From the TBR Pile: LGBT

Showing posts with label LGBT. Show all posts

Friday, October 12, 2018

Blog Tour: Review of Yeled Tov by Daniel M. Jaffe

Author:Daniel M. Jaffe
Publisher: Lethe Press
Date of publication: April 2018

As he’s about to turn 16 in the mid-1970’s, Jake Stein notices a prohibition in Leviticus that never caught his eye before: “Thou shalt not lie with mankind as with womankind; it is abomination.” This discovery distresses Jake, an observant Jewish teen, because he’s recently been feeling increased attraction to other teen boys and men. He’s even been engaging in sexual exploration with his best friend. In an attempt to distract himself, Jake joins his high school’s production of The Diary of Anne Frank, but falls in love with the romantic male lead, obsessively fantasizing about him. Jake feels lonelier than ever.

The next year, while a freshman at Princeton University, Jake falls for his handsome roommate, is beset by serious temptations, and engages in a traumatic sexual encounter with a stranger. Seeking help from God, Jake tries to alter his desires, even dates a young Jewish woman in the hopes that she can change him, but to no avail. Jake concludes that God could never love an abomination like him, so he attempts to prove his faith by ending his own life.

After he’s saved by his roommate, Jake receives unexpected support from doctors, family, and friends, some of whom have been suspecting his secret. With their help, Jake explores a different way of thinking about the rules of Torah and himself, and begins to consider that he might actually be a yeled tov, a good Jewish boy, just the way he is.

I will warn you ahead of time, Yeled Tov is not a light read. It is the very emotional coming of age story involving Jake. Set in 1974, Jake is beginning to realize that he is gay. He also comes from a very religious background. We follow Jake in his last year of high school and first year of college as he struggles to reconcile his true self with his religious beliefs and the teachings he has grown up with.

As I said this is not a light read. It was gut wrenching at times. I was sucked into the story and wanted to see what happened to Jake. I also kept feeling like I wanted to give him a big hug and tell him it would all be OK. Had he grown up in present time, I would hope he would have an easier time coming out. The only thing that I didn't care for was the ending. I felt like I hadn't spent enough time with Jake to see if he was going to be OK. It would have been nice to have an epilogue or more past the closing scene as he explores his new reality a bit more.

Purchase Link

Amazon

About Daniel M. Jaffe

Daniel M. Jaffe is an award-winning, internationally published fiction and essay writer. His novel-in-stories, THE GENEALOGY OF UNDERSTANDING, was a finalist and honorable mention for the Rainbow Awards; and his novel, THE LIMITS OF PLEASURE, was a finalist for a ForeWord Magazine Book of the Year Award. He is author of JEWISH GENTLE AND OTHER STORIES OF GAY JEWISH LIVING, and compiler/editor of WITH SIGNS AND WONDERS: AN INTERNATIONAL ANTHOLOGY OF JEWISH FABULIST FICTION. Also, Daniel translated the Russian-Israeli novel, HERE COMES THE MESSIAH! by Dina Rubina.

Monday, June 22, 2015

Blog Tour: Cruise Control by Kerry Adrienne

Author: Kerry Adrienne
Publisher: Earthshine Publishing
Date of publication: March 2015

Retired soldier Blake Best drives hard—his car, his life, and his choices. Former Airman Parker Monteith is fighting to keep his life on cruise control so he doesn’t lose it all.

One Maserati brings them together. Can Blake slow down enough to discover the important things aren't in the fast lane?

Cruise Control was a very quick listen. I was sent the audiobook for review and being a fan of audiobooks, I started it right away. I thought the audio narration was done very well. I enjoyed listening to the narrator. I don't believe I have heard him in any other books before, but I would listen to him again.

As for the story, I did enjoy it. It's more like a novella length, so my disappointment in the story was the length and speed in which Blake and Parker fall for each other. I would have liked it to be longer and give them more time to get to know each other. I would have also loved to see some resolution in the conflict with Blake's sister.

Available at: Amazon | Audible | Goodreads

About the author:

Kerry loves history and spends large amounts of time wondering about people who lived and walked on Earth in the past. She’s a mom to three daughters, six cats, and various small animals, including a panther chameleon. Her shoe horde will attest to her fine shopping skills.

In addition to writing, she’s a college instructor, artist, costumer, and editor. Her new love is her Mini Cooper Convertible, Sheldon, and they have already gone on many adventures.

Kerry is represented by Marisa Corvisiero.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Newsletter | Goodreads

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Ash

By: Malinda Lo

From Goodreads: In the wake of her father’s death, Ash is left at the mercy of her cruel stepmother. Consumed with grief, her only joy comes by the light of the dying hearth fire, re-reading the fairy tales her mother once told her. In her dreams, someday the fairies will steal her away, as they are said to do. When she meets the dark and dangerous fairy Sidhean, she believes that her wish may be granted.

The day that Ash meets Kaisa, the King’s Huntress, her heart begins to change. Instead of chasing fairies, Ash learns to hunt with Kaisa. Though their friendship is as delicate as a new bloom, it reawakens Ash’s capacity for love—and her desire to live. But Sidhean has already claimed Ash for his own, and she must make a choice between fairy tale dreams and true love.

Entrancing and romantic, Ash is an empowering retelling of Cinderella about choosing life and love over solitude and death, where transformation can come from even the deepest grief.

I completely loved this book! Retelling of Cinderella? Fantastic! Lesbian aspect? Cool twist! Fairies instead of a Fairy Godmother? Awesome!

I thought Ash was a great character. I didn't think the Stepmother or her stepsisters were horrible enough. They were, but I didn't find them to be wickedly e-viiillll. There could have been a little bit more of the Prince going on since that's kind of a big deal in the original story, but I can see why his character sort of fizzled away.

I'd definitely recommend this book. Fans of Beastly would probably like this book. It's a quick, easy read. If you buy it, get it hardcover, look at that cover how gorgeous!

Sunday, July 25, 2010

Wildthorn

By: Jane Eagland

Publish date: Sept. 6, 2010

Seventeen year old Louisa Cosgrove thinks she's on her way to her new job as companion for a new family, but instead she arrives at Wildthorn, an insane asylum for women. Her traveling chaperone is there to make she she gets admitted. She's told she's no longer Louisa Cosgrove, that her name is Lucy Childs and that she has to stay there to get well. What makes Louisa so crazy? In Victorian England the problem is that she wants to be a doctor, she reads too much, she learns too much and it makes her family uncomfortable.

I found this book to be very good, it starts off right away at her arriving at the asylum and is told through a series of flashbacks which I thought was really effective. I felt very bad Louisa, she couldn't do anything to get out of the situation she was in and she didn't do anything wrong to get herself into the situation she was in.

There's a very mild lesbian theme throughout the book, which wasn't graphic by any means at all, but if that offends you this book might not be for you.

This book is also classified as Young Adult, but don't let that deter you grown ups, it's worth the read I think.

I got an ARC of this book from Netgalley

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Disclaimer

The reviewers of From the TBR Pile read and review books acquired from multiple sources. We often receive complimentary copies and ARCs from publishers, publicists, authors and book tour promoters. Some books we borrow from our local libraries or purchase on our own. We are never compensated in anyway for any review written on this blog. We are in no way obligated to write good or bad reviews for any complimentary material received by us. We are honest reviewers and our reviews are based on our own opinions and written solely by us.

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