Hey folx! I’m Andrea and am in charge of the marketing, publicity and social media here at LBB. I’m a proud cat mama and love that we have Orleans as our resident bookstore cat!
I was an elementary teacher for 11 years and loved helping kiddos develop a passion for reading. Unfortunately, teaching didn’t leave me too much time to read for pleasure so I’m stoked to rebuild my own reading habits (she says as she glances at her enormous TBR stack). I like to read most genres but tend to avoid science fiction and horror, though I’m starting to test those waters a little bit. You can convince me to read anything by BIPOC authors or members of the alphabet mafia(LGBTQ+). I can’t wait to interact with you on our socials!
You can view all of the books featured on our social media here.
This book put into words thoughts and feelings that I've had but didn't know how to express. An essential read for anyone who loves a person of mixed heritage, as Samira K. Mehta make clear--It's not the racism that put's you in danger or that you encounter by strangers that hurts you the most, it's the racism of people who say they love.
Immediately engrossing, spicy, so funny, inclusive, exceptional bi representation, could not put this MESSY and extraordinarily fun romance that doubles as mediation on grief and happiness after loss!
Isolde and Adrian are back in this middle book that does NOT disappoint. Spicy romance, intricate back stories, feminist sex scenes and themes, women reclaiming their power, betrayal and plot twists! Read this and eagerly await book 3 with me.
An incredibly delightful surprise of a book! Blue Planet but make it queer---you'll be mystified by the wildly fascinating marine biology science and how Sabrina Imbler uses it as a tool to reflect on their life experiences! GET THIS BOOK!
As my introduction to Kate Baer, And Yet was perfect! Her poetry is timely, relatable and accessible with an underlying (and sometimes blatant) sense of quiet feminine rage. I laughed and cried and dog-eared more pages than not!
An absolutely stunning and beautiful book that I want to get every single one of my queer friends and family! The images are gorgeous and descriptions were written by the couples photographed (all of whom are interracial). Because of the timing of the photographs, some of the couples were no longer together but the words of love and appreciation they expressed about one another made me speechless. This book epitomizes the beauty of interracial queer love!
Easy to understand and very relatable guide to being a person! It felt like a hug and chat with my best friends. Special Topics in Being a Human will definitely impact the relationships I have with other people and myself. I laughed, I cried, I will return to this book again and again!
Go on a journey with two courageous woman who make extraordinary sacrifices for love and search for justice after a betrayal, all set against the beautiful backdrop of India. you laugh and cry and be enraged and heartbroken and have your hope reawakened by these brilliantly written pages!
OH MY GOSH SO CUTE!!!! This is a perfectly sweet and cute holiday romance full of interconnected stories that center nothing but BLACK JOY! The representation in the different relationships was refreshing with a couple every reader can relate too. Perfect for those who love a cheesy holiday romcom!
OpenWater is a GORGEOUS portrait of what it feels like to have an undeniable connection with someone that blossoms into something beautiful. It also provides an in-depth look at how the weight of living while black can affect the ways that intimacy and vulnerability are shared or protected. The music referenced throughout the novel is BRILLIANT in the ways that it helps you empathize with the characters on a deep level. This is a perfectly quick summer read that will have you reflecting on all of our your previous relationships while appreciating your current love.
Jenette McCurdy is a voice that I didn't know I needed in my life. Of course the title of this book grabbed my attention.. Why, Jenette, are you glad? And after reading I totally understand. The complicated nature of relationships between mothers and daughters is brought into a harsh and devastating light through the abuse that Jenette experienced. This book is for anyone who had a parent they could never please no matter how hard they tried and those of us who have struggled with body image and other mental health issues hand fed to us by our parents. ALSO... it is deeply funny in the darkest of ways.
These sweet little penguins got me in all of the feels. Such a beautiful and heart wrenching story about a family preparing for the loss of the mother figure, while the main character is also on a gender identity journey. It was refreshing to see parents who were trying to do what's right by their kid, while making missteps along the way. You'll definitely be crying at the end of this short and sweet graphic novel.
I read this book for a book club. The way that it dealt with the intricacies and complicated nature of families, especially as women as providers for families was moving. It also had a way of making you empathize with all of the characters, even the annoying and problematic ones. It touched on so many topics like addiction, homophobia, lesbian relationships, religion, family, poverty, etc, which meant our book club conversations were very full. I LOVED this book!
My all time favorite children's book-The story telling and character development are fantastic! The book renewed my child-like wonder, offered lots of humorous moments and demonstrated how powerful friendships can be.
This book is perfect. It engages with timely topics while also sparking hope through the pursuit of friendship. The language was very clear and relatable while beautifully dealing with current issues like racism and the refugee crisis. I cannot recommend it highly enough!
The illustrations in this book are brilliant! There were several that reminded me of the imagery in the horror flick, "Get Out". The nuance in the language and illustrations perfectly depicts what it's like experiencing micro (and macro) aggression that come with being a black student in a community of well-meaning white liberals.
This book shows Collins' brilliance before she was known for "The Hunger Games". A perfect book for reluctant readers who love magic, action, adventure which includes themes of community and hope. The cliff hangers made it nearly impossible for my former students to put down!
For kids who think their parents are ridiculously over protective and adults who want their kids to realize sometimes parents really do understand. I loved spending time with these middle grade characters as the dealt with the chaos of vampires infiltrating their community. Think Buffy for kids!
I loved listening to Betty Gilpin describe her relationship to acting, relationship with her parents, and most importantly the relationship she learned to foster within herself. I laughed a little and cried a lot while thoroughly enjoying the interactions of all of the women in Betty Gilpin's brain!
I was not prepared for the spice level of this book but I loved every second of it, especially since it was centered on the pleasure of Isolde! It approached several delightful tropes through a thoroughly feminist lens: arranged marriage, enemy to lovers, vampires are deeper than you think! I could NOT put this book down.