June Staff Picks
Summer has officially arrived along with Pride and Caribbean Heritage Month, and our booksellers have never been more ready to recommend the perfect books for outdoor reading. Whether you’re heading to the beach or to the park, take a look at the titles we can’t stop thinking about this month! You can find all our past staff picks here.
How can queer theory change our perspective on the War on Terror? In Terrorist Assemblages, Jasbir Paur explores power, patriotism and the constant reconfiguration of political agendas to serve the dominant power structure. In this electrifying work, Paur pushes the limits of interdisciplinary thinking and reminds readers that the body–whether subject to violence or engaged in pleasure–is always political. —Aatia
Time War is an F/F enemies-to-lovers time-travel romance told primarily through letters sent between two agents on opposing sides of a brutal war. I listened to the audiobook and loved it so fiercely that I bought a hard copy that same day so I could highlight my favorite lines, and in seeking out those beloved pieces of prose-poetry, I re-read the entire thing. This book is as winding and wild as the characters who inhabit it: gorgeous, indulgent, delectable. —Abby
I love this historical fiction set in the free Black community of Weeksville in Brooklyn during the Civil War and postbellum era. Libertie is raised by her mother, the community’s doctor, and taught to honor her independence, her mind and her work ethic, but throws a wrench into everything when she drops out of college and follows her love to Haiti, the first independent Caribbean state and leading the revolution. Inspired by Susan Smith McKinney Steward, the first Black woman to become a doctor in New York, this book is about freedom, ambition, love, care, and the narratives we dream and accept for our lives. —Colleen
This book is a sun-soaked & vibrant story of sisterhood, race, and class in a post-colonial Jamaica. Dennis-Benn's portrayal of these sisters & the boundries they're fighting against is a powerful debut. -Emma
Think THE GREAT BRITISH BAKING SHOW with a QUEER ROM COM glow up! My perfect week consisted of reading this lighthearted masterpiece and watching the show :) totally recommend!
Alexis Hall never ceases to amaze me. BOYFRIEND MATERIAL was my favorite 2020 romance, but this one seriously "takes the cake." —Jacque
Evelyn Perdanu, a powerful and ruthless shipping magnate, is suddenly at risk of losing everything when one of her ships brings a mysterious and deadly illness back to port. Soon, Evelyn discovers the illness infecting the citizens of her village is actually looking for her. With the help of her loyal companion, Violetta, Evelyn must uncover the truth of this illness before dangerous local suspicions come knocking on her door. —Lindsay
Beautiful, amazing!! Chee's musings on tarot, identity, literature, and activism are full of wisdom and sincerity. These essays are a guide for living a lovely, wonderful life and you'll hold it close to your sweet lil' heart. :') —Natalie
This one of two plays by James Baldwin. This play is a hard hitting attack on racism in America. It starts with the murder of a black man by a white man who tosses the body in the weeds. This is such a powerful piece of literature (of course, it's James Baldwin) and you are drawn in so quickly that you don't notice that it is a play. —Nick
My colleague Serena brought this book to my attention, and I will always be grateful because it’s truly a delight to read. Exhilarating, sexy, and inventive, Thrown in the Throat plays with language, examining its role in oppression and colonization with a critical lens while simultaneously revealing the joy to be found in words. Garcia explores identities and tests boundaries for an inspiring and inspired debut. —Nika
Epic, fluid, and dynamic, this collection draws from Caribbean folk tradition to explore themes of fugitivity & movement, in particular as they relate to Black womanhood and Black diaspora. As much salt as it is water, What Noise Against the Cane stings, soothes, reflects & records. The perfect, most mesmerizing read to carry you through Carribean Heritage Month and beyond! —Serena
Check, Please! is one of my top three favorite found-family stories. This energetic portrayal of living your best queer life is full of warmth and the silly kind of giddiness that comes with staying up late with your best friends. Eric Bittle, the hockey-playing, pie-making, video-blogging protag is entirely lovable and his struggles with sports, school, and his identity are well-rendered and heart-wrenchingly relatable. And if that isn't enough the ensemble cast is A+ - it's hard to pick a favorite! —Shulokhana
We choose new staff picks every month, so stay tuned for regular updates.
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