The cover depicts a celestial sphere with clouds and the rays of a sun, with the silhouettes of a white dragon and a black dragon flying in front of it.

Everything’s Better with Dragons

October 2, 2023Kristen B. 1 Comment

by Kristen B.

One of the hottest titles at the moment is Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros. It has Hunger Games energy, plus dragons! Violet, a young woman who expects to follow her deceased father into a scholarly life, is instead enrolled into the military academy by her mother, the general. From there, the story takes off into a school story, but with death of cadets an inevitable, acceptable outcome. On top of not wanting to be in the dragon academy, Violet has physical issues (which seem similar to Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome) that make it even more difficult for her to succeed. However, she does have a fair amount of stubbornness and unwillingness to die – gotta love her! The story only gets more complicated with conscripted children of a failed rebellion and ever-increasing military action at the country’s borders. I suspect there’s more going on here, but I will have to wait for answers until the next book in the series, which comes out in November.

Speaking of waiting – go ahead and get yourself on the list for Fourth Wing (print, e-book, or e-audiobook). In the meantime, here are more great books with dragons:

The book cover depicts a dragon in the sky, wings spread and with pointed tail pointing towards the ground, as a woman in a long, flowing dress faces it and looks up towards it.

Heartstone by Elle Katharine White
Pride and Prejudice, with dragons! This one leans more toward Austen and Regency romance than modern dystopian fantasy. It has everything: country houses, fights with monsters, terrible misunderstandings, class issues, and one true love. But, you know, with dragons. Aliza Bentaine, second of five sisters, resides at the family’s country estate of Merybourne Manor. A flock of wild gryphons has infested their land and, tragically, killed the youngest sister. Riders come to the rescue, and the rest follows from there. Reader, I devoured it – plus, there are sequels.

The book cover is the face of a red dragon, with antler-like horns and yellow eyes, facing the reader, against a backdrop of stars and pine trees in silhouette.

To Shape a Dragon’s Breath by Moniquill Blackgoose

Native Americans and colonization, with dragons! In this alternate timeline, the Viking explorations became permanent settlements of this continent, with a Spanish-equivalent nation to the south. In what maps to current-day New England, Anequs, a young Native woman, lives a traditional island lifestyle with her family, until a rare indigenous dragon lays an egg and the ensuing hatchling bonds with her. She is compelled to attend a dragon academy, which brings her in close contact with “regular society,” and not particularly subtle culture clashes ensue. Anequs, though, is determined to do what is best for herself and her dragon, as well as her family and friends, while actively avoiding assimilation.
Also available as an e-book.

The book cover shows a grey-blue dragon flying against a white, cloudy sky, with a blue sea and a sailing ship beneath it.

His Majesty’s Dragon by Naomi Novik (Temeraire series)

The Napoleonic wars, with dragons! Will Laurence is an officer and a gentleman serving in the Royal Navy when his ship captures a French frigate carrying important, secret cargo – a dragon egg! The dragon Temeraire chooses Will, causing him to leave the Navy and, for the most part, good society to become a member of the Aerial Corps along with his new charge. Class structures provide much of the drama, outside of the war raging across the continent. The subsequent political and military maneuvers are wonderfully entertaining, especially with Temeraire as the outsider who often needs to have things explained. The mystery of the dragon’s origins continue through this book and the next. Over the course of the series, Laurence and Temeraire travel the world, always looking to advance the cause and care of the intelligent, capable species of dragonkind.
Also available as an e-book and e-audiobook.

The Ruin of Kings by Jenn Lyons (Chorus of Dragons series)

Kitchen boy to … well, more … epic fantasy, with big, bad, scenery slaying dragons! This sprawling series takes on many standard tropes and has a lot of fun with them. Prophecy, immortal elves, scheming merchant families, named swords, battles for the throne, absent and all-too-present deities, and dragons combine in Jenn Lyons’ huge (finished!) series. Khirin is the main character, but not necessarily the hero, of a story that is the most recent chapter in a epic that spans millennia. A seeming orphan thief who lives in a brothel, Khirin’s life is turned upside down when he’s condemned to slavery and again when it seems he’s a lost scion of a noble house. The plot moves fast, and things are never quite as they appear. The stories are written as a sort of historical account, complete with dry, snarky footnotes. Discovering the “author” and the role he plays is part of the fun. Despite the doorstop size of the five volumes in this series, they move fast and require you to read carefully.
Also available as an e-audiobook.

