Reading the Rainbow: Recent Episodes
Dauphin County Library System
Reading the Rainbow is hosted by the LGBTQ+ library staff of the Dauphin County Library System in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. We work with tens of thousands of books. When we come across good own-voiced queer literature, we want everyone to know about it! And who doesn't love discussing a good book with other book geeks? From scifi and contemporary, to romance and YA, we'll read it all, as long as it's good and gay!
Cohosts Amber and Annika discuss Endpapers, Jennifer Savran Kelly's debut novel about a genderqueer bookbinder who discovers a piece of LGBTQ+ history hidden in the endpapers of a book they're working on.
Topics discussed include: our limited view of history, the importance of representation, and the pulp novels of the fifties and sixties.
If you're interested in reading Endpapers after listening to this episode, consider borrowing it from your local library or purchasing it from an independent bookstore!
Cohosts Ashley and Jamie discuss A Merry Little Meet Cute, the first in Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone's A Christmas Notch series. Both Bee and Nolan are hoping to expand their careers with filming a wholesome family movie for the... Hope Channel. But besides battling their current images as a popular adult film star and a disgraced former boy band member, they're also having trouble keeping their hands off each other, complicating their attempts at image rehab. Will these two chaotic bisexuals be able to finish the film and find romance? (Yes, the answer is "yes")
Topics discussed include: the eeriness of themed towns, the nonsensicality of Hallmark movies, and the growing number of LGBTQ+ leads in holiday movies,
If you're interested in reading A Merry Little Meet Cute after listening to this episode, consider borrowing it from your local library or purchasing it from an independent bookstore!
History enthusiasts Ashley and Amber interview author Robin Gow on faer YA work A Million Quiet Revolutions, a romance told in verse between two modern trans boys as they explore the presence of queer people in history. Robin discusses what it was like growing up in a Civil War reenacting family, the importance of representation, and wanting to show a balanced picture in Aaron and Oliver's lives.
If you're interested in reading A Million Quiet Revolutions after listening to this episode, consider borrowing it from your local library or purchasing it from an independent bookstore!
As soon as we heard Chuck Tingle's debut horror novel, Camp Damascus, was set at a gay conversion camp, we knew we had to feature it on the podcast!
Cohosts Anne and Amber were eager to discussthis (surprisingly deep) reflection on religion's impact on the lives of the LGTBQ+ community. Topics discussed include: religion as a means of control, strained family relationships as a result of religious beliefs, and the horror trope of throwing up insects.
If you're interested in reading Camp Damascus after listening to this episode, consider borrowing it from your local library or purchasing it from an independent bookstore!
Longtime fans of horror, cohosts Em and Dani discuss Rory Power's debut YA novel, Wilder Girls, a vividly written tale about an isolated girls school grappling with a toxin infecting everything and everyone on its grounds. Topics discussed include: the undefined relationship between the three main characters, how the horrors of the Raxter School compare to horror novels marketed for adults, and whether the book lives up to the comparison of being a modern, queer, feminist take on Lord of the Flies.
If you're interested in reading Wilder Girls after listening to this episode, consider borrowing it from your local library or purchasing it from an independent bookstore!
CW: mentions of violence, gore, body horror--- this is the most graphic book we've reviewed on the podcast
This book made us so hungry! Annika and Anne interview Curtis Chin about his memoir, Everything I Learned, I Learned in a Chinese Restaurant, whichdescribes what it was like growing up in 1980s Detroit. In this interview, we discuss trauma, resilience, the importance of family, and the importance of working together despite our differences. Curtis Chin was amazing to speak with and had us laughing the entire time.
If you're interested in reading Everything I Learned, I Learned in a Chinese Restaurant after listening to this episode, consider borrowing it from your local library or purchasing it from an independent bookstore!
Cohosts Dani and Anne discuss Sonora Reyes' latest YA novel, The Luis Ortega Survival Club, a story of a group of teens reclaiming their agency and holding the school rapist accountable. Topics discussed include: navigating social cues as a person with autism, the mindset of a sexual predator, and the work that still needs to be done to believe victims.
