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noveltyreads · 1 year

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Acting the Part by Z.R Ellor Book Review

ARC kindly provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review

When I first read the blurb of this book, I knew it was something I definitely wanted to read. During the time when I got approved of the e-galley, the Netflix TV show and sapphic vampire romanceFirst Kill was cancelled after its first season. While I never watched the show (I watched half of one episode but found it just wasn't for me), a lot of fans, especially members of the LGBTQ+ community were disappointed about its cancellation. It sparked a lot of conversation about queer representation and the treatment of queer people on TV and so, the timing of this book was impeccable all things considered.

Acting The Part follows queer actress, Lily Ashton who, after finding out their love interest in the popular TV show they star in is going to be killed off, creates an elaborate fake dating scheme where they date the actress playing their love interest to generate publicity and save their #Morganetta ship from being cut. While Lily plays the part of a female actress in real life, online, Lily plays in multiplayer games where the character they play, Frey, fells more authentically them than the female body they see themselves as in the mirror. Since #Morganetta feels so important to viewers, Lily continues presenting as a girl however, the more they continue the charade, the more they feel the hurt and weight of pretending.

While I really liked the premise of the book, I felt like it felt a bit short in its execution which is such a shame because I really wanted to love this book with all my heart. For starters, I personally felt like while we saw Lily change, develop and understand who they are inclusive of their transition from she/her pronouns to they/them, I didn't really get the depth I was looking for all this time. I wanted to know how Lily was feeling and understand their layers and personality but unfortunately, I didn't really connect and feel attached to them.

I knew why Lily enjoyed online gaming and what the community they play with has done for them but I felt like that online group was just there without adding anything necessarily more to the story. There were foundations laid for a really great found family trope but I felt like it wasn't taken advantage of. It was clear the group was mainly used to deepen Lily's relationship with their online love interest but I felt like if there was more depth and layering to the friendship group then this book's rating for me would've definitely increased.

Additionally, the book felt really fast and as such, it was hard to connect to any of the characters which was really disappointing. Greta, who was the girl Lily fake dated, was introduced really early on in the story and while they were dating, I felt like Greta wasn't really present. As in, their dates were often skimmed over without going into detail or without showing the moments where the two were together. As a result, I couldn't really connect and fall in love with the two as a couple. There wasn't enough chemistry between them and even when the big reveal happened, I didn't really feel anything because there was little to no romantic tension. That was because so many of those tension-filled moments were left out and we were left with a skeleton of what could've been a great romance.

The other thing I found a bit off was how there were apparently two show-runners running an entire TV show. Keep in mind this TV show was said to be extremely popular with heaps of fans around the world. It felt a bit unrealistic that there were only two people ensuring its success with one writer and one director.

That being said, the book did shine a light on a lot of relevant topics such as racism, ageism, privilege and homophobia in the film industry. I would love to see more books deal with these topics in the future. The book primarily focused on Lily's journey of self-discovery and I felt like this was its main strength. Without this reflection of sexuality, identity and what it means to be a trans-masc person, I probably would've rated it lower if I'm being honest. While it added a few layers to Lily's characterisation, with all the other factors involved, it wasn't enough to increase my rating.

All in all, Acting the Part, while dealing with a lot of relevant and important topics, did fall short pacing wise and romance wise. I wanted more depth to the chemistry and to the characterisation of the main character and the side characters. While the personality and the characterisation of Lily did showcase a lot of reflection on identity, sexuality and privilege, I felt like there wasn't enough there to really connect me to their character.

ACTUAL RATING: 2.4 STARS

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shibaraki · 2 years

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olivia laing / patrick ness / z.r ellor / e.b. white

#haikyuu!!#hq #kageyama tobio #hinata shoyo #web weave #kagehina

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girlwholikestoread · 4 months

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My least favorite to My favorite books I read in 2023

24. May The Best Man Win by Z.R. Ellor: I wanted to like this book so badly, I really did but this is probably the only book I read this year that I didn’t like. The story is about Jeremy Harkisis who is a transgender cheerleader and his ex-boyfriend Lukas who is the all-star football player; the two exes are both trying to earn the title of Homecoming King. Honestly I loved the idea of this story just wasn’t a fan of the direction. First I did like Jeremy for most of the book, honestly his attitude towards Lukas in the beginning of the book made me not want to root for them and he just seems so mean and selfish, I understand that was the point and usually I don’t mind reading about characters who are mean and selfish but learns their lesson at the end but, Jermey was just so unnecessary cruel to his friends despite all of them showing him support and kindness. I liked Lukas a lot and honestly he was the only reason I had any motivation to finish this book and I thought the ending was cute. Overall a big let down and Lukas deserve so much better.

23. Radiant Black, Vol. 3: Rogues’s Gallery: It was the first book I read this year because my brother insisted I read it. It was fine, I’m personally not a huge fan of the series but I think the story is pretty good. Overall I gave it 3 stars on GoodReads so not bad.

22. Blackwater by Jeannette Arroyo and Ren Graham: So this book was different…not in a bad way. I actually really liked this book but this went in a direction I did not expect. So the story about Tony Price who is a popular high school track star and a quiet boy named Eli Hirsch who has a chronic autoimmune disorder become unlikely friends. Seems like your standard romance, except it’s not. Eli has a special ability to see ghosts and most recently he’s been seeing a ghost of a fisherman, while that happens Tony gets bitten by a werewolf-like creator which turns him into one. The story was alright, I was a bit confused at times but I still mostly enjoyed it. The romance was also lacking. Tony and Eli have a few cute moments together but I wish there were more, and I wished there were more interactions between the side characters and the main character. Overall Loved the spooky art style, I would recommend this for Halloween.

21. The Black Flamingo by Dean Atta: I Devoured this book, I couldn’t put this down because I was so invested. The story is about our main character Micheal who throughout the book will grow up and start questioning his sexuality, gender expression, and his relationships. The story is formatted like a poem which I really liked. Seeing Micheal throughout his life from his adolescent years to his adult years, seeing him grow and form meaningful relationships was such a great reading experience. Overall beautifully written story, I hope Micheal and Kieran ended up together.

