All the books listed here are available at the library. Stop in, give us a call, or use the online catalog to place a hold and check one out.
We celebrate LGBTQ+ Pride month in June to honor the 1969 Stonewall Uprising in Manhattan. The Stonewall Uprising was a tipping point for the Gay Liberation Movement. Memorials are held during this month for members of the community who have been lost to hate crimes or HIV/AIDS. The purpose of Pride Month is to recognize the impact that LGBTQ+ people have had on history locally, nationally, and internationally. These titles feature LGBTQ+ characters, topics, and insight.
All Boys Aren’t Blue by George M Johnson: In this powerful series of personal essays, George M Johnson explores the stages of his life so far, as a black queer boy. He covers topics including gender identity, toxic masculinity, brotherhood, family, consent, and structural marginalization.
Under the Whispering Door by TJ Klune: When a reaper comes for Wallace at his own funeral, he begins to wonder if maybe he’s dead. He meets Hugo, who agrees to help him cross over. Wallace decides he needs to learn how to live his life, even if he is now dead.
Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston: This romance between Alex, the president’s song, and Henry, the Prince of England, has politics, enemies to lovers, interesting family dynamics, and some steamy scenes. What starts as a friendship to fool the media quickly turns into a forbidden romance.
Young Mungo by Douglas Stuart: Mungo and James were born into different worlds. Against the odds, they become friends and dream of finding somewhere they could both belong. This gripping story explores friendship, love, masculinity, and the violence faced by many queer people.
“Freedom’s Eve,” January 1, 1863, came after the Emancipation Proclamation by Abraham Lincoln, which freed enslaved people in the United States. Even though the Emancipation Proclamation was made effective in 1863, it could not be implemented in places still under Confederate control. Freedom finally came on June 19, 1865, when the remaining enslaved black people in Texas were freed by executive decree. This day has come to be known as Juneteenth. These four titles give insight into the diverse experiences of black Americans throughout history and today.
A Little Devil in American by Hanif Abdurraqib: A reflection of the connections between Black performance and American culture highlighting the layers of politics, love, grief, and history. Taking a look at large and small performances, Abdurraqib writes a lyrical series of essays.
I’m Still Here by Austin Channing Brown: While institutions claim to value diversity in their mission statements, they often fall short. Austin gives a first hand account of growing up as a black woman in majority-white schools, organizations, and churches.
We Were Eight Years in Power by Ta-Nehisi Coates: This powerful collection of essays explores the correlation between the reconstruction-era and the unprecedented election of the first black president followed by who Coates argues is America’s “first white president.”
Barracoon: the Story of the Last “Black Cargo” by Zora Neale Hurston: Written with compassion and honesty, Zora illustrates the tragedy of slavery and the legacy the Atlantic slave trade left that continues to haunt us all. This powerful book explores Zora’s interview and time spent with Cudjo Lewis, the only person alive to tell the story of the millions of men, women, and children transported from Africa to America as slaves.
Looking for something you haven’t seen before? These books are all new to our library!
Stone Blind by Natalie Haynes: A fresh look at the story of Medusa, the only mortal in a family of gods who is cursed with destroying anyone she looks at. Told with empathy and nuance, Natalie delves into a timely tale that starts with victim-blaming and revenge.
The Instructor by TR Hendricks: Derrick Harrington, a retired Marine, can’t pass up an opportunity for $20,000 to teach a mysterious group in upstate New York. He soon finds himself in the middle of a domestic terrorist cell pitted against them. This is the first book in the new Derrick Harrington series.
A Pho Love Story by Loan Le: A romantic comedy about two Vietnamese-American teens who both work at their families feuding pho restaurants. Battling complicated family history, Linh and Bao try to find a way to navigate a new relationship.
Mothered by Zoje Stage: In this psychological thriller, Grace is quarantined with her mother, Jackie, whom she’s never had a good relationship with. Old wounds fester, and new ones open in this story full of nightmares, accusations, and revenge.