If you're interested in reading The Luis Ortega Survival Club after listening to this episode, consider borrowing it from your local library or purchasing it from an independent bookstore!
CW: Off page rape, sexual assault
Cohosts Annika and Jamie discuss E.M. Anderson's The Remarkable Retirement of Edna Fisher, a debut SF novel that explores the idea of having a senior citizen being appointed the Chosen One to save the world. Topics discussed include: having an entirely queer cast of characters, playing with tropes, and the growing diversity in Science Fiction.
If you're interested in reading The Remarkable Retirement of Edna Fisher after listening to this episode, consider borrowing it from your local library or purchasing it from an independent bookstore!
Hansen House is the publisher mentioned in the podcast that specializes in queer stories: https://www.hansenhousebooks.com/
And yes, Annika is an author! You can find more information about her work at her website: https://annikasundberg.com/
Cohosts Dani and Ashley discuss Kacen Callender's Felix Ever After, a YA novel about Felix, a black trans demiboy, as he discovers who he truly is and navigates the joys and difficulties of being trans in society. Topics discussed include: the gender exploration natural to the queer coming of age, adjusting to someone's new pronouns, and transphobia in the community.
If you're interested in reading Felix Ever After after listening to this episode, consider borrowing it from your local library or purchasing it from an independent bookstore!
Cohosts Em and Annika discuss T. Kingfisher's What Moves the Dead, a horror novella retelling of The Fall of the House of Usher. The first of Kingfisher's Sworn Soldier series features nonbinary soldier Alex Easton trying to help their childhood friends navigate an unsettling presence lurking on their estate. Topics discussed include: the series' use of nonbinary pronouns for children and soldiers, the inclusion of older characters, and the sense of foreboding that Poe and Kingfisher do so well.
If you're interested in reading What Moves the Dead after listening to this episode, consider borrowing it from your local library or purchasing it from an independent bookstore!
Cohosts Amber and Jamie discuss Alexandra Rowland's A Taste of Gold and Iron, a queer fantasy novel with royal romance, political intrigue, and gender equality. Topics discussed include: how power imbalances affect relationships, the concept of touch tasting, and the sweet agony that is slow burn romance.
If you're interested in reading A Taste of Gold and Iron after listening to this episode, consider borrowing it from your local library or purchasing it from an independent bookstore!
Cohosts Amber and Cas discuss Xiran Jay Zhao's Iron Widow, the first of their YA SF duology. A curious mashup of historical fiction and mecha SF that's perhaps best known for its true love triangle, Iron Widow tells the tale of Wu Zetian, a mecha pilot who starts out seeking revenge for the death of her sister and ends up changing her country in the process. Topics discussed include: accuracy in depicting disability, the societal factors of misogyny, and of course, that love triangle.
If you're interested in reading Iron Widow after listening to this episode, consider borrowing it from your local library or purchasing it from an independent bookstore!
Cohosts Anne and Lizzy discuss Lev A.C. Rosen's Lavender House, the first of the Andy Mills historical mystery series. Andy, a recently fired (and outed) detective in 1950s San Francisco, is struggling when he is given a murder case to investigate by the matriarch of a mysterious family. Discovering their secrets begin to help Andy come to terms with his own. Topics discussed include found family, the ties that bind, and the precarious position of living when your existence is illegal. While society and laws have come a long way in many countries, there are still too many where LGBTQ+ people do not have the freedom to be who they are and to love who they love.
If you're interested in reading Lavender House after listening to this episode, consider borrowing it from your local library or purchasing it from an independent bookstore!
Cohosts Ashley and Em discuss Becky Chambers' gentle utopian scifi novella A Psalm for the Wild-Built, in which a tea monk, Dex, searches alongside a robot, Mosscap, to find the answer to the question aching in every human heart. Topics discussed include career change, burnout, and existing for the purpose of existing.
If you're interested in reading A Psalm for the Wild-Built after listening to this episode, consider borrowing it from your local library or purchasing it from an independent bookstore!
Cohosts Annika and Bailey discuss Malinda Lo's historical fiction novel Last Night at the Telegraph Club. Topics discussed include being gay in the 1950s, realizing your sexuality, and the age old question: are they being friendly or are they flirting?
