Wow! I was highly anticipating this after loving Scarborough. Crosshairs met my expectations for sure. The prose was just so good and it's definitely a book i think that everyone should read. Can't wait to read what Catherine Hernandez writes next!

I read this all too real dystopian novel two years ago, and I can still see the book in my mind. The injustices in this work is not too far from what many minority groups are experiencing today. I am reminded of the quote "for some their reality is dystopian". I'm enthralled by Hernandez's book, and frighten for it's depiction of a future such as this. The resilience of the characters and the beautiful stories that entwine the different experiences living in this world ruled by white supremacist ideologies was truly a great read.

A dystopian world set in the near future that feels all too real. I enjoyed the story being told in two timelines and the story of Kay. Thank you to the publishers for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review.

"We aren't white boys who can take off the gay like a coat, hang it up in a closet, then lock ourselves in that closet. People like us didn't have a choice. You can't take off the skin. You can't take off the femme."

Crosshairs is the dystopian novel set in Canada you never knew you needed. There's a fascist regime operated by a paramilitary group called The Boots. People of color, disabled people, and the LGBTQ+ community have been put in concentration camps. This is called the Renovation. Anyone that isn’t straight and white is called an “Other”. We follow a Black and Filipino ex-drag queen in hiding named Kay. The story flips back and forth between before the Renovation and After the Renovation effortlessly.

Kay is writing a letter in his head to his lover Evan who he got separated from once the Renovation began. His backstory really makes us feel connected to him and want him to succeed.

This story is....raw Most things that happen in this book are eerily familiar to present times. This is truly one of the best dystopian novels I’ve read in a long time. It’s super fast-paced and I actually wish it were longer. I wanted to know how everything would end but I didn’t want it to actually end.

Do you call yourself an ally? This book explores what being an ally REALLY looks like. It's not pretty, it's not easy and it is constant work. We got to actually see the process of people unpacking their privilege.

The friendships forged here are also part of the secret sauce. All of these people getting together to rise up against the oppressors from all different backgrounds is honestly what I needed to read right now. This book gave me hope for a better tomorrow.

Definitely pick this one up!

Unfortunately, I could not get into this book. As appreciative I was to have been given an opportunity to read this book I could not get into it the way I hoped.

This was such a beautiful and heartbreaking story. Set in the near future where the government begins rounding up anyone considered an "other," POCs, members of the LGBTQ community, and the disabled and sending them to labor camps. The story follows a man named Kay who has a traumatic past, but found his passion in performing drag before having to go on the run.
We learn about his distant past growing up and his more recent past with the love of his life and friends, all while he's trying not to get caught by the government in the present. It makes for a story that has you on the edge of your seat while grabbing for the nearest box of tissues. I know this is a story that will stick with me for a long time to come.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Atria for the opportunity to read this incredible book.

I'm currently clearing out all of the books that were published in 2019-20 from my title feedback view!

This dystopian world reminds me so much of The Handmaid's Tale in the sense that it doesn't feel far off--which makes this story a hundred times more poignant and terrifying. It's a beautiful glimpse into what makes queer communities so worth the sacrifice, and I connected to every character in a painful way. That said, some of the homophobia was almost too much for me to stomach, which makes it hard for me to say that this is a new favorite simply due to the fact that it was hard to push through. It's a great read for anyone that feels like they're in the headspace to read something like this. Just be fully prepared to work through the explorations of racism and homophobia, especially if you're in a tough place!

This book was a lot to digest and it took me months to process to a point where I felt like I could speak on it with any of the passion it deserves. I still don’t feel fully in that place and have already planned to re-read this beautiful (and sometimes terrifying) book to absorb more than I could the first time I dove into these pages.

Hernandez has crafted a unique story with a vibrant cast of characters that will stay with me for years to come. This book is a journey that sweeps you away and there are moments that will steal your breath away and break your heart but also moments that will lift you up and fit the pieces of your heart back together. I wish I could say more but this book truly does need to be read to be experienced. I may have more to say after I re-read but I hope that this book makes it’s way to bookshelves everywhere.

One thing I do want to mention- I have seen many reviewers speak of this book in context to the political climate in the US and the dreaded “what if”. As a Canadian I want to ask my country folxs to pause in this kind of thinking and examine what in your own bias causes you to remove the story to beyond our borders to make it “believable”. This book is set in Canada for a reason. Systemic injustice exists in Canada and by denying it we let it fester and thrive. Especially as we pass our first national day for Truth and Reconciliation it is important for us to own our past, present, and future and use this truth in inspire and propel us to do better.

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria for my e-copy to review.

My Review: I’m Conflicted

Rep: LGBTQIA+, POC, Indigenous peoples, disability

TW: violence, systemic oppression against all marginalized groups, labor camps, use of derogatory terms, forced sterilization (not on page), pedophilia, deadnaming

As you might have noticed, there are a LOT of trigger warnings with this book. If you are looking for an easy read, then this is not for you. Crosshairs deals with very difficult content that purposely makes the reader uncomfortable.

I think that this novel does a lot of good things in that it forces the reader to see social issues from a different perspective. However, it gets quite heavy-handed, losing all sense of plot and letting the themes supersede.

