Tag: Whatcha Reading

Whatcha Reading, Geekly? February 2026

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Happy Wednesday, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here, and in today’s post, our writers share what they’ve been reading over the past month. Feel free to share what you’ve been reading, too, because we’re all part of the Geekly Gang. I’ll get things started with what I’ve been reading over this past month.

Kyra’s Poetry?

Gertrude Stein’s Tender Buttons is mostly poetry. Yeah. Let’s go with poetry. Leave it to Stein to create something undefinable. I would expect nothing less from the same writer who penned The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas, which is a quasi-memoir by Stein through the lens of her partner, Alice B. Toklas. I highly recommend this book, too. Put simply, Tender Buttons plays with language. Just look at this short poem:

DIRT AND NOT COPPER.

Dirt and not copper makes a color darker. It makes the shape so heavy and makes no melody harder.

It makes mercy and relaxation and even a strength to spread a table fuller. There are more places not empty. They see cover.

Stein is on top of her literary game in Tender Buttons. She exhibits top-notch diction. The poetic rhythm is stellar. And the fact that she tackles mundane objects and makes them sing is outstanding. Tender Buttons is difficult to define. It’s not a beach read, and I don’t know if I’ll ever write anything like it, but I’m glad it’s in my collection. I love geeking out to it. And since Tender Buttons is in the public domain, there are plenty of free Tender Buttons PDFs available. Tender Buttons reminds us that the act of writing can be playful. And no subject is off limits. Have fun.

Kyra’s Nonfiction

I mentioned the Pocket Change Collective series of nonfiction books in a past Whatcha Reading post. Last time, I discussed Beyond the Gender Binary by Alok Vaid-Menon. This month, I read Adam Eli’s The New Queer Conscience. This short piece of nonfiction holds one important takeaway: Queer people anywhere are responsible for queer people everywhere. Eli shares two major identities: he’s Jewish and queer. He notes how the Jewish community came together over an outside group attacking one of their own, and during a similar timeframe, the same was not done within the queer community. And that should change.

I like how Eli shares his life experience. He doesn’t profess to know everyone’s lived experience and affords everyone space within the LGBT community. Eli’s lived experience lends him credibility and allows him to empathize with people who may not want to take a stand. As queer people, we’re raised to feel ashamed of our identity. But we can rise above shame to make a difference. Eli gives the reader actionable items, beginning with ten points to change one’s mindset and begin with what he likes to call The New Queer Conscience.

1) We approach all queer people with the principles of identification and kindness.
2) Treat newly out people with a particular kindness and understanding.
3) Allow people to come out on their own terms.
4) Recognize that the playing field is not equal.
5) The more privileged members of our society must rally behind the less privileged.
6) Ask “What can I do to help?” and listen to the answer.
7) LGBTQIAA+ people should work in solidarity with all oppressed people.
8) We have limited time and resources–let’s use them to lift each other up.
9) Support queer people whenever possible, wherever possible.
10) You can be closeted and still do this work. You can be straight and still do this work.

Adam Eli ends The New Queer Conscience with multiple support groups to get involved. I love it. The New Queer Conscience suggests ways to help the queer community while not getting preachy. This short nonfiction packs a lot of punch.

Kyra’s Fiction

I started reading Shakespeare’s tragedies and comedies this past month. Titus Andronicus is the first one, and it lives up to its billing as Shakespeare’s bloodiest play. So many hand amputations, tongues getting cut out, and there’s even a body or three cooked into pies. There were a few moments when I had to do a double-take. Did Titus just kill his own son? And poor Lavinia. From what I’ve heard, Titus Andronicus was written in a similar fashion to several of Shakespeare’s contemporaries. Revenge plays were in the rage.

But I also can’t help but view Titus Andronicus as an allegory for the fall of Rome. While Goths did raid Rome a handful of times, the empire crumbled from within. Something similar occurs at the end of Titus Andronicus. Ultimately, I can see why several critics don’t care for this play, but I can also see why other critics hail Titus Andronicus as one of Shakespeare’s best. It delivers an unflinching look at violence.

Those are all the titles I’ve read this past month. Let’s see what Skye’s been reading.

Skye’s Fiction

Y’all likely haven’t heard of A Burnt Offering. If I hadn’t had this chance encounter, I probably wouldn’t have either. A year and a half ago, I came across a quiet booth at a board game convention in western Iowa. Running the booth was the author themselves, S. J. Bostwick, an independent writer from Omaha, NE. They were nice enough to give me a free signed copy of A Burnt Offering. I’m happy to support local and independent writers, and finally started reading A Burnt Offering. The story is progressing at a moderate pace, and I’m intrigued by the details of how this world works. The only thing I’m a bit confused by is who the protagonist is supposed to be, but it’s still early. Hopefully, soon, it will be revealed.

Skye’s Non-Fiction

I’m still enrolled in an English Comp II course and happened across Everything’s an Argument. While not required reading, Everything’s an Argument was recommended to me by my professor. The material fascinates me. The nature of argumentation strikes my curiosity. Ever since hearing the title, Everything’s an Argument, I’ve realized how true that statement is. Of course, the book itself goes into more detail on the types of arguments we encounter in everyday life, how even offhanded statements can contain subtle personal values, and how to navigate our current system of untruths and alternative sources. Given the era we live in, I see these tools as invaluable. I’ll be using them in the future, and I want to make sure I use them correctly. You bet I’m taking notes.

Hey, hey. Kyra Kyle again. Those are all the books our writers have been reading this past month. Let us know what you’ve been reading in the comments, Geekly Gang. Thank you for reading this post, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.