If you're interested in reading Last Night at the Telegraph Club after listening to this episode, consider borrowing it from your local library or purchasing it from an independent bookstore!
Public library locator (USA): https://bit.ly/3FudXPV
Independent bookstores (USA and Canada): https://bit.ly/3FifJ6u
Cohosts Em and Lisa discuss Torrey Peters' compelling and thought-provoking novel Detransition, Baby. Topics discussed include the varied life experiences of trans people, the burden and gift that is family, and the importance of questioning our own assumptions.
If you're interested in reading Detransition, Baby after listening to this episode, consider borrowing it from your local library or purchasing it from an independent bookstore!
Public library locator (USA): https://bit.ly/3FudXPV
Independent bookstores (USA and Canada): https://bit.ly/3FifJ6u
In a Reading the Rainbow first, cohosts Lizzy and Em interview Michael Ausiello, author of the heart-breaking memoir Spoiler Alert: The Hero Dies. Michael graciously shares about his writing process, the shock of having his memoir made into a feature film, Smurfs, and, of course, memories of Kit, his late husband, a Millersburg, PA native. Listen with a box of tissues at the ready.
If you're interested in reading Spoiler Alert: The Hero Dies after listening to this episode, consider borrowing it from your local library or purchasing it from an independent bookstore!
Public library locator (USA): https://bit.ly/3FudXPV
Independent bookstores (USA and Canada): https://bit.ly/3FifJ6u
Cohosts Em, Anne, and Lisa discuss Beyond the Black Door, a YA dark fantasy by A.M. Strickland. Topics discussed include theocracies in SF, government surveillance, and Ace representation.
If you're interested in reading Beyond the Black Door after listening to this episode, consider borrowing it from your local library or purchasing it from an independent bookstore!
Public library locator (USA): https://bit.ly/3FudXPV
Independent bookstores (USA and Canada): https://bit.ly/3FifJ6u
Cohosts Amber and Annika discuss Summer Sons by Lee Mandelo, a Southern gothic horror novel. Topics discussed include dark academia, life in southern cities, and repression so deep everyone can see your sexuality but you.
If you're interested in reading Summer Sons after listening to this episode, consider borrowing it from your local library or purchasing it from an independent bookstore!
Public library locator (USA): https://bit.ly/3FudXPV
Independent bookstores (USA and Canada): https://bit.ly/3FifJ6u
Cohosts Amber, Ashley, and Jamie discuss Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree, a Dungeons and Dragons/Hallmark movie/slice of life fantasy that explores the road less traveled. Topics discussed include the prevalence of stereotypes, what constitutes a "dollop of romantic froth", and the purpose of a lady's stocking when making coffee.
If you're interested in reading Legends & Lattes after listening to this episode, consider borrowing it from your local library or purchasing it from an independent bookstore!
Public library locator (USA): https://bit.ly/3FudXPV
Independent bookstores (USA and Canada): https://bit.ly/3FifJ6u
Cohosts Amber and Lizzy discuss One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston, a romantic comedy that shows love finds you at just the right time. Topics discussed include the pressure of figuring out what to do with your life, experience working in diners, and the stone cold hottie that is Jane.
If you're interested in reading One Last Stop after listening to this episode, consider borrowing it from your local library or purchasing it from an independent bookstore!
Public library locator (USA): https://bit.ly/3FudXPV
Independent bookstores (USA and Canada): https://bit.ly/3FifJ6u
Cohosts Amber, Ashley, and Lisa discuss ¡Hola Papi!: How to Come Out in a Walmart Parking Lot and Other Life Lessons by John Paul Brammer, a collection of essays based on his popular column. Topics discussed include the value of relationships, the confusing nature of early queer friendships, and using reflections on the past to heal.
If you're interested in reading ¡Hola Papi! after listening to this episode, consider borrowing it from your local library or purchasing it from an independent bookstore!
