Girl's Girl

 

Girl's Girl by Sonia Feldman, 241 pages

A suburban Midwest summer from the eyes of a 15 year-old girl and her two best friends. As girlhood fades away, Mina struggles with the boundaries and tensions in her friendships with Margaret and Eleanor, while also grappling with her sexuality and a complex relationship with her mother. 

This book paints a beautiful and painful picture of girlhood, reminiscent of how big every emotion can feel at 15. There is definitely a specific audience for this book, and those who grew up queer in the Midwest might find themselves in this audience, but it will not speak to every reader. 

Strangers: A Memoir of Marriage

 

Strangers: A Memoir of Marriage by Belle Burden, 237 pages

In this memoir, Belle Burden recounts the shock of her husband leaving her and her children at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, after 20 years of marriage. She revisits the early days of their marriage, their family dynamics, and warning signs she might've missed. She also writes about picking up the pieces after he leaves, dealing with lawyers and divorce court, financial troubles, depression and raising her kids during the pandemic. 

I will admit, as a young person who has never experienced marriage, I was probably not the target audience for this book, however I did enjoy reading it for the most part. Belle writes her story with grace and honesty. I particularly enjoyed her journey to finding her own voice as a single woman after being controlled for so many years by her husband. I think her privilege as a white woman with generational wealth makes this a hard read at times, especially when she is describing her financial and living situations, it can be hard to empathize for her. 

Strange Girls

 

Strange Girls by Sarvat Hasin, 307 pages

Aliya and Ava develop a close friendship during their years at University in London, a friendship that is formed on their shared interest of creative writing. They spend every minute together, staying up late intertwined on the couch watching movies, bringing each other coffee in the morning, and planning a future as drifting writers together. From their friends and families perspectives, they are too close and are becoming increasingly codependent on each other. As things get more intense, their time at University comes to a close, and their lives take different paths. 

What I loved about this story is the narration. Each chapter switches between the past, told by Aliya, and the present told by Ava. The present chapters follow Ava in adulthood, as she is back in London for a weekend to stay with Aliya for their mutual friends bachelorette party. Aliya's chapters talk about their time at University, focusing heavily on Aliya's fascination with Ava and the mental toll this takes on her. Neither character is necessarily likable, but it is interesting that the narration twists together these two characters as the story unfolds. 

I had a few small qualms about this book, mostly because the trope of characters in literary fiction can get worn out and that is how I felt during parts of this book. It made some parts feel too predictable and scripted, although other aspects of the story made up for this. 

The Maidenheads

 

 The Maidenheads by Benny B. Peterson, 336 pages

 A story about music, finding yourself in queerness, and rekindling a first love. 

This book will probably not be for everyone, it is messy, the protagonist is largely unlikable and the relationship that the novel follows is disheartening. However, I loved this book as it felt like a very accurate and honest depiction of being queer and navigating relationships. I thought the writing was beautiful and I felt like I was inside the main characters head, for better or for worse. 

Hungerstone

  

 

 

 Hungerstone by Kat Dunn, 336 pages

A retelling of the classic story Carmilla, but with a backdrop of the Industrial Revolution. Inside a  remote country manor in the Moors, Lenore must face an unhappy marriage, nightmares that leave her desiring more, and her past traumas. 

I really enjoyed this book! I have read Carmilla and enjoyed it, although given the time it was written it was hard to understand at times. This novel brought a fresh perspective to the classic, while still maintaining key themes. The ending did feel a bit rushed. 

 

Yesteryear

 

 

Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke, 391 pages 

Natalie Heller Mills is a "tradwife" social media influencer, who lives the perfect life in the eyes of her Instagram followers. Her posts hide the less "perfect" aspects of her life, like her nannies, farmhands, and martial problems. One day Natalie wakes up in the 1800s and has to learn to navigate her life without her usual modern amenities.

I was really excited for this book, and did enjoy the beginning. I enjoyed the book less as it progressed, and found the story line got muddled in attempts to keep the suspense alive. Similar to many readers, I did not like the ending. The concept of this book was very intriguing, and I am looking forward to the movie, however it did not hit home for me.