20. Husband Material by Alexis Hall: This book was great. I loved Boyfriend Material and immediately bought Husband Material once I finished the first book because I needed to know what was next for Luc and Oliver. This book did great continuing the story of all the couples from the first book, and showing that Luc and Oliver were made for each other. I especially liked Luc's shitty ex-boyfriend from college. I really wanted more information about that relationship and seeing Oliver stand up for his parents was so satisfying…but then the ending happened. Honestly I liked the ending, I thought it fit Luc and Oliver who always has an unconventional relationship so them deciding marriage isn’t for them makes sense, I just wasn’t a fan of the execution of them making that decision. Overall much like Sherk 2 perfect squeal.

19. The Princess and the Grilled Sandwich by Deya Muniz: This book is so fucking cute! I loved the characters, I loved the artstyle, I loved the cheese pun, I loved everything! This book is about Lady Camembert and how her before she passed wanted her to marry so she can get her inheritance and rights to her father kingdom, which could only be given to a man and he only had one daughter; she decided to disguise herself as a man and inherent everything but is forced to live a low-profile in order to not lose everything. However she breaks this rule and goes to a ball hosted by Princess Bri, they form a friendship and slowly start falling for each other; the only issue is that Bri believes that Camembert is a man. This story was cute, fun, engaging, and the ending was perfect! Overall I devoured this book like a grilled cheese sandwich.

18. Sorry Bro by Taleen Voskuni: This book was so good! This book is about Nareh who after ending her relationship with her boyfriend who, while wasn’t a bad person just wasn’t for her, decided she wants to explore her options dating with both men and women. During this she meets Erebuni and she becomes her wingwoman and helps her find a new guy or girl. However during this they both start following each other, with Nareh falling hard first. The book was great, it was a bit slow and I personally didn’t find her issues at work a compelling subplot but thought everything else great. I loved Erebuni and thought she was so sweet and understanding and like Nareh and her mom talk after she came out. Overall Sweet and Sapphic

17. I wish you all the best by Mason Deaver: This was the first book I read with a Non-Binary MC. We follow Ben De Backer who on Christmas day decides to come out to their parents as Non-Binary, this however doesn’t go as planned and they end up kicked out of their home on Christmas and have to call their estranged sister Hannah and her husband Thomas who they haven’t met yet. This leads to them having to live with her and start a new school where they meet Nathan Allan and start a friendship. This book made me cry a few times. Ben goes through a lot in a short period of time. Building a relationship with their sister, trying to make new friends, and figure out how they feel about their parents. This book is amazing and Ben and Nathan's relationship is so pure and it’s hard to find sweet innocent romantic connections in books nowadays but Ben and Nathan were so sweet. Overall this book felt like a hug on paper.

16. I’ll Be Home For Christmas by Mason Deaver: We loved a Christmas squeal! This takes place once Ben and Nathan have graduated and Nathan is attending college while Ben is taking time off school and living with roommates. Ben flys to Hannah house for Christmas Eve and plans to bring a surprise for Nathan by bringing his dog back home. Unfortunately their perfect gift plan ended up blowing up in their face when it snowed in and flights started being canceled. This short story is very sweet and does a great job showing us how Nathan and Ben are now. Ben’s determination to bring Nathan his beloved dog was so sweet and the ending was the perfect ending. Overall Ben and Nathan are a couple goals.

15. Ocean’s Echo by Everina Maxwell: I loved space adventures with a hint of romance, it’s one of my favorite combos. This book was written by the same author of Winter Orbit and it takes place in the same universe, however this isn’t a sequel since Kiem and Jainan aren’t mentioned and we have new main characters. In this book we follow Tennal, an absolut flirt who is constantly getting himself in trouble and Surit a Lieutenant who is very by-the-book. After Tennal gets himself in trouble yet again he’s forced to join the military where he meets Surit and they are forced to work together and forced to sync; and syncing is a type of merging of the minds. However Surit doesn’t want to sync because Tennal has made it clear he doesn’t want to be controlled. This leads to them coming up with a plan to get Tennal out of the military while keeping Surit rank. While this is happening they start slowing noticing a power struggle within the military. This book had me on the edge of my seats and I couldn’t stop listening, the romance wasn’t much which is fine because the overall plot was so intriguing it made up for the lack of romance. Overall Space politics are confusing but in a fun way.

14. Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall: This is the funniest book I read all year. Hands down. Boyfriend Material is about Luc O’Donnell who is the child of two retired rockstars and because of this he’s constantly in the spotlight and usually for all the wrong reasons. Wanting to clear his image he needs to find a perfect boyfriend, which he does with a successful educated man named Oliver Blackwood. They enter a fake dating situation which benefits them both. Luc and Oliver's relationship moved along so naturally and Luc is so funny. All the side characters were great too and while I knew what the ending was gonna be I was still surprised on how it ended. Overall UK comedy is undefeated.

13. She Gets the Girl by Racheal Lippincott, Alyson Derrick: Sapphic slow-burns are perfect for the summer. In this story we follow Alex Blackwood who has lots of issues both in her family and her dating life and Molly who has a close relationship with her family but never had a real date or relationship. The two are polar opposites but come together to help each other out, Alex helps Molly get with her long time crush Cora Myers and it helps Alex prove to her ex that she’s a better person. Molly and Alex are so cute together, Alex encouraging Molly to come out of her shell was really sweet, and I related to Molly a lot. Overall Sweet, Sapphic, and I want to learn how to roller skate

12. Imogen, Obviously by Becky Albertalli: This book was so cute. In this we follow Imogen Scott who is a huge Ally and very involved in queer media. She visits her best friend Lili who’s thriving in college making new queer friends and everything is great…except Lili told a small lie saying that her and Imogen are ex’s and that Imogen is bi. Not wanting to make her friend seem like a liar she plays along, however while doing that she starts falling for Tessa, who is one of Lili's new friends. Imogen is such a sweetheart and one of my favorite main characters, The cover is also one of my favorites this year. Overall “I’m not homophobic, I’m an Ally”

11. A Mark on My Soul by Jordon Greene: This is the only book I read that didn’t have a happy ending. In this we follow Noah who decides to come out as gay to his friends, family, and publically online. When this happens he gets a message from a “secret admirer” which turns out to be his best friend Parker who’s in the closet. This book ripped my heart in half and ended up sobbing my eyes out. I already knew how Parker's story ended because I accidentally spoiled the ending for myself but despite that I grew so attached to Parker and wanted him to be happy. This book was a hard read for me but I loved it so much. Overall Parker deserves better!

