Behind the Sun, Above the Moon by Brooklyn Ray, Anna Zabo, Alex Harrow, Sara Codair, Ziggy Schutz, Emmett Nahil, Paige Allen, S.R. Jones, J.S. Fields
Facts: Sci-fi/fantasy, Queer stories
In brief: This is a great collection of works! I loved the way there was such a tapestry woven of all the different characters. What a pleasure it was to read stories in which a variety of pronouns were used without great fanfare or explanation
This book is a collection of stories by some well-known authors in the genre. Some names made me immediately interested: Brooklyn Ray and Anna Zabo in particular. I think that Brooklyn’s story was one of my favorites. In their story, Hollis Griffen meets Zaniah… a celestial body in an ever-evolving form. Zaniah may be the one being who can love Hollis Griffen in their true form.
There’s a theme of searching, finding and being found in these stories. It doesn’t matter what the subject matter is…. all these characters are on journies. The worlds that are created are vibrant and rich, unique and enticing.
In particular, if you’re a short story enthusiast I would suggest getting this! You’ll enjoy it!
Verdict: Lots of talent in this anthology
The Perils of Intimacy by Rick R. Reed
Facts: Queer fiction, addiction, and recovery, second chances.
In brief: This novel brought me to tears a few times. Not surprising. This is the third novel of Rick Reed’s that I’ve read and each one of them has been packed with visceral emotion and well-developed characters. Honestly, I’m running out of good descriptive words for how fabulous I think Rick’s books are. His voice is a truly important one in the world of LGBTQIA+ writing.
Again, these are NOT Gay romance novels. These are “own-voices” novels. They have such authenticity about them, it’s remarkable. The characters have so many dimensions and they are always flawed … just like everyone is. These are characters that I want to get to know. I get angry at them. I find myself wanting to know more about them. Whenever I get to the end of one of Rick’s books, I find myself wondering if there’s another one. This is a voice you don’t want to miss.
In this book, two men need forgiveness. They both need to leave something behind them in order to move forward. Sometimes, it’s truly difficult to manage to continue to put one step in front of another when things keep smacking into us. Rick really captures the monotony, fear, excitement, relief, and exhaustion of recovery. At the same time, he manages to allow the reader into a world of intimacy between two souls… it’s captivating.
Verdict: authentic queer story, very well written, emotional
Kinzie Things 