Kristen B. is a devoted bookworm lucky enough to work as the graphic designer for HCLS. She likes to read, stitch, dance, and watch baseball in season (but not all at the same time).

An illustrated cover shows a from-behind veiw of two women on a blanket looking a sunset and the Gold Gate Bridge. Flowering vines frame the cover. The title is in white scrpt above the bridge.

Sorry, Bro by Taleen Voskuni

August 25, 2023September 1, 2023hcllenaeross Leave a comment

by Lenae R.

I always find it fun to read books set in familiar places. It’s delightful to recognize street names and to have memories evoked by local scents and flavors. The cover of Sorry, Bro seemingly promised me these with its Golden Gate Bridge set against a golden sunset (be still, my born-and-raised Californian heart!), a frame of pomegranate-laden vines, and a description hinting at the revelations uncovered by its Armenian protagonist, Nareh. My family lived overseas in the Caucasus region for several years, and its mention tripped a longing for the culture and people we fell in love with there. I was sold.

To be clear, Sorry, Bro isn’t a cultural saga, per se. Its cover teases, “From wingwoman to the woman of her dreams,” and I was all-in for the juiciness of a friendship-turned-romance. It opens hilariously in a German restaurant, where we are introduced quickly to Nareh’s main predicaments: the anxiety that carries her through her days; a boyfriend, Trevor, who is equal parts outrageous and dull; and the pressure she manages as an only child who lost her father several years earlier.

Trevor departs to Europe for a business trip before the second chapter, creating space for Nareh to process whether she wants to continue their relationship. She spontaneously decides to do this by committing to attend “Explore Armenia,” a month of events dedicated to celebrating Armenian history and culture. Nareh’s mother hopes she will meet a promising Armenian man to marry, and Nareh is hungry – for an out from Trevor and the satisfaction of making her mother proud.

It’s a rom-com premise that, certainly, seems formulaic in many ways. What sets Sorry, Bro apart is how it poignantly, often painfully, brings us along for Nareh’s reckoning with her bisexuality (she isn’t out to her family or community) and her Armenian roots. As a first-generation Filipino on my mother’s side, so many of Nareh’s reactions resonated with me: the comfort and thrill of language, food, and references to the homeland tinged with the shame and awkwardness of a child raised in the diaspora. How does one settle into, own, and embrace a culture they seemingly move in and out of? Tagging along with Nareh as she considers this question proved endearing and thought-provoking.

Nareh’s closeted sexuality is entwined with this journey of self-discovery and identity. Her attraction to women is something she hasn’t felt comfortable sharing as she imagines how it will impact the acceptance she has from her loved ones. So many in the queer community can empathize with her struggle. Her deepening connection with Erebuni, the wingwoman from the cover, challenges the evasions that have kept her safe but stifled.

Rest assured that Nareh’s journey is as fun as it is stirring. Author Taleen Voskuni writes deliciously, balancing sincerity and sarcasm with thoughtfulness. Nareh’s chemistry with Erebuni crackles on every page. You’ll be cheering for her throughout and Googling Armenian eateries by the last page.

Lenae is an instructor for the HiTech summer program. Besides reading, her great loves are spending time with her family, watching Star Wars shows, and visiting new coffee and bookshops (Charm City Books in Baltimore is her favorite)!

A Black woman with natural hair holds her arms apart in front her her with red glowing around the top and a blue around the bottom, against a dark background.

Legendborn by Tracy Deonn

August 21, 2023sahanacallahan 2 Comments

King Arthur isn’t dead. The Round Table yet survives.

Only… it looks a little different. In the place of mail and armor, you have sixteen-year-olds with unbelievable strength and speed. Merlin’s around too, but he’s a college student and “Merlin” is merely a title. And somehow, wonder of all wonders, the seat of all this ancient power is in Chapel Hill, NC.

That’s not the only fantastical thing, though, in Legendborn by Tracy Deonn. There are centuries of lore, of demons and Shadowborn, all hiding under a thinly veiled surface of messy college kid drama. They surround the Onceborn (read: all of us), who live blissfully ignorant lives, worrying about normal things, like getting busted going off campus or figuring out who is headed to the party tonight.

