“It’s not your fault that the label you think you need to replace it with–like nonbinary, or enby, or agender, or gender nonconforming, or whatever you’ve read on the internet–also doesn’t feel right. It is not your fault that language hasn’t made a word that fits you yet,” Lane, “Seditious Teapots.”

This is a nice collection of varied LGBTQ+ stories that address the various gender identities and stories in which characters are just trying to find out who they are and what their place is in the world.

I have given each story its own individual rating and review.



“Kick. Push. Coast.” by Candice Montgomery

Individual Rating: 4/5 Uniquely, this story is told in second person, using the uncommon “you,” which places the reader in the position of being the character. This was a nice intro story featuring a character who skates, a girl who doesn’t necessarily align with that gender title, per se. Dustyn is just trying to figure out what her attractions mean and how to navigate some of the new confusing terms out there that go along with her own jumble of feelings she is trying to interpret. It introduces terms such as “bisexual,” “pansexual,” and “demisexual,” among others, and is a very nice, short intro to the anthology as a whole. This is a good opener for someone who is exploring these terms for the first time or just trying to discover their own orientation and sexual interests.

“What Happens in the Closet” by Caleb Roehrig

Individual Rating: 4.5/5 There aren’t many options in terms of other gay guys to choose from in Austin’s tow. On top of that, there is a serious vampire problem. Vampires kill quite mercilessly. At Homecoming, Agustin is charmed by the pheromones of a vampire to fall victim as his prey, but he is saved just in time by Lucas, someone he believes to be his enemy both in acting class, and as an out gay young man. Perhaps being locked in a closet hiding from vampires will reveal a closer connection that anticipated. This story hints at the pressures of parents/family and society on coming out as gay while being sensually enjoyable to read.

“Player One Fight!” by Eliot Schrefer

Individual Rating: 4/5 The narrator in this story talks about his first boyfriend and the relationship they had using in-depth references to Street Fighter. He treats himself and his boyfriend as players in a match and the story progresses like a video game one-on-one fight as the events wind down. This one had a cheery tone and I enjoyed the video game references, though I didn’t feel like there was much depth to the story besides that.

“Lumber Me Mine” by CB Lee

Individual Rating: 5/5 Jasmine broke up with her girlfriend at the end of Junior year. She needs some time for herself and to figure out what she wants to do in life, and she needs to be able to follow her own dreams. When she returns to school, the first day of Senior year is filled with rumors that her basketball girlfriend dumping her instead. When she takes woodshop instead of a cooking class (mostly to avoid her ex), she ends up sitting next to a skater-girl from the same bus. They seem to click well, but will Jasmine play on this feeling of a crush, or will she keep to herself? This was a well-written, thoroughly enjoyable story about being in a healthy relationship versus leaving one behind that isn’t good for the individual. It also explores the concept of letting go of the past and moving forward in life. I also learned if someone refers to themselves as “ace,” it means asexual, and this story explains what that means. Definitely one of the best in the collection.

“Follower” by Will Kostakis

Individual Rating: 4/5 Narrator Jason loves the WeGlo app, mainly to follow hot guys who post shirtless pictures. As he sits on the beach, he cannot believe one of the famous WeGlo men he adores is just striding down the beach looking for a place to set up his camera. Jason moves a towel reserved for a fake friend in hopes that his idol might make something of the day with him. Very social-media-based story. While I liked the dialogue, the story itself didn’t feel like it had the kind of depth I seek, though it was wholistically a cute read.

“Refresh” by Mark Oshiro

Individual Rating: 5/5 It’s hard for Rodrigo to meet a stunning gay man, so he turns to the world of online dating. When Erwin, the man he has been messaging back and forth recently, decides he wants to meet in person, Rodrigo agrees, though he is quite nervous. Even after Erwin is completely not what Rodrigo expected, perhaps there is room for starting over. This was a brilliantly written story that tackles internet dating, body image, and seeing a person for who they are. Another favorite of the collection.