Whatcha Reading, Geekly: January 2026

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Happy Wednesday, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here. During today’s post, our writers share what they’ve been reading over the past month. Feel free to share what you’ve been reading in the comments. We’re all part of the Geekly Gang. I’ll start off with what I’ve been reading this past month.

Kyra’s Nonfiction

I don’t think I included reading a tabletop game (board game) design book in my New Year’s Resolutions, but I meant to add reading at least one board game design book this year (there aren’t that many, to be honest). Building Blocks of Tabletop Game Design: An Encyclopedia of Mechanisms is required reading for anyone wanting to design board games. Geoffrey Engelstein set the groundwork for the game mechanisms mentioned on boardgamegeek.com, so it makes sense he cowrites this encyclopedia. And Building Blocks of Tabletop Game Design reads like an encyclopedia.

I’ve found multiple game mechanisms I didn’t know had an official name, and seeing all the terms in one spot inspires me to try designing games with mechanisms I’ve never tried. Heck, Building Blocks of Tabletop Game Design offers ideas on how to use each mechanism. Hmm. I may have some game designs to steal. I mean, create.

Kyra’s Poetry

I love Come on All You Ghosts by Matthew Zapruder. The poems within this collection manage to pack a literary punch while delving into geek culture. Come on All You Ghosts was the first poetry collection I read that proved one could embrace their inner geek, and poetry can be approachable. Don’t be surprised if you find references to Blade Runner, Lovecraftian Horror, or the Seattle Seahawks’ quarterback of the 1970s Jim Zorn. All the while, Come on All You Ghosts shows Zapruder at his poetic best. He uses startling imagery, and his enjambments are second to none. You can’t finish Come on All You Ghosts without wanting to play with words. And yet, Zapruder remains direct, which makes the poems within this collection easy to understand and digest. If you’ve ever been intimidated by poetry, give Come on All You Ghosts a read.

I’ve been reading other books, but I haven’t finished any others–yet–so I’ll save them for a future month. Let’s check in with Skye.

Skye’s Fiction

I’ve never read Maus. While I’ve been meaning to read Maus for a while, and I anticipated reading it since grade school for an assignment, it never happened. So, I decided there’s no time like the present. Let’s be fair; I probably don’t even need to introduce Art Spiegelman’s Maus to y’all. Either you’ve heard about Maus on account of its impressive accolades (the first graphic novel to earn a Pulitzer), or (unlike me) your teachers were cool and went over it in class. Despite the heavy themes contained within Maus, now might be the best time to re-examine the horrors of what took place in fascist Germany. It might shed some light on our current political climate.

Skye’s Nonfiction

Writing Arguments (Twelfth Edition) makes my list this month. Be you didn’t see that one comin’, huh? I didn’t either. I’m taking English Composition II this semester. This might be cheating, but you can’t deny it’s also funny. At least I thought it was. Despite being a general education course, I’ve enjoyed reading through my assigned chapters and already learned a lot. Writing Arguments isn’t just about solving disputes for the sake of passing a class; Writing Arguments takes these ideas to the next level and expands one’s understanding of perspective. So far, Writing Arguments has done a fantastic job. I look forward to learning more. You know, I might be a nerd. Aren’t we all nerds? At least I’m in good company. 😉

Hey, hey! Kyra Kyle back again. That wraps up what our writers have been reading over the past month. What’ve you been reading? Let us know in the comments. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.

Whatcha Reading, Geekly: December 2025

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Happy Wednesday, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here. During today’s post, our writers share what they’ve been reading over the past month. Feel free to share what you’ve been reading, too. We’re all part of the Geekly Gang. I’ll kick things off with what I’ve been reading over this past month.

Kyra’s Reads

It’s the holidays. Naturally, I was out shopping for others, but that doesn’t mean I can’t pick up something relatively cheap for myself. I picked up Ornithography for under $5. Bird lore and symbolism sounded interesting, and Ornithography hasn’t disappointed. Each bird entry includes an illustration of the bird, its scientific name, and a brief legend about it. To say Ornithography is a quick read is an understatement. Just look at this sample page.

I figured Orinithography would yield some writing ideas, and it has shaken some things loose there. The only issue I’ve found is that the bird write-ups can contradict each other. One culture may view a bird as lucky and another unlucky. But that’s part of the fun.

Keeping my trend of quick to read and illustrated alive, my next entry is Strunk and White’s The Elements of Style. At one point, I read The Elements of Style once a year. It’s a writing style handbook and well worth the read. We can’t depend on AI to catch every mistake. This past month marks the first time I’ve read The Elements of Style in over two years. Yikes! I may need to get back into the habit of reading this must-read for any writer.

Yes. Style has changed somewhat, but most of what Strunk and White (and that’s E.B. White, the author of Charlotte’s Web) holds up today. And I love the gentle humor the two manage to give the subject. Writing style books can be a chore to get through. Strunk and White make it enjoyable.

The Element Encyclopedia of Magical Creatures makes one of these lists again. I won’t go into too much detail. As the title suggests, this encyclopedia chronicles magical and mythical creatures. Entries in this book mirror Ornithography’s. I had a book type this month.

That’s all I have for this month’s Watcha Reading. Let’s see what Season’s been reading.

Season’s Read

I participated in the Black Friday/Cyber Monday boycott this year, only purchasing essentials. This boycott also extended to streaming services. I rewatched my DVD box set of Death Note on my computer with a USB disc reader and remembered I’d picked up a copy of Death Note Short Stories. Death Note Short Stories is a collection written by the author of the main Death Note series (with the same artist), so I consider all of these stories canon.

