LGBTQI+ Book Reviews | Self-Publishing Review

Exile of the Heart by Rasheed Abou-Elsamh

A raw account of the author’s long journey to find a place to truly be himself, Exile of the Heart: A Memoir Across Three Continents by Rasheed Abou-Elsamh is a vulnerably written and engrossing memoir.

Born to a Saudi father and an American mother, the battle between conflicting values and ideas was an unavoidable part of his identity, but one that he channeled into a free-ranging interest in the wider world. As Rasheed comes to embrace his homosexuality and recognizes the danger of that identity in Jeddah, he dreams of another life, somewhere his desires aren’t considered a crime. Moving […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2025-12-09T16:40:42+02:00December 9th, 2025|Categories: New Releases|Tags: LGBTQI+ Book Reviews, Memoir Book Reviews|

Review: The Blue Roses by Kent Yorkson

A profound tale of friendship, romance, and the beautiful collisions of human existence, The Blue Roses by Kent Yorkson is a quietly provocative work of literary fiction.

Set against the timeless backdrop of New York City’s dramatic glamor, the story centers on Mark, a gifted painter, and a seemingly perfect couple, Hans and Yukari – a prominent diplomat and a prodigious musician, respectively. As their friendship grows and their lives entangle, the powerful nature of their bond becomes a meditation on intimacy, partnership, and emotional liberation. Exploring the perennially fascinating subject of alternative relationships, Yorkson’s novel takes an honest and […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2025-08-08T17:04:55+02:00July 2nd, 2025|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: LGBTQI+ Book Reviews, Literary Fiction Book Reviews|

Review: The Third Act by Kathleen Brehony

A smart and touching tale of taking second chances and finding your people, The Third Act by Kathleen Brehony explores the rich possibilities of great love during a painful season of loss.

Shannon O’Connell is an accomplished and gracefully aging author, but a string of personal heartbreaks has left her in serious need of support. When a long battle with breast cancer claims one of her dearest friends, Linda, the tragedy brings together their decades-old group of girlfriends for a celebration of life at the O’Connell family’s seaside cottage resort.

Elizabeth Matthews may be an award-winning filmmaker, but her ageless […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2025-03-25T15:08:55+02:00January 31st, 2025|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: LGBTQI+ Book Reviews, Romance Book Reviews|

Flew Too High by Louie Mandrapilias

A coming-of-age journey into the heart of psychedelia and reality’s bitter truth, Flew Too High: A gay drug smuggler’s transcendent odyssey in the heyday of Studio 54 by Louie Mandrapilias is a thrilling memoir that summons a gilded and infamous past.

Louie is a closeted young Texan getting his first taste of New York City in the raucous age of gay liberation in Greenwich Village. His life immediately entangles with Govind, an Adonis-like tour guide to metropolitan hotspots and mind-expanding experiences. Fully under his new lover’s spell, Louie is soon seduced into the world of international drug smuggling, and then […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2025-01-20T16:29:42+02:00January 19th, 2025|Categories: New Releases|Tags: LGBTQI+ Book Reviews, Memoir Book Reviews|

Review: Where’s Our Purple Heart by Logan Fret

Peeling back the complex layers of grief, family, trauma, and secrets, Where’s Our Purple Heart by Logan Fret is a raw examination of the feelings we fear and the memories we bury.

After his gun-loving, hard-drinking, war hero father dies unexpectedly, Todd must navigate a surge of emotions, especially the feelings of relief and a distinct lack of sadness. He struggles to mourn an abusive father who had leveled a murderous threat against him, which forced Todd to hide his queer identity for years and prevented any resolution or authenticity in their relationship. Now, with the main obstacle to his […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2024-08-16T19:46:48+02:00August 16th, 2024|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Contemporary Fiction Book Reviews, LGBTQI+ Book Reviews|

Review: Ugliest by Kelly Vincent

Following the powerful YA novels Ugly and Uglier, author Kelly Vincent takes readers on a profound journey through the tumultuous life of seventeen-year-old Nic Summers in Oklahoma City in Ugliest, the final chapter of The Art of Being Ugly series. In this inspiring, empowering, and emotional novel, Vincent intricately weaves themes of identity, resilience, and social justice into the strongest installment of the series.

Continuing to delve into the intricacies of self-acceptance and societal perception, this installment builds on the strong foundations laid by its predecessors. Where Ugly introduced readers to the harsh realities of self-image and Uglier[…]

Jeyran Main2025-04-02T12:37:57+02:00July 25th, 2024|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: LGBTQI+ Book Reviews|

Review: Ugly by Kelly Vincent

A raw and poignant exploration of a teenager’s quest for identity, Ugly by Kelly Vincent is a potent study of the harsh realities of high school social hierarchies and personal uncertainties.

At the heart of this contemporary YA novel is Nicole Summers, a fifteen-year-old from a small Oklahoma town who becomes the embodiment of anyone who has ever felt misunderstood or misplaced. Nicole, or Nic as she prefers, is not your typical high school protagonist – overweight and often cruelly labeled as an “ugly lesbian” despite her interest in boys, Nic’s challenges are compounded by her best and only friend […]

Jeyran Main2024-07-26T11:58:49+02:00June 13th, 2024|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: LGBTQI+ Book Reviews, Young Adult Book Reviews|

Review: Uglier by Kelly Vincent

In Uglier, Kelly Vincent captures the poignant journey of Nic Summers, a 16-year-old artist who dares to navigate the tumultuous waters of identity and acceptance in a new environment. As the second installment in Vincent’s powerful YA series, the novel not only continues the narrative of growth and self-discovery, but also deepens the exploration of pressing social issues faced by those who defy traditional gender norms.

Vincent’s protagonist, Nic, leaves the stifling confines of a small town in Oklahoma for a seemingly progressive private academy in suburban Oklahoma City. Nic’s expectations soar as she yearns for artistic growth and […]

Jeyran Main2025-04-02T12:37:42+02:00June 13th, 2024|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: LGBTQI+ Book Reviews, Young Adult Book Reviews|