“Victory Lap” by Julian Winters

Individual Rating: 4/5 This was a cute high school story. After the loss of his mother, Luke leaves the cross-country team. But that might not be the only reason. Lucas is also gay, and being on a team of attractive young males who were very obviously (for the most part) straight, wasn’t helping. It’s time for Homecoming, and Luke has no idea who to ask, or if he should even come out and ask anyone. He’s also concerned about coming out to his father. That afternoon, Luke helps out at his father’s barber shop. His dad seems to inherently know, and when Milo walks in, dad takes a hook-up initiative. A mostly quirky cute story with father-son bonds and finding the courage to tell someone how you feel.

“A Road of One’s Own” by Kate Hart

Individual Rating: 4/5 Eliza is on a road trip to go camping with some friends. All her friends are on different paths, planning to attend different colleges for different careers. This is a bonding trip before they may not see each other for a while. Eliza just broke up with Nathan, so when her friend’s cousin, Cass, joins their trip, she questions this strange feeling to impress Cass. When Cass admits she has liked Eliza for quite some time, even while she was dating Nathan, Eliza has no idea how to react. She learns to dive into herself to find the comfort in her own true feelings. This story not only addressed LGBTQ+ stereotypes and assumptions, but also covers some issues of racial and disability prejudice and stereotypes as well, which was appreciated and a nice touch to the character development too.

“Seditious Teapots” by Katherine Locke

Individual Rating: 5/5 As the title implies, Rory collects teapots that represent rebellion. When Rory visits a local tea shop, Lane takes one glance and uses the pronoun “they.” Lane then reaches out to invite Rory to a group of queers that get together on Friday’s, hoping Rory will find a comfortable place there. The problem is, Rory doesn’t feel quite like the word “they” or “non-binary” or other such words quite fit, like the word for Rory just doesn’t exist yet. Rory doesn’t care for labels and doesn’t want to be labeled with any of these terms. I absolutely loved the message in this story about how you are who you are, and sometimes it might take time to find out just what that means. This was so well-written and intriguing.

“Star-Crossed in DC” by Jessica Verdi

Individual Rating: 4/5 Savannah is in love with Emily. While Emily is out, Savannah has only told two people that she is bisexual. They are both daughters of the current presidential candidates in the world of this story, which complicates this romantic situation, though the fact that Savannah hasn’t told Emily how she feels continues to further complicate matters. Savannah is almost voting age, and when she agrees with her father’s first amendment changes in a press conference, she learns from Emily that she may not quite understand her father’s own bill. This is a great story that shows the importance of voting and making sure you really look into something before voting for it, especially when you are young and nearing the tender voting age of 18. This story also highlights the importance about speaking up for what is right and using your voice even when you might be afraid of what other’s may think.

“Floating” by Tanya Boteju

Individual Rating: 4/5 This one was a bit odd in a sort of “out-of-body” sense, though I was never really sure if that was the reality, or if the character just felt “floaty” as she wandered around. Shanti likes to float around, looking for places that make her feel something, and also places where she can think. When she runs into an art piece walking down the hall, she meets the creator, Essie, and finds herself drawn in calmness to Essie’s art, like the lines of the art are their own unique path, a path leading her to Essie. When she realizes she may like Essie, there is no questioning of her feelings here.

“The Soft Place” by Hillary Monahan

Individual Rating: 3/5 This one was a bit odd for me. I felt like I couldn’t quite connect with what was going on in the story. The main character, Kimber, seems to be pining after a girl she cares about, Shyanna. While she is high (on what, I wasn’t certain), her “Fairy Butchmother” visits and shares her own tale of love and loss, and the challenges queer people often face in the world.

“A Pound of Flesh” by Kosoko Jackson

Individual Rating: 4/5 Of course this is an interesting title that play’s on Shakespeare’s quote, in relation to some kind of debt owed. In this case, the story revolves around Greek Gods. Carson happens to be in love with Ares, some cruel twist of fate that Aphrodite has bestowed upon him. He has lived through…twenty-eight? (the amount is a running joke) lives and each time he is cursed with loving Ares. Though anytime Ares uses his very first name, Theo, he can barely control his emotions. And his continued rebirth is a curse, because they must lose each other every time Theo dies. While Theo must have been alive during the time of Ancient Greece, as he has lived through many lives, the story takes place during a more contemporary time. This is evidenced by the reference to hate crimes, a means of war that Ares feeds off of, but it’s the justice that his sister Athena fights for. They are gods destined to war, but can Theo prove Ares might actually love a mortal over war?

“Where there is war, there is Ares. Where there is justice, there is Athena.”

“One Spell Too Many” by Tara Sim

Individual Rating: 4.5/5 Anna is a witch who works at a pastry shop. The clients often seek their pastry’s to have some kind of spell in them. Emma, Anna’s bisexual best friend, comes seeking a cupcake with a love spell to get the boy she likes to ask her to the school dance. Noah, a transgender boy that Anna likes, comes in seeking a whoopie pie with a confidence spell. Without asking her boss, Anna goes ahead and does this for her friends, but she may have accidentally given the wrong pastry to the wrong person. I loved this story. It was well-written and quirky, and the resolution from Anna’s mistake feels wholesome for all characters involved.

“…admitting you’d messed up was hard, but ultimately, it forced you to grow and become a better person.”

“Far From Home” by Saundra Mitchell

Individual Rating: 4/5 Wade just might be an alien. He just might have some pretty cool powers. And he just might be in love with his classmate, River. As an extra-terrestrial who has crash-landed on Earth, Wade is hunted. One day Wade and River form their escape together, and Wade might just be able to do more than he though he could to keep the one he loves safe. This one was slightly confusing to me, yet felt kind of other-worldly at the same time.

“The Coronation” by Meredith Russo

Individual Rating: 4/5 In a post-apocalyptic sort of world, an almost going back in time feel to the setting, Tiwa has always felt he is a boy, while McKenna has always felt she is a girl, despite what they were biologically born as. In this society, two people must be sacrificed (every year?) for the village to maintain a plentiful harvest. When Tiwa and McKenna are sent into the forest, they know they probably won’t make it out alive. Fate tempts them at every turn, offering physical alternatives to their body. But it’s not the outside that matters, it’s the soul within. I enjoyed the portrayal of transgender in this story without ever using that term. It was also interesting seeing the relationship between the two characters.

“Once Upon a Seastorm” by Fox Benwell

Individual Rating: 4.5/5 This was quite interesting. Theodora doesn’t know what he is: girl, boy, seal? He just knows he is a he, despite his biological body. When Theo swims in the Thames with another boy, possibly a selkie (a changeling who is often seal-like in water and takes human form on land), kisses him, their meetings once a week go further and further until. When Theo has a positive pregnancy test, he is unsure what to do, though he knows he must be the best father he can be. Theo wants to know his own father too. Was his father a selkie? I enjoyed the challenge of finding one’s identity in this story, and that fact that Theo may not even be identified as human. It was an interesting and fun tale that interwove some nice British elements of myth to it, and I thought the style was enjoyable as well.

Out Now has a little something for everyone who enjoys stories with LGBTQ characters. The stories focus on young adults who are either coming into their own or figuring out where they fit. The genres and tropes run the gamut, and while not all of those are my cup of tea, they are short stories, which is a pretty good way to step out of my comfort zone and read a genre I wouldn't normally pick. It's also a good way to meet some new authors for my ever-growing to be read pile. Regardless of the genre, each short story does give a voice to a variety of sexual identities, including those who aren't sure what that identity is, and the overall theme of the book as a whole sends a good message. The stories are all short enough to make for quick bedtime reads or even a nice afternoon break. They range from funny to serious and everything in between, and the genres are everything from sci-fi to paranormal to contemporary, so there's no shortage of variety in these pages.