I’m not a fan of the Taro Kagami story since it includes a “death eraser,” which brings people back to life if they haven’t been cremated. In Japan, there isn’t enough land mass to bury the dead, so people are cremated, with their crematory bits kept separate from their memorial site. I’d assume the same logic would apply to someone whose body is in pieces. That’d make for a weird zombie.

The first story was interesting. It’s set nine years after the end of Death Note, and features Donald Trump buying the “power of Kira (Death Note)” from a mysterious seller in Japan (Minoru Tanaka). Death Note is a fantastical series, but this is the most realistic story in the franchise. No notes.

The last couple of stories feature background information on L, such as his upbringing and daily life. This man tumbles in a human-sized washing machine every day as his “shower” because physically taking a shower is too bothersome. I mean, I don’t always want to shower, but a washing machine? That’s definitely a choice.

Hey, hey! Kyra Kyle here again. That’s all we have for Whatcha Reading this week. Let us know what you’ve been reading in the comments. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.

Whatcha Reading, Geekly? November 2025

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Happy Wednesday, Geekly Gang! Today, our writers share what they’ve been reading over the past month. Feel free to share what you’ve been reading, because you’re part of the Geekly Gang, too. I’ll start our monthly reading post.

Kyra’s Comics

I reread a favorite graphic novel this past month, Dick Tracy: The Complete True Hearts and Tommy Guns Trilogy. Dick Tracy is a classic 90s graphic novel. The 1990 Dick Tracy film could’ve been so much better had Warren Beatty decided to start with the first of these three stories. Yes. Dick Tracy: The Complete True Hearts and Tommy Guns Trilogy concludes with what we now know as the 1990 Dick Tracy movie. Movie audiences lost so much by only getting the third installment. The Dick Tracy screenwriters planned on Dick Tracy being a trilogy, beginning with the first installment in this collection. Fortunately, those same writers decided to release the whole trilogy as a graphic novel.

After reading a Variety article about how 1990’s Dick Tracy served as a cautionary tale for comic book movies (specifically MCU films), I was enticed to reread Dick Tracy: The Complete True Hearts and Tommy Guns Trilogy. Needless to say, the Variety article got it wrong. The article’s writer suggests that Dick Tracy failed despite having every advantage (money, a heap of stars, etc.). One must have a great story. The sad thing is 1990’s Dick Tracy had a great story. The creative team had pulled a DCEU. (Think Batman V Superman; we’re behind the MCU, so let’s make the second DCEU movie feature Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Lex Luthor, and even Doomsday with some Darkseid and gang thrown in for funsies.) Back to Dick Tracy. TMNT and Batman had recently been released, so Dick Tracy skipped the first two parts of this great story to show the climactic end where everyone’s story converges.

If you read Dick Tracy: The Complete True Hearts and Tommy Guns Trilogy in its entirety, you’ll cheer as Big Boy puts Lips in the bath. Without the context of the previous two stories, viewers are left wondering who Lips is. A bad man. Lips abused Big Boy. We spend two movie-length stories watching Big Boy claw his way to the top with his buddy, Flattop. Breathless Mahoney’s background gets fleshed out. BB Eyes and Pruneface actually have personalities. Even Dick Tracy and Tess Trueheart’s relationship gets explored, so there’s more weight to them adopting The Kid. I highly recommend reading Dick Tracy: The Complete True Hearts and Tommy Guns Trilogy before watching–or rewatching–the 1990 film Dick Tracy. You’ll find a greater appreciation for what this film could’ve been.

Kyra’s Nonfiction

The Alcoholic Republic: An American Tradition is eye-opening. Prior to Prohibition, drinking was pervasive in the United States. Reading The Alcoholic Republic recontextualizes Prohibition. 1) Prohibition had to happen. Citizens of the United States drank far too much. We’re talking about a six-pack a day was considered extremely light. President Lincoln was assassinated because his guard was wasted. Vice President Johnson was spared because his would-be assassin had downed five bottles of whisky in one night. 2) Prohibition wasn’t a complete failure. I had been taught Prohibition failed on most–if not every–levels, but that may not be accurate. After Prohibition, most of the nation curtailed its drinking.

The Alcoholic Republic even explores gender roles. Men needed to work because if a man didn’t work, he’d drink himself stupid. This idea persisted decades after Prohibition. Even Ed Gein’s father was a drunken layabout. While I can’t say I “enjoyed” reading The Alcoholic Republic, I appreciated the history it told.

I’ve reread a handful of things–besides Dick Tracy: The Complete True Hearts and Tommy Guns Trilogy–over the past month, but let’s check in with Skye and see what she’s been reading.

Skye’s Fiction

I came across The Transit of Venus in Barnes & Noble a few months ago, but only now got around to reading it. So far, it’s proven to be a heavily layered story, which I love. The Transit of Venus follows the lives of two orphan sisters from Australia and the adventures they get into as they travel around the world. Considering the subject matter, The Transit of Venus can be depressing, but I keep reading in hopes that they overcome their struggles. After all, that’s what the title implies: all moments are fleeting, and time keeps ticking forward.

The Holy Bible

TL;DR: I was morbidly curious.

I’m intrigued by how each of the Bible’s stories fits together, since I’ve heard them referenced several times throughout my life but never read them. The biggest thing that stands out to me is the sheer number of names the Bible drops. For real, I’m only halfway through Genesis, and 50+ people have been named while only about 10 of them have done anything. Am I cramming for a test? I feel like God’s gonna give me a pop quiz at some point about who begets whom, and I’m gonna fail. I’m still reading.

No offense to God, but He should tighten His prose. There’s very little investment in these stories; they’re just dry. Surely the creation of man was more interesting.

