Review: Just Above my Head

Baldwin’s final complete work, Just Above My Head follows brothers Haul and Arthur Montana and their related friends from childhood to adulthood. Arthur’s death prompts Haul to recollect how Arthur became a famous Black gay gospel singer, who had to remain closeted for the sake of his career. Much of the novel is set during the ‘60s in the deep south, and tackles topics like the Vietnam War, Civil Rights, masculinity, and the intersection of Blackness and queerness.

Haul is the elder brother and narrates the events. I wasn’t a fan at first of how the story jumped from characters to characters and between the past and present. However, toward the middle the plot settled down, focusing mainly on Arthur. Haul, and their friend Julia and her brother James.

I was struck by how insightful Baldwin was regrading what we now call toxic masculinity and intersectionality, and how he laid bare the issue of child sex abuse in the Black community, something still taboo today.

The relationship between Haul and Arthur is the heart of this sprawling novel and I wish more media showed Black and brown men openly expressing their affection for each other, be that platonic or romantic. And speaking of romance, I loved how this book centered Black gay love as being natural and positive, especially given the time it was set in.

However, the passages describing Julia’s father sexually abusing her were hard to get through, And I can see how they could turn off people.

If I had one complaint, it’s, as previously mentioned, how unfocused the first half was. However, this didn’t take away from the listening experience. And by the end, I was on the verge of tears.

Overall, I give Just Above My Head 5.0 out of 5.0 stars. I can’t recommend this book enough.

Review: The Picture of Dorian Gray

The Uncensored Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


A staple of gothic horror dripping with queer subtext, Oscar Wilde’s tale of eternal youth gone awry is a cautionary fable on how beauty is only skin deep and how we must all accept we will grow old.

As it was written over a century before Stonewall and the gay liberation movement, it does suffer from the dreaded bury your gays trope. Also, Wilde’s tendency to filibuster on what he considers “good art”, and other subjects made the plot stand still at times for several passages. I also wasn’t a fan of how stuffy and pretentious the writing was.

That said, I did enjoy the novella and identified with Dorian’s wish to remain young forever, as I’m approaching middle age.

However, the way everyone thirsted after Dorian was rather disturbing, given he was described as barely out of his teens; it recalled how the queer community often puts young and beautiful people on a pedestal, then throws them away once they age out of being hot.

Overall, the ending felt maudlin and Dorian’s punishment disproportionate to his crimes.

I give The Picture of Dorian Gray 3.0 out of 5.0 stars. You should check this out if you like Victorian gothic horror, but know the ending is far from happy.

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Review: Cute Mutants Vol. 3

Cute Mutants Vol 3: The Demon Queer Saga by S.J. Whitby

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


The Demon Queer Saga by SJ Whitby is the third entry in the Cute Mutants series and picks up where book two left off.

Now running Jinteki Industries, Dylan and company have turned the evil corporation into a force for good, creating a haven for mutants and their families. However, they must contend with Abigail Tanner, a member of America’s Extrahuman Military Intelligence Department (EMID), that seeks to take control of the Cute Mutants and their operations.

Dylan also has to deal with the pressures of being a mutant leader and role model; and Violet, who’s obsessed with Dylan, can teleport and turn her fingers into blades, and whose stated goal is to kill Dylan.

If that weren’t enough, the Cute Mutants also must fight off Quietus, a group of religious fanatics whose goal is the extermination of all mutants.

Though this book is darker than the previous one, I loved how Whitby depicted Dylan’s reactions to the pressures of leadership and their moral struggles with how to handle the threats of Violet, EMID, and Quietus. I also loved the evolving mystery behind Emma and her powers, and those of the other Cute Mutants.

As with the previous book, Whitby introduced more mutants. However I did feel Lou was once again pushed to the sidelines in favor of showcasing the new mutants and Dylan and her friend group.

It was nice to see Dylan and the others maturing a bit, but I still thought some of their actions stretched my suspension of disbelief, given how dangerous they know the people after them were.

If I had any other criticism it’s that while several characters died in the ensuing fights with EMID and Quietus, I felt like Dylan and the other main characters were never in any danger due to plot armor.

I was also high-key angry the book ended on such a massive cliffhanger. Thankfully the next book is available, otherwise I’d be hella pissed.

I give Cute Mutants Vol. 3 5.0 out of 5.0 stars, and highly recommend it. If you liked the first book, I strongly suggest buying the rest in the series as they only get better.




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Review: Cute Mutants Vol. 1

Cute Mutants Vol 1: Mutant Pride by S.J. Whitby

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Cute Mutants Vol. 1: Mutant Pride by SJ Whitby is the first entry in the Cute Mutants series of YA fantasy novels about a group of teens who gain superpowers after kissing the same girl at a party.

Initially, I found Dylan’s personality off-putting, but slowly I came to love her geeky adorable ass and the rest of the Cute Mutants.

I did think the pop culture references were a bit much and sometimes came off as a crutch for lack of worldbuilding/characterization. And because it’s told in first person with Dylan as the POV character, a lot of the other characters come off a little flat, especially Dani who’s barely in this first book.

However, I did like all the characters, and they acted like how teens are supposed to act: reckless, arrogant, and messy.

This is especially true when it came to the relationships. Lou and Dylan are best friends turned lovers who are the other’s only friend. And when the cute mutants get their powers and Dylan befriends them, Lou’s jealousy was understandable, if a bit over the top.

Likewise, the love polygon between Dylan, Lou, Alyse, and Dani felt authentic without veering into soap opera territory.

I loved that Dylan and many of the other Cute Mutants were LGBTQ+ and how organically Whitby incorporated that into the mutant plot.

Another thing I loved was how the characters had to face the consequences of their actions and deal with real world moral and ethical decisions. So often in stories like this, issues like mortality, collateral damage, and interference from police/government agencies are either ignored outright or severely downplayed.

My biggest complaint is that the book’s antagonist, Tremor, was very two-dimensional and at times was outright cartoonishly villainous in his motives and actions.

That said, I liked this book a lot and already bought the next in the series. I highly recommend this book if you like YA books with sarcastic geeky humor and diverse queer characters.

I give Cute Mutants Vol. 1: Mutant Pride 5.0 out of 5.0 stars.




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