And Bree, our protagonist, doesn’t know about any of the secrets of the Round Table when she applies to the University of North Carolina’s Early College program with her best friend Alice. She doesn’t expect to be caught up in an Arthurian world of magic and lore, and she definitely doesn’t expect that applying to go to the same school her mother attended would cause so much personal tragedy. Still reeling from the trauma of losing her mother, trying to establish some sense of normalcy, and looking for the truth about the suspicious circumstances of her mother’s death, Bree throws herself headlong into this Arthurian world, making friends and enemies along the way.

Cool, right? It’s everything I want from my YA novels, hearkening back to the good ole days of 2014, when the trilogy ruled the YA realm with works like Divergent or Matched. But now, we get far more in-depth lore, speaking more candidly (and less stereotypically) about mental health, and a whole lot more diversity of character. Bree’s experience at UNC is profoundly shaped by being Black. It’s a reality that so many BIPOC students face that has only recently been put to pen, and a reality that author Tracy Deonn knows intimately, having gone to UNC herself.

The coolest part is one I won’t spoil for you, but there is a very fun other magic in this book too, so if you like King Arthur and his knights, but it’s not enough to sway you, there’s a whole lot more to the magic of this world, and Bree discovers all of the secrets and implications in due course.

It’s a brick of a book, but it flies by. The themes in this book of being Black, the unquestioned queerness among her friends and peers, and the honest discussions of grief and the trauma that results make for a real and grounded force within this novel that is otherwise so perfectly fantastical. I can’t wait to get my hands on the second one. In this series – here’s hoping for a trilogy.

You can get Legendborn by Tracy Deonn in print, audiobook, eBook, and eAudiobook.

The book cover illustration shows a woman from the nose up, her mascara running dramatically, with her red hair piled on top of her head.

Really Good, Actually

July 21, 2023carmenjessophclibraryorg Leave a comment

by Carmen J.

In Amy Schumer’s recent Netflix comedy special, Emergency Contact, she talks about getting married in terms of finding someone who can stand you. In Really Good, Actually, the debut novel by Monica Heisey, the struggle is indeed real.

Heisey, who has written for Schitt’s Creek, infuses her novel with laugh-out-loud moments from Maggie’s dating escapades and their quirky outcomes. Really Good, Actually reads like a more modern-day Sex and the City. Instead of Carrie and her straight friends wearing Jimmy Choos, Maggie and her more rainbow-minded friends have root beer and roommate-ready budget nights. Like SATC, friendships – including some refreshing intergenerational ones – remain supreme. And while relationships and finding “the one” are hugely entertaining, Maggie proves the relationship we have with ourselves is genuinely unmatched.

Really Good, Actually is on HCLS’s Adult Summer Reading List for 2023 and is available in print and in e-book and e-audiobook format from Libby/OverDrive.

Carmen J. is a teen instructor at HCLS East Columbia Branch. Among her favorite things are great books, all things 80s, shamelessly watching The Bachelor, gardening, and drinking anything that tastes like coffee.

Be part of HCLS’ Summer Reading Adventures.

The photograph depicts a hand outstretched against a background of fluffy, bright red material. A rainbow of primary colors is painted on the hand, with the outline of a heart overlaid in black.

Full of Pride

June 5, 2023Admin Leave a comment

by Jessica S.

Happy Pride, y’all! Since 1970s first Pride march in New York City on the one-year anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising, LGBTQ+ community members and allies have turned an incident of brutality and discrimination into an annual celebration that honors the past and works toward a more inclusive and equitable future. Whether you fit somewhere under the LGBTQ+ umbrella or are a supportive ally, we’ve got you!

When you aren’t sure where to start, you can begin with the Rainbow Reads booklists for adults, teens, and kids that are curated by our instructors to make sure everyone is represented. You’re bound to find a title or two that makes you feel seen or opens a window on a different life experience, building empathy and understanding.

Now that you’ve read some new titles, the best way to cement your thoughts is to talk about them with some like-minded souls. Although all our book discussion groups are inclusive and new attendees are always welcome, Central Branch has a perfect fit for LGBTQ+ adults and allies with Reads of Acceptance. Join this group to talk about titles of interest in a safe space for social support, personal growth, and intergenerational learning.