Oh.

Kyra Kyle here again. I don’t know how to follow that. Lol

I’ve read the Bible multiple times growing up (my family was religious–pseudo Southern Baptist, as in they called themselves something else but behaved similarly to Southern Baptist), but I’ve never considered the Bible from a writing perspective. That piques my interest. 👀

Season is skipping Whatcha Reading this month. I’m sure she’ll return next month. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.

Whatcha Reading, Geekly? October 2025

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Happy Wednesday, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here. Today, our writers will share what they’ve been reading over the past month. Feel free to share what you’ve been reading, because we’re all part of the Geekly Gang. I’ll kick off this post.

Kyra’s Reads

Kyra’s Comics

Returning to Saga was like reuniting with an old friend. For context, I read Saga in trades (graphic novel format), so I can go at least three months between reading volumes. I seldom need to reread previous volumes, even when Brian K. Vaughn and Fiona Staples took more than a year hiatus from the series, and that’s a testament to Saga’s excellence.

And there happens to be time hops between volumes. That helps. Hazel, Alana, and Squire continue their interstellar circus/casino odyssey. The two children (Hazel and Squire) have hit puberty, and this volume explores the difficulties of being a teen while also on the run from numerous entities. I love Saga and highly recommend it. There’s a reason it’s been nominated and won numerous Hugo Awards. But beware of the ninth volume, the one just before Saga’s extended hiatus. Volume Nine ends with what may be one of Sci-Fi’s greatest gut punches.

That last statement wasn’t even close to hyperbole.

Kyra’s Fiction

Kimberly Lemming’s I Got Abducted by Aliens and Now I’m Trapped in a Rom-Com is the first monster romance I’ve read. Heck, it’s the first romantasy I’ve read. While I may not be I Got Abducted by Aliens and Now I’m Trapped in a Rom-Com’s target audience, I can see why novels like this are swoon-worthy. I wish I could write scenes as steamy as the ones you can find in I Got Abducted by Aliens and Now I’m Trapped in a Rom-Com.

The book’s title says all you need to know about the novel’s premise. The tagline elaborates further. (Talking) Lions and Dinosaurs and sexy Aliens, oh my! Outside the scenes that led to cold showers, Lemming has a knack for comedic timing. I Got Abducted by Aliens and Now I’m Trapped in a Rom-Com delivers.

I’m listening to Brandon Sanderson’s The Way of Kings in audiobook format. I find audiobooks a great way of reading an extra book or two. My two favorite streaming (does it count as streaming?) sites are Libby and Hoopla. All you need is a library card (from a participating library) for both, and you can check out audiobooks, e-books, and other digital content.

Audiobooks totally count for read books for the month. I’m counting The Way of Kings. Audiobooks make for more interesting walks. It only takes almost getting run over twice while reading a physical book and walking at the same time to get you to switch to audiobooks. Anyway, I love how Sanderson introduces the hard magic system in The Stormlight Archive. Sanderson dips just enough information about how magic works for the reader to follow along, while avoiding massive walls of expository text. The Way of Kings is a fun read. And you should check out Libby and Hoopla.

Those are all the books I’ve read over the past month, and it looks as if I’m the only one of our writers with entries. Season began a new job and hasn’t read much beyond instruction booklets. Skye’s rereading a handful of books. Perhaps she’ll share some of those next month.

In the comments, let us know what you’ve been reading this past month and if you count audiobooks as books you’ve read. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.

Whatcha Reading, Geekly? September 2025

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Happy Wednesday, Geekly Gang! Today’s post is Whatcha Reading, where our writers share what they’ve been reading over the past month. Feel free to share what you’ve been reading, too, because we’re all part of the Geekly Gang.

Kyra’s Reads

Kyra’s Fiction

I heard about Dungeon Crawler Carl years ago and hadn’t had a chance to start the series. It’s fun. Short and sweet, Dungeon Crawler Carl is pure fun. Earth belongs to an intergalactic trade federation. It’s time to pay up with our natural resources, so aliens slurp the marrow from our planet, causing all buildings and cars to sink beneath the surface, instantly killing any beings inside the buildings and cars. Donning a jacket, boxers, and ill-fitting pink Crocs, our “hero” Carl survives because he’s retrieving his ex-girlfriend’s cat (Princess Donut Queen Anne the Chonk–Princess Donut for short) from a tree in the middle of winter. Dungeon Crawler Carl gets its title because the aliens play Dungeon Master for a Dungeon Crawl Carl must navigate.

If this sounds at all interesting, I suggest reading Dungeon Crawler Carl. It may not win any book of the year awards, but it’s a phenomenal premise for a television series. And hey, a Dungeon Crawler Carl television series was announced last week. Now may be the perfect time to read Dungeon Crawler Carl before it makes a splash on the small screen.

Thomas Ligotti produces modern cosmic horror classics. Songs of a Dead Dreamer is one of those cosmic horror classics. Ligotti takes Lovecraftian horror to new heights. Sometimes, Ligotti’s work leans into realism like Songs of a Dead Dreamer’s opening story, “The Frolic.” Other times, it fully embraces established tropes like “The Troubles of Dr. Thoss.” And I love Ligotti’s experimental “Notes on the Writing of Horror: A Story.” No matter which flavor of existential dread you prefer, Songs of a Dead Dreamer has you covered. If you like stories like Bird Box or anything by H.P. Lovecraft, you owe it to yourself to check out Songs of a Dead Dreamer.