10. The Long Run by James Acker: Ngl I almost DNF this book. I didn’t like the first 3 chapters and since I was listening to this book on audible I also wasn’t a big fan of Sandro’s VA, but chapter 4 is where I truly got invested and I’m so glad I keep reading because I ended up loving this book. In this story we follow Bash and Sandro, who are both finishing their last year of High School and after kissing at a Party they form a friendship. This is a true slowburn because even though they kissed in the beginning they stay mostly platonic and do “dude-bro” stuff. I also love that Bash never makes the fact he’s Bi a big deal, he just accepts that he fell for a guy and doesn’t care. Sandro and Bash are so cute together and I loved them so much. Overall Bash the Flash and the Italian Yeti are my OTP

9. Time Out by Sean Hayes, Todd Milliner, Carlyn Greenwald: I found out a lot of people don’t like this book and it honestly breaks my heart. In this we follow Barclay who's basically a sport legend in his school, at least he was until he decided to come out very publicly and the reception wasn’t what he was anticipating, because of this he leaves the Basketball team and help his friend Amy with school related politics where he also meets Christopher and together they help the voiceless have a voice. Barclay and Christopher's relationship is so sweet and wholesome I loved reading about them watching movies and kissing goodnight. I love non-sexual intimacy. Barclay is also great, he’s really kind and understanding given the circumstances of everything that happened to him. Overall everyone on GoodReads is wrong.

8. Snowflake Kisses by Jordon Greenee, Yayira Dzames: Skylar and Jacob are back! In this book we follow Skylar and Jacob who are spending their first Christmas together. Honestly this book is just vibes, no big conflicts, no third act breakup, no Jacbo’s dad, just pure sugary vibes. Seeing Skylar and Jacob have snowfighters, cuddle in the car, and get each other thoughtful gifts, everything was just so nice. Skylar's parents were also great and seeing them treat Jacob like family made my heart skip a beat. Plus I loved art. Yayira Dzames did an amazing job capturing the characters. Overall My favorite Christmas comic.

7. Iris Kelly Doesn’t Date by Ashley Herring Blake: Small confession, I wasn’t a big fan of Iris in the first two books (Delilah Green Doesn’t Care and Astrid Parker Doesn’t Fail). However I ended up liking her a lot at the end of this book. In this we follow Iris who has given up on dating and sticking to casual hook-ups after her two failed relationships. Unfortunately for Iris who’s a romance author she suffered from writer's block and needed to find inspiration. We also follow Stevie, a struggling actress with anxiety issues trying to get her big break while helping her ex keep her community theater studio open. When Stevie finds herself in a web of lies her and Iris start a fake relationship, this helps Stevie prove to her friends that she doesn’t need her feeling protected and helps Iris find inspiration for her needed book; they of course start actually falling for each other. Iris and Stevie have amazing chemistry throughout the book and I loved how patient Iris is with Stevie when it comes to sex and intimacy. The consent checks and making sure they both enjoyed each other was so hot. Stevie such as sweetheart and I related to her when it comes to how she views sex and her anxiety and Iris is great too. Overall Stevie has my whole heart.

6. The Sun and Star: A Nico di Angelo Adventure by Rick Riordan, Mark Oshiro: Fun fact I didn’t read any Percy Jackson books before this but I liked this anyways. We follow Nico di Angelo the son of Hades and his boyfriend Will Solace the son of Apollo as they travel through the underworld to find their friend Bob who was left behind in Hades Realm. Despite not reading anything Percy Jackson related I loved his adventure, Nico and Will bounce off each other perfectly and I wish there were more books where the main couple are already together because seeing these boyfriends act like boyfriends made my heart flutter. It was such a fun ride from beginning to end and I enjoyed it so much. Overall I should read Percy Jackson.

5. The First to Die at the End by Adam Slivera: This book destroyed me…so 5 stars. This is a prequel of They Both Die at the End, in this book we follow the first ever Decker and see Death-Cast go live for the first time. In this we follow Orion Pagan who lost his parents young and suffers from a deadly heart condition and while he has big dreams for his future he doesn’t see himself living long enough to achieve those dreams and we also follow Valentino Prince who moves to New York with his twin sister to start his molding career, however that’s cut short when he gets the call at midnight. I cried like 4 times reading this book, it was amazing. All the side characters were great and I love multiple POV’s in books. Overall I need more Death-Cast books.

4. Astrid Parker Doesn’t Fail by Ashley Herring Blake: Jordan Everwood is hands down my favorite character. This is the second book in the Bright Falls series and I couldn’t wait to read this one. We follow Astrid who just ended her engagement and is trying to focus on work, we also follow Jordan who helps her grandmother renovate her inn to avoid having to sell. After a not so great first interaction they find themselves working together to fix the inn for a reality tv show. As they work together they start to get to know each other and open up to each other about their family, relationships, and jobs. I loved Astrid in the first book and was so excited to see her story continue and I loved her and Jordan's connection. Overall “You deserve a destiny Jordan Everwood”.

3. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid: This book was so good! In this we follow Monique who has just been assigned to write the autobiography about famous Hollywood Icon Evelyn Hugo and her glamorous and scandalous life. Evelyn is probably the most complex character I’ve read this year, out of all the characters she felt the most human, she made mistakes and did things she regretted but also had moments of kindness and had to make really tough choices. I liked Monique however if I had to change anything I wish we focused on her more, but what we have is great. Overall I need this to be a movie.

2. Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo: This book has amazing writing, I stayed engaged the whole time and couldn’t stop listening. We follow Lily Hu who is a seventeen year old Chinese American living in ChinaTown. This story takes place in 1954 when the red-scare was a big threat for Chinese Americans. Due to this Lily faces many problems, her father may be deported, her friend group is changing, and she starts developing feelings for other women especially her friend Kath. She and Kath start going to an underground lesbian club called the Telegraph Club. This book was so good, I can barely put it into words. Overall Speechless

1. The Sunbearer Trials by Aiden Thomas: I loved this book! I knew this was gonna be number one because this was the only book I’ve ever dreamt about after reading. In this we follow Teo, a seventeen year old trans son of Quetzal who finds himself in a century old battle to the death. Teo has no training and is convinced he will not make it out alive. I adore everything about this book, the comedy, the characters, the world building, and the plot twist left me speechless. I cannot wait for part 2! Overall I already miss Teo, Niya, Sol, and Aurelio.

#queer books #astrid parker doesn't fail #i wish you all the best #imogen obviously #jordon greene #ashley herring blake #james acker #the long run #becky albertalli #May the best man win #the sunbearer trials #adam silvera #aiden thomas #book ratings

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the-lincyclopedia · 7 months

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Nine Books

Thanks for the tag, @cricketnationrise! My methodology for narrowing down my nine favorite books was basically to just list nine books I like a lot, as quickly as possible, while trying not to overthink the whole thing. This is not necessarily my nine absolute favorite books, and it's obviously far from exhaustive when it comes to my favorite books overall. Also, I followed cricket's lead in considering series to count for one slot each. Here goes:

Red, White, and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston

Queen's Thief Series by Megan Whalen Turner

Boyfriend Material duology by Alexis Hall

Protector of the Small Quartet by Tamora Pierce

Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

May the Best Man Win by Z.R. Ellor

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

Six of Crows duology by Leigh Bardugo

Tagging @sadkazoosolo, @doggernaut, @jonsaremembers, @polestarneighbor, @newtsoftheworldunite, @khashanakalashtar, and @the-knights-who-say-book, plus whoever feels like playing!

#a lin original #books

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bookaddict24-7 · 1 year

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(New Young Adult Releases Coming Out Today! (December 6th, 2022)

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Have I missed any new Young Adult releases? Have you added any of these books to your TBR? Let me know!

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New Standalones/First in a Series:

Acting the Part by Z.R. Ellor

Lumara by Melissa Landers

No Accident by Laura Bates

Come Out, Come Out, Whatever You Are by Kathryn Foxfield

The Poison Season by Mara Rutherford

New Sequels:

This Cursed Crown (These Feathered Flames #2) by Alexandra Overy

The Shattered City (The Last Magician #4) by Lisa Maxwell

Yesterworld (Down World #2) by Rebecca Phelps

Curse of Shadows (Amassia #2) by A.K. Wilder

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Happy reading!

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thatmexisaurusrex · 2 years

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Just Some Queer Books I Love

Just some queer books I love:

Date Me, Bryson Keller by Kevin van Whye

In Other Lands by Sarah Rees Brennan

The Chosen and the Beautiful by Nghi Vo

Girl, Serpent, Thorn by Melissa Bashardoust

Once Upon a Princess by Clare Lydon Harper Bliss

The Perfect Assassin by K.A. Doore

The Lady's Guide to Celestial Mechanics by Olivia Waite

Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas

Honey Girl by Morgan Rogers

Amberlough by Lara Elena Donnelly

Something to Talk About by Meryl Wilsner

She Drives Me Crazy by Kelly Quindlen

May the Best Man Win by Z.R. Ellor

One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston

Pet by Akwaeke Emezi

Six Angry Girls by Adrienne Kisner

The Henna Wars by Adiba Jaigirdar

The Prince and the Dressmaker by Jen Wang

The Falling in Love Montage by Ciara Smyth

Burn Our Bodies Down by Rory Powers

Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender

Not Your Sidekick by C.B. Lee

Perfect Rhythm by Jae

The Boy in the Red Dress by Kristen Lambert

Labyrinth Lost by Zoraida Cordova

The Care and Feeding of Waspish Widows by Olivia Waite

I'll Be the One by Lyla Lee

Snapdragon by Kat leyh

Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire

Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo

Rock and Riot by Chelsey Ferundi

Upright Women Wanted by Sarah Gailey

The Order of the Pure Moon Reflected in Water by Zen Cho

Of Fire and Stars by Audrey Colthurst

Escaping Exodus by Nicky Drayden

In the Vanisher's Palace by Aliette de Bodard

The Deep by Rivers Solomon

The Night by May Archer

How to Find a Princess by Alyssa Cole

Conventionally Yours by Annabeth Albert

Her Royal Highness by Rachel Hawkins

The State of Us by Shaun David Hutchinson

This is How You Lose the Time War by Max Gladstone

Spell Hacker by M.K. England

This Coven Won't Break by Isabel Sterling

Legendborn by Tracy Deonn

The Sound of Stars by Alechia Dow

Bonds of Brass by Emily Skrutskie

Faith: Taking Flight by Julie Murphy

Hot Dog Girl by Jennifer Dugan

Hani and Ishu's Guide to Fake Dating by Adiba Jaigirdar

Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall

Court of Lions by Somaiya Doud

A Little Light Mischief by Cat Sebastian

The Afterward by E.K. Johnston

A Study in Honor by Claire O'Dell

Beetle & the Hollowbones by Aliza Layne

You Should See Me in a Crown by Leah Johnson

Cinderella is Dead by Kalynn Bayron

Once Ghosted, Twice Shy by Alyssa Cole

The Disasters by M.K. England

Scorpio Hates Virgo by Anyta Sunday

The Stars and the Blackness Between Them by Junauda Petrus

Once & Future by A.R. Capetta

Girls of Paper and Fire by Natasha Ngan

We Set the Dark on Fire by Tehlor Kay Mejia

A Phoenix Must Burn edited by Patrice Caldwell

Crier's War by Nina Varela

#book recs #queer books #lgbtqia #just some queer books i love

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nothingbutloveforyou · 9 months

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May the best man win by Z.R. Ellor

just read a synopsis!! sounds so cute :')

QUICK SEND ME AN ASK!! what made u believe in love ?? (or again)situtions/gestures/quotes/people/movies/poems/songs/i wanna hear it all

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bashsbooks · 1 year

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I'm participating in the Trans Rights Readathon (March 20th-March 27th) created by Sims-bookstagrams-badly AND I'm doing this Trans Book Challenge (no time frame) on The StoryGraph!

