Read Harder Challenge #4: Read a debut novel by a queer author
Throughout 2020, All Lit Up-er Tan Light is participating in BookRiot’s Read Harder Challenge—a reading task designed to expand readerly boundaries—and doing so with an indie twist. Each entry in this series will highlight one of her completed challenges along with a list of books from All Lit Up to have you reading harder, too!Â
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Challenge #4: Read a debut novel by a queer author
Little Blue Encyclopedia (For Vivian) is a genuinely touching story about a young woman trying to come to terms with the loss of an intense friendship. By exploring and documenting the fandom they shared together, Plante’s protagonist also reveals the little details of her life, love, and loss as they relate and pay tribute to the title character, Vivian. I particularly enjoyed how diverse the characters are, without feeling as though that was the intention or end goal. Folks are simply included, and details about them are dropped in at the right time, in a way that makes sense to the story as opposed to being the way to define them as an introduction. It’s a subtle difference, but the whole story is made better by it.Â
Looking for other great debut novels by queer authors?
TRY…
Dear Twin by Addie Tsai (Metonymy Press)One Hundred Days of Rain by Carellin Brooks (Book*hug Press)The Melting Queen by Bruce Cinnamon (NeWest Press)The Nap-Away Hotel by Nadja Maria Lubiw-Hazard (Palimpsest Press)* * *Â Want to join me? Click herefor a downloadable and editable PDF of the 2020 Read Harder Challenge tasks. Stay tuned next month for more Read Harder!
