Book and Coffee Lover

Didn't read a ton of books this month, but luckily most were superlative-worthy (I swear the cover of Unicorn Hunters gets prettier the longer I look at it.) Also I feel that Jeff Vandermeer and I exist on a sort of astral plane together where we just go back and forth about Fucked Up Bears like the brains in that double galaxy brain meme

Carmilla by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu- this one is a precursor to Dracula and feels more manageable in length and story. It’s about a young lonely girl whose family takes in a mysterious stranger and they become attached until a horrible secret is revealed.

Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman- basically a big long poem that stands on themes of nature, sexuality, being, and life. I really liked this book because you can read it cohesively and then afterwards I like flipping to random pages.

To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf- I’m reading this one right now and I really enjoy Woolf’s way of prose-writing a novel. She does a good job keeping the reader involved and writing beautifully.

The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka- a short story that packs a LOT into it. If you haven’t already heard of it, The Metamorphosis is about Gregor Samsa who wakes up one morning to find he’s now a giant beetle. This story is short, but made me emotional by the end.

As a heartless killing machine, I was a terrible failure.

Reading The Safekeep by Yale van der Wouden this evening. Trying to have chill evenings now that I have gone back to working out (running + gym) almost everyday. When I started this book I didn't know it was going to be this good, I can't put it down!!

Here's this year's display of LGBTQ+ books and DVDs to help you celebrate 🌈

As always, please DO take items from this display to check out! We have a great mix of fiction and nonfiction for kids, teens, and adults alike, including some DVD documentaries if that's your jam.

You'll find some favorite classics like:

Trans+: Love, Sex, Romance, and Being You by Kathryn Conzales and Karen Rayne

Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe

The Pride Guide by Jo Langford

Plus some great reads of local interest, like:

Real Queer America: LGBT Stories from Red States by Samantha Allen

Chicago Whispers: A History of LGBT Chicago Before Stonewall by St. Sukie de la Croix

Out and Proud in Chicago: An Overview of the City's Gay Community edited by Tracy Baim