October: A Belated Update

Whoops. Somewhere in the muck that was early November, I totally forgot to write my monthly update for October! October was a reset month for me: I finished/planned the last of my book challenges for the year and knocked out a ton of books I have wanted to read for quite a while.

The truth is though, I have struggled to find books that cut through the fog of stress and overwhelming fear that was my reality for much of October. I read 15 books in the month, and I have a hard time recalling any of them unless I have them written down in front of me. They weren’t bad, it just took a powerful book to get my full attention.

I do have two books to share with you this month, and while they are both queer stories, they are VERY different in almost every other way. One is a powerful, difficult to read, tearjerker of a memoir and the other is a delightful YA graphic novel set in Paris.

Darling Days by iO Tillett Wright

This book was recommended to be through Sarah’s Bookshelves years ago, and I just never picked it up. It just so happened to be available on audio through Libby last month, so I picked it up, not knowing much about what I was about to get into.

First things first, this is a book that comes with a lot of trigger warnings (neglect, substance abuse, sexual harassment and more). It is the story of iO’s childhood and young adulthood in Brooklyn, and it covers a lot of subjects, including his relationship with his troubled mom and his early gender dysphoria and eventual recognition that he was a transgender man.

If this sounds too dark for you, you may want to skip it, but do know that there is also an incredibly sweet side to it. iO has a remarkable ability to recognize flaws and forgive those around him, including his former self, with a generosity that makes this book feel like a love story despite it’s subject.

The Prince and the Dressmaker by Jen Wang

Now this is one of the sweetest books I have read for a while. The story of a young prince and his dressmaker in Paris, this is a coming of age story that looks at self acceptance through the lens of fashion and friendship.

The illustrations are charming, and the story is adorable, and I especially appreciate the way that explain the Prince’s choices so simply and easily. This is a great message book that doesn’t hammer home the point, and asks a lot of the right questions.

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