If self-direction is more your jam, the Equity Resource Center housed at Central Branch is a great place for you to spend some time browsing our large collection of titles on LGBTQ+ topics, race, religion, and more. Safely explore the many treasures in this collection and hang out to read – without having to spend a dime. Even if you don’t visit the ERC, library branches are a safe space to chill, read, work on schoolwork, use a computer, or meet up with friends – all are welcome here!

Sometimes we’d all rather celebrate Pride from the comfort of home, and you don’t have to leave the house if you have a library card in hand. OverDrive (and its app, Libby) provides access to e-books, e-audiobooks, and magazines including Out, The Advocate, Gay Times, and Transliving International. The Netflix of libraries, Kanopy offers streaming movies like Oscar-winner Moonlight (2016), Filipino horror-comedy Remington and the Curse of the Zombadings (2013), or the uplifting coming-of-age drama Hearts Beat Loud (2018).

Look for us at Howard County Pride, which takes place in October! And if you are interested in celebrating Pride with something a bit more low-key than a march that still gets you out of the house, check out upcoming library classes and events.

Author Works: Tonee Moll
For adults. Register here.
Tonee Moll reads from and discusses their award-winning book of poetry, You Cannot Save Here, this work is queer, it’s punk, and it uses cultural allusion to address how we live our lives when it feels like the world is ending.
Sat, Jun 17 | 3 – 4 pm
Savage Branch

Films that Connect Us
For adults. Register here.
How do films shape and connect us? Join our film discussion. Please watch the film prior to the discussion date. The film for June is And Then We Danced (available on Kanopy).
Mon, Jun 5 | 4 – 5 pm
online

Pride Button Making
Ages 11-18 and adults. Register here.
Celebrate LGBTQIA+ Pride month by creating your own rainbow or pronoun buttons to wear or share. In this class, you learn about the different types of pride flags, learn about pronouns, and make a rainbow or pronoun button.
Sat, Jun 17 | 1 – 2:30 pm
Savage Branch

Stick to Being You – Creating Pride Stickers with the Cricut
Teens and adults. Register here.
Celebrate Pride Month at the Glenwood Branch + Makerspace and learn how to create custom stickers with the Cricut maker.
Wed, Jun 21 | 6 – 8 pm
Glenwood Brabch

Rainbow Pride
Ages 8-11. Ticketed.
Celebrate LGBTQIA+ Pride month with related reads, activities, and a rainbow craft!
Wed, Jun 14 | 2 – 2:45 pm | Central Branch
Thu, Jun 15 | 2 – 2:45 pm | Elkridge Brach
Wed, Jun 21 | 2 – 2:45 pm | Savage Branch

Craft Pop-Up Shop: Rainbow Pride Edition
Ages 4 and up. Allow 15 minutes. Drop in.
Pop-in and make a rainbow craft!
Mon, Jun 12 | 3 – 4:30 pm
Miller Branch

Films with Humans: Moonlight
For adults. Register here.
Watch a film about humans, since all great stories involve great characters, followed by a discussion with fellow humans. The movie is available on DVD and via Kanopy. Watch the movie at the library on June 29 or view it in advance.
Thu, Jun 29 | 6 – 8:30 pm
Elkridge Branch

Jessica is an Instructor & Research Specialist at HCLS Savage Branch. She likes comics, anime, all things science fiction, and horror movies. She’s currently learning about 3D Printing and AI.

An illustrated cover shows a woman dressed all in black, casting a stark shadow, heading over a suspension bridge. The image is blurred into a bright orange background.

The Verifiers by Jane Pek

March 29, 2023August 7, 2024Angie Engles Leave a comment

by Angie E.

Jane Pek’s The Verifiers is a mix of speculative fiction and whodunit, and it takes place in a world where people rely on matchmaking services to find their soulmate. Sounds familiar, right? But in this book, these services are on steroids. They use algorithms more complicated than a Rubik’s cube and are worshipped by society.

Claudia Lin is no stranger to bucking her family’s traditional expectations; she has no desire to pursue a conventional career or to follow her mom’s dream of finding a “nice Chinese boy.” She’s also accustomed to keeping secrets from them, such as being gay and her recent recruitment by Veracity, an exclusive online-dating detective agency. A master of uncovering lies, having honed her skills through a lifetime of reading detective fiction, Claudia has never used a dating site or had much to do with the digital world.

