Tag Archives: TJ Klune

Romance Picks for LGBTQ Pride Month: Chef’s Choice, Mortal Follies, and the Green Creek Series

31 May

Chef’s Choice
by TJ Alexander
I had written previously about Chef’s Kiss by TJ Alexander.  If, like me, you were a fan of the sweet romance between bisexual chef Simone and nonbinary kitchen manager Ray than you will want to check out Alexander’s second novel, Chef’s Choice, which features Simone’s charming roommate, Luna O’Shea.  Luna gave up college in order to fund her transition, and is currently working as a personal assistant, that is until she is fired.  She therefore jumps at the chance that French transman, Jean-Pierre, provides her to be paid to pretend to be his girlfriend and compete in a cooking challenge that will allow him to inherit his Grandfather’s culinary empire.  Of course romance fans know that often pretend relationships have a way of becoming real ones; the fun is always how they develop along the way.  Alexander puts some daunting challenges to overcome including differing cultural and economic backgrounds that have impacted Luna and Jean-Pierre’s world views, along with the fact that neither has the kitchen skills to whip up an elaborate multi-course meal.  This is delightful treat for foodie romance fans.

Mortal Follies
by Alexis Hall
Alexis Hall is one of my favorite romance authors. I’ve written several posts about his works in the past. His stories tend to be sweet and funny sometimes mixing in a bit of mystery or fantasy; Mortal Follies includes a bit of all of these. Set in Bath in 1814, Maelys Mitchelmore is at a society ball when the unthinkable happens, her dress begins to disintegrate by some magical force. Lady Georgianna Landrake, nicknamed the Duke of Annadale, comes to her rescue and loans Maelys her cloak, but may have managed to steal her heart in the process. Maelys seeks out Lady Landrake’s further assistance when the curse that has been placed on her continues to unfold. Will they be able to find the culprit in time? One unique addition that helps shape the story is that it is narrated by the mischievous fairy Robin Goodfellow, who hides in the background telling us the story as it unfolds (banished from Oberon’s court he has taken up writing to support himself). Another enjoyable element is the friendship between Maelys, her cousin, and Miss Bickle, her best friend. Fans of Julia Quinn’s gossipy regency romance Bridgerton series and Gail Carriger’s Parasolverse, that mixes period society drama with fantasy elements, will enjoy this fun romp.

Wolfsong and Ravensong
by TJ Klune
I had previously enjoyed and blogged about TJ Klune’s three recent stand alone adult novels The House in the Cerulean Sea, Under the Whispering Door, and In the Lives of Puppets so I was curious when I saw the Green Creek series he had written, was now being republished in new hardcover editions. Each of the novels in the four book series deals with a different gay or bisexual member of a pack of werewolves in Green Creek, Oregon. The first book, Wolfsong, focuses on Ox a human boy who befriends the eccentric family that moves in near his house in the forest. He becomes particularly close friends with the youngest pack member and then as they reach adulthood their feelings evolve into something more. The second book, Ravensong, follows my favorite character in the series, Gordo, a witch whose magical tattoos including one of a raven sometimes seem to move about his body. The second novel is interesting in that it not only builds from the first novel, but it also has parts that take place during the first novel as well as flash backs. It gives an interesting depth to see incidents from different points of view. Although both are self-contained they are definitely more powerful when read as a larger whole. Both books deal with issues of consent, destiny, generational trauma, and self-determination while navigating pack dynamics. The novels have more sex and violence than his stand-alone works of fiction so if you are looking for gentler reads these might not be your jam, but for those looking for a complex mix of fantasy, bildungsroman, romance, and horror Wolfsong and Ravensong have a harmony that will resonate. The next two in the series Heartsong and Brothersong continue the adventures.

I received advanced reader copies of Mortal Follies, Chef’s Choice, Wolfsong, and Ravensong from NetGalley and the publishers to provide you with honest reviews.

