i wanted to like this one so badly, but it just wasn't for me. but then again, i don't think i was the niche audience that this was written for. the discourse and narrative in this book was really interesting though.

I wanted to love this book and thought I was going to based on the description, but I just couldn’t connect to it. It felt like a slog to me and didn’t really live up to its description or potential, which was disappointing. It’s also one of those times that I wonder if I’m just not the right audience for the book though so I’m still giving it 3 stars because I don’t want to be unfair to the author.

When I read the synopsis of this book I really thought I was going to love it. Sad to see that it went the complete opposite way. Not only did I not like any of these characters (and trust me, I love being trapped in an unhinged mind) but the storyline just fell towards the end and didn't deliver for me personally. One of the topics that I was excited to read about was the conversation on how queer couples embody gender performance within their relationship. Also how we dictate our partners' yearnings and desires to benefit ourselves. I feel like it was all there but it was trying too too hard. I guess it all felt very discombobulated towards the middle and end of this.

Overall, I loved the conversation this book brought to the table and would love to explore more on this, I just didn't enjoy the delivery of it.

Thank You to Netgalley for allowing me to take a look at this book. :)

I was not a huge fan of this one. The story pulled me in at first but I was expecting something different. It's a very niche books and it definitely has its audience. But I think there was something waaaay too slow about it.

I was excited to start this book which felt very much like a queer book for queer readers, but I found the characters and storyline difficult to engage and unfortunately didn't mind myself enjoying it enough to continue.

I felt like the writing was a bit dense and unapproachable, but that kind of helped create a vibe for this very queer book of strange characters with big personalities. I loved the lesbian representation and the butch/femme dynamics at play. There isn't much plot to the book but the slice of life holiday weekend in the Hamptons was a wonderfully sexy strange read.

To start, this book is so unbelievably queer. I say that with all of the celebration in the world. As a queer woman, it's very thrilling to have a novel that feels like it belongs to the culture. There was also AMAZING (!!!!!!!) lesbian representation and showed the diversity even within the lesbian community. It's so fascinating to follow a main character who is absolutely absurd and delusional, but also so aware of it and present for her behavior. Also, it was just wonderfully weird and hilarious.

What an incredibly dense, impenetrable book DYKETTE is! it's weird, which I loved, and fully for the lesbians, of which I'm not. It's fun at first, and then shocking and cruel by the third act. I've never read a book quite like it - it's a vibe and a character study, not much plot but tons of ideas.

An unlikely group of couples gathers at a fancy Hamptons house during Christmas 2019. It's the home of a famous newscaster lesbian (I had a specific one in mind while reading). This couple, in their mid-forties, entertains two couples tangentially related and more than a decade or two younger.

I wanted more to happen, then a lot of somewhat uncomfortable and strange things happen, and then not much else comes from it. I was sometimes confused, but understood that perhaps this book was not for me. I enjoyed the ride though, and the exploration of sexuality and aesthetics, but will not become an all-time favorite.

I'm usually a big fan of messy, obnoxious, queer characters, but this one missed the mark for me. I think some trigger warnings would have been appropriate.

what the f**k did I just read?

I honestly would’ve DNFed this if it weren’t an ARC. man oh man I don't think I can hear the word “vagina” again without flinching.

if you've ever wanted to read a book where they eat each-others eye gunk, talk about forehead vaginas, and/or smoke a cigar out of their vagina…this may be the book for you.

"Dykette" by Jenny Fran Davis is a refreshingly candid and empowering coming-of-age novel that brilliantly captures the struggles and triumphs of a young queer protagonist.

The story follows the journey of a high school senior as she navigates her identity, friendships, and artistic passions in the face of societal expectations. Davis's writing style is witty, engaging, and filled with authentic teenage voices.

The exploration of LGBTQ+ themes is handled with sensitivity and honesty, making it relatable to readers of all backgrounds.

"Dykette" is a heartwarming and thought-provoking read that celebrates self-discovery and the power of embracing one's true self.

3.5

The title of this book had my hopes high and I think a certain group of people would very much enjoy this but unfortunately, I wasn’t one.

A trigger warning would have been respectful as well.

Thank you to Henry Holt & Company and NetGalley for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

I definitely enjoyed my time reading about these frivolous characters, but I found this book to drag on for a bit too long. I had some issues with the writing style since it was very scattered and nuanced which made it tortuous to follow at times. But overall, I loved the messiness and queer representation for femme/butch dynamics. I would recommend for anyone who loved watching the Ultimatum: Queer Love - I know I couldn't help but picture this book as a reality tv show.

2 stars- I'm not sure if this one was for me. thanks netgalley & the publisher for the ARC, in exchange for an honest review.

Honestly at a loss for words! I was unable to put this book down and enjoyed the writing style and the many MANY pop culture references and taking a deep dive into queer culture.

The instagram live part was pretty surprising and unsettling. I know many authors don’t use trigger warnings but I do think they are important for a graphic subject manner.

Super immersive, looking forward to what’s next from the author. 3 stars.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

This book will only appeal to a very specific niche group of people. I am in the niche so I did really love this. This book was gritty, sexy, and graphic and I absolutely ate it up. I can not state enough that I do feel like I am going to like this much more than a lot of my friends. I definitely can't recommend this to others. 4 stars!

Lots of potential; disappointing execution. There were so many things I liked: the premise, the writing style, the emotion. But it ultimately didn't do it for me. I'm not sure I was rooting for any of the characters, and not sure I really connected with any of them, which could be why. I do think there are readers for this book, I just am not sure I'm one of them.

I'm befuddled by this book. After reading it, reading other reviews and interviews with the author, and sleeping on it, I still don't know what to think. I guess that's a success in its own way. Dykette is definitely written for queer readers, but whereas some books like that are love letters to queer community, this one is more of a hate letter. But queers have the right to be as messy and obnoxious as straight literary writers, I guess?

This was such a complicated read for me! Dykette has a lot of things that I love and yet it still manages to fall flat. The characters were messy and complicated and it had all the potential to be fun, but their edges blurred together too much and I found myself getting confused about who was who. Clearly there's a parallel being drawn between certain characters and it's intentional, but it wasn't done with enough care for it to really show what the author was aiming for. Halfway through the book I still had to remind myself who Jesse and Jules were and what they each meant to Sasha, and that really left me wanting for characters that felt a little less nebulous and a little more solid. Parts of that worked really well--the hazy lines between being friends and being lovers really felt true to life in this! Overall though, I had a hard time connecting to any characters, and therefore had a difficult time keeping my attention on this book.

The writing is sharp and clever, and that was what kept me going through this book. Jenny Fran Davis does have a gift for creating tension, especially in the pivotal scenes at the climax of this book. My attention was absolutely held then, and though that whole performance scene was a difficult read, I couldn't look away. The last third of this book is far and away the strongest part, and that's what redeemed the slog of the early sections for me.

It's hard to say who to recommend this to. Do you love messy lesbian drama, meandering character studies, and some kinky nonsense between semi-friends? Maybe this one's for you!

Thanks to NetGalley for providing a copy for review!

I had virtually no idea what was actually going on for most of this book but I still enjoyed it. I really liked the narrative voice. This book felt like something I would've been asked to read in my queer studies class, in the way that it was equally confusing and enjoyable.