Our summer is in full swing!

Read

All The Dead Lie Down by Kyrie McCauley
YA sapphic gothic horror. Creepy house, atmospheric setting on the Maine coast, excellent twists you won’t see coming. (Ash)

The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
I know this book is like 10 years old, but I never read got around to it. And shame on me because it was FABULOUS (which everyone already knew)! (Elle)

Light From Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki
Heartwarming queer sci-fi in the vein of Good Omens! (Renee)

Lone Women by Victor LaValle
A Black woman named Adelaide is fleeing to Montana in 1915, where she can claim a plot of land for free as long as she agrees to cultivate it. All she brings with her is her trunk, and we immediately understand that the contents of the trunk are connected to the mysterious death of her parents, and that it must not be opened by anyone else under any circumstances. This novel was really atmospheric with some scary moments in the second half. I really enjoyed it! (Cathy)

Monsters: A Fan’s Dilemma by Claire Dederer
An honest and wise collection of essays on how we engage with the work of public figures who have done harmful things, and whether we should feel guilty for continuing to love their art. I felt both called out and validated reading this. Highly recommend to those interested in this topic. (Cathy)

The Night Always Comes by Willy Vlautin
Set over the course of two days in Portland, this fast-paced novel kept me on the edge of my seat. I have added all of Vlautin’s previous novels to my TBR pile. (Amber)

Unprotected: A Memoir by Billy Porter
Billy Porter’s memoir is an engaging read, expertly balancing his dark-and-profound experiences with a irreverent-and-effervescent constitution. He weaves time jumps throughout the chronology of his life story, offering unique reflections of his headspace at historical moments of contemporary U.S. history. Interesting, inspiring, entertaining! (Lauren)

Small Mercies by Dennis Lehane
A mother in South Boston is out to determine what happened to her teenaged daughter. Set in the 1970s, as the court-ordered desegregation busing is about to begin for the Boston Public School district. I couldn’t put this down and anticipate seeing it made into a movie or tv series in the near future. (Amber)
(Please be aware that this book contains racist language.)

Some Desperate Glory by Emily Tesh
Dark, gritty space opera about escaping a cult, unmaking mistakes, and how you can never know what the “right” thing really is. (Renee)

Watch

The Diplomat (Netflix)
Keri Russell has been my B.F.F. since our college days, so I am fully endorsing her for V.P. of the United States. And, yes, she only *played* a college student, and we’ve never actually met…but, these are trivial details. (Amber)
Check out our Netflix Roku to watch.

Gomorrah (Max)
Napoli’s answer to Baltimore’s The Wire. It is a complex, violent, and occasionally darkly humorous account of the Savastano clan within the Camorra crime syndicate. Each episode is a gripping experience, with many unexpected events and dramatic shifts in power. (Lauren)
Check out our Max Roku to watch.

Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies (currently not streaming)
Started out slow, but the sapphic storyline is great, and some of the songs are memorable. (Ash)

A Small Light (National Geographic / Disney+)
I think Molly recommended this last month: the story of Miep, the woman who hid the Frank Family, in Amsterdam during WWII. It was very well done, terribly sad, but incredibly inspiring. (Elle)
Check out our Disney+ Roku to watch.

Somebody Somewhere (Max)
I love this show so much and wish more people watched it. It’s a simple, quiet show about two middle aged friends in Kansas trying to figure life out. It’s big-hearted and so funny. Consider watching if you’re looking for something to lift your spirits. (Cathy)

Gomorrah (Max)
Napoli’s answer to Baltimore’s The Wire. It is a complex, violent, and occasionally darkly humorous account of the Savastano clan within the Camorra crime syndicate. Each episode is a gripping experience, with many unexpected events and dramatic shifts in power. (Lauren)
Check out our Max Roku to watch.

Listen

The Beaches
These ladies are a FORCE! (Amber)

The Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
Instagram made me read it… and it lived up to its crazy hype!! (Elle)

Pageboy by Elliot Page
I’m sad to say that I was a bit disappointed by this memoir! It felt pretty rushed and disorganized. I wish he’d had a better editor. That being said, there are some powerful moments here and I’m definitely glad I read it and that Elliot Page got to tell his story. (Cathy)

Stick Season (We’ll All Be Here Forever) by Noah Kahan (iTunes)
Adding additional tracks to the already incredible Stick Season, these songs seem even more introspective and observant than the last. He is emerging as one of the best songwriters of our time. (Ash)