My third book this week is Z.R. Ellor's May the Best Man Win!

I enjoy a high school rival romcom every now and then - and even moreso when they're queer. I've never read one with a trans MC before, though! He better win Homecoming King or I will riot (just kidding!).

This is another one that I was lucky enough to find at my local library. I'm always thrilled to check out queer books from the library because it shows them that there's a readership and encourages them to purchase more queer books.

The full summary of May the Best Man Win can be found here!

And you can donate to the Trans Health Legal Fund here or Mermaids here!

Happy trans reading y'all!!!

#may the best man win #zr ellor #transrightsreadathon #trans book challenge #trans books #queer books #books & libraries #YA

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janus-wants-to-stargaze · 2 months

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what book did you buy?

may the best man win by Z.R. Ellor was gonna buy another one but I was in a bit of a rush so I couldn’t grab the other one funnily enough it was the last copy the guy who sold it to me said it must be fate

#Ask #Also bought a bunch of rings for myself and some other things

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sams-special-space · 9 months

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2023 Reads!

Here's my list of everything I've read for 2023! I'll be updating it regularly as the year goes on.

I'm currently in the middle of going through my backlog of books I've read and posting reviews, which will then be linked on the list! If you see a book on the list you're interested in hearing my thoughts on, shoot me an ask or a DM and I'll respond asap.

The list is under the read more since it's pretty long! A few notes: - Bolded titles are favorites - Blue-colored titles are non-fiction

River of Teeth by Sarah Gailey

They Both Die At The End by Adam Silvera

The Underneath by Kathi Appelt

The Magic Fish by Trung Le Nguyen

The Obesity Myth by Paul Campos

This is Our Rainbow edited by Katherine Locke

Too Bright To See by Kyle Lukoff

Ellen Outside The Lines by A.J. Sass

The Insiders by Mark Oshiro

The Ship We Built by Lexie Bean

The Thread That Binds by Cedar McCloud

The True Meaning of Smekday by Adam Rex

Damsel by Elana K. Arnold

This Common Secret by Susan Wicklund

The Voting Booth by Brandy Colbert

May the Best Man Win by Z.R. Ellor

Let’s Talk About Love by Claire Kann

Different Kinds of Fruit by Kyle Lukoff

We Cast A Shadow by Maurice Carlos Ruffin

Heart of a Samurai by Margi Preus

The Glass Castle Jeannette Walls

Out In America edited by Michael Goff

The Golden Hour by Niki Smith

Every Body Shines edited by Cassandra Newbould

Ophelia and the Marvelous Boy by Karen Foxlee

The Sky Blues by Robbie Couch

The Bride was A Boy by Chii

Belle of the Ball by Mari Costa

Counting By 7s by Holly Goldberg Sloan

In The Shadow of the Throne by Kate Sheridan

Act Cool by Toby McSmith

Embrace Your Size by Hara

The Third Person by Emma Grove

Meet Cute Diary by Emery Lee

Summer of Salt by Katrina Leno

Fat Chance, Charlie Vega by Crystal Maldonado

You’re The Only One I’ve Told by Meera Shah

The Land of Stories #1: The Wishing Spell by Chris Colfer

A Boy and His Bot by Daniel H. Wilson

Alone by Megan E. Freeman

The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee

That Sky Blue Feeling Vol. 1 by Okura

If I See You Again Tomorrow by Robbie Couch

What We Don’t Talk About When We Talk About Fat by Aubrey Gordon

Our Dreams at Dust Vol. 1 by Yuhki Kamatani

Our Dreams at Dust Vol. 2 by Yuhki Kamatani

Our Dreams at Dust Vol. 3 by Yuhki Kamatani

Our Dreams at Dust Vol. 4 by Yuhki Kamatani

Other Boys by Damian Alexander

Fun Home by Alison Bechdel

In Limbo by Deb JJ Lee

This One Summer by Mariko Tamaki

On A Sunbeam by Tillie Walden

Tess of the Road by Rachel Hartman

Below the Belt edited by Trystan T. Cotten

Amelia Gray is Almost Okay

Unbound by Arlene Stein

The 57 Bus by Dashka Slater

Nimona by N.D. Stevenson

Our Dining Table by Mita Ori

I Think Our Son Is Gay Vol. 1 by Okura

I Think Our Son Is Gay Vol. 2 by Okura

Are You Listening by Tillie Walden

I Think Our Son Is Gay Vol. 3 by Okura

The Talk by Darrin Bell

I Think Our Son Is Gay Vol. 4 by Okura

Wake Up Little Susie by Rickie Solinger

New Kid by Jerry Craft

Junior High by Sara & Tegan Quin, Illustrated by Tillie Walden

Fat Talk by Virginia Sole-Smith

#2023 reading list #booklr #booklist

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arachnaetheyarnspider · 9 months

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ChatGPT - A Uniquely Bad Tool For The Task

So, for my YA Literature class, we've been assigned the task of using an AI, like ChatGPT, to generate a list of YA books that may resonate with a specific touchstone reader. Having done this, I have to conclude that ChatGPT is utterly useless for this task. Let's break down why! Hey ho, and away we go! The process is under the cut!

Who Is This For?

Alrighty then. Let's start by identifying our target reader. Since we're already working with AI, I've gone ahead and created a person using This Person Does Not Exist. Here's our reader!

Since this person doesn't actually exist, we can assign them some traits. Let's say that they're a second-generation immigrant, and that they're questioning their gender identity. To give the AI some additional traits to latch on to, let's say that they're also interested in theater, and that birds are their favorite animal. (Spoiler alert: the AI did not, in fact, latch on to any of that additional information.)

