Contrapposto: An Examination of A Life With Art

 

Author: Dave Eggers

Genre: General fiction, adult, romance

Publisher: Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage and Anchor

Format: NetGalley E-book

Release Date: June 9th, 2026

TW: Period typical homophobia, drug use, homicide, suicide, nudity (non sexual, in a life drawing context), mentions of war and death in war, cancer

This novel was a typical David Eggers joint; searing, character driven and incredibly vivid. However, there were some flaws, particularly in the portrayal of women. But first, the plot.

Cricket Dib is a man in love with two things: art and the woman who encouraged his love, Olympia. As Cricket grows, and  deepens as an artist, his relationship with Olympia also changes. They drift apart and crash together through different continents and times. Cricket also has to deal with the art world, and really discover what his art means to him.  

This is a character story first and foremost, and in that, the novel excels. Cricket is a well realized character. He has flaws (mainly passivity) and strengths. The fact that the novel is in 3rd person limited POV makes it easier to be in his mind as well. However, some may see Cricket as 'boring.' I understand that, as he does have solipsistic tendencies. However, I was always on his side, and was devastated when terrible events would happen in his life. His relationship wiith art, the thing that never really leaves him, is the main theme of the book, and this theme carries the narrative.

This close  view excludes other characters, however. I wanted to like Olympia, I really did, but she was a stereotypical 'crazy woman.' I felt her pain, and felt sympathy for her, but she would often do things that made her unrealistic. Her family life was lightly touched on, and her motivations were also light on the ground. 

This odd way that women were written extends to come of the side characters (like a millionaires dissatisfied wife) mere reflections of Cricket. I wish this wasn't the case. The male side characters, like Carpenter and Jed in specific were more fleshed out. 

Despite this, I really enjoyed the novel, and the illustrations (Cricket's sketchbook) were amazing too. Mind the trigger warnings, and you'll find a vivid read. 

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC! 

Final Rating:  4 out of 5 stars 

Drink Paring: Black tea while looking out of the window

 

 

 

 

 

 

Saturn Returning: Queer People As People

 

Author: Kim Narby

Genre: General fiction, new adult, romance elements, women's fiction, LGBTQ rep

Publisher: Bindery Books

Format: NetGalley E-book

Release Date: May 5th, 2026

TW: sexual assault, rape, thoughts of self harm, paranoia

This book was a  harrowing read, and really stuck with me after I finished it. But first, the plot:

Trace and Jordan are two queer women who meet in college, after Trace compliments Jordan's clothing.  Soon after, they are joined by Sylvia, a woman whom they both believe is untouchable in some way. Sylvia has damage and holds herself apart, and so when she starts hanging with Trace and Jordan, she opens up. All three of them end up in a queerplatonic relationship while trying to navigate life.However, later, Trace and Sylvia get married and Jordan moves on to a job on a different coast, changing the dynamic again. Why did these people split? Will they manage to reconcile in the end, and navigate a new season of their lives together?

First, I loved the way the prose was written.  The third person limited perspective felt stifling in certain moments, but held the reader enough at a distance as to not overwhelm them. The PoV's were all very distinct, however, I had a bit of trouble following time shifts (some of the chapters are in flashback). I believe that was because they were captioned things like '8 Years Before Saturn Returning." 

This is a character driven story, and predictably, the characters were the best part of the book. They were so real that they were uncomfortable at points. None of the characters are wholly 'good'. They are people with their own flaws, and oh boy are they flawed. Trace in particular was one of my favourite characters, but difficult to read about due to her extreme paranoia and neediness. However, this was realistic and I commend the novel for that. There are explicit sex scenes here, as sex is a natural part of these character's lives, and they were well written.  (I also appreciate that the tarot readings were accurate!)

Other side characters were again, sketched thin, but they very clearly had their own lives. However, most of the focus was on our three main characters.  

Mind the trigger warnings, people, and you find a coming of age story with depth and richness. I can't wait to read more from this author!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC!