The Pros: What Worked For Me

Even though the reader gets to read about various experiences, I like that the author chose to stick to one person as the narrator. It helped ground the story, which is very complex.
I absolutely loved reading about Kay’s exploration into the drag scene and becoming a queen. As a fan of all things drag, it was a lovely touch to read about!
There was a very important point made about intersectionality that I wholeheartedly support. In this novel, queer white characters had a level of protection unavailable to queer people of colour. This disparity is something I have seen in real life and it was really powerful to see it addressed in this novel and brought to the forefront.
There was a strong focus on allyship that I really appreciated. Often, people talk about how allyship is done wrong but it is rare to see people talking about how allyship can be done right. While it was heavy-handed, it was important enough that I could overlook it.
The story is set in Toronto, which is my hometown. I’m always partial to a story that takes place in Canada, especially since most novels prefer our southern neighbour to us. I think that the choice was actually very smart because it shows that just because Canadians have a reputation for being “nice” and “polite” doesn’t mean that atrocities against marginalized people can’t happen here.

The Cons: What I Didn’t Like

In the story’s attempts to discuss the various themes, the plot was lost. Around 70% into the story, the plot just derailed and became overly dramatic.
There were times when the characters would burst into monologues to get their point across. This really pulled me out of the story and (I’m sorry to say) made me cringe. In trying to press the importance of the message, it ended up having the opposite effect.
The ending was far too dramatic and unrealistic. Things happened way too easily and it felt like the author had forgotten to write an ending and so, had frantically put something together.

I really wanted to love this story. And I still think that it is an important book to promote. However, the ending of the story really ruined the experience due to its unrealistic nature. For those reasons, I can’t give it higher than 3/5 stars.

This book is phenomenal. I was in the mood for something unique, a premise I hadn't read before, and Crosshairs delivered that along with so much more.

The meaning behind this story is clear. When allies and white people sit in complacency, evil is allowed to flourish. The story was so perfectly crafted moving back and forth in time to slowly unravel the breakdown of society to the reader. There were moments that were incredibly hard to read, pain and cruelty that sparked off the page, however there were also beautiful moments of tenderness and inner strength.

I loved the characters, I loved the writing, and most of all I was deeply effected by the undercurrent of the story. I feel like this book has helped me learn how to be a better ally, and caused me to think deeply about Canada and the way we use our voices and places of privilege in this country.

This was a very difficult book to read, it was uncomfortable and terrifying but such a powerful, important story.

I’m not going to summarize the book because you’ve probably already read the description. So I’ll just start with what I liked about it.

Besides the big themes of racism, homophobia, transphobia, xenophobia, ableism, ageism, and basically the oppression of nearly every marginalized group, there were a few topics that aren’t as often addressed so clearly in works of this nature. 1. Intersectionality! Even among Others, some people have safety nets that not all Others have. For example, queer white people can pretend to be straight. Black and brown people cannot pretend to be white. And the more marginalized groups you belong to (queer, trans, Black, brown, female, elderly, disabled) the harder things can be. 2. Ally-ship! There is a lot of discussion about what it takes to be a true ally, to work to unlearn the prejudice you were born being taught every single day, to take real action, make real stands, and to not make it about yourself and not expect praise for doing the right thing. 3. I live in the US and there is this idea a lot of people here have that Canada is a utopia of politeness, a safe haven. When bad things happen here people will say “If x, y, z happens, I’m moving to Canada!” So I really appreciated how this book broke down the idea that “these kinds of things don’t happen in Canada” is false. Prejudice exists everywhere.

This was a slow burn and it did take me a while to really get sucked in but then I couldn’t put it down. I loved the voice of Queen Kay, I loved every interaction with every other character on his journey, even the horrible ones, because the characters were just so well-written. I would definitely recommend.

Thank you NetGalley, author and publisher for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley and Atria Books for the free advance copy of Crosshairs by Catherine Hernandez. All opinions are my own.

Wow, this book is a wild ride! I spent half of this dystopian novel thinking how unimaginable it is and the other half thinking that it feels way too real. Set in the near-future, climate change and flooding wreak enough havoc to give authoritarian leaders the opportunity to swoop in and detain BIPOC, disabled, and queer folks in labor camps. Crosshairs tells the story of Kay, a Black drag queen, across two timelines: before the new regime comes into power and as he becomes central to the revolution.

I really enjoyed Kay’s story pre-regime and loved to read about his journey and life in the world of drag. I loved how the author explored the intersection of race and queerness in a way that fit so well in the story. Also, I really appreciated the exploration of identity. Honestly this book should be a must-read for white, cis, able-bodied folks. It definitely caused discomfort but in a good way - forcing me to examine my privilege and come to terms with my actions or lack thereof.

Crosshairs is a powerful, highly relevant, gut-punch of a book. It's technically a "dystopian", but a lot of the subjects it tackles feel uncomfortably contemporary. Crosshairs is particularly powerful because it explores how social injustices disproportionately impact marginalized communities, in this case BIPOC LGBTQ2S+ folks.