-Kick. Push. Coast. by Candice Montgomery: 5/5
This story had a good exploration of change, labels, and coming out.

-What Happens in the Closet by Caleb Roehrig: 5/5
This had vampires, puns, and enemies to lovers. Plus, it's by Caleb Roehrig, so, of course I loved it.

-Player One Fight by Eliot Schrefer: 2/5
I didn't connect with the main character at all and the video game references pulled me out of the story.

-Lumber Me Mine by CB Lee: 4/5
The romance was adorable, and I loved the asexual rep and characters showing boundaries. That said, I feel like it would've been better either as a full novel or a shorter story.

-Follower by Will Kostakis: 3/5
This was funny, but I didn't really click with it.

-Refresh by Mark Oshiro: 5/5
This was so cute! And I was very happy to see a story about recovering from a bad start on a date.

-Victory Lap by Julian Winters: 5/5
Full points just for Luke's dad

-A Road of One's Own by Kate Hart: 2/5
I felt like the story was trying to do too much in too little space.

-Seditious Teapots by Katherine Locke: 5/5
This was so cute and nerdy!

-Starcrossed in DC by Jessica Verdi: 4/5
This was well written, and I loved Squeaky and Em.

-Floating by Tanya Boteju: 4/5
This was soft and lovely.

-Soft Place by Hillary Monahan: 4.5/5
I loved the descriptions of the soft place and the contrast of suffering and hope. My main criticism is that "religious" was used, not "Christian." Setting aside the fact that not all Christians are homophobic (I know, I'm one of them.), please stop saying religious when you mean Christian.

-A Pound of Flesh by Kosoko Jackson: 5/5
Starts strong with a Shakespeare reference in the title. The emotions (Longing, anger, sadness) were really strong and the story had an interesting philosophy about conflict.

-One Spell Too Many by Tara Sim: 5/5
Baking+magic=wonderful!

-Far From Home by Saundra Mitchell: 3/5
I just wasn't interested.

-The Coronation by Meredith Russo: 2/5
I'm sorry, this just lost me immediately.

-Once Upon a Seastorm: 4/5
This was a sweet story of home, exploration and love.

4.55/5

I've heard many good things about this book's predecessor, "All Out," so when I saw "Out Now" was available for request, I figured I'd give it a shot. Overall, I enjoyed the diversity, and I definitely gained a better understanding of gender and sexuality. In fact, I'd never heard of "agender," and being in some of the characters' mindsets was really devastating at some points.

The last couple of stories were actually kind of confusing. Particularly the two trans characters who were left as sacrifies, but broke a curse, and then the story about a trans character who got pregnant and went to visit their mother's homeland to discover if they were a selkie or something. These two stories really confused me, and I honestly can say I have no idea what actually went on and what kinds of allegory or metaphor they were trying for.

Some of the stories were more engaging than others, but for the most part I thought they were just decent. I'm glad I read this book, and I'm still interested in "All Out," but I wasn't outrageously impressed.

Disclaimer: I 100% support, love, and accept all queer things, people, and themes. My rating and opinions on Out Now are only based on the book itself, not the themes and orientations it discusses. I'm queer and proud!


Opinions: If it's gay, I'm bound to LOVE it, but I unfortunately didn't feel the excitement and warmth I expected with Out Now. I usually dislike short stories, and this is exactly why: there is little connection to the characters. Out Now focuses on themes, which means this book was full of inspirational and heartwarming queer representation. But 416 pages of sophistication and deep-thinking without the gushy, cheesy romance teenagers expect may be too much for some readers. These progressive themes also took away from the pain and fear the characters supposedly faced when coming out - Out Now focuses on the happy endings rather than the sad beginnings. On the other hand, some readers may not want another teenage first love - they may want to feel empowered and accepted by others! Out Now is a respectable book, but your level of adoration for it all depends on what your initial expectations are. All in all, I love Out Now and would definitely read it again but it is not everything I hoped it would be. I strongly recommend this book to struggling, afraid, queer, or allied teens looking for a bright future!

