Books: Karaoke Queen and Love & Other Disasters

By Zach Shattuck

Karaoke Queen
by Dominic Lim

Drag. Drama. A gay happy ending. This is Dominic Lim’s Karaoke Queen.

Set in modern day Oakland, Rex Araneta begins this story trying to convince readers he is happy with his life of plain clothes, paralegal work, and spending time with a few friends.

But when he bumps into his ex from Indiana at a declining gay bar, things quickly spiral out of hand. Before Rex knows it, he’s trying to figure out how to impress his ex and spend more time together. All the while, Rex remembers and then embraces what made him want to perform in drag years ago. It takes even longer for the book to reveal why he had left it at all.

“In a place where you’ve been given the permission to truly be yourself, you have the freedom to explore and grow. And hopefully, that place will always be somewhere you can feel secure.”

The problem is that Rex doesn’t feel secure with many people in his life. The ex he’s trying to win back (who was DL when they dated) has no idea he’s the drag queen crowding up the bar during Karaoke night. His father thinks he’s studying for a bar exam he hasn’t thought about and also believes he’s packed away the wigs for good. He hasn’t spoken to his uncle/drag mother for years. Then, of course, there’s the cute KJ (Karaoke Jockey) Rex can’t stop thinking about. Throughout the book, Rex learns what self-love truly looks and feels like from every part of life, from friends to families to lovers. It’s a simple, feel-good story with a good gay happy ending. 

Something I really enjoyed about this book is that Rex is Filipino, and aspects of his culture are speckled throughout the book. So many mouthwatering foods are shared and enjoyed by family and friends (though not all, because his sister’s first attempt at adobo chicken was inedible). In addition, both Rex and his uncle, Tito Melboy, identify with the label bakla, a precolonial identity in Filipino culture for some beyond the gender binary. Lim has his characters live the label more than it is outright explained, but the degree he shared about his culture inspired me to do some digging. It was really cool to learn about bakla and see one of the many ways people who fall under the LGBTQ banner exist and navigate the world. Part of the ending of the book is Rex also embracing his more feminine side as the rest of his life falls into place.

If I have to give any critique, I would say that Lim’s writing can sometimes come off a bit dry and somewhat clunky, especially in the beginning of the book. However, the story, in all its drama and high-but-not-actually-high-stakes plot, remains engaging and enjoyable. I loved that Rex was able to embrace being himself and taking the risks that come with going for your dreams.

There are only three copies of Karaoke Queen available through the San Diego Libraries. 

Love & Other Disasters
By Anita Kelly

Plenty of people fall in love over food, but not many do it while cooking competitively.

Taking place mostly on a TV set in Los Angeles (and the accompanying hotel), Anita Kelly’s Love & Other Disasters is a passionate book about two queer people falling in love while pursuing their mutual passion.

“If you kiss me again, I will literally never be able to stop. I will take you right on this beach, I will consume you until I know every inch of you. Once I start with you, I won’t be able to stop. I need you in a way that can’t be temporary.”

This is a sweet book which starts slow and then amps all the way up just over a third of the way in. It’s got love, sex, comic relief, tough conversations between family, and dish after dish of delicious food.

There’s also tension. Not everyone respects London’s pronouns, both in their personal life and among their competitors. Dahlia is recently divorced and, despite her excitement to be competing, often struggles to get out of bed.

With all their baggage and stress, how do London and Dahlia navigate fighting for first place on TV while falling in love?

There’s a handful of copies of Love & Other Disasters available at San Diego Libraries, so go and find out for yourself.