While this is the sequel to A Boy at the Edge of the World, it can easily be a stand alone novel. Not only was this book an entertaining read, it’s refreshing in addressing issues LBGTQ+ teens may face as compared to their “straight” contemporaries.

First, read this:
"{David's mother} is pretty Catholic. I think it's turn the woman's life upside-down if she ever found out one kid was gay and the other one trans." {says Daniel}

Nadia sat straight-backed, observing the sailboats slipping past, chaperoned by raucous gulls. Her thin nostrils flared.

"'I am made and remade continually,' she said. 'Different people draw different words from me.'"

When I glanced at her, she said: "Virginia Woolf."

Apposite, no? Here's a well-read and deeply cultured person responding to a friend's revelation of the crisis affecting the other side of his family...his husband's family, in other words...with a pointer to the author of Orlando: A Biography, a famously trans-affirming novel, and a person of Sapphic preferences despite a long and loving marriage to a man.

I did not know this was a sequel when I requested it; I found that it made very little difference in my pleasure of reading it. The delights of family sagas complete with infidelity, deep love, family mishegas, and blending your life with another person's are not reserved to straight people. Anyone who read and enjoyed Tales of the City or The Cazalet Chronicles will find themselves in deeply satisfying, familiar territory with an able guide.

I was not aware this was a sequel when I began reading this, but I’m glad I kept going. There are so many wonderful characters in this book, so vividly written. I liked that was more short-story like, it kept me very interested. I will definitely keep an eye out for the first book.

This book was definitely interesting. I am not sure that it is the perfect book for me, but I think that in the hands of the right person, this story would really resonate. I like the writing and I also really like the cover.

Tales from the Bottom of My Sole
Book Review | 📚📚📚📚 4/5
David Kingston Yeh | Guernica Editions

Tales from the Bottom of My Sole is the second book I read by David Kingston Yeh. I really enjoyed his first book, A Boy at the Edge (read my review here). What I liked most about the first book, was also experienced in Yeh’s new book – he tells the stories of people without judgement. Even those that should be judged for their behavior are positive characters with redeeming qualities. In Tales from the Bottom of My Sole, I especially liked how he not only continued to include people’s diversity as incidental, but that the group of friends have so many different personalities and lifestyles and everyone is treated humane.

This is a fun book that has lots of humor and awkward moments. The relationships are key, both the blood relationships, the dating relationships, and the friendships, new and old. I really enjoyed reading this book having read some heavy books just before. Also like the first book, TFBMS makes lots of references to Canada and Canadian culture. It is refreshing not to have everything in a US perspective and, frankly, I enjoyed learning about Toronto.

While fiction is just that, I have a suspicion that if I were in Toronto and looked up author David Kingston Yeh, he might very likely channel his inner Daniel and show me around with all the hospitality and willingness to help out a friend (new or old) as his protagonist.

There are just a couple of comments about this book itself that I questioned. First, this reads as a collection of short stories and I really think that this could have been fleshed out into a much more cohesive novel. All of the storyline elements were there. It just seemed to jump around and not always connect or reference previous chapters. Also, I am confused why the book would be titled in reference to the protagonist’s ex-boyfriend’s artistic show. There’s not much reference to the show or the title and it, frankly, doesn’t seem to have much to do with Daniel or the story (stories). Unless, I missed something….

DISCLAIMER: I received an ARC through NetGalley.com, but had planned to read this book since I enjoyed Yeah’s first book so much.

MY BLOG: Read my other reviews about books, music, films, etc., at my blog, TuggleGrassReviews or https://tugglegrassblues.wordpress.com/

TAGS: #TuggleGrassReviews #David Kingston Yeh

C/W: Mentions of abortions, mentions of miscarriage, dead-naming of a trans character, mentioned drug use, mentions of homophobia and transphobia

"Tales from the Bottom on My Sole" is incredibly personal, yet casual and encompasses the messiness and structure of someone in their twenties with such ease. It was as if I was watching these events happen in my own friendship groups and we were just catching up on it.

The structure of this story is unapologetically and frighteningly human. It uses the multi-cultural setting of Toronto contrasted with the small town of Sudbury with incredible ease. The cast of characters are delightful and there was so much respect with the way multiple storylines were dealt with.

While I felt like this story had a really slow start and a massive amount of characters, the investment is one that easily pays off by the end of the first part, especially as the reader gains an understanding of the relationships highlighted by David. This book is aware, present and tries for a moment to show the reader that life will never fail to surprise, hurt but love just as hard.

Thank you to NetGalley and Geurnica Editions Inc for allowing me to read an e-arc of "The Tales from the Bottom of My Soul"

Thanks to Guernica and NetGalley for a Reader's Copy!