Public library locator (USA): https://bit.ly/3FudXPV
Independent bookstores (USA and Canada): https://bit.ly/3FifJ6u
Cohosts Jamie, Em, and Lisa discuss Gideon the Ninth, the first of the Locked Tomb series by Tamsyn Muir. Topics discussed include complex worldbuilding in stories, contemporary references (memes!) in books, and hard to define relationships.
If you're interested in reading Gideon the Ninth after listening to this episode, consider borrowing it from your local library or purchasing it from an independent bookstore!
Public library locator (USA): https://bit.ly/3FudXPV
Independent bookstores (USA and Canada): https://bit.ly/3FifJ6u
Cohosts Ashley, Danielle, and Sora discuss the first volume of I Think Our Son is Gay, a manga series by Okura. Topics discussed include discovering your sexuality, supportive family members, and negotiating those friendships that blur the platonic-romantic line.
If you're interested in reading I Think Our Son is Gay after listening to this episode, consider borrowing it from your local library or purchasing it from an independent bookstore!
Public library locator (USA): https://bit.ly/3FudXPV
Independent bookstores (USA and Canada): https://bit.ly/3FifJ6u
Cohosts Em and Annika discuss Elatsoe, a YA fantasy novel by Darcie Little Badger. Topics discussed include taking an active role in your life, asexuality, and what indigenous magic looks like when it's impacted by colonization.
CW: Minor violence, racism
If you're interested in reading Elatsoe after listening to this episode, consider borrowing it from your local library or purchasing it from an independent bookstore!
Public library locator (USA): https://bit.ly/3FudXPV
Independent bookstores (USA and Canada): https://bit.ly/3FifJ6u
Cohosts Danielle, Sora, and Annika discuss The Taking of Jake Livingston, a YA horror novel by Ryan Douglass. Topics discussed include the impact of an individual's choices, the difficulty of making friends, and the struggles of being a ethnic minority in a majority white setting.
CW: School shooting, sexual assault, and racism
If you're interested in reading The Taking of Jake Livingston after listening to this episode, consider borrowing it from your local library or purchasing it from an independent bookstore!
Public library locator (USA): https://bit.ly/3FudXPV
Independent bookstores (USA and Canada): https://bit.ly/3FifJ6u
Cohosts Amber, Em, and Lisa discuss Light From Uncommon Stars, a scifi novel by Ryka Aoki. Topics discussed include Faustian bargains, the intersectionality of abuse for marginalized groups, and the wonder that is perfectly fitting clothing.
CW: Transphobia, Racism, Sexual Assault
If you're interested in reading Light From Uncommon Stars after listening to this episode, consider borrowing it from your local library or purchasing it from an independent bookstore!
Public library locator (USA): https://bit.ly/3FudXPV
Independent bookstores (USA and Canada): https://bit.ly/3FifJ6u
Cohosts Ashley, Lizzy, and Anne discuss Under the Whispering Door, a fantasy that explores grief and death, by TJ Klune. Topics discussed include the many faces of grief, comparisons with The Good Place, and the vitalness of social connection.
CW: Topics of loss and grief are discussed. At the start of the book, the author notes "This story explores life and love as well as loss and grief. There are discussions of death in different forms—quiet, unexpected, and death by suicide. Please read with care.”
If you're interested in reading Under the Whispering Door after listening to this episode, consider borrowing it from your local library or purchasing it from an independent bookstore!
Public library locator (USA): https://bit.ly/3FudXPV
Independent bookstores (USA and Canada): https://bit.ly/3FifJ6u
Cohosts Orin and Emily discuss Light One Candle, a contemporary romantic short story by Keelan Ellis. Topics discussed include the enemies to lovers trope, the awkwardness of unexpected guests at holiday dinners, and how gays are no longer safe from maternal demands for grandchildren.
CW: References to childhood bullying
Rep: Gay Jewish MC, Gay potential LI
This is the final episode of Season One. See you in 2022 for Season 2!
If you're interested in reading Light One Candle after listening to this episode, consider borrowing it from your local library or purchasing it from an independent bookstore!
