Book of the Month: Playing Bi The Rules
- Victor Castillo
- 2 days ago
- 5 min read
There’s something about June that invites us to slow down, soak up the sunlight, and get lost in stories that feel just a little more alive. It’s the start of summer, the heart of Pride Month, and the perfect time to explore books that celebrate identity, possibility, and the many ways love can unfold.
This month, we’re leaning into stories that ask what if? What if you chose differently? What if your life could branch into something entirely new? What if love didn’t have to fit into just one box? And our June Book of the Month takes us into a story that captures all of that and more. A story that feels as expansive and full of possibility as summer itself.
Whether you’re reading by the pool, curled up in the AC, or stealing chapters between busy days, this is a book that invites you to imagine every version of yourself—and reminds you that none of them are wrong.
Bisexual
June is a time that naturally invites reflection, celebration, and a deeper look at the stories that shape how we see ourselves and the world around us. As Pride Month unfolds, it creates space not only for visibility, but for understanding, for nuance, and for the kinds of conversations that continue long after the month is over.
This month, we are centering our reading around bisexuality.
Bisexuality is often spoken about in ways that feel incomplete. It is sometimes misunderstood, sometimes overlooked, and sometimes simplified into something it is not. But in reality, bisexuality holds an incredible depth. It exists across a wide spectrum of experiences and emotions, shaped by personal identity, attraction, connection, and self-discovery. It does not need to be explained in order to be valid, and it certainly does not need to fit into a single definition to be real.
Books give us the opportunity to step into lives that may feel familiar or entirely new. They allow us to sit with characters as they question, grow, fall in love, make mistakes, and figure out who they are on their own terms. When bisexual characters are written with care, their stories move beyond representation and into something more lasting. They offer recognition. They remind readers that identity can be fluid, that attraction does not have to be confined, and that there is no single way to experience love.
At the heart of it all is a simple idea. Everyone deserves to see themselves in the stories they read. Everyone deserves narratives that reflect the full scope of who they are, without being reduced or rewritten. That is what we are celebrating this month.
Queen Bee's Pick
Bi the Queen Bee's decree our Busy Bee Book Club June Book of the Month is Going Bicoastal by Dahlia Adler!
Natalya Fox has twenty-four hours to make the biggest choice of her stay home in NYC for the summer with her dad (and finally screw up the courage to talk to the girl she's been crushing on), or spend it with her basically estranged mom in LA (knowing this is the best chance she has to fix their relationship, if she even wants to.) How's a girl supposed to choose? She can't, and so both summers play out in alternating timelines - one in which Natalya explores the city, tries to repair things with her mom, works on figuring out her future, and goes for the girl she's always wanted. And a second in which Natalya does it all, and goes for the guy she never saw coming. |  |
At the center of the story is Natalya Fox, who is faced with a choice that feels both simple and impossible. She has one summer and two very different paths in front of her. One keeps her in New York City with her dad, where she might finally find the courage to talk to the girl she has been quietly falling for. The other takes her to Los Angeles to spend time with her estranged mother, offering a chance to repair a relationship that has never quite been whole, and unexpectedly opening the door to a connection she never saw coming.
Through alternating timelines, we get to follow two versions of Natalya’s summer as they play out side by side. In each version, she is still herself, still searching, still trying to figure out what she wants and who she is becoming. But the paths she takes shape her experiences, her relationships, and the way she understands love in completely different ways.
What makes this story stand out is how naturally it embraces fluidity. It does not treat identity as something that needs to be boxed in or explained away. Instead, it allows space for exploration, for uncertainty, and for growth. The result is a story that feels honest and deeply human, especially for anyone who has ever wondered how different their life might look if they had chosen another path.
Content & Trigger Disclaimer: This book may contain sensitive material. Reader discretion is advised. Please use your judgment and conduct further research if you have specific concerns. |
Bee-hind the Page
Our June selection, Going Bicoastal, comes from the brilliant and deeply beloved Dahlia Adler, an author known for writing contemporary young adult stories that feel as genuine as they are engaging.
Dahlia Adler has built a reputation for crafting narratives that center identity, relationships, and the quiet but powerful moments of self-discovery that shape who we become. Her writing often explores themes of love in its many forms, with a particular focus on LGBTQ+ characters whose stories are allowed to unfold with honesty, nuance, and care.
What makes her work stand out is the balance she strikes between emotional depth and readability. Her stories feel approachable and warm, while still digging into the kinds of questions that linger long after the final chapter. She has a way of writing characters who feel real, flawed, and fully human, which makes it easy to see pieces of ourselves reflected in them.
With Going Bicoastal, Adler leans into a concept that feels both playful and profound. By exploring two parallel versions of one summer, she creates space for readers to consider how identity, relationships, and choices can evolve in different directions. It is a structure that feels especially fitting for a story centered around fluidity, possibility, and the idea that there is no single “correct” path forward.
Connect with the Author
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The BBBC was born to create a book community for people with busy personal and professional lives still seeking that bookish connection with fellow bookworms. Each month, we explore a new author's work, share our reading list based on the month's genre, and share our love for literature. Don't miss out on the opportunity to connect with fellow book lovers and deepen your reading experience. Join us today and be part of the hive!
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