Final Rating: 4.5 (rounded up to 5) stars

Drink Paring:  Oolong, deepening from dark to light for each steep

 

Metal Slinger: A Middling Romantasy With A Terrible Twist

  

Author: Rachel Schneider

Genre: Romantasy, fantasy, new adult, LGBTQ rep (minor)

Publisher: St. Martin's Press

Format: NetGalley E-book

Release Date: June 17th, 2025

TW: Gaslighting, blood, death

I absolutely loathed this book, and it reinforced the fact that romantacy is a feast-or-famine genre for me. I kept reading out of morbid curiosity, and I was definitely dissapointed  But first, the plot:

Brynn is a part of the Alahan guard, despite not being Alahan herself. The Alahans live on mangrove groves, driven away from solid ground for a crime in the past. When Bryn heads to the market run by the Kenta with her young guard friends, she is accosted by Acker, and due to those circumstances causes an international incident. When Acker gets captured by Alahan guards, Brynn is drawn to him, and learns who she really is, and how she's connected to the Kenta mainland. 

I thought that the premise of the book was interesting. The premise promises a mystery, and Brynn's true origins feed into the mystery as well. The mystery unfolded at a decent clip as well. 

Unfortunately, the premise is the only thing with potential in this book. Take for example, the characters. Acker is incredibly annoying, and about as emotionally compelling as a plank of wood with a bad-boy face drawn on. Brynn is also childish and naive, which could be forgiven if the narrative didn't treat her as incredibly competent. (For example, she disdains eating off a knife during a shipwreck that Acker used to kill someone). The rest of the characters are thinly drawn, and they all kind of blend together, along with the sex scenes which are plentiful and boring. I do appreciate the slight LGBTQ rep and a few POC being in the setting however. 

If the characters are bad, the prose is even worse. the aforementioned knife is referred to as a 'murder knife,' and underwear that Brynn has access to later is described as 'butter underwear.' These descriptions are incredibly juvenile, jarring and immediately take me out of the story. I also don't appreciate the constant exposition, which is often out of place. The close POV (1st person) doesn't help.

The setting is so thin that again, it all blends together. The one interesting thing about Alaha for example is that it is a part of a mangrove forest. Kenta meanwhile is a generic medieval country, and is not distinguishable from its neighbors.  

However, none of this is what made me mad about the book. What accomplished that is a 'twist' that insults its audience and should not be possible because of the POV of the story. When I reached the 'twist' I audibly said 'oh go fuck yourself' and only finished the book because there were a few pages left. 

I will not be reading the sequel as I don't really care what happens to these characters. Maybe someone will think differently from me, and enjoy it.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC!

Final Rating: 2 out of 5 stars 

Drink Paring: Metallic tap water (for the character's powers)

 

Queenswoood: A Faerie Tail Of A Fantasy

Author: Kathleen Schwab

Genre: Fantasy, Romantic elements,historical fiction slight LGBTQ rep 

Publisher: Blackstone Publishing

Format: NetGalley E-book

Release Date: June 16th, 2026

TW: Murder, implications of slavery and rape, kidnapping, childbirth, imprisonment towards marriage.

I love stories involving the fae, and this novel felt like a faerie tale in the best and worst ways. But first, the plot:

Rhiannon, an Irish noblewoman after the Norwegian invasion, longs to leave her lonely life in her family's manor. Her siblings have gone to create their own lives by getting married, or are too old for her to relate to. She has a curious mind, and eventually sees herself devoted to learning and God.  Angus, the fae High Prince is also lonely. He keeps to himself, and finds court life stifling. He'd much rather roam the wilds of the fey realm. However, this all changes when Angus receives a prophecy of marriage: he must bring a mortal woman to the marriage alter (the first among years) or his family line will fail. When Angus pursues Rhiannon, her decision will determine the destiny of Angus's line and the fae nobility in general. 

The characters were the best part of the book. Although they were held somewhat apart through use of third person limited POV, I was able to distinguish all three main perspectives from each other. Angus for example is more closed off. I lved Rhiannon the most, however. I related to her as a bookish dreamer, and was saddened when she was taken from the Abbey she found peace in, and was happy after she found a new path forward. I also was surprised by how much I liked Cormac, a farm-boy who falls for Angus's sister and a man who was way in over his head. I had no trouble with the POV's but some might which is understandable. I appreciate that the fae are different from the humans but still parse-able to the reader. I appreciate that queerness was acknowledged among the fae as well. 

I also really enjoyed the tone of the book. It reads like a fairy tail, and the prose also matches that. (In fact, a bunch of fairy tales are adapted and put into this book, riding off the original story.) However, due to this, there are only a few locations that are very vivid. Most other places are sketched in, which may cause some friction to certain readers. Like a fairytale, the romantic elements in this book are not explicit, and fade to black.  

