost wish I am not in school right now so I can finish this in one sitting. I can't wait to get all of the general courses out of the way so I can focus on major courses.

I've just finished The Fallen Angels of Karnataka which I won in a giveaway. A book I respect: dark material about AIDS in the ignorant 80s and the child sex trade around the world. Four stars.

I'm finishing up The Last Changeling and then starting on Melt

Last night I finished Fairyland: A Memoir of My Father

It is such a haunting memoir. Four 1/2 stars!

This month I'm trying to read anthologies and collections as I'm participating in NaNoWriMo for the first time. Notice the verb trying.

So far this month I've read Evil? which I recommend to no one. 1 star.

This morning I finished As You Wish: Inconceivable Tales from the Making of The Princess Bride, Cary Elwes by which was a hoot and a delight! Either 4 or 5 stars.

I'm currently reading Sword And Sorceress XVIII the last anthology edited by Marion Zimmer Bradley.

I've been super busy lately finally moving into a house we've been building for 15 years and have not been online very much. I have manages to keep reading though.

I just finished Something Like Lightning by our own Jay Bell It lives up to its predecessors. Jay's building a world or social group and examining it from all angles. It works without getting repetitive. I strongly suggest you read the Something-Like books in order. Lightning is the qst book of a new series.

I finished the Engine of Light series by Ken MacLeod, and epic Sci-Fi in the distant future. It's a part of a larger universe.

I read the 1st 2 books of a delightful YA series by hunky Gay author Nikolas Lee. These are mythic fantasy along the lines of Percy Jackson. I liked them even more than Percy Jackson and am giving them to my grandkids for Christmas. They're very imaginative, well-written and paced and a good read for adults too. The third volume The Iron-Jawed Boy and the Siege of Sol is out in Kindle and imminent in paperback. I think it important we support GLBT authors, even if the books are not about GLBT subjects.

I'm now reading The Absolutist the group read. It's amazing so far.

Almost forgot, I started The New Annotated H. P. Lovecraft. A beautiful and useful addition to the Lovecraft mythos. I'll be reading this a bit at a time.

Chris wrote: "Last night I finished Fairyland: A Memoir of My Father

It is such a haunting memoir. Four 1/2 stars!"

Glad you liked this one, Chris. It broke my heart.

I am rereading Emma Bull's Finder and enjoying it just as much as I did the first time.

Nancy wrote: "Chris wrote: "Last night I finished Fairyland: A Memoir of My Father

It is such a haunting memoir. Four 1/2 stars!"

Glad you liked this one, Chris. It broke my heart."

Check out www.therecollectors.com

Alysia co-founded this site with another woman who lost her father to AIDS.
It is interesting to watch the current hysteria surrounding Ebola. It takes me back to the 80's when I realized my own nascent sexuality.

And I am reading The Slap by queer author Christos Tsiolkas. One word: REPELLENT! I doubt I'd finish it since it reminds me too much of the assholes who elected Republicans on Tuesday.

Recently finished Brandon Shire's Summer Symphony Summer Symphony

Brandon Shire is one of the most talented writers I have read in a long, long time. I love his way with words, how he can draw me into a story and made me feel I'm intimately involved. It was nice to see him writing another book that was deeper and darker. I waited impatiently for this story, and I wasn't disappointed.

I did like Listening to Dust and The Value of Rain more than this one. Those I will read again and again, and that is why they got 5 stars. His writing certainly deserves 5 stars. Because I probably won't read this one again I gave it 4. It's hard when rating books...if you give every single book you read and love 5 stars they lose their impact, so I save those for books I would read more than once.

Would I recommend this to friends and relatives? Oh, hell, yes! I already have.

I finished The Absolutist our group read last night.

All my books are in unsorted piles awaiting bookshelves, so I picked one from a top and am now reading The Folding Star by Alan Hollinghurst It's said to be a sequel to The Swimming-Pool Library

Recently finished Shattered Glass by Dani Alexander which I won in the MM Romance group's anniversary celebration. If you like cop-dramas, then this is well worth your time. The story is convoluted but consistently funny with a plethora of snarky chapter titles that add a whole additional layer to the story.

Kernos wrote: "I finished The Absolutist our group read last night.

All my books are in unsorted piles awaiting bookshelves, so I picked one from a top and am now reading

I did not realize that The Folding Star is considered a sequel.

Interesting... it has been a long time since I've read Hollinghurst as he's like the Garbo of gay literature. He writes every 5-10 years or something like that.

Hi Chris. It does not seem like a sequel, though the subject is similar. I'm not sure where I read that. Still it's Hollninghurst, beautifully written and full of strange words I've never seen before and Gaulisms. It is decidedly Gay and I suspect a bit autobiographical about Gay life pre-AIDS.