If you enjoy LGBTQ romances, consider joining us for June’s Romance Book Club featuring Love & Other Disasters by Anita Kelly about the first nonbinary competitor on a national cooking show finding love with a fellow contestant. For those who like to cook themselves, you can take an in person or virtual cooking class and learn to make some Pride Month treats. Our Science Fiction and Fantasy Book Discussion in June will also have LGBTQ representation for Pride Month with a LAMBDA Award Nominee, The Paradox Hotel by Rob Hart. And consider participating in our Read Out Loud and Proud! Banned Books Read-a-thon!

Written by:
Aimee Harris
Information and Digital Services Manager

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Two Terrific Reads for Coming Out Day with Strong LGBTQ Representation by TJ Klune: The House in the Cerulean Sea and Under the Whispering Door

11 Oct

October 11 is Coming Out Day; a day that celebrates the ability for LGBTQ people to be open about their identities.  I wanted to pick an author who was not only proudly part of the community, but also one whose work had strong LGBTQ representation, and Lambda Literary Award Winner, TJ Klune, seemed the perfect choice.

The House in the Cerulean Sea
I picked up The House in the Cerulean Sea after it was recommended during a webinar about gentle reads, stories that lack graphic sex and violence and often have a theme of finding ones place in life.  Like a lot of us after 2020, I was in need of a book that was the equivalent of a friendly hug for my heart and the whimsical plot of the novel also sounded very much in my wheel house.  The book, however, was even better than I expected; probably one of my favorites of last year. 

The House in the Cerulean Sea tells the story of a very by the book middle aged case worker at the Department in Charge of Magical Youth who is sent to an orphanage on an island in the middle of the sea where magical youths like a gnome and a wyvern live and flourish under the care of Arthur Parnassus, but Arthur is hiding secrets and as they unravel Linus questions his own views and choices. 

In a Nerd Daily Interview, Klune stated, “The found family trope is important to me, not just as a writer, but as a queer person. Queer people sometimes have to make families of their own because their real families don’t appreciate them as they should.” Love blossoms between Arthur and Linus, but the resonating messages about friendship, compassion, open-mindedness, belonging, and acceptance give it further resonance; though for those looking for a sweet m/m romance story, it is also a resounding success.

There is a satisfying ending, but I hope that Klune revisits some of the world he created in the future.

Under the Whispering Door
Under the Whispering Door came out this past month.  I was eagerly looking forward to it after my enjoyment of Klune’s previous work.  Under the Whispering Door bears several similarities to The House in the Cerulean Sea, the main character, a work obsessed lawyer, Wallace is similar to Linus in that he seems an unlikely protagonist for a novel, more likely in another work to be a small side character for comic relief or to be pushed aside for someone more dashing or heroic.   For me that is part of the charm of both stories, that Linus and Wallace journey shows their inner strengths and compassion, and it gives hope for all of us out there who feel on most days that we are decidedly average. 

The cast of the supporting characters in this one as well as quirky setting of a charming tea house, and the tender romance are also equally delightful.  As a tea fanatic myself, I’d love to be able to visit a tea shop like the one described in the novel with such a knowledgeable staff and tender scones. 

It is also always wonderful to see strong representation of not only gay, but also bisexual characters handled in such a nuanced manner with Wallace and Hugo.  In an interview with Syfi Wire when asked about having Wallace be confident in his bisexual identity, Klune stated “”I try to be as inclusive as possible.  So if I’m going to have a character be bisexual, it’s going to be damn well on-page that they’re bisexual.  It is going to be said out loud because that kind of representation it’s still not where it needs to be.  And it just feels like a lot of times when you read queer romance novels that instead of being on-page bisexual, [it’s that] they’re straight and now they’re gay. Bisexual people exist.”

Wallace’s tale is a bit darker in that it involves death and discussions of murder and suicide, however, these are handled in a thoughtful and reflective way rather than pure shock value.  This is another novel that will leave you wanting to check out more of Klune’s work.  

Written by:
Aimee Harris
Head of Information and Digital Resources

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