Why this touchstone reader in particular? According to The Trevor Project, trans youth are between 2 and 2.5 times more likely to be depressed than their cisgender peers. Getting these kids the right book, one where they can see themselves and find the hope to get them through the school year, can be lifesaving.

Prompts

Alright! Let’s get prompting! I’m using ChatGPT 3.5 for this set. For the purposes of this project, we’re restricting the results to stuff published after 2020.

We might as well be polite to our robot overlords. And let’s see how we did!

Now, ChatGPT says these are all from after 2020, but doesn’t actually give the dates. My fault for not asking it to include the dates. Let’s revise the prompt:

And here we run into one of the problems with ChatGPT: it doesn’t actually know what a date is. Here, it’s confidently stated that all the books were published after 2020, and then listed two published in 2019. Let’s try again.

At this point, I realized that I forgot to request the publisher. Let’s revise once again!

And with that, I think we’ve successfully gotten the AI to provide a book list! Let’s go and analyze what we were given.

Analysis

"May the Best Man Win" by Z.R. Ellor

- Publisher: Roaring Brook Press

- Publication Date: May 18, 2021

- Description: “In this contemporary YA novel, Jeremy and Maya, two transgender teens, find themselves competing fiercely against each other in a cutthroat senior class election. As they navigate the challenges of the campaign trail, they also discover love, acceptance, and the importance of being true to themselves.”

And here’s the description from the publisher’s website:

“Jeremy Harkiss, cheer captain and student body president, won’t let coming out as a transgender boy ruin his senior year. Instead of bowing to the bigots and outdate school administration, Jeremy decides to make some noise—and how better than by challenging his all-star ex-boyfriend, Lukas for the title of Homecoming King? Lukas Rivers, football star and head of the Homecoming Committee, is just trying to find order in his life after his older brother’s funeral and the loss of his long-term girlfriend—who turned out to be a boy. But when Jeremy threatens to break his heart and steal his crown, Lukas kick starts a plot to sabotage Jeremy’s campaign. When both boys take their rivalry too far, the dance is on the verge of being canceled. To save Homecoming, they’ll have to face the hurt they’re both hiding—and the lingering butterflies they can’t deny.”

Yeah, those don’t sound like the same book to me. This isn’t about a senior class election; it’s about becoming homecoming king! And who’s Maya? She isn’t mentioned in the actual publisher description at all! That being said, at least the title, publisher, and publication date are correct. It’s about gender identity, so it can stay on the list.

Citations: https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250625137/maythebestmanwin

2. "The Passing Playbook" by Isaac Fitzsimons

- Publisher: Dial Books

- Publication Date: June 1, 2021

- Description: Spencer, a transgender boy, loves soccer, but he faces challenges on and off the field. In this heartwarming YA novel, he navigates friendship, first love, and self-discovery while dealing with societal expectations and embracing his true identity.

Ooof. We’re getting some basic factual errors on this one: ChatGPT gave the publication date on this one as June 1, 2021. It was actually published May 31, 2022. Let’s compare that to the publisher’s description:

“Fifteen-year-old Spencer Harris is a proud nerd, an awesome big brother, and a David Beckham in training. He’s also transgender. After transitioning at his old school leads to a year of isolation and bullying, Spencer gets a fresh start at Oakley, the most liberal private school in Ohio.

At Oakley, Spencer seems to have it all: more accepting classmates, a decent shot at a starting position on the boys’ soccer team, great new friends, and maybe even something more than friendship with one of his teammates. The problem is, no one at Oakley knows Spencer is trans—he’s passing.

But when a discriminatory law forces Spencer’s coach to bench him, Spencer has to make a choice: cheer his team on from the sidelines or publicly fight for his right to play, even though it would mean coming out to everyone—including the guy he’s falling for.”

You know what? Close enough. We’ve got the basic premise and the character’s name right. We’ve done worse, though the basic factual errors are troubling. Again, we’re seeing the issue that ChatGPT doesn’t actually know what a date is.

Citations: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/610606/the-passing-playbook-by-isaac-fitzsimons/

"Rising Like a Storm" by Tanaz Bhathena

- Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux

- Publication Date: June 22, 2021

- Description: This captivating sequel to "Hunted by the Sky" follows Gul and Cavas, who continue their fight against a tyrannical ruler in a world of magic and politics. As they challenge destiny and uncover secrets, their paths intertwine, bringing them closer together.

This may be as close to “Good” as ChatGPT can get: we have the right publisher and publication date this time! Let’s compare to the publisher’s description.

"In the concluding installment to the Wrath of Ambar duology from masterful author Tanaz Bhathena, Gul and Cavas must unite their magical forces—and hold onto their growing romance—to save their kingdom from tyranny. With King Lohar dead and a usurper queen in power, Gul and Cavas face a new tyrannical government that is bent on killing them both. Their roles in King Lohar's death have not gone unnoticed, and the new queen is out for blood. What she doesn't know is that Gul and Cavas have a connection that runs deeper than romance, and together, they just might have the strength and magic to end her for good. Then a grave mistake ends with Cavas taken prisoner by the government. Gul must train an army of warriors alone. With alliances shifting and the thirst for vengeance growing, the fate of Ambar seems ever more uncertain. It will take every ounce of strength, love, and sacrifice for Gul and Cavas to reach their final goal—and build a more just world than they've ever known.”

Well, the ChatGPT description is *technically* accurate, but only because it’s so vague that it could apply to almost any YA fantasy romance. But we’ve got the character’s names right this time, we correctly identified it as a sequel and the name of the earlier book.

It’s rare enough that we get a fantasy novel involving nonwhite characters, and representation is important, so this can stay on the list.

"The Sky Blues" by Robbie Couch

- Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

- Publication Date: April 6, 2021

- Description: In this humorous and heartwarming YA novel, Sky Baker, a gay high school senior, sets out on a mission to make prom night perfect for his crush. Along the way, he confronts homophobia, strengthens his friendships, and discovers the power of being true to himself.