CW: homophobia, anti-trans discrimination, racism, slurs, death, murder, gun death, lynching, pedophilia (explicit), sexual assault, rape (mentioned), forced labor

Crosshairs by Catherine Hernandez is a dystopian novel set in a future that doesn’t feel as far off as you’d imagine. The Canadian government is classifying citizens as “Others” and putting them in labor camps, dehumanizing, murdering and enslaving them. The communities most effected are BIPOC, disabled, and LGBTQ2S+. This book was in really excellent hands with Catherine Hernandez, who well honored her characters’ stories and the Indigenous people of the land. The story itself is pretty dark and full of trauma, but also includes some hope and light. It points to a problem that’s very real today, and a call to action that makes the reader reflect. Are we each doing enough?

This book will always be appropriate to read, but had me thinking a lot about what’s happening today. Particularly in the US with so many anti-trans bills being voted on across the country. It’s all absolutely disgusting, but there are things we can do to educate ourselves, email/call legislatures, donate, and just generally be good allies. A great resource to start is found at FreedomForAllAmericans.org, a legislative tracker for all the LGBTQIA related legislation from across the country.

I've been trying to adequately put my thoughts on this book together for days now. I've started typing out different reviews, but none felt like enough. It also isn't my place to centre myself in the narratives contained in this novel. So all I will say is:

This is an important book. It's not an easy book to read. It's not a comfortable book to read.
Read it anyway.

“Do you know the joy of risking our lives to be us? So many people in this world will never know what it means to truly love someone. To truly be themselves. I am proud to say I have been me, I would never wash this off. I will never stop loving you. I will never stop.”

CROSSHAIRS by Catherine Hernandez is an intense dystopian novel that is not subtle with its message but meant to be a booming alarm and rallying cry against racism, ableism, transphobia, homophobia, authoritarianism, and white supremacy. Powerful and timely; CROSSHAIRS is set in a frighteningly familiar near-future that emphasizes the oppression and violence marginalized communities face.

After devastating floods have ravaged Toronto, a fascist regime gains power through fear and enacts the Renovation to return Canada to the True Canadians. The Others – immigrants, POC, LGBTQ2S+ folks, Indigenous people, people with disabilities, and religious minorities – are rounded up and forced into concentration camps. The story centers on Kay, a Jamaican-Filipino queer femme drag queen, and his allies as they join the Resistance to fight against the oppressive regime.

I’m really torn on how I feel about CROSSHAIRS. As with the best dystopian novels, I liked that this story forces the reader to recognize and acknowledge the similarities to our current society. I loved the moments of joy (though few and far between) like the wonderful flashbacks of Kay starting drag and his relationship with his boyfriend and friends. I also thought Hernandez did a great job discussing privilege and performative activism, especially when it comes to white, cis-gendered queer people. My main issue is that the story felt very heavy-handed and at times read like a manual on activism and allyship. As well, there was a lot of buildup to an ending that felt rushed.

Though I had a few issues with CROSSHAIRS, I think it is absolutely wonderful to read a story about proud queer POC characters by a proud queer woman of color. The issues and events depicted in the book may be uncomfortable and scary to read but are so important especially given the recent events happening in the US.

I recieved an Arc copy of this from NetGalley and the publisher for my honest opinion. Crosshairs is AMAZING. It is a book that offers something for all readers to connect with, but not in an unnatural or gimmicky way. This book is just as real as they come. What an incredible book with unforgettable characters. The writing was really quite visual. I have never read anything by Catherine hernandez before and feel that I should get more books by her because I enjoyed this book so much.

Catherine Hernandez gave us a striking dystopian tale with an unforgettable protagonist, Kay. This is truly a book highlighting the constant racism and degradation of Black, Brown, and LGBTQIA communities. Also known as the "Others". Hernandez weaves the storyline with each character with the present-day and flashbacks of the genocide in Canada where the "Boots" regime comes into power and puts minority groups into concentration camps.
Kay, our protagonist, is a Black queer man, and he is sending a whisper letter to his beloved Evan, who was lost in the Boots raids. Kay's story is unraveled throughout the story. His upbringing, rape, and violence his mother ensued on him with church members, becoming a drag queen, and his love story with Evan.
Overall, this tale is a warning. A warning of what's to come if we allow the hate and violence against Black. Brown and Queer people to continue. It shows how White people get to cloak their real selves and not face the same violence minorities face every day, how they should learn how to become real allies and not continue to need praise and glory for being a model citizen.
Ultimately, we connect with Kay on his journey to his freedom. Freedom to love and celebrate who he was created to be.

Following the story of Queen Kay, an Other, through the brutal rollout of the Restoration in Canada. As they desperately seek 'safety', Queen Kay remembers their life, vignettes that demonstrate that they have never been safe.

While it is jarring to read a dystopian novel of this level of brutality taking place against the backdrop of Canadian cities, it is a critical reminder that the lgtbqts community in Canada experiences an incredible amount of violence, discrimination and 'otherness'. The story stumbles at the finish line however, as Queen Kay chooses to identify as the son of a woman who brutalized them, crying out her name as the Others rise up against the state.