Kyra’s Non-Fiction

The Writer’s Map: An Atlas of Imaginary Lands compiles maps–many hand-drawn by the original creators–of fantasy and science fiction worlds. From a writing perspective, there may not be much to glean from these maps, but it’s fun leafing through the pages of literary history. I never knew Neverland had a map. Fun.

That’s all I have for Whatcha Reading this month. Let’s see what Skye’s been reading.

Skye’s Reads

Skye’s Fiction

While it may seem like a self-help book, How to Walk Away is far from it. How to Walk Away is a novel focused on mental health. The main character, Maggie, survives a plane accident with her pilot fiancé, Chip. Sure, the story is mainly about Maggie’s hospital recovery afterward, but what keeps me reading is the mental battle taking place. Chip can’t forgive himself, and their future relationship is thrown into question. How to Walk Away is not about what happened. It’s about moving on.

Skye’s Non-Fiction

I’ve been dying to read a book like Black AF History. Thank you, Michael Harriot, for giving us an alternative perspective on American history. I found Black AF History at my local library. Support your local libraries. Anyway, Black AF History is the history I was never taught in school but always wanted to know. My favorite aspect of Black AF History is how it’s explained from the perspective of the people who’ve been subjugated by this country since the beginning. Michael Harriot is clear that no teaching of history will be completely unbiased. This is just the history White people never wanted to hear.

Hey, hey! Kyra Kyle again. That’s everything our writers have read over the past month. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.

Whatcha Reading, Geekly? August 2025

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Hey, hey, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here. It’s Wednesday again, so we have another post from the Whatcha Reading series. Today, we’ll have our writers share what they’ve been reading over the past month. Feel free to share what you’ve been reading in the comments, because we’re all part of the Geekly Gang.

Kyra’s Reads

Kyra’s Comics

I picked up a handful of comic books and graphic novels at the recent Comic Con Nebraska. FairSquare Graphics’ stand stood out to me. Founded in 2019 by Fabrice Sapolsky (co-creator of Spider-Man Noir), Kristal Adams Sapolsky (consulting producer for various Hulu and Netflix shows), and Ethan Sapolsky, FairSquare’s mission is to produce comics for underrepresented groups. And they sure do deliver.

I love FairSquare Graphics’ production value. Each book (even the comic books) has a sturdy, soft finish. The art is stunning. But the stories. It’s all about the stories. 2024’s A Boy Named Rose was a finalist for an Eisner Award. I’m happy to see queer stories like A Boy Named Rose in comic books (or rather, a trade, graphic novel). There needs to be more, and that’s part of FairSquare’s mission. Set in 1920, A Boy Named Rose exists in an era where it was difficult for someone to express their gender and love freely. The title character, Rose, grew up in Le Jardin (The Garden) and has lived a life of greater self-expression. Rose has blossomed within Le Jardin’s protective walls. Rose’s coming-of-age gender fluid story touches numerous people who are stuck within the confines of a world not yet ready to accept them. A Boy Named Rose offers hope. And if you might be struggling with your identity or know someone who does, maybe even a hug.

Gaelle Geniller’s art elevates A Boy Named Rose’s narrative. I can’t imagine one without the other. I enjoyed all the gorgeous dance scenes. They were liberating. And as a gender non-confirming person who’s been interviewed, I felt every moment of Rose answering the reporter’s questions. I loved how the reporter’s cigarette smoke obscured what Rose was saying. That’s so relatable.

I love Black Girl Magik’s banter. It makes sense Black Girl Magik would sport excellent banter. Writer (and FairSquare Graphics’ cofounder) Kristal Adams Sapolsky is also a stand-up comedian. You can catch her on Season 2 of Laugh After Dark on Amazon Prime Video. Black Girl Magik has a hilarious premise. “Incel Whisperer,” Moriyah Pleasant, is helping one of her clients to score a date, when her client’s would-be date winds up being an Alchemist from another dimensional. Magical shenanigans ensue after the Alchemist passes, and her mystical and sentient tool (usually in the shape of a hammer) chooses Moriyah as its new Alchemist.

Holy Beyoncé, Black Girl Magik is a fun ride. I’m glad I picked up the first two issues (the only two available at the time of writing this post) and had the chance for Kirstal Adams Sapolsky to sign them. I highly recommend A Boy Named Rose and Black Girl Magik, and I’ll be checking out more of FairSquare Graphics’ titles. If you’re interested in FairSquare Graphics, check out their website.

Kyra’s Poetry

I often revisit poetry collections. You never know what you’ll find during a subsequent read after several years. I first read Miles Waggener’s Afterlives almost a decade ago; it’s time for a reread. Waggener has amazing command over diction and enjambment. Afterlives offers vivid imagery and poems that change gears, both metaphorically and with speed. These poems flow. I love it. The pictures Waggener paints vacillate from brutal to gorgeous, but they always feel lived in and human.

I’ll share I quick snippet of “Grooming” from Afterlives.

Well into the hairdresser’s
nervous breakdown, she snapped
the smock around my neck, and in
locks and curls, the hair, more hair
than I have grown in many lifetimes,
fell onto the tiles, and I grew thin
in the oily hum of the clippers,
in the perfume of tattooed Carlotta.

I love how you can read the above in its entirety and gain one message, and then read each line as a separate entity. The language used here reflects what you may find in Afterlives. If you can find a copy of Afterlives, you should give it a try. Phoenix Suites and Sky Harbor by Miles Waggener may be easier to find, and also well worth the read.