That all changes when Iris Lettriste, a mysterious client, hires her to investigate two suitors, one of whom she’s never even met. The company who hired her is ready to put Claudia’s expertise to the test. But Claudia’s lack of experience with the digital world and her devotion to detective fiction make her an ill-suited candidate for the job. Her specialty is exposing liars, but this task requires more than just uncovering deceitful spouses, job applicants, and online daters.

Even so, Claudia’s got a hunch that something fishy is going down with Iris. Then Iris disappears from both the real world and the digital world, leaving Claudia high and dry. To make matters worse, Iris deletes all her profiles. What’s going on here? Claudia’s adventure is starting to sound like something straight out of her favorite fictional detective ‘s playbook:

Was Iris killed?
Did she harm herself?
Was she even Iris at all?
Maybe she was her own sister?
And what’s the deal with her being a broke, heartbroken dropout from journalism school?
Or was she a fearless investigative reporter about to expose the dating industry?

Pek takes an already intriguing, sometimes zany, mystery up a notch with a protagonist who’s smart and sarcastic but also rather a bit of an underachiever. The family drama is complex and juicy, and there’s social commentary on how much technology is taking over our lives. Claudia is all about classic noir elements: the mysterious client, the amateur sleuth, and all those pesky red herrings. But here’s the kicker – this book puts a modern spin on things that’ll have you hooked from page one.

If you’re not already one of those people always questioning whether the people you meet online are really who they claim to be, you will be. The Verifiers is also about whether we’re letting algorithms control our lives and if we’re sacrificing our freedom for the sake of convenience and fantasy. I mean, sure, we could just delete our apps and stop searching for truth and happiness online, but who’s really going to do that?

Reads of Acceptance book discussion group meets virtually. Register to join the discussion of The Verifiers on Thursday, April 27 at 7 pm. Books are available for pick-up from the Central Branch; ask for a copy at the Customer Service desk.

Angie is an Instructor & Research Specialist at Central Branch and is a co-facilitator for Reads of Acceptance, HCLS’ first LGBTQ-focused book club. Her ideal day is reading in her cozy armchair, with her cat Henry next to her.

The three novella coves in a row, in pinks, oranges, and blues.

The Singing Hills Novellas

March 22, 2023March 22, 2023Kristen B. 1 Comment

by Kristen B.

Novellas have gained in popularity recently, and I suspect it’s because you get the satisfaction of a complete story without committing to a doorstop of a book. This holds particularly true in the speculative fiction genre, where 500+ page tomes are the norm. Nghi Vo is a master of this short form.

She has crafted a series of stories that follow cleric Chih of the Singing Hills Monastery as they travel, collecting stories as they go. Singing Hills specializes in history and folklore. The most reliable way Chih can elicit a story from someone happens when they tell one version of a tale. Their listener often says something to the effect of, “that’s not how I heard it,” and proceeds with the “correct” version. Chih is accompanied by a talking hoopoe bird with perfect recall named Almost Brilliant – but their interactions are entirely so. You can enjoy three installments to date, with a fourth coming this fall.

The Empress of Salt and Fortune (which won Hugo and Locus awards for best novella) is an amazing story of empire and ambition, with important details found in what is omitted as much as in what is overt. Chih visits a mostly abandoned country estate, where the only person living there happens to be the maidservant (and lover) of the former empress. She certainly has a story to tell our Singing Hills cleric! It’s one well worth the price of mild disorientation as you put the pieces of a major event together with Chih. Vo recounts this seemingly unimportant woman’s story in elegant, poetic language and imagery.

When the Tiger Came Down the Mountain may offer the best example of survival by asking for the corrected version of a story. As long as Chih keeps the tigers talking, they stay (mostly) safe until an expected contingent of mammoths can arrive to scare the hunters away. Tigers, you see, are proud creatures, clearly superior to humans. Just ask them. They also fall in love and prey to tricky foxes. The glory of this installment comes from understanding tigers as people – who are also hungry animals who regard Chih as a snack. It’s a wonderful story about relationships, empire, and living up (or down) to expectations.

