Reviews

May’s Most Anticipated LGBTQIA+ Books

Suzi Garcia
New In ListReviews
5 min read
May means the start of freedom for so many of us. No school, no teaching-- even summer Fridays! But for us who are still 9-5ing it, we remember what the smell of cut grass meant to us as kids: reading in the park, or long visits to the library. And we have just the books to scratch that itch! This list is full of exciting and intriguing writing, including a memoir by the Inaugural J. Michael Samuel Prize, Jobert Abueva; new YA from Lammy winner Abdi Nazemian; and new books from Lammy finalists Stephanie Adams-Santos and Nicole Melleby Read More

Black, Queer, Trans, and Millennial:  A New Generation of American Poetry: Part II

Walter Holland
Reviews
4 min read
As I previously mentioned, Cave Canem and the Lambda Literary organization helped mentor many of these Black, Queer, Trans, and Millennial poets. These poets were also shaped by the growth in MFA writing programs and the rise in both print and online literary zines, as well as small presses. The latter development quickly expanded opportunities for POC queer and trans poets to be read, discussed, and studied. Of course, this Millennial generation of queer POC poets had also been fostered by the advent of many POC community-based writing collectives. Read More

Puns & Sex Clubs: A Review of The Call-Out by Cat Fitzpatrick

Roz Milner
Reviews
4 min read
Queer life in New York City has always lent itself well to poets. From established voices like Eileen Myles to newer ones like Kay Gabriel or Maggie Milliner, the rhythms and dynamics of life lend themselves well to verse. And now Cat Fitzpatrick, an editor, co-publisher of LittlePuss Press and poet, has gently satirized the Brooklyn queer scene in her new book The Call-Out, available now from Seven Stories Press. Read More

Real Good Twists: A Review of Real Bad Things by Kelly J. Ford.

Nick Havey
Reviews
7 min read
For the same reason that I like slashers— they could realistically happen if you forgive superhuman strength in the case of some of the killers in the Scream franchise and are primarily driven by interpersonal drama— I enjoy thrillers. Books that seek to shock and surprise. When done well, these books take plausible scenarios like a missing wife, the discovery of a lost and forgotten body, or the scintillating reveal of a seemingly good person who did a bad thing and turn them into an emotional rollercoaster. And Kelly J. Ford does a thriller right.  Read More

Moments of Disruption and Recognition: A Review of Mary Lynn Reed’s Phantom Advances

Alyssa Greene
Reviews
5 min read
In the title story of Phantom Advances, Mary Lynn Reed’s debut short story collection, the teenage narrator looks at her mother through the viewfinder of a manual camera as her mother drives. They’ve just gone to the narrator’s grandparents to ask for help, because her mother, a habitual liar, has lost another job; they’re returning home with money. But though the narrator’s finger clicks the shutter and the machine tries to advance the film, the camera isn’t loaded — there will be no record of this moment. Read More

Lambda at AWP 2023

Suzi Garcia
Reviews
12 min read
Earlier this month, Lambda Literary was in-person during AWP 2023, hosting events and spaces for queer writers to come together...