Kyra’s Non-Fiction

Ah, Jeff Vandermeer’s Wonderbook is an excellent resource for anyone wanting to write a science fiction or fantasy novel. Wonderbook provides thought-provoking images and writing prompts/exercises, while giving the reader numerous ways of looking at the writing craft. Wonderbook gives me the vibe of a writer’s companion for the Codex Seraphinianus, only you’re supposed to understand what you’re reading. Lol

Loaded with graphs/charts, art, and writing advice from dozens of popular speculative fiction authors, Wonderbook offers a little bit of everything. No matter how you learn, Wonderbook has you covered. And Wonderbook is a living document. Vandermeer and company update Wonderbook’s online companion page. If you’ve ever wanted to write speculative fiction, you should check out Wonderbook.

That’s all I have for this month’s Whatcha Reading. Let’s see what Season’s been reading.

Season’s Reads

season’s comics

I decided to switch things up this month. Normally, I’m down for a good romance story. Is Love the Answer? scratched that itch differently. Chika is asexual, and all of her friends go on dates. But she doesn’t want to go on dates. She thinks there’s something wrong with her, so she studies psychology to figure out why she doesn’t want to be involved with anyone romantically. She discovers much about herself, but none of it is clear-cut.

Is Love the Answer? felt realistic. I appreciated the ambiguity of how Chika expresses herself. She didn’t know who she was, which is relatable to most audiences.

Hey, hey! Kyra Kyle here again. That’s all our writers have for Whatcha Reading this month. Let us know what you’ve been reading. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.

Whatcha Reading, Geekly? July 2025

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Happy Wednesday, Geekly Gang! For this week’s Whatcha series, our writers will share which books they’ve been reading over the past month. Yes. It’s Whatcha Reading, Geekly? for July 2025. Wait. I checked with Season and Skye, and they don’t have any selections for this month. Uh oh! Looks like I’m flying solo this week. I’m sure our other writers will have plenty to share in August. Let’s get to our list.

Kyra’s Non-Fiction Books

Beyond the Gender Binary is a reread for me this past month, but I’m still counting it as a book I read. I attended Alok Vaid-Menon’s Omaha show (June 24, 2025) during their Hairy Situation Tour, and they signed my well-worn copy of Beyond the Gender Binary. Yay! This book is a short read, like a really short read, at about 50 pages. Beyond the Gender Binary is small enough to fit inside your pocket; this is the hook of every book within the Pocket Change Collective.

Alok fills the pages of this book with a new perspective on the gender binary and what lies beyond it. Beyond the Gender Binary is a hug for anyone questioning their gender identity. Their personal stories speak to me. I’ve loaned my copy of Beyond the Gender Binary to many people who wanted to learn more about individuals who identify as non-binary, gender queer, and/or gender fluid. I may need to purchase a second copy after Alok signed my current copy of Beyond the Gender Binary. No book–no matter how big or small–can capture every aspect of gender non-conforming people, but despite its small size, Beyond the Gender Binary serves as a fantastic introduction.

I love the Pocket Change Collective. I’ve read at least half of the books pictured above, and I may have to hunt for the ones I have yet to read. I highly recommend this book series. It’s easy to read in one sitting, and each one in the series may broaden your perspective.

Speaking of broadening one’s perspective, I’ve been reading The Element Encyclopedia of Magical Creatures, making note of mythical creatures that interest me and ones I’d like to research further. I like the magical creatures that haven’t been done to death (in fantasy stories), and love the ones from cultures I know less about. What started as research on fantasy creatures has morphed into a cultural study. What’s not to love?

Kyra’s Poetry

A writer’s history shouldn’t factor into their work, but Arthur Rimbaud may be one of the few exceptions. He rose to prominence quickly. Illuminations, Rimbaud’s poetry collection I read this past month, was his last major poetic work, written when he was twenty years old. After he finished–or rather abandoned–this poetry collection, Rimbaud traveled the world, taking odd jobs, and never wrote again. Over the years, Rimbaud deserted his Dutch military post in Java (Indonesia) and sneaked back to France, ultimately spending the majority of his remaining days in Ethiopia. He died at 37 of bone cancer. Illuminations was published in 1886 without Rimbaud’s knowledge. The publishers referred to him as the late, great Rimbaud, even though he hadn’t yet died.

Illuminations has inspired many artists (Jim Morrison of The Doors, Bob Dylan, and Patty Smith, to name a few) as well as artistic movements like Dadaism and Surrealism. We don’t know which order these dozens of prose poems are supposed to have gone in because Rimbaud had abandoned the project before their publication. The poems range in topic. They’re a window into Rimbaud’s struggles to find steady employment in the United Kingdom and later Germany, while living with Paul Verlaine. The couple often fought. Their breakup may have prompted Rimbaud to travel the world.

As a result of these influences, Illuminations mingles gorgeous images with dread and the unknown. Check out this paragraph from “Mystical”: The flowery sweetness of stars and sky and the rest descends opposite the embankment, like a basket, against our face, and creates the flowering and blue abyss down there.

Illuminations will follow up an awe-inspiring pastoral scene with a garotte around your neck. It’s a mind-bending, singular work of poetry deserving of its cult-like following. Illuminations is one of those poetry collections you could read and reread dozens of times and find something new and exciting. I read the John Ashbery translation (pictured above this segment). It stays faithful to the original text and even provides the original French beside its English translation.

Kyra’s Fiction Books

Eric Raglin is yet another queer author to make my reading list this past month. It’s like June was Pride month or something. Kidding aside, I had to include a local (Nebraska) writer in this month’s mix. Raglin’s Nightmare Yearnings is a phenomenal horror short story collection with only a few hints of queerness thrown in for good measure, and I love the variety in this collection. While each story is bizarre and tackles some darker truth of the human condition, the stories serve as a horror anthology like The Twilight Zone or Black Mirror.

