Greetings, Rainbow Readers! Becky here– Rainbow Booklist Committee member and Teen Services Librarian in Delaware, Ohio repping the B contingent of LGBTQIA+.

Pretty sure I’m supposed to highlight a book I’m currently reading, but I’ve been inhaling some goodies lately and just have to sprinkle in a few.

The Prince and the Dressmaker  by Jen Wang (a graphic novel I’ve been making gimme hands at since mid-2016) is the ADORABLE story of… well, a prince and his dressmaker. The art is just lovely, and the characters are cute as buttons, every single one.

Chaotic Good by Whitney Gardner is everything my nerdy little heart desired– it’s got cosplay, D&D, feminism, comics, and some Shakespearean level gender bending shenanigans (resulting in a 2/3 queer love triangle-y shape).

The Witch Boy by Molly Knox Ostertag made me want to catch up on Strong Female Protagonist — loooove Molly’s artwork, and loved this quick, fantastical read about busting up some gender roles!

I’ve had to put down Anna-Marie McLemore’s Wild Beauty a few times, not because it’s bad (on the contrary, it’s excellent so far), but because her intense, vivid descriptions of the lush gardens of La Pradera pull me so far into the world of the novel I can feel the suffocating atmosphere of the characters’ microcosm. Definitely a slow, savory sort of novel– and again, really excellent.

Between bouts of Wild Beauty, I’m inhaling Mask of Shadows by Linsey Miller. It’s the story of a genderfluid pickpocket, Sal, who decides to audition for a position on the Queen’s Left Hand– essentially Her Majesty’s royal assassins. What Sal doesn’t know is they’re getting themself into a Hunger Games situation of sorts in which auditioners are expected to kill off their competition, prove themselves through a series of tests, and, y’know, not die in the process. The body count is pretty high already, and my Kindle says I’m only 39% through. I hesitate to call this a “fun” read exactly? (I mean, there’s been a LOT of death, blood, and stabbing going on…) BUT it’s definitely sucked me in and I am for sure enjoying the ride! Looking forward to sneaking in a few chapters during my lunch break today.

Happy Reading!
Becky Woodruff