Once again, we have a wrong publication date. The correct date is August 2, 2022. Let’s see how ChatGPT compares to the publisher’s description:

“Sky Baker may be openly gay, but in his small, insular town, making sure he was invisible has always been easier than being himself. Determined not to let anything ruin his senior year, Sky decides to make a splash at his high school’s annual beach bum party by asking his crush, Ali, to prom—and he has thirty days to do it. What better way to start living loud and proud than by pulling off the gayest promposal Rock Ledge, Michigan, has ever seen? Then, Sky’s plans are leaked by an anonymous hacker in a deeply homophobic e-blast that quickly goes viral. He’s fully prepared to drop out and skip town altogether—until his classmates give him a reason to fight back by turning his thirty-day promposal countdown into a school-wide hunt to expose the e-blast perpetrator. But what happens at the end of the thirty days? Will Sky get to keep his hard-won visibility? Or will his small-town blues stop him from being his true self?”

Well, it got the character’s name, at least, and that it’s related to prom, and has themes of homophobia. It seems to have missed the bit about the proposal and the corresponding mystery, but this is overall about as good as this gets.

Citations: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Sky-Blues/Robbie-Couch/9781534477865

5. "Darius the Great Deserves Better" by Adib Khorram

- Publisher: Dial Books

- Publication Date: August 25, 2020

- Description: Description: In this charming sequel to "Darius the Great Is Not Okay," Darius struggles with his identity as a queer, Iranian-American teenager. As he navigates senior year, long-distance friendships, and unexpected romantic feelings, he learns valuable lessons about love, acceptance, and self-worth.

The publication date is wrong again. It should be August 24, 2021. Once again, let’s see how the basic plot compares to the publisher’s description:

"Darius Kellner is having a bit of a year. Since his trip to Iran, a lot has changed. He’s getting along with his dad, and his best friend Sohrab is only a Skype call away. Between his first boyfriend, Landon, varsity soccer practices, and an internship at his favorite tea shop, things are falling into place.

Then, of course, everything changes. Darius’s grandmothers are in town for a long visit, and Darius can’t tell whether they even like him. The internship is not going according to plan, Sohrab isn’t answering Darius’s calls, and Dad is far away on business. And Darius is sure he really likes Landon . . . but he’s also been hanging out with Chip Cusumano, former bully and current soccer teammate–and well, maybe he’s not so sure about anything after all.

Darius was just starting to feel okay, like he finally knew what it meant to be Darius Kellner. But maybe okay isn’t good enough. Maybe Darius deserves better."

Once again, we have a description so vague it’s practically meaningless. Still, the book can stay on the list, since it does relate to the troubles of coming of age as a queer youth in an immigrant family.

Citations: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/621961/darius-the-great-deserves-better-by-adib-khorram

6. "She Drives Me Crazy" by Kelly Quindlen

- Publisher: Roaring Brook Press

- Publication Date: April 20, 2021

- Description: After a school prank goes awry, Scottie and Irene are paired together and forced to work as a team. This YA novel explores themes of friendship, romance, and individuality as they find common ground and challenge societal expectations.

Well, this is the first time we’ve had a publisher name go wrong as well as a publication date. The actual publisher is Square Fish, 4/19/2022. This doesn’t bode well for the comparison to the publisher’s description…

"High school nemeses fall in love in Kelly Quindlen's She Drives Me Crazy, a queer YA rom com perfect for fans of Becky Albertalli and Casey McQuiston. After an embarrassing loss to her ex-girlfriend in their first basketball game of the season, seventeen-year-old Scottie Zajac gets into a fender bender with the worst possible person: her nemesis, Irene Abraham, head cheerleader for the Fighting Reindeer. Irene is as mean as she is beautiful, so Scottie makes a point to keep her distance. When the accident sends Irene’s car to the shop for weeks’ worth of repairs and the girls are forced to carpool, their rocky start only gets bumpier. But when an opportunity arises for Scottie to get back at her toxic ex—and climb her school’s social ladder—she bribes Irene into an elaborate fake- dating scheme that threatens to reveal some very real feelings. From author Kelly Quindlen comes a new laugh-out-loud romp through the ups and downs of teen romance, perfect for fans of Adam Silvera."

Yeah, those aren’t the same book. It’s barely relevant to the touchstone reader, so I’d take this off the final list.

Citations: https://www.kellyquindlen.com/she-drives-me-crazy

7. "The Witch King" by H.E. Edgmon

- Publisher: Inkyard Press

- Publication Date: June 1, 2021

-Description: Wyatt Croft, a nonbinary trans witch, gets entangled in a dangerous web of political intrigue and fae machinations. This gripping dark fantasy novel explores themes of identity, trauma, and power, taking readers on an enthralling journey.

We had the right publication date and publisher this time! Let’s see if they can keep it up! Let's see the publisher description!

"To save a fae kingdom, a trans witch must face his traumatic past and the royal fiancé he left behind. This debut YA fantasy will leave you spellbound. Wyatt would give anything to forget where he came from—but a kingdom demands its king. In Asalin, fae rule and witches like Wyatt Croft…don’t. Wyatt’s betrothal to his best friend, fae prince Emyr North, was supposed to change that. But when Wyatt lost control of his magic one devastating night, he fled to the human world.

Now a coldly distant Emyr has hunted him down. Despite transgender Wyatt’s newfound identity and troubling past, Emyr has no intention of dissolving their engagement. In fact, he claims they must marry now or risk losing the throne. Jaded, Wyatt strikes a deal with the enemy, hoping to escape Asalin forever. But as he gets to know Emyr, Wyatt realizes the boy he once loved may still exist. And as the witches face worsening conditions, he must decide once and for all what’s more important—his people or his freedom."

Well, kind of. It appears that we have the wrong identity for the character (trans male, instead of nonbinary), but it looks like the plot is fairly close to the actual plot. Once again, we’re dealing with trans characters, so this is still relevant to our touchstone reader.

