Worth Every Step by K.G. MacGregor

I was reading the back cover synopsis before writing this and realized it followed the same format as a romance-the only twist being instead of a heroine and hero, there are two heroines. 

Mary Kate is almost engaged to the hottest bachelor in Mooresville, Georgia when after a chance encounter with a PBS program on Mt. Kilimanjaro, she ducks his proposal and decides to climb the mountain by herself.

Successful investment banker Addison Falk is resistant to join her father’s firm in London but saying no is hard when you’ve always said yes. To avoid the looming move from Miami, Addison decides to take an adventure and climbing to Africa’s highest peak sound perfect. 

Will Mary Kate and Addison find the will to not only face Kili but also the forces in their lives that may be pushing them in the wrong direction?  A light and easy semi-romance. Romance is definitely a key factor but equally so is the journey each character takes to figure out their careers and life paths.  Characters are familiar and MacGregor does an excellent job of staying away from lesbian stereotypes. 2009, 228 pages.

 

Twelve Long Months by Brian Malloy

Molly Swain isn’t one of those girls in high school that gets noticed. In fact, she goes out of her way to make sure no one notices her and she quietly goes about life hoping that Mark(mysterious lab partner) will notice her.  Through many fumbles that can only happen in high school, Molly and Mark become friends and when Molly discovers Mark is also moving to New York after high school she imagines their romance blooming.

Only, you know it isn’t going to work out that way right? Sure enough, Mark admits to Molly that he is gay and Molly works on being “ok” with it. She tries so hard that she ends up dating and maybe falling in love with a very sensible guy named Simon.  Wanting something so bad it hurts and finally realizing that there is no conceivable way it can happen is an integral part to growing up and Molly finds herself right in the middle of that opportunity.

This is a quick and somewhat predictable read. I easily picked out the few surprises before they happened. But, the characterization is spot-on, you feel for Molly because you remember the feelings she evokes as you read. You hurt for what she is about to experience and cheer when she survives…like we all did. 2008, 316 pages.

 

Don’t Get Me Started by Kate Clinton

Kate Clinton, stand-up comic,  grew up in upstate New York going to Catholic school and living in a closet so big and protected in had multiple alarm systems and a nice foyer.  This loose biography chronicles her life in chapters that revolve around different stories that give the reader an overview of her life up to the mid-1990’s.

I enjoyed reading this book. I found it on shelf while doing a weeding project and decided it would be good for me to connect more with other lesbians-even if it is just in book form.  Publication date is 1998 so the “current” references aren’t so current anymore but anxious readers will be happy to know a second book What the L was out in 2005 and I Told You Sois out in 2009.  The book is intimate in its brevity-readers will laugh at Clinton’s humor, wit and fierce devotion to everything woman. The pacing is quick and the frame is very laid back.  1998, 199 pages.

 

Finding Home by Georgia Beers

Sarah has had a bad year. Her longtime girlfriend left her for a man and she has been unable to heal and move on. Instead she has become a rigid career woman with no balance. Natalie appears to just be a free spirit that has no worries and spends her days serving coffee and a local restaurant. But there is more to Natalie and she wonders what the sexy business executive across the counter is really like. When a fluke accident brings the two together to care for a dog they both love, maybe just maybe, love will blossom.

Sometimes I feel like I’m writing a movie trailer when I pull a summary out of my head. I even come equipped with that lovely, low booming voice. This was a fairly quick read with some character development. You could feel the conflict in the characters but you didn’t dive deep into understanding their life situations. The frame could be set anywhere and the storyline is one of humor, regret and second chances. Didi I like it? Parts of it hit home in a sad way but for the most part I enjoyed this simple love story. 2008, 240 pages.

 

Another Kind of Cowboy by Susan Juby

Alex is a guy who loves dressage but makes do with what his father wants him to be-a “real” cowboy. Cleo is a rich brat who falls into dressage because her parents are tired of her games and send her to horsey boarding school. The unlikely pair form an unusual friendship as each of them come to terms with who they are and who they are meant to be.

What I liked about this story is despite the story line, it wasn’t as predictable as I was expecting. The characters are pretty well drawn  and the pacing is more moderate as the author takes time to develop the story. The setting could be anywhere you have a boarding school, horses and teenagers. The frame of the world of horses is integral to understanding the power and beauty of horses and the different breed of folks that ride them. 2007, 341 pages.

 

Debbie Harry Sings in French by Meagan Brothers

Johnny has had a pretty rough life by many standards.  His mom became present in body but nothing else when his dad was killed in a freak automobile accident. He quickly became caretaker of both his mom and himself for several years. As a coping mechanism he turned to alcohol and drugs. After a near overdose, mom-now a born again Christian is convinced that his goth style represents all the bad influences in his life and sends him off to live with his uncle.  Furious, Johnny throws himself into this new life he never wanted and just maybe finds the anchors he needs in life; family, a girlfriend and possibly the alter-ego of Debbie Harry.

What makes this book interesting is how character-driven it is in a world of plot driven teen fiction. Johnny deals with a lot and along the way discovers that he enjoys and is empowered by dressing up as Debbie Harry. Does this make him gay? Trans? None of the above? The pace is quick and many issues in Johnny’s life are glossed over and the support he receives from friends and family (and rejections) are sometimes a stretch. However, teens looking for a book that captures the process of finding your personal strength when you march to a different drummer is spot-on. 2008, 234 pages.

 

The Rainbow List

The Rainbow List is an annual list of titles nominated by members of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, & Transgendered Round Table of the American Library Association. This is the second year I’ve received the list and been able to order titles in my new position. I am grinning ear to ear to know that when I checked this year’s list, our library already owned every single title. Go Jen!! I was also excited to see almost everything checked out and with holds.

You can find the list as well as information about the group on myspace. They are working towards getting an ALA award for GLBTQ for youth and that is good news indeed.

http://www.myspace.com/rainbow_list

 

Getting It by Alex Sanchez

“That night, Carlos dreamed about boobs.”

Are you serious? Do guys really think this way? After consulting with a few friends of mine, the definitive answer was heck yeah!  But what you would be surprised to know about this book is that it is written by Lambda Award winner Alex Sanchez and focuses on the gay youth community. What is different about the book is that it is told from the viewpoint of Carlos, a completely straight guy who is out to impress a certain hottie at school. Despite constant pressure from his group of friends, he befriends the only gay guy he knows in hopes of a teenage “queer eye” makeover. What he didn’t expect to find was true friendship, understanding and learning how to stand up for himself and his beliefs.

What I liked about this book is that it didn’t sugar coat anything. There were a lot of characters that were homophobic or at least ignorant about the pain their comments were inflicting. Fast paced and full of teenage angst, you get to know Carlos and what makes him click as a teen and yes, most of it has to do with boobs.  It is the rest of his journey that will keep you reading. 2006, 210 pages.