The fairy tale-ness of this story can also be its biggest downfall, as the ending is very abrupt and final. I resonated with it, but some readers who are expecting series potential may not. There are also darker tropes of fairy tales that are used, like the marriage as abduction trope, and slavery (humans towards fae and human raiders selling other humans). This is not gory or violent, but it is important to the plot.   

If you're looking for  a dreamy read, even if things might seem a bit distant, I would recommend this book. 

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

Final Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Drink Paring: Green tea to match the Queenswood

Under Story: A Moving Tale of Motherhood, Grief and Mushrooms

 

Author: Chloe Benjamin

Genre: Science fiction, literary fiction, new adult, incidental LGBTQ rep

Publisher: Putnam

Format: NetGalley E-book

Release Date: September 1st, 2026

TW: Death of a child (moment is off page, but the lead up isn't), drowning, pregnancy and reverse birth, Altzheimers, sexism

Despite a mind breaking premise that I had to double back on because it got confusing, I loved this, well, novel novel. But first the plot:

Laurel Salter is a mycologist, currently living at the McMurdo base in Antarctica, working as a steward. Like most of the crew there, she is fleeing life on the mainland or at least trying to move on from her problems. However, everything changes when The Arc shows up over the ice, a shifting dome of aurora lights that don't exist anywhere else on Earth. Laurel starts dreaming of The Arc, and her life becomes even more precarious when her ex-husband Eli comes to document the anomaly. Laurel begins to believe that The Arc is a gateway into the universe that Eli has spent half his life studying, the mirror to our own where time runs backward (for example; a collector's antique artifacts in 2019 are floating beds and hi tech windows that barely work). Laurel will stop at nothing to get to this universe, to correct a mistake that took the life of someone they both treasured. 

I simultaneously loved and hated the worldbuilding of this novel. The concept of a mirror universe where time runs backwards is actually quite unique. However, in the second half of the novel, when Laurel and Eli were in this mirror universe, I was sometimes very confused. The dates go backwards, and doing the mental math to figure things out like ages was hard; in addition to this, the conceit of what birth and death are in this mirror universe where genuinely hard to grasp until deep into the last act of the book (both are genuinely horrifying). I also like that Laurel tried to live in this new universe fully, and didn't treat it as her own personal trial. (The science was interesting to me too, and felt relatively plausible, and I appreciated the detailed explanations.)

The themes' exploration of grief and motherhood that began the book was also powerful to me. Laurel has very clearly stopped coping with her grief and has pinned her hopes on this other universe, and you can see that in the way she interacts with the people at McMurdo and Eli, when he comes to the base. I think that this feeling of grief really anchors the flashbacks we experience, and acts as a sufficient through line to keep readers from getting lost. However, some readers might find the flashbacks confusing which is completely understandable; the book is in third person limited which ads to the initial mystery and keeps a distance between characters, but can make time jumps jarring. (Be warned as well, that child death happens, it is a very heavy topic, so proceed at your own risk.)

The prose was vivid and rich and extremely detailed, which might be seen by some as unnecessary, but was another thing I really enjoyed. However, again, this can bloat the book for some readers which is understandable, it is a book that invites you to see the leaves for the trees so to speak. However, this may lead to some losing the plot. 

The characters themselves were serviceable, if a bit thin. Except our two main leads, we don't spend a ton of time with them. They seem nice, but I frequently had to page back to remember who they were. I did appreciate the incidental LGBTQ rep however. I love Laurel and Eli though, two broken people trying to mend each other after a terrible tragedy.  They are written in a way that feels raw to me, and I was rooting for them both at the end. There are a few scenes of them romantically involved with each other, but this is not a romance, and the scenes are easily skippable if needed. However, they are explicit. I found them to be fine as an Ace person, although not my cup of tea. 

If you can wrap your mind around the premise, and stomach some very heady prose, you'll enjoy this book. 

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

Final rating: 4 of 5 stars 

Drink paring: Green tea for new beginnings

The Hyacinth Labrynth: A Lovely Romantic Fey Story For Adventrous Teens

Author: Jamie Pacton

Genre: Fantasy, teen, romance, LGBTQ rep 

Publisher: 

Format: NetGalley E-book

Release Date: June 2nd, 2026

TW:  Mind control, blood, injury, grief, class struggle, PTSD

This was a lovely teen read, fill of fae hi-jinks and a believable bond between two great characters. I love fae stories, and so this appealed to me instantly. But first, the plot: 

Hyacinth is the youngest daughter of Queen Mab, the Queen of the High Fae. As a princess, she should have access to powerful magic and beautiful wings, but she doesn't. Her wings are fake, and she mimics having powers through potions. This makes things worse, as Hyacinth wants to find her father, and not having magic is surely detrimental to that. The other half of this duo is Chloe Wreckersfield, a human former mapper's apprentice turned stable hand hiding as a common Fae girl. Chloe desperately wants to return to her twin sister. Hyacinth and Chloe have been seeing each other in secret and both resolve to skip that year's Solstice ball to go to a once a year market, to both find what they seek. However, they both are hiding their true intentions from one another, including their true feelings. When the market leads to a Labyrinth, will Chloe and Hyacinth be able top survive? Will they finally admit how much they mean to one another? 