Citations: https://heedgmon.com/thewitchking/

"Jay's Gay Agenda" by Jason June

- Publisher: HarperTeen

- Publication Date: June 1, 2021

- Description: In this fun and uplifting coming-of-age story, Jay, an openly gay teenager, moves to Seattle and embraces his "Gay Agenda." He navigates self-discovery, embraces his identity, and explores his romantic life, all while finding support and acceptance in unexpected places.

And another wrong publication date: this should be May 10, 2022. Let's see how it does against the publisher's description:

"There’s one thing Jay Collier knows for sure—he’s a statistical anomaly as the only out gay kid in his small rural Washington town. While all his friends can’t stop talking about their heterosexual hookups and relationships, Jay can only dream of his own firsts, compiling a romance to-do list of all the things he hopes to one day experience—his Gay Agenda.

Then, against all odds, Jay’s family moves to Seattle and he starts his senior year at a new high school with a thriving LGBTQIA+ community. For the first time ever, Jay feels like he’s found where he truly belongs. But as Jay begins crossing items off his list, he’ll soon be torn between his heart and his hormones, his old friends and his new ones . . . because after all, life and love don’t always go according to plan. "

The description is simple, but nothing jumps out as blatantly inaccurate. We have the correct location and character names, which isn’t always a given when working with ChatGPT. That being said, it doesn't seem terribly relevant to our touchstone reader, and I would probably leave it off the final list.

Citations: https://www.harpercollins.com/products/jays-gay-agenda-jason-june?variant=39664419799074

9. "A Clash of Steel" by C.B. Lee

- Publisher: Feiwel & Friends

- Publication Date: September 7, 2021

- Description: This captivating historical fantasy reimagines the story of Romeo and Juliet with a diverse and LGBTQ+ cast. Featuring pirates, adventure, and romance, this novel explores themes of love, loyalty, and individuality in a rich and imaginative world.

Well, the publisher and publication date are right! Let’s see how we do on the plot:

"1826. The sun is setting on the golden age of piracy, and the legendary Dragon Fleet, the scourge of the South China Sea, is no more. Its ruthless leader, a woman known only as the Head of the Dragon, is now only a story, like the ones Xiang has grown up with all her life. She desperately wants to prove her worth, especially to her mother, a shrewd business woman who never seems to have enough time for Xiang. Her father is also only a story, dead at sea before Xiang was born. Her only memento of him is a pendant she always wears, a simple but plain piece of gold jewelry.

But the pendant’s true nature is revealed when a mysterious girl named Anh steals it, only to return it to Xiang in exchange for her help in decoding the tiny map scroll hidden inside. The revelation that Xiang’s father sailed with the Dragon Fleet and tucked away this secret changes everything. Rumor has it that the legendary Head of the Dragon had one last treasure—the plunder of a thousand ports — that for decades has only been a myth, a fool’s journey.

Xiang is convinced this map could lead to the fabled treasure. Captivated with the thrill of adventure, she joins Anh and her motley crew off in pursuit of the island. But the girls soon find that the sea—and especially those who sail it—are far more dangerous than the legends led them to believe."

I don’t even know where ChatGPT got this description. It has nothing at all to do with Romeo and Juilet. The publisher's page actually states that this is a retelling of Treasure Island, with a more diverse, queer cast. At least they figured out that it’s about pirates? The publication date might be correct, but nothing else is. It isn't especially relevant, but my personal preferences make me inclined to leave it on the list.

Citations: https://cb-lee.com/a-clash-of-steel/

10. "You Don't Live Here" by Robyn Schneider

- Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books

- Publication Date: June 1, 2021

-Description: After the death of her sister, June struggles with grief, identity, and understanding her asexuality. In this poignant YA novel, she finds support and strength in an unexpected friendship while navigating life's uncertainties.

Let's compare to the publisher description:

"In Southern California, no one lives more than thirty miles from the nearest fault line. Sasha Bloom is standing right on top of one when her world literally crumbles around her. With her mother now dead and father out of the picture, Sasha moves in with her estranged grandparents.

Living in her mom’s old bedroom, Sasha has no idea who she is anymore. Luckily, her grandparents are certain they know who she should be: A lawyer in the making. Ten pounds skinnier. In a socially advantageous relationship with a boy from a good family—a boy like Cole Edwards.

And Cole has ideas for who Sasha should be, too. His plus one at lunch. His girlfriend. His.

Sasha tries to make everything work, but that means folding away her love of photography, her grief for her mother, and he growing interest in the magnificently clever Lily Chen. Sasha wants to follow Lily off the beaten path, to discover hidden beaches, secret menus, and the truth about dinosaur pee.

But being friends with Lily might lead somewhere new. Is Sasha willing to stop being the girl everyone expects and let the girl beneath the surface breath through?"

I don’t even know where to start on this one. It looks like ChatGPT was determined to end on a dramatic note: ChatGPT just entirely hallucinated the entire plot for their description.

Who is June? What happened to any of the characters actually in the book? This isn’t actually relevant, so I would remove it from the final list entirely.

Citations: https://www.bookpage.com/reviews/25250-robyn-schneider-you-dont-live-here-ya/

Okay, time for a wrap-up:

Conclusions:

As bad as ChatGPT is at providing accurate information, I can’t really blame the tool. This is the equivalent to dropping a set of Scrabble tiles on the floor, and then accusing it of lying when it fails to spell out any useful information. Generative AI like this is very much like magnetic fridge poetry: you may sometimes randomly draw something clever or profound, or something blatantly untrue. Either way, there’s very little praise or blame to be laid at the magnet’s feet.

This entire book list would have been better generated by going into Google, typing “YA theater books” or “YA immigrant books”, and going through the human-curated lists that come up. That might still sometimes yield bad results (differences in opinion and/or bad curation techniques) but at least they would have been handled by and actual human with the capacity to read the books.

Because, for all the praise behind it, ChatGPT doesn’t actually know what a book is. It doesn’t know what a reader is. It cannot read. It has no concept of lying, nor any way to check the accuracy of the words that it puts out. All it can do is guess what the next most likely word in the sentence might be.

It’s not the machine’s fault that we expect it to be human. It doesn’t deserve the human blame we throw at it.

#AI is bad at its job #TW: suicide #Young Adult Literature

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