Into the Riverlands brings Chih into the orbit of a group of travelers. This time they are in the riverlands, a delta area full of braided streams and marshlands where many rival martial arts masters co-exist – sometimes peacefully, often not. Here, Almost Brilliant shines by having a familiarity with the legendary personalities and combat styles involved. Again, beginning a story often elicits other versions and corrections. This installment offers more adventure, starting with the initial brawl in a tavern and ending with a spectacular battle. Many clues and inferences come together for an entirely satisfying conclusion.

I can’t wait to see where Chih and Almost Brilliant go next. Several colorful threads stitch these stories together: a non-Western milieu in the fantastical empire of Ahn; mostly humble, working-class protagonists, who nonetheless make a difference in their world; and cheerful acceptance of a generally queer outlook on the world. Beyond Chih’s non-binary identity, the books celebrate that love comes in many forms. We must all be true to our hearts, which is not a bad theme for some light-hearted books.

Kristen B. is a devoted bookworm lucky enough to work as the graphic designer for HCLS. She likes to read, stitch, dance, and watch baseball in season (but not all at the same time).

Two young men walking past each other, one holding a moving box and one with duffle bag over his shoulder. A city skyline fills the background.

What If It’s Us by Becky Abertalli and Adam Silvera

February 6, 2023monaerivers Leave a comment

Two complementary covers, featuring young men wearing jeans and short sleeve shirts. They are passing by each other in the first and sitting at a cafe table in the second. There's a city skyline in the background of both.

By Monae R.

Coming back from the holidays is always hard. Getting back into the routine of waking up, getting your morning coffee, heading to work, and dragging through the day. This is fairly universal. I have to say, though, this routine becomes a lot easier if you have just read a good book you cannot wait to tell everyone about.

Becky Albertali and Adam Silvera work together well on What If It’s Us. I am extremely passionate about this particular series. With only two books, I was on the edge of my seat deep into the romance and relatable topics. The characters are lovable, and the writing is fantastic. To make it all just that much sweeter, the icing on the cake, the Libby audiobook readers are absolutely fantastic and exactly how I imagined the characters sounding like. They do the story a huge justice and bring the characters to life in a way that took me even deeper into the story.

What If It’s Us is a romantic comedy for young adult readers told from the perspective of both main characters, who are fully experiencing the age when teenagers are angsty and looking for companionship. The characters come from different worlds and their chance encounter has them floating on the idea of fate and love at first sight. The story follows Ben and Arthur through the life trials of dates, long distance, and college in the heart of New York City.

It’s not everyday that a chance encounter leads to more, and sometimes fighting for it is the best decision. Follow these two teens and their friends and family through the trials of life. Their story continues in Here’s to Us where Arthur and Ben have gone through a lot of changes in the past two or so years. The 16 year olds are now 19 and have new perspectives on life, work, relationships, and where they want their lives to go. Follow them as they navigate adulthood and the struggles that come with being in New York together again.

Both authors have several other books. Becky Albertali is a previous psychologist famously known for her 2015 debut novel, Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda, which was adapted into the 2018 film Love, Simon and inspired the spin-off television series Love, Victor. Adam Silvera is known for his bestselling novels They Both Die at the End, More Happy Than Not, and History Is All You Left Me.

Monae is a Children’s Instructor and Research Specialist at HCLS East Columbia Branch.

A black and white photo of Harvey Fierstein from below, as he looks down into the camera whild having his hands against one side of his face.

I Was Better Last Night

January 18, 2023January 18, 2023chtasker 1 Comment

by Cherise T.

Harvey Fierstein, I beg to differ with your memoir title, I Was Better Last Night. Although I’ve never had the privilege of experiencing one of your shows two nights in a row, every time I have seen you, the performance has been remarkably bodacious and sincere, distinctive and familiar. You immerse the audience in worlds we’ve never seen before, drawing us in even deeper with elements resonating from our own lives. How could you have been even better?

I Was Better Last Night opens a treasure trove of stories for theater lovers. Did you know that Disney thought Newsies could never be a hit musical? That the original producers of 1983’s La Cage aux Folles vehemently nixed the gay couple’s kiss? That beloved actress Estelle Getty of The Golden Girls first found fame at age 59 in Torch Song Trilogy, starring in a role written just for her? Brimming with mostly loving, but occasionally scathing, Broadway backstage tales, Fierstein’s memoir exposes the details of show creation. We learn his insights into what worked and what didn’t and how the cast and creative crew contribute to the final product. We hear juicy tales of relationships gained and broken, Tonys won and lost, musicals with multiple revivals and singular flops.

