Captain Jack's Woman (Bastion Club prequel)

Captain Jack's Woman by Stephanie Laurens is the prequel to her Bastion Club series.

Kathryn "Kit" Cranmer has spent the six years since her grandmother's death in London. She was under the impression that her grandfather had sent her away. In reality her aunts tricked her into going to London to find a husband with whom they could share her future inheritance. But now she is back at Cranmer Hall with her grandfather and determined never to get married.

Kit has always been a bit wild. Her grandparents raised her and let her get away with a lot. Since her return she has taken to dressing as a boy and sneaking her horse out at night to go riding. Soon she is the head of a small band of smugglers bringing in rum and lace, but a rival gang wants to absorb them into one large gang.

Captain Jack, the head of the larger gang, knows right away that Kit is a woman. But he thinks she is a illegitimate grandchild of Lord Cranmer - and therefore, fair game. Before he can find out the truth he crosses a line that will link himself to Kit for life.

Laurens is a prolific historical romance writer. Captain Jack's Woman is entertaining, sexy, and a great read while on the beach during a vacation.

Laurens, Stephanie. (1997). Captain Jack's Woman. New York: Avon.

Eon: Dragoneye Reborn (Eon #1)

Eon: Dragoneye Reborn by Alison Goodman is the first book in the Eon series.

Each new year as the twelve-year cycle of power changes to the next Dragon (based on the Chinese cycle of animal years) the ascendant Dragon chooses the next apprentice and the previous apprentice becomes a dragoneye. This is the way it has always been. The cycle turns with the exception of the Mirror Dragon year. The Mirror Dragon has been gone for 500 years.

This year is the year of the Rat Dragon. The chosen one will bind to the Rat Dragon and continue the cycle. Eon has been training for four years to be among the twelve 12-year-old boys to compete for the attention of the dragon. But Eon is neither 12 nor a boy. Eon is really Eona and if anyone finds out she and her master and his whole household will be put to death.

If Eon is not chosen her master will lose everything. If she is chosen she will have to keep her secret while becoming part of the ceremony and tradition that rules the land.

Goodman, Alison. (2008). Eon: Dragoneye Reborn. New York: Viking.

Debbie Harry Sings in French

Debbie Harry Sings in French by Meagan Brothers is a story of finding oneself.

Johnny has been taking care of his mother since his father died in a car accident. It seems like his mother has been drunk since that day. Now Johnny is following in her footsteps. When he ends up in the hospital his mother sends him to live with his uncle in South Carolina.

In SC he does not fit in. At first he thinks he is the only goth at school. Then he sees her - Maria. When they start talking about music they see that they have similar taste. When Johnny suggests that Debbie Harry of Blondie is the best, Maria decides to give her a try.

But Johnny doesn't just like Debbie's music. He thinks she is the coolest person ever. He wishes he could be cool and brave and beautiful. When Maria buys him a dress that looks just like Debbie's, Johnny thinks she has the wrong impression.

Johnny is not gay. In fact, he is totally in love with Maria. But once he tries it, he realizes he really likes to dress up like Debbie Harry.

Brothers explains the distinct line between sexuality and gender in this beautiful story of one young man who likes to wear dresses.

Brothers, Meagan. (2008). Debbie Harry Sings in French. New York: Henry Holt and Co.

Boy2Girl

Boy2Girl by Terence Blacker is a look at the idea of gender.

When Sam's mother dies he is taken to England to live with his aunt, uncle, and cousin. His cousin, Matthew, tries to be Sam's friend but finds him arrogant.

To try to put Sam in his place, plus get back at the group of girls who are their rivals, Matthew and his friends dare Sam to go to school dressed as a girl for the first week. But when Sam puts on a girl's uniform the transformation is a bit too real. Sam looks like a girl - not like a boy dressed as a girl.

When Sam gets to school he is taken in by the rival group of girls. He begins to take on the mannerisms and speech patterns of the girls. Does he like being a girl too much?

Once he has been accepted as a girl, how will he ever tell the truth?

Blacker, Terence. (2004). Boy2Girl. New York: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux.