with Intense Feelings
Recommendations
by Adil Boughlala and Jonathan Zackor
J OY They Both Die at the End, Adam Silvera Content warning: (mentions of) death
The title says it all - Mateo and Rufus, two strangers, are confronted with the worst news they could hear: they will both die within 24 hours, at the end of the story. I can already hear you thinking “If they both die at the end, what’s the use of reading it? And why is it labelled as joy?”. Well, the beauty of this book lies not in looking back on your life, nor in worrying about death, but in living whatever you have left completely to the fullest. The story is set in a future where Death-Cast tells you when you will die. Through another app, Last Friend, Mateo and Rufus meet each other and from there on, a love story like no other develops. What would you do in your last 24 hours? Find love, look back on your past mistakes, or make peace with your death and spend your final day with friends and family? For Mateo and Rufus, it is to go on an adventure and live a lifetime in a single day. There should be no regrets. This wonderful book that follows an LGBTQIA+ love story is but one of Adam Silvera’s many wonderful books. Now, spoiler alert, you will need tissues for this book!
Heux Tales, Jazmine Sullivan Content warning: explicit language
I N T I M AC Y & S E L F- L OV E
Jazmine kicked off 2021 with her EP Heux Tales (heux = French for happy, but also a wordplay on “ho”), which, to me, is an album that will be remembered for quite some time in the R&B scene. The album is very personal and, in my opinion, her best, as it follows themes of intimacy, love and change (for women). However, what makes this EP special is the alternation between songs and interludes, or, spoken word pieces. These interludes are titled as someone’s tale ([Name]’s Tale) and embody several women’s insights into love and sex. Sullivan not only creates a space for this conversation, in which women can love themselves, she also makes room for dialogue about the male ego and feminine sexuality. Heaux Tales goes from up-beat pop songs (“Pick Up Your Feelings”), to more intimate and slow songs (“On It” ft. Ari Lennox and “Girl Like Me” ft. H.E.R. – both very great R&B artists!), to hip-hop (“Price Tags” ft. Anderson.Paak). Be sure to check out the album and some of Sullivan’s other songs (“Bust Your Windows” is one of my all-time favourites).
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