As an actor, playwright, screenwriter, and proudly out gay icon, Fierstein has a lifetime of stories to tell, and the book truly spans his whole life. The memoir maintains a captivating balance between the personal and the professional. Some of the most poignant chapters in the book explore his evolving sexual identity and the context in which he places his own growth as a queer man within the current social environment. He spares few details when writing about New York City’s bathhouses and the HIV/AIDs epidemic.

Fierstein has won many awards and garnered extensive fame for his contributions to Mrs. Doubtfire, Hairspray, Fiddler on the Roof, La Cage Aux Folles, and Torch Song Trilogy, to name a few. It’s fascinating to learn how he credits his becoming a successful performer and writer to character, lucky timing, supportive mentors, and determination. In another life, he would now be a retired public school art teacher.

The book is available in print and electronic formats. Consider the audiobook version, if you enjoy Fierstein’s distinctive gravel-filled Brooklyn accent as much as I do. Describing the creation of the musical Kinky Boots, for example, he does a spot-on impersonation of Cyndi Lauper, the first solo woman to win a Tony for best original musical score. Offering lyrics he’s sung and lines he’s written, Fierstein is a compelling author-narrator, adding an additional layer of insight into his creative life. His self-deprecating sense of humor really shines. For the wonderful photographs, check out the print version as well.

And the title? Yes, Fierstein seems to have the ego we associate with stars. There’s no doubt he believes in himself and the strength of his work, but like the final principle of Lola’s six–step program in Kinky Boots, “You change the world when you change your mind.” He describes times he could have done better, admits missteps, and encourages everyone to open their minds and hearts.

Cherise Tasker is an Adult Instructor and Research Specialist at the Central Branch. When not immersed in literary fiction, Cherise can be found singing along to musical theater soundtracks.

The book cover depicts the two main characters, Luc and Oliver, leaning in opposite corners against frames of iconic London scenes in line drawings: a teapot and teacup, London Bridge, Big Ben, the London Eye Millenium Wheel, an umbrella, a double-decker bus, and a British flag. All are drawn in white against a background of the red and blue hues of the British flag.

Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall

December 14, 2022December 14, 2022Peter N. Leave a comment

By Peter N.

In all honesty, I had been in quite a reading slump. Until this.

Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall was exactly what I needed. A light read, a little bit of fluff, and a satisfying turn of events for two hapless chaps in London, England. Luc is a rudderless ship in the sea of life, just coasting from one man to another and stuck in a job that he won’t admit he doesn’t totally hate, raising funds for the preservation and defense of dung beetles. The kicker? The charity is aptly named CRAPP, or The Coleoptera Research and Protection Project. Did you laugh? Because I did, and that’s not the last laugh-out-loud moment you’ll have when reading this book. I found many a moment where I loudly cracked up and others had to ask me what I was laughing about.

Now, Luc is in a pickle, not only because he’s the child of two current and former rock stars from the eighties, but also because his talent for landing himself in the tabloids for unscrupulous moments has his job in jeopardy; no one wants to donate to a charity that employs someone like him. In comes Oliver Blackwood, a stiff and proper barrister whom he met once before but made the worst impression on due to copious amounts of alcohol. Oliver is his chance to sort out his issues, and so Luc hatches a plan where they pretend to be in a relationship to clean up Luc’s image, as well as provide a plus-one for Oliver for his parents’ ruby anniversary party. But what happens when a classic romantic trope leads to more? You can’t just be fake boyfriends and not expect some real feelings to develop. Right?

Well, from the first few glimpses of how real a relationship between these two men could be, I was HOOKED. Throw in a kooky friends group, complicated parental relationships, and French Toast, and you’ve got quite an enjoyable read about two chaps who were aimless as individuals, but found their way together. I found myself wanting to slap Luc upside his head and hug him at the same time. Oliver was so proper that it hurt, but the momentary glimpses of his real self and his humanity felt special, and I felt privileged to see them. Alexis Hall crafted a great book that I felt such a connection to, and I cannot wait to delve further into their story in the next book in the London Calling series, Husband Material.

Peter is an Instructor and Research Specialist at the Miller Branch and has a humongous sweet tooth, so the numerous mentions of French Toast in this book DID NOT HELP.

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