This was a wonderful teen read. I loved both Hyacinth and Chloe; they both had clear character arcs and genuine struggles. Hyacinth in particular was a wonderful character; I could really feel her frustration with not having magic. At the same time she is flawed, as she was raised in a higher social class than Chloe and her prejudice does come out. I love Chloe as well, as she is very clearly a survivor, and loves very deeply. I appreciate the queer rep, as both Chloe and Hyacynth are gay, and this is a queer normative setting. There is only kissing between our two leads, and their relationship is adorable. I also appreciated the action, and tie fact that the characters get hurt. There are some real stakes. 

The setting was suitably faerie-tale like, and I loved the colorful citizens of the fae realm. However, some of the settings are a bit sketched in, but that makes sense. The ending may also feel a bit too neat. The prose is also a bit soft, which, again makes sense for the intended audience. 

I recommend this book for teens who want a breezy and heartwarming read. 

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC! 

Final Rating: 4 out of 5 stars 

Drink Paring: Black tea with jasmine flowers for kisses under the moonlight

The Subtle Art of Folding Space: An Ambitious Sci-Fi That Has a Few Odd Notes

 

Author: John Chu

Genre: Science fiction, LGBTQ rep, character drama, general fiction, BIPOC rep, Own voices

Publisher: Tor Publishing Group

Format: Ebook (NetGalley Copy)

Release Date: April 7th, 2026

TW: familial abuse, death of a family member (on page) attempted suicide (in the past, off page), funerals, mourning

I encourage my readers to also seek out Chinese and gay reviewers, as although I am a part of the queer community, I am an asexual white woman, and may miss some cultural nuance. 

This book had an amazing premise, but had a few missteps in characterization and for lack of a better term, sci-fi believably.  But first, the plot: 

Behind our universe are the pipes that maintain it (the Skunkworks). Each pipe in the Skunkworks is a law of the universe. The framework of our universe needs constant work, and repair to keep it from deteriorating. Ellie is one of these maintainers, along with her homicidal sister Chris. Their mother, who was one of the best maintainers in the planet, is dying. When Ellie finds out that someone is keeping her mother alive by kitbashing a workaround in the physics of the universe, it's up to her to choose what to do about it. Her choice will reverberate across the inner workings of the universe and more importantly her family. Will she be able to survive her choice? Will her sister ever stop trying to kill her?

I loved the premise of this book. The concept of a whole secret group of people who  keep the universe from breaking down by fixing the very laws of the universe. Each maintainer interacts with the Skunkworks differently and each way that they interact with them is unique to them. (For example,  Ellie's cousin Daniel sees the schematics as food that he can taste and readjust.) This has great potential for  characterization and conflict that the current novel barely scratches the surface of.  

I only wish that other aspects of this book were as strong. Firstly, the characterization in this novel felt off. Our main character, Ellie, is fine, however she clearly doesn't realize that she's been abused. She excuses her sister's abuse constantly and that can be hard to read for some. Also, her relationship with Daniel, a major supporting character/deuteragonist, raises a few eyebrows. She always describes Daniel as some variation of 'built like a fridge but surprisingly graceful' every time she sees him. Every time. It comes off oddly as they are cousins, and are not supposed to be romantic. 

Other than that mischaracterization, the sci-fi is a bit fuzzy. There is lip service paid to things like general relativity and quantum mechanics, but the way that both characters interact with the Skunkworks feels more like a fantasy. The jargon-laden explanations don't help with this feeling, and after parsing it, don't make sense. So be aware as a reader. 

Despite my criticisms, I enjoyed this novel, and will be eagerly looking out for a sequel. If you let the science wash over you, and can look over some raw characterization, you'll love this book.  

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

Final rating: 4 stars

Drink paring: Green tea brewed grandpa style, for fixing the universe on the go