Crystal is a unique, strong, and innately protective young woman who is bold enough to stand up for herself and her brother who has disabilities. She loves strongly, but she also loves secretly, that is until her secret love is attacked by her self-righteous, toxic boyfriend and brothers. Crystal, despite her own disabilities, puts herself between her secret love and the abusers. She also gains a friend in arms (literally armed), who helps inspire her to openly love who she loves and be who she is. Together, they protect those they love and create a safe place for people to be themselves in Crystal's home. All the while, Crystal's grandparents who raised her are battling Covid in the hospital and her long-gone parents have suddenly reappeared. It's a story filled with intrigue and passion, confusion and clarity, secrets and truths. I have read other books by Brooke Skipstone, and they are all layered with complex, relatable emotions from realistic characters and all have powerful, thought-provoking messages.

On her way out of the house, Crystal's grandmother scolds her for not wearing a bra. Her grandfather tells her not to bend over in front of the boys. Why? Because it would be Crystal's fault if the boys think dirty thoughts? Crystal knows she can't talk to her grandparents about her sex dreams of girls or about her sexual encounter last Saturday with her longtime friend, Kato, an event she now regrets. Later during lunch, Crystal returns to her house only to find her grandparents leaving for the hospital in Fairbanks because they both might have Covid. Her brother may be moving away with his girlfriend tomorrow. Crystal would then be alone in her house that evening. However, over the next two days, her house fills with friends, gay like herself. All because Crystal dares to defend Haley from abuse by her supposed boyfriend.

This story is filled with suspense, revelations, love, and humor. I cried and laughed and always wanted to read more. I loved Crystal's drawings, "tough girl" Payton, cute-as-hell Sydney, the sex scenes (there are a few), and the message of being true to yourself and your needs and don't take shit from anyone.

This book kept me interested through every page. So many secrets are revealed, so much drama, but yet so much love and forgiveness and hope and resilience. A great illustration of the real damage caused by the condemnation of homosexuality. And the great freedom that results when gays raise their own flags and protect each other. I loved this book.

The opening sex scene definitely grabs attention, and from there the story races forward in the little town of Clear, Alaska, where intentions and past lives are anything but clear. Crystal Rose and her brother JD were abandoned by their mother fourteen years ago, both damaged by their mother’s drug and alcohol use. Their grandparents told the kids that their parents died in a car wreck some years later, thinking this information would be easier to live with than having absent parents who never wanted to see them. But the day the story starts, Crystal learns her father is alive and wanting to see her. Maybe her mother is too. She also learns that her grandparents have Covid and leave the house to drive to the hospital in Fairbanks where they both become seriously ill.

Crystal and Haley are now 18 years old and obviously attracted to each other. When Crystal sees Haley’s oafish boyfriend, Dylan, forcing himself on Haley in front of her school locker, Crystal screams for him to stop. After Dylan is sent home, Haley is free to sit with Crystal and renew the relationship they stopped in fifth grade. From there, Dylan’s anger at both Crystal and Haley build until Crystal has to save her friend once again.

Payton Reed, openly gay, and her younger sister Sydney enter the story and help Crystal and Haley protect themselves from Dylan and rumors starting about Cyrstal and Haley’s relationship.

With never a dull moment, the story progresses from one imminent danger to another, from one dramatic revelation to even more. Beyond the thrills and suspense, however, is a unique love story between individuals and among a group of tough-as-nails queers who find themselves and help protect others like themselves. Great story.

Book Review for Crystal’s House of Queers
Full review for this title will be posted at: @cattleboobooks on Instagram!

NetGalley ARC Educator 550974

An amazingly wonderful one sitting read. You won't want to put it down. Three generations of women come to terms with who they are and who they can be. Fighting rape, physical, mental and drug abuse they push through and raise their rainbow flags on their own terms. This story does take place during the beginnings of Covid19. Hope to read more from this author. You will not regret reading it.

Trigger warnings: Rape, Physical Abuse, Drug Use and Covid19

I enjoyed this story. It was good to see queer representation in a positive and empowered light. The characters go through tough and realistic problems, but the tone is positive. I had trouble with the timeline, which seems too compressed--the whole story takes place over the course of a few days, definitely less than a week, and in that time there are new relationships, found family, and a ton of personal and emotional growth. The teenage characters are able to take a very emotionally mature view of others and their circumstances. Not to say that it's impossible, just that given the issues they had to work through and the short timeline, I would have understood/expended more angst on the way there. I also had difficult with the opening scene, which is maybe more graphic than I would expect in a teen book, at least on the first page. Of course a page later it turns out to be a dream, but it could put off some readers (or scandalize parents, whose teens might benefit from reading the book). I'm not sure if it would fly in my small rural library, though I think those kids would appreciate the inclusiveness and depiction of rural life. I liked the way Crystal's drawings really show her talent and are incorporated into the story as illustrations. I also liked the representation of learning disabilities/differences and the rural Alaska setting (I'm from Maine, which has some similarities).