Now available.

Daniel and David seem like a match made in heaven - a couple of young Toronto urbanites with both passion and vulnerability. Yet life is hardly ever that simple. As David Yeh chronicles in Tales from the Bottom of My Sole, life has a way of bringing out characters from your past. Whether it is Daniel's old boyfriend Marcus or dealing with David's conservative Italian family, Tales from the Bottom of My Sole show how much work and dedication is needed to make a modern relationship work. A fun, relaxing read.

This is the sequel to A Boy at the Edge of the World, which I have not read. The author captures the struggles of dating in your teens when you are gay. The realistic portrayal of loneliness and insecurity can help many young people experiencing these feelings. I am going to go back and read the other book now.

A fun filled continuation of the story of Daniel and David as they grow into their lives together.  The adventure begins when David's older sister appears on their doorstep as Luke, a trans man. David's mother and sister are estranged and neither have shared with her about their sexual orientation so David, spending the summer with her in Sicily will prove interesting, especially when Luke makes an appearance. Daniel has his own drama back in Toronto with his brothers and their relationships.


Their relationship is tested when David returns and they not only explore the idea of opening their relationship and the revelation of an indiscretion that occurred during the summer, brings up issues of trust.  Through this and with the support of his friends Daniel learns more about himself and human nature and becomes stronger for it and in his relationship with David.

With this being the sequel to A Boy At The Edge Of The World I was so excited to see that it had come to be. With They day Danie being able to accept and discover his sexuality. only to come to terms with the little knowledge he has of his boyfriend starting the new adventure also as his sister comes back as a trans man throwing their world into a tail spin.

Daniel narrates the story and introduces us to an array of characters that stay with us long after we close the covers. David and Daniel are a gay couple whose lives are interrupted by the appearance of Luke (who was David’s sister), a transman who throws the couple’s lives into a hurricane. David goes to a family reunion in Sicily and while he is there, Daniel’s ex, Marcus, plans the world-premiere of his one-man show. Is trouble coming? (You will have to read the book to find out). I simply state this to make you curious.

I have never read a character so well-developed as the ex-boyfriend. He is the classic definition of that toxic man we all date when we don’t know who we are but cant seem to let go of until we heal. In both of David’s novels, this character had me more triggered than any other character. I could feel my anxiety level climb while reading and nearly wanted to yell at David to get away from him when he would come back into the story!

David’s bold addressing of numerous issues that are prevalent in the LGBT is commendable. This story addresses that prejudices and assumptions are not magically erased upon one’s coming out. It recognizes that it is confusing and that education is needed within the LGBTQIA community.

Over all it is an amazing book to pick up and read and would Definitely recommend to anyone to read.

This sequel to A BOY AT THE EDGE OF THE WORLD is just as gloriously delightful and brimming with the essence of life as the first in this series. Though it can totally be read as a standalone, the magic of meeting up with the crew from BOY and hearing the characters discuss their memories of things that happened in that first book --is beyond!

Once again I am in awe of David Kingston Yeh's writing. The world-building, the storytelling and depth of each and every character is so vivid and rich as we are taken on this journey of nights out and relaxed afternoons. We are quietly handed jewels of the family histories and legacies behind characters we'd never know so intimately in any other book. What would be side-characters in any other novel form part of the essential cast of TALES FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY SOLE. Beyond the characters' own stories, the author has their conversations place so many real-life moments of feminism, revolution, liberation, queer theory and queer history in here--quirky, silly, inspiring, empowering, just-so-damn-interesting stories contained within the narrative. TALES is a novel that unwraps itself so many times over the more you think about each scene.

In TALES, we spend a lot of time around David's family: his brother lives with Daniel in their apartment for a while, in Italy where there's an extended family reunion taking place, in discoveries of the unspoken secrets between all of them. We even have chapters told from David's mother's perspective. The unfolding of David's brother coming back into his life, and the level of authenticity that's felt from every side is astonishing, and comforting. There is one accidental instance of deadnaming, and it's not in his presence, but outside of that I felt the story to be told with sensitivity and unflinching patience and openness. The struggles we see of David coming to terms with meeting Luke are not related to his gender, but around the power dynamics of when secrets are shared and how much information is held back. Each character (again, even the seemingly-small-parts) plays a pivotal role in embracing Luke in this casual but intentional way. I really enjoyed and appreciated it.

The story invites us in to the intricacies and antagonism that can tangle between siblings when they've gone through so much change apart from each other. --and we witness the same struggles in the way Daniel is confronted by his exes and the echoes of those endings.