I love Garbo. She is an all time favorite female.

Loving Wave Goodbye to Charlie by Eric Arvin

Kernos wrote: "Hi Chris. It does not seem like a sequel, though the subject is similar. I'm not sure where I read that. Still it's Hollninghurst, beautifully written and full of strange words I've never seen befo..."

Hi, yes, Hollinghurst does seem rather elegiac in his writings and I enjoy that. yes, I agree he can be terribly British, with all these Anglo-Saxon words.
I'd like to say he's the Edmund White of Britian. Almost like how Thatcher was their Ronnie.

I am obsessed with golden era starlets like Garbo, Dietrich, Swanson and to a certain point, Taylor.

Clodia wrote: "I've just finished reading Dawn a post apocalyptic SF book with tentacled aliens. I stumbled across it quite randomly and read it in a couple of sittings. I've got the r..."

I read the omnibus of Butler's series Lilith's Brood. I really like her work.

LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE Octavia Butler! too bad she died young, she was the reason why i started like sci-fi selectively.

Paige wrote: "Clodia wrote: "I've just finished reading Dawn a post apocalyptic SF book with tentacled aliens. I stumbled across it quite randomly and read it in a couple of sittings. I've got the r..."

Intro to Queer Studies? Where? I can't wait to take Queer Studies classes.

I finished The Folded Star and am contemplating how to review it.

I'm now reading Coming Home the newest Alex Benedict book by Jack McDevitt I read all his books.

Kernos wrote: "I finished The Folded Star and am contemplating how to review it.

I'm now reading Coming Home the newest Alex Benedict book by Jack McDevitt I read all..."

Doesn't seem auspicious.

how so Chris

"...am contemplating how to review it." Usually, you'd know you like it or you don't like it.

yeah

Chris wrote: ""...am contemplating how to review it." Usually, you'd know you like it or you don't like it."

Oh, I liked it a lot. I'm contemplating why :-)

I look forward to your review, Kernos.

Me too! No pressure, though. :)

I'm currently reading Kissing Frogs

Awesome! Temple and Penn both offer LGBTQ Studies minor and I really would love to do that if I have time.

Did you have to do a community project for your capstone?

Currently reading Political Emotions: Why Love Matters for Justice

It's not an LGBT book but I am currently reading The Feathers which I won in a GR giveaway.

Finished Brandon Shire's "The Love of Wicked Men". Loved it. Short review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...The Love of Wicked Men

I'm not a big "shifter" fan (or a big detective fan either) but I just read Prey by Andrea Speed. I was surprised at how much I liked it. It's NOT "great literature." What detective story is? But the author has a smart clean style, can tell a good story and has very witty chapter headings that add a whole other level of enjoyment to the overall experience.

Also the parallels between a blood-born, sexually-transmitted "shifter virus" that dooms people to a role of second class citizens and greatly shortens many lives rings very true without being exploitative.

If you've got a taste for something a bit more trashy than your standard fare that still has some redeeming social value, by all means I'd check this out.

Chris wrote: "I look forward to your review, Kernos."

Well, I put up a Review. I never feel I can do books by such authors justice.

In the meantime I've read Ossian's Ride a '50s SF by the astronomer Fred Hoyle and am now reading an omnibus trilogy Area X: The Southern Reach Trilogy by Jeff VanderMeer It's pushed as a SF, but I think it is more a Horror.

Currently reading A Stone Boat

I'm reading My True Love Gave to Me: Twelve Holiday Stories

reading Keep the River on Your Right

Finished Area X: The Southern Reach Trilogy—worst thing I read this year.

Started Christopher And His Kind by Christopher Isherwood which I've somehow neglected to read in the past.

Kernos wrote: "Finished Area X: The Southern Reach Trilogy—worst thing I read this year.

Started Christopher And His Kind by Christopher Isherwood which I've somehow neglected to re..."

LOVED Christopher & His Kind. Watch the BBC adaptation if yu can, very good!

Chris wrote: "LOVED Christopher & His Kind. Watch the BBC adaptation if yu can, very good!"

Is that the one with Dr. Who? and his cutie companion? If so I've seen it. I think the books better.

I'm really liking the book, though I wish I has recently read all the literature he refers to.

Should I read Christopher and His Kind first or The Berlin Trilogy?

Kernos wrote: "Chris wrote: "LOVED Christopher & His Kind. Watch the BBC adaptation if yu can, very good!"

Is that the one with Dr. Who? and his cutie companion? If so I've seen it. I think the books better.

I..."

Yeah, that weird looking British actor. Can never remember his name.

Jonathan wrote: "Should I read Christopher and His Kind first or The Berlin Trilogy?"

I think that's actually the same thing.