adavidson37's reviews
87 reviews

Teach the Torches to Burn: A Romeo & Juliet Remix by Caleb Roehrig

adventurous hopeful lighthearted tense

3.0

I was never a fan of Romeo and Juliet, but having a gay version is much better 😂 A big thank you to Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for sending me a digital ARC! This book was light and cheesy, but fun, and a great re-do of what could have been if some of the big classics were queer. This series as a whole has been so awesome, breathing diversity into the classics.

What We Lost in the Swamp: Poems by Grant Chemidlin

emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective

5.0

I was lucky enough to get offered an advanced copy of this by the author, and I read the entirety of it in one sitting. It was beautiful, I loved it. Its a mixture of sweet queer love and queer coming of age, but also tough times and mental health. Grant dedicated this book to his parents, and there’s poems in here that obviously show the way he values their relationship. I immediately sent my mom “Portrait of My Mother as the Wind” right after reading it. All around amazing poetry book ♥️

We Are the Ants by Shaun David Hutchinson

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective sad

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

I loved this book. I felt this book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts and Suicide

Like You've Nothing Left to Prove by E.L. Massey

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

This was cheesy and cute and the perfect amount of hurt/comfort- very much a book I needed right now. Ive been looking forward to this sequel, and started it yesterday when it came out, finished it today, and loved it. Its been a minute since I’ve gotten hooked in a book like I did this one, and it hit the spot 👌🏼

I'll Take Everything You Have by James Klise

adventurous hopeful mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.0

As someone who had a 1920’s-1940’s phase and loves to learn about that era, I was so excited for this book- and then the amazing Alana at Algonquin YR sent me not just an ARC, but a Spotify playlist to pair with the book (“I’ll Take Everything You Have📖” playlist by Workman Publishing on Spotify), and I’m forever grateful.

I loved this book, and blew through it so quick. It’s got queer romance in 1930’s Chicago, it’s got suspenseful crime (the kind you’re expecting, and the kind that surprises you 👀). It raises conversations about class and ethics. It’s a coming of age story, about finding yourself and how you fit into the world.

The characters are easy to love, and easy to piss you off at the same time. Questionable choices are made, but at the end of the day, I think I probably would have lived out these events pretty similar to Joe. He’s thrust into a whole new life, like a fish out of water, and he’s trying his best for himself and his family.

Definitely recommend this book, AND its companion playlist!

Big Swiss by Jen Beagin

medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I was lucky enough to receive this book early from Dart Frogg & Scribner, as my first ever arc! Big Swiss isn’t the type of book I would normally find myself choosing, but let me tell you, once I picked it up I couldn’t put it down. It hooked me in immediately. It felt like some mix between the Netflix series Sex Education (with the sex therapy shenanigans, & weird af sex stories), and the book Detransition, Baby (with the tone, dry wit, & bluntness of the writing, and also just adults in messy crises), and just the general vibe of the Hudson Valley (ifykyk).

The main character of this book is messy- every character in this book is, honestly. It’s about life and lies and guilt and sexuality and aging. Its about bees and dogs and mini donkeys. It’s a book I definitely would recommend to people.

I would throw a TW on this book for domestic/sexual assault that is described in detail by the victim, frequent mentions of the suicide of a character we never meet, suicidal ideation by the main character, and graphic injury of a dog.

A big thank you to Dart Frogg & Scribner for sending me the arc of this book to share on TikTok (@shoptywl)!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Domestic abuse, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Suicide

Minor: Suicidal thoughts

Hell Followed with Us by Andrew Joseph White

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective tense

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

This book stemmed from an anger that I heavily relate to at this point in time in my life. Maybe not quite fully for all the same reasons, but just the base emotion. To read something that matched my energy so well was refreshing and comforting- it made me feel less alone.

This is a book about rage, and privilege, and growing up queer, and religious trauma, and love, and survival. It shows queer kids that they can fight back- that they can make it out of hell alive.

Its intense and keeps you on your toes, but also soft and tender at the right moments. Its got a trans main character, an autistic love interest, a couple characters with neo-pronouns, and lots of racial diversity. Reading a book with one of the main characters being autistic was a first for me, and a game changer as someone who falls under the neurodivergent umbrella. We got to see him from multiple pov’s, including his own, and the way everyone took in his autistic traits and rolled with them so casually and respectfully made me so happy.

I’m writing this review a day after finishing the book because it left me speechless- I needed 24 hours to process. It’s definitely a favorite of mine now.

A Dash of Salt and Pepper by Kosoko Jackson

hopeful lighthearted relaxing medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

This was pure gay hallmark, which is not my usual cup of tea but I will do anything for Kosoko Jackson tbh. He made me ugly cry with Yesterday is History, so it’s only fair that this one was just pure fluff. It was cute! I love Kosoko’s witty writing, and this books definitely got it, along with a wholesomeness that almost reminds me of Full House. Kosoko has now given us 2 scifi’s and 2 romcoms- cant wait to see whats next!

Coffee Boy by Austin Chant

funny hopeful lighthearted

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

This was a short and fun way to get back into reading in 2023. I love Austin Chant, and the trans rep they serve in their books. It always feel genuine and grounded, and their characters have a level of relatability that I love.

Burning Barrel by Natalli Amato

5.0

If you grew up in Northern New York, you’ll especially love this book. The poems are like a love letter to the area, and growing up on Lake Ontario, they definitely felt nostalgic- a reminder of family and home.

I’m especially honored to have been the photographer to take the author’s portrait for this book, of my old friend & the author of this book, Natalli.