As always, and I know it is the intention of the author, TALES is filled with queer joy and queer sex and conversations about all of it spoken freely. I loved reading Daniel's ever-present, almost incidental sexual thoughts and fantasies even in the most random moments!

I've discovered that I've outgrown love stories where the characters walk in and out of eachother's lives at will, regardless of whether it's in response to betrayal or hurt or misunderstandings. The love between David and Daniel, the ups and downs and time apart and together in TALES felt so tangible throughout.-- I didn't want it to slip through my hands, and I also didn't think it ever would, but as life continued and bloomed around them and between them, I held on hard in case. --Which kind of reminds me of how David and Daniel seem to see each other in this book. It is truly something special to know that their relationship is as sacred to the author as it is my wish to be. It makes the ride feel so much easier, allowing me to enjoy every detail we are handed about this messy, magnificent world of Daniel Garneau.

Once again, Daniel's story made me long to visit Toronto. As with BOY, at the end of this book I felt like I'd really truly LIVED, but also that I couldn't wait to go out and find a collective of queer kids and found family and their extended family, to embrace and engage with the eccentricities out there in the world, in my city and in Daniel's! Being so full with that feeling as the wave of reality hit: That we are living in a pandemic. There are no crowded bars, no restaurants spilling over intro sidewalks, no cafes to go for tea, no spontaneously meeting a kindred spirit, not even an obnoxious one who somehow intrigues you --was such a strange, heavy heartache. I went from a moment of being so overcome by emotion with longing for a life as full and radiant and ever-changing as Daniel and David's, to a longer moment in the quiet calm of not knowing what to do with this feeling.

I could not recommend this book enough. I read it again immediately after finishing it, and you will want to do the same. It's precious and powerful and I could not put it down.

Content warnings: the one instance of deadnmaing mentioned above, a miscarriage.

Thank you NetGalley and Guernica Editions Inc for the digital ARC of this book!

Tales from the Bottom of My Sole is David Kingston Yeh's follow up to Boy At the Edge of the World. The story follows Daniel as he navigates adulthood and the nuances that come with being gay and in a relationship.

This book felt more like a collection of stories, as opposed to one cohesive book. It doesn't follow the pattern of conflict, climax, resolution. Not that this detracts from the story.

David and his boyfriend Daniel are three years into their relationship, so we see all the benefits and pitfalls of this. We see them try to avoid things getting boring, trying to make 'monogamish' work, and avoiding jealously. David has a whole queer cast of friends, and I especially appreciated the inclusion of an ace character.

I think Yeh also really captured the frustration we can sometimes have with family as well. We love them, but having to worry over them and take care of them can be taxing. The stress of life is hard to deal with, and Yeh did a great job capturing how David deals with the different factors.

Overall I think this was a good read. There were a few times when I felt like there was an information dump I didn't really care about (a lot of things about Italy in here that didn't really add much to the story), but overall an interesting story with a likeable cast.

This was not the book for me. For some reason, I didn't really connect with David Kingston Yeh's writing style. I felt really disconnected from the characters, almost as though I was reading it at a distance.

David and Daniel, the main characters, read as a little flat for me, and even at a quarter of the way through the book, I still found that I wasn't all that invested in them or their relationship.

I did enjoy the diverse and creative set of supporting characters in the story.

Following A Boy at the Edge of the World, in which a young man named Daniel comes to terms with his own sexuality and the lifestyles of others, we are gifted with the continuation of Daniel’s story with his boyfriend David and the myriad of people that encompass their world. Tales from the Bottom shows that upon aspects of ourselves change and evolve over time and is a refreshing lesson for those coming into their own adulthood or those needing a reminder of this. The eclectic crew assembled into this novel each have their own struggles that exemplify that adults do not have it all together and that it is okay for that to happen.
Yeh’s bold addressing of numerous issues that are prevalent in the LGBT is commendable. This story addresses that prejudices and assumptions are not magically erased upon one’s coming out. It recognizes that it is confusing and that education is needed within the LGBTQIA community.
The author is able to put years of events within in under 400 pages and is successful in doing so for the most part. There were moments when I found myself confused about what was happening as the novel moves very quickly, an aspect that took away from the author’s previous novel. Instances in which characters from the previous book make appearances require anyone who reads this book to ensure they are familiar with all the characters from A Boy at the Edge of the World.
I found the book compelling as the author’s tying of only some loose ends adds to the overall message of the book. Daniel’s story is not over because Daniel is very much alive in his own world. The living cannot have their “The End”. There is growth and learning that needs to happen. By not having a clear end for Daniel and David, Yeh is allowing them to grow and for us to have the chance to see Daniel again in the future.