I love how “Under the Roof, Upon the Horns” explores toxic masculinity. This story boils down to a son attempting to please his father and shows how men are the only ones who care how masculine other men behave. Masculinity is a trap. Resist! Nightmare Yearnings also includes goofy stories like “Top 5 Ghosts Caught on Camera” to prevent it from getting too preachy. But one of my favorite stories in this collection is “My Better Half.” It’s a body horror short story where a woman splits her bisexual man lover into two halves: the gay and the straight side. The gay half ends up in the closet. Ugh! This is such a good story, and it speaks to me as someone who’s pansexual. I could discuss more of Nightmare Yearnings’ offerings–there are plenty of fantastic stories in this collection–but I’ll leave the rest for you to discover.

Nightmare Yearnings includes author notes. These notes provide a little insight into what Eric Raglin was thinking while writing each short story. This is also a great way to pick and choose stories. It’s a preview of what to expect or a little peek behind the veil after you’ve read a story. I wish more short story collections included author notes by the author.

That’s all I have for this month’s Whatcha Reading. What did you read this past month? Let us know in the comments. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.

Whatcha Reading, Geekly: June 2025

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June is in full swing, and it’s time for another Whatcha post. Hey, hey, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here. Today, our writers will share what they read from the previous month. As always, feel free to share what you’ve been reading over the past month. You’re part of the Geekly Gang, too.

Kyra’s Reads

Kyra’s Fiction Reads

A Psalm for the Wild-Built is the first part of Becky Chambers’s Monk and Robot duology, and it’s a joy. I recommend A Psalm for the Wild-Built to anyone struggling to find their place in the world. Chambers’s novella reminds us to give ourselves time to find ourselves, and how you thought your life would go might not be where your journey will take you. A Psalm for the Wild-Built offers a deep cleansing breath.

Humans have ripped away the Earth’s natural resources, but A Psalm for the Wild-Built offers an optimistic spin on this post-apocalyptic world. Robots reject their human masters. The split between the two parties is amicable, with humans sticking to cities (and their surrounding suburbs) and robots claiming the open area outside cities. Without humans mucking up most of the world, Earth has a chance to heal. Humans and robots adapt to this new reality, and the story takes flight when a tea monk leaves human territory and stumbles on a wild-built robot.

I won’t spoil any more of A Psalm for the Wild-Built. It’s a must-read solarpunk novella. If you don’t know what solarpunk is, you’re in good company. I didn’t know what solarpunk was before reading A Psalm for the Wild-Built. Solarpunk is a relatively new fiction subgenre that offers optimistic outlooks on dystopias. Many of Hayao Miyazaki’s films have been retroactively called solarpunk. If you like stories like Spirited Away, A Psalm for the Wild-Built (and other solarpunk fiction) might be worth a read.

I finally finished Robert W. Chambers’s The King in Yellow. No. Robert Chambers isn’t related to Becky Chambers. I just happened to read two authors with the surname Chambers. Lol. The version of The King in Yellow I read only includes four stories: “The Repairer of Reputations,” “The Mask,” “In the Court of the Dragon,” and “The Yellow Sign.” Older editions of The King in Yellow may contain more stories, but the four in this collection are excellent.

I love “The Repairer of Reputations” use of an unreliable narrator. Hildred describes his diadem as being made of “heavy beaten gold,” and immediately after this description, his friend Louis calls it a “brass crown.” “The Repairer of Reputations” is a story of egotism. It feeds into the idea of The King in Yellow and serves as a phenomenal opening story. The titular King in Yellow is a play, and it’s not what the play has within its written pages but what those pages do to the people who read them. If this sounds like H.P. Lovecraft’s Necronomicon, it’s because The King in Yellow inspired the Cthulhu Mythos.

The other three stories in this most recent collection of The King in Yellow are stellar. “The Mask” is a trippy love triangle with a mystical element. A possessed organist chases a panicked victim in “In the Court of the Dragon.” And “The Yellow Sign” offers some great psychological horror. The King in Yellow paved the way for cosmic horror.

Kyra’s Poetry Reads

I read Ginny MacKenzie’s Skipstone a decade ago and decided to read it again this past month. I find poetry easy to reread after several years because I can find different things with each reading. MacKenzie does an excellent job of taking an object, like an artist painting the history of his house, or some other element, like a vacation in Maine, and allowing the speaker to reflect on the element until it becomes confessional. These elements are lenses with which to view life.

Skipstone, like Cat Dixon’s collection last month, What Happens in Nebraska, feature plenty of smaller, seemingly quiet moments. But these quiet moments can be loud, and moments that seem small grow to epic proportions. Some of Skipstone’s poems have tight stanzas with lengthy enjambment that move so fast one must catch their breath, while other poems stretch out with plenty of asides from the speaker that you feel like you’re in their head.

Skipstone tackles good and bad memories. Often, good and bad memories appear within the same poem. Memory works in mysterious ways. While one’s life experience may differ, Skipstone offers enough universal truths.

I read a few more books over the past month, but I may save those for the next entry in our Whatcha Reading series. Let’s see what Season and Skye have been reading.

Season’s Reads

season’s fiction reads

I haven’t gotten too far into Gu Byeong-mo’s Apartment Women, but from what I’ve read, I’m loving it. Apartment Women is set in the future on the outskirts of Seoul. There are four families living in an apartment complex, each with its own struggles. The newest resident, Yojin, must have two more kids with her husband over a decade if she wants to continue living there. The novel highlights the struggles of the women living in this apartment complex, which is interesting to me.

