1. Less is Lost (Arthur Less #2) by Andrew Sean Greer: 4/5 stars
Less is Lost is the first book I read this year, and I loved it just as much as the first book in the series. In the sequel to the Pulitzer prize winning book Less, author Andrew Sean Greer invites readers back into the windswept, anxiety riddled, and romantic world of Arthur Less and his love, Freddy Pelu. The book picks up several years after the end of the first book in the series, Less. Freddy and Arthur are at an impasse in their relationship– after the death of Arthur’s first partner and love, he faces an identity and financial crisis that sends him on a whirlwind tour of the American South and East Coast. I enjoy the impeccable cast of characters of this book, it’s tendency to muse on the power of writing, and the honesty of how while romance between two people can change and develop over time, love can always remain. I recommend both books in this series and I rated this book 4/5 stars on Goodreads.
2. Even Though I Knew The End by C.L. Polk: 5/5 stars
Even Though I Knew The End was the lesbian historical romance fantasy novel I have been waiting for! Set in Chicago in the 1930’s, it features a detective of Chicago divine happenings who gets pulled into one last job to find the city’s most wanted serial killer, the White Vampire. The prize? She gets her soul back from the devil, and she gets to spend her life with the woman she loves– but only if she succeeds. This book was magical and spellbinding and heart breaking in all the right ways. Polk provides a tender love story and sapphic representation in the midst of monsters, crime, and the social politics of the 30’s. Beautiful prose and flawed but tenacious characters made me fall in love with this story, and I rated it 5/5 stars on Goodreads.
3. Loveless By Alice Oseman: 5/5 stars
Loveless was a love story unlike anything that I have ever read and I think it’s a book that everyone should read. The main character Georgia is navigating college, roommates, and the prospect of a first kiss during her freshman year at Durham University. While Georgia wants to make new friends and have romantic experiences at Uni, every time she is faced with the opportunity of kissing or other flirtations, she feels sick to her stomach. Through the help of her friends, a mentoring upperclassman, and self realization, Georgia begins to explore her sexuality and discovers that there’s more than one type of romance out there in the world. This book poignantly shows what it’s like to come to the realization of queer sexuality as a young person, and how the pressures of society can stifle people’s ability to be their true selves. I rated this book 5/5 stars on Goodreads.