Public library locator (USA): https://bit.ly/3FudXPV
Independent bookstores (USA and Canada): https://bit.ly/3FifJ6u
Cohosts Lisa, Amber, and Lizzy discuss Written in the Stars, a contemporary romance by Alexandria Bellefleur. Topics discusses include the need for more fluffy gay holiday media, the commonality of tropes in fanfiction and romance, and the queer obsession that is astrology. If you're interested in reading Written in the Stars after listening to this episode, consider borrowing it from your local library or purchasing it from an independent bookstore!
Rep: Bisexual female MC, Lesbian LI
Public library locator (USA): https://bit.ly/3FudXPV
Independent bookstores (USA and Canada): https://bit.ly/3FifJ6u
Cohosts Ashley, Amber, and Trista discuss Nature Poem by Tommy Pico. Topics include writing as a form of protest, subverting expectations, and the legacy of colonization.
Rep: Queer Indigenous MC
If you're interested in reading Nature Poem after listening to this episode, consider borrowing it from your local library or purchasing it from an independent bookstore!
Public library locator (USA): https://bit.ly/3FudXPV
Independent bookstores (USA and Canada): https://bit.ly/3FifJ6u
Cohosts Jamie, Emily, and Lizzy discuss She walks for days inside a thousand eyes, a mixed genre historical fiction by Sharron Proulx-Turner. Topics discussed include the impact of colonization on Indigenous two spirits, the consequent erasure of two spirit figures in history, and the importance of learning about queer history in different cultures.
CW: Historical violence against Indigenous people
Rep: Two-spirit indigenous woman MC
If you're interested in reading She walks for days inside a thousand eyes after listening to this episode, consider borrowing it from your local library or purchasing it from an independent bookstore!
Public library locator (USA): https://bit.ly/3FudXPV
Independent bookstores (USA and Canada): https://bit.ly/3FifJ6u
And if you're interested in learning more about the topics in this episode, here are some resources to get you started:
Proulx-Turner interview: https://bit.ly/3CD3ijM
History of the Alberta Métis: https://bit.ly/3mHeGWB
Landback: https://landback.org/
Cohosts Ashley, Orin, and Trista discuss The Low, Low Woods, a horror graphic novel, by Carmen Maria Machado, illustrated by DaNi. Topics discussed include living in rural towns, the importance of queer friendships, and the task of matching artwork to the mood and pacing of the story. There are no spoilers in this podcast. Note: We experienced some recording issues with this episode; please forgive the occasional background noise!
CW: As a horror graphic novel, this contains some gore and violence. There are also references to sexual assault.
Rep: Queer women of people MCs
If you're interested in reading The Low, Low Woods after listening to this episode, consider borrowing it from your local library or purchasing it from an independent bookstore!
Public library locator (USA): https://bit.ly/3FudXPV
Independent bookstores (USA and Canada): https://bit.ly/3FifJ6u
Cohosts Annika, K.J., and Danielle discuss Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas. Topics covered include mixed acceptance from family members, the importance of representation in fiction, and learning about brujx culture, before the episode finally devolves into a Julian lovefest. If funny bad boys are your weakness, this book needs to be on your TBR list!
There are no spoilers in this episode.
CW: Misgendering, allusions to deadnaming
Rep: Trans Latinx MC, Gay Latinx LI, Latinx cast
Cemetery Boys is available in hardcover and audiobook. If you're interested in reading it after listening to this episode, consider borrowing it from your local library or purchasing it from an independent bookstore!
Public library locator (USA): https://bit.ly/3FudXPV
Independent bookstores (USA and Canada): https://bit.ly/3FifJ6u
Cohosts Lisa, Danielle, and Annika discuss Black Water Sister, a contemporary ghost story set in Malaysia, by Zen Cho. Topics covered include dealing with familial expectations, asserting control of your own life, and the curious parallels between ghosts and queerness.
There are minor spoilers in this episode.
CW: Violence, sexual assault
Rep: Malaysian lesbian MC, Malaysian cast
Black Water Sister is available in hardcover, paperback, and audiobook. If you're interested in reading it after listening to this episode, consider borrowing it from your local library or purchasing it from a local bookstore!
Public library locator (USA): https://bit.ly/3FudXPV
Independent bookstores (USA and Canada): https://bit.ly/3FifJ6u