There’s a moment in the beginning with one of the husbands explaining his wife’s not being there because “she’s always busy.” Yojin sits on this for a minute, questioning the tone of his reply. This is the level of intimacy with the characters throughout the novel. I enjoy stories about women making the best out of their situation, and have been more interested in foreign novels lately. Geekly Gang, if any of you have recommendations, I’m always down to read something new. What’ve you been reading, Skye?

Skye’s Reads

Skye’s Nonfiction Reads

I bought 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die a while ago, but only now started reading. Since I’m always looking to expand my watch-list, I thought I could peruse 1001 Movies to get some ideas. My favorite thing about this book is the range of films it contains. Starting from the early days of film in the 1910s all the way to the present day, 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die has defined my watchlist for a while. I don’t plan on dying any time soon, so I should have time to catch up on all these movies. 😉

Skye’s Fiction Reads

Octavia Butler’s Parable of the Sower is a new addition; I’m excited about this one. Other books I’ve gotten into lately have been more experimental. Since I have no prior knowledge about them, I haven’t had any expectations. For this one, I’m already familiar with the author, and the fact that I found it in the “Banned Books” section of my local Barnes & Noble is enticing.

After reading the first chapter (and the Foreword by LeVar Burton), it only strengthened my resolve to keep reading. How Burton tells it, I’m in for a poignant, dark, yet heartfelt and hopeful experience. Since Butler wrote Parable of the Sower in 1993 (and the novel takes place in 2024), I have a feeling that she wrote some eerily accurate predictions about where our society was headed. Hopefully, she included an instruction manual on how to survive the next four years. Fingers crossed.

Hey, hey! Kyra Kyle again. That’s all we have for our monthly reads. Make sure you let us know what you’ve been reading, Geekly Gang. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.

Whatcha Reading, Geekly?

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We’re switching things around a little bit this month with our Whatcha Wednesday series. Today marks our second Whatcha Reading post. Hey, hey! Kyra Kyle here. The Geekly Gang may not have as many books to cover this month as we did last month (it’s only been two weeks since our last Whatcha Reading). Whatcha Reading can include novels, poetry, short stories, essays, comic books, and anything in between. As always, feel free to share what you’ve read recently. We’re all part of the Geekly Gang.

Kyra’s Reads

I mentioned The King in Yellow in last month’s Whatcha Reading, but I put it on hold for the moment. A new Barnes & Noble opened up, and I’ve picked up several new titles. One of my favorite aspects of Barnes & Noble is that your local store will carry books by local authors, and one of the poetry books I read last month is What Happens In Nebraska by Cat Dixon.

What Happens In Nebraska by Cat Dixon

Dixon’s What Happens In Nebraska doesn’t pull any punches. Each poem is raw, a wound that refuses to heal. But that doesn’t stop Dixon from playing with her poetry. “Keep Your Options Open” may be the first Choose Your Own Poem I’ve ever seen. It shows that a poet can explore pain while maintaining a sense of whimsy. I also love it when a writer gets specific, and I enjoyed the details in “Missed Connection.” It’s uniquely Omaha. It gives the poem authenticity and the universal theme of loss. What Happens In Nebraska has a lot of highlights; too many to list here, but I’ll share one more. “Horror Movie” begins with a new romance before it descends into the horror of a modern relationship. There’s a reason rom-coms end when the couple gets married.

Letters to a Young Poet by Rainer Maria Rilke

I also picked up Rainer Maria Rilke’s Letters to a Young Poet during my recent trip to Barnes & Noble. I haven’t yet finished Letters to a Young Poet, but what I have read makes it a great companion piece to What Happens In Nebraska. Letters to a Young Poet compiles a series of letters Rainer Maria Rilke wrote to a young officer cadet (Franz Xaver Kappus), advising him on writing, love, suffering, and the nature of advice. Rilke’s dense and poetic letters can inspire any artist.

I love Barnes & Noble’s selection of local authors, and they have a great selection of tabletop games. Super Boss Monster, which just shipped to Kickstarter backers, is already available at Barnes & Noble. Usually, tabletop games that go to Kickstarter take a handful of months to reach stores. Barnes & Noble gets many titles early. Be sure to check out your local Barnes & Noble.

Let’s see what Skye has been reading. Take it away, Skye.

Skye’s Reads

Anathema by Keri Lake

After a recent trip to the library, I found some interesting literature. Among them is Anathema. While I’m not far into it, some elements stand out. I like how the author pointed out that this was her first experience with gothic fantasy. Thank you, author, for telling us up front. Trying out new genres and getting outside our comfort zones can only lead to self-improvement.

While I have progressed too far in the novel, he author clearly knows how to start a story. The first sentence of the first chapter: “The forest hadn’t eaten in a while.” That’s one of those sentences that ignites the imagination. And it makes me want to keep reading.

Three Dark Crowns by Kendare Blake

Another suggestion from my local librarian. Thanks for the recommendation! Also, support your local library. Like Anathema, Three Dark Crowns falls firmly in the fantasy genre. Considering these stories were released after The Lord of the Rings, both have Tolkien-esque qualities. Bonus points to Three Dark Crowns for not starting off with worldbuilding that feels like homework.

What sets this story apart from Anathema is its premise. Three Dark Crowns focuses on royalty (shocker), but in the context of three princesses who are sisters. One will become queen. Only one. She’ll do so by killing her two sisters. This concept has been done before, but it immediately hooked me. From the introduction onward, tension builds. I look forward to exploring it more alongside Anathema.

Kyra Kyle again. Season doesn’t have an entry this week. She’s preparing to graduate from college. Woo hoo! I’m sure she’ll return soon. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.