This reminded me of the book I read earlier in the year called Memorial by Bryan Washington. It was kind of the same idea and story verbatim. Not impressed and I wanted to like this more than I did. This got 2 stars because I liked the two main characters, but it was disappointing and cannot recommend it. It was also brief, thank you Jesus on that (200 pages).

Thanks to Netgalley, David Kensington Yeh and Guernica Editions Inc for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Available: 10/1/20

Tales from the Bottom of My Sole is a jubilant celebration of life. It's about love and family that transcend traditional views of acceptance. This is easily at the top of my best books of the year; most enjoyable and best written.

David Kingston Yeh first introduced us to the fascinating world of Daniel and David in A Boy at the Edge of the World, two years ago. I remember how enamored I became with Yeh's writing. Tales from the Bottom of My Sole is so much more. Though you really don't need to have read the first book to understand and enjoy this one, I highly recommend it. The story-telling is perfection.

David Kingston Yeh has the amazing ability to make dialogue so fluid and natural, that the voices explode off the page. Equally fluid is the way he tells the story, with perfectly blended flashbacks that have heightened importance in the moment. I wish more authors had this ability. Here, Yeh's prose completely takes you away from the (your) present, and launches you on a journey that feels classic and romantic, yet perfectly contemporary. A stunning feat on its own.

Told primarily from Daniel's point of view, the copious amounts of dialogue bring every character to life in vivid detail. It feels as if the characters propel the story with Yeh's vision as merely the architect. Each and every one have their say. The colorful, extraordinary characters and storyline all feel perfectly natural, in spite of some fantastical moments. I loved every minute of it.

Nothing about this book feels like a 'series book', unless you might want to compare it possibly to something like Maupin's, Tales of the City. This book is perfect on its own. Still, I can't help but to hope that Yeh brings us back to this world again and again with future stories. I will be the first in line to read them.

I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I did not know that this book was a sequel when I picked it up. I was intrigued by the cover and the synopsis, and I'm glad that I did not let the fact that I hadn't read the first book deter me from this.

This book features some of the best characters I've ever had the joy in meeting. The main characters, David and Daniel, are an established gay couple - something that you see too rarely in media. They are surrounded by colorful characters that stand out on the page - from David's brother Luke and his girlfriend Ai Chang to Daniel's ex-boyfriend Marcus and friends Parker, Nadia, and Karen. Every character adds a splash of color to the story and every character is just so unique that they leave an impression, even if they are seen only briefly.

The novel itself feels like connected short stories spanning several years. They are snapshots into David and Daniel's lives as seen through the eyes of Daniel Gernau. The world these characters exist in is vibrant and artistic and inviting in its warmth. The language of the book pulls you in. I fell asleep in a hotel in Dallas with this book open because I simply could not put it down despite my own exhaustion.

I will be finding the first book, reading more about Daniel and David and how they came to be the couple I met in this book. David Kingston Yeh has found a fan for life with this one endeavor and I cannot wait to read more.

Tales from the Bottom of my sole by David Kingston Yeh is the sequel to the author’s first novel, A Boy at the Edge of the World, a fact I didn’t know going into the novel, but I’m not sure it detracted from my reading experience because the characters already had such depth in the novel and I could fall right into the story and the characters day-to-day lives.

This book follows the lives of Daniel, his boyfriend David, and their surrounding group of friends and family. I find this book hard to give a synopsis of, as it is not plot-driven, but we follow the various events and conversations David has living in Toronto. We follow the small dramas of family reunions, couples exploration into sex and intimacy, investigations into sexuality – as a side note, as well as the main characters being gay, David’s brother is a trans man and Daniel’s close friend is asexual, and these characters are given space to speak about their experiences. Identities shift and are made and remade in the novel.

My favourite books always tend to be quiet books, with low stakes and high investment in character studies, and this was no exception. I liked reading Daniel’s introspection; I liked getting to just exist with the characters in both mundane moments and moments of high emotional intensity. It was beautiful to experience how the many strands of our friends and loved one’s lives weaved with Daniel’s own; this type of episodic storytelling reminds us we are all connected, that we never just exist in our own minds, but we live on in the mind and stories of others.

Overall, this is a novel about reconciliation, acceptance, and the small wonders of human connection. I gave this book 4 stars.

#TalesfromtheBottomofMySole #NetGalley

2.5/5

This one for me was nothing more than an average book at best. However the writing style kept me going with this novel. The story itself fell flat, with one too many scenes that in my opinion weren't needed. Most of the times the scenes dragged on, making it harder to fall in love with the characters, which in my case, I couldn't feel for our main characters like I should have.

Overall not a bad book, but for me it just didn't work. For some people this will be there favorite, and I will recommend when this novel comes out