My Favourite Thing: I love the variety of queer representation! Another difference between Out Now and other YA romances is the fully-represented queer spectrum: there wasn't one random gay kid who is closeted until the very end of the book; there were trans characters, ace characters, bi characters, questioning, non-binary, and even more queer characters!! I felt very welcome and at home reading this book. Even though we didn't get to experience the heartbreak most of the characters supposedly faced, it was inspirational to see them achieve happiness at the end. It was heartwarming to see so much positive diverse queer representation in one setting!

My Least Favourite Thing: This may be petty, but I felt as if the authors were tasked with writing a short queer fiction. The stories seemed forced and not from the heart, at least in my eyes. The occasional stories with supernatural creatures also made the forced writing style more confusing. Half of the time, I couldn't tell what was a metaphor and what was a real vampire! (Although once I realized the vampires were literal, the rating went up a star :)

Total Rating: PG-13+
Language: PG-13
Adult Content: PG-13
Violence: PG-12

Recommended For and Similar Reads: I recommend this book to EVERYONE. Simply that. It is inspirational, empowering, and realistic, so whether you're a closeted teen, a proudly straight friend, or anything in between, you'll take something away from reading Out Now! Similar reads are All Out by Saundra Mitchell, The Life and (Medieval) Times of Kate Sweetly by Jamie Pacton, and Two Boys Kissing by David Levithan, and Openly Straight by Bill Konigsberg!

I loved this collection! It has such a wide variety of stories that there is truly something for everyone. Gamers, athletes, the shy kids, the outgoing kids, all the kids will find a story that speaks to them.
Out Now: Queer We Go Again!, explores identity and self-acceptance without the preachy/teachy feeling you find in other books. But it's more than just finding a label for the character's sexuality, it's also a look at teenage relationships and all the good and bad that comes with them. I don't remember reading stories that dealt with controlling and abusive partners when I was in high school and I'm just so glad that it's available for kids now. This collection covers a wide range of experiences, fears, joys, heartbreak, and first love. The love and care the authors have shown for their characters has created a truly wonderful reading experience.
My favorite short story, What Happens in the Closet is so much fun and had real Buffy vibes. With a first kiss that's both hilarious and weirdly hot. Set in a town where attacks by vampires are common, a school dance turns deadly when vampires use a loophole to gain access to the school gym. While hiding from the vampires, Austin finds himself in a supply closet with his biggest crush. Sounds romantic until you factor in the screaming and killing.

I loved this collection and I can't wait to add it the YA shelf at the Library.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for an advanced copy of this title. All opinions and mistakes are my own.

*I received a free, digital ARC of this title from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.*

Last summer I published a review on my blog for All Out: The No-Longer-Secret-Stories of Queer Teens Throughout the Ages (edited by Saundra Mitchell, published in 2018) so I was thrilled when NetGalley approved an ARC for Mitchell’s newest collection of short stories featuring queer protagonists: Out Now: Queer We Go Again. Mitchell delivers again with an all-star group of writers representing a wide range of the queer community. I’m here for it and you should be too.
If you read my post for All Out (here’s that link again) then you’ll already know my feelings about Out Now. The short stories were entertaining and great, they varied across genres, and the representation is on point. SO, instead of rehashing all those details, I’m going to let you know that I’m giving this new collection 4-out-of-5 Awesome Austin Points because this collection delivers in the same way. Why only a 4, you might ask? Well, I think every collection of short stories comes with narratives of which each reader can connect, but there are also some that may not quite be favorites. There were many I liked and a few that didn’t quite reach me, so overall I didn’t get to a complete 5 for me.

With that said, I want to highlight this collection with a few of my favorites that you can hopefully enjoy as much as I:
-“What Happens in the Closet” by Caleb Roehrig: Roehrig definitely gives a nod to Buffy the Vampire Slayer in this short story about a town prone to vampire violence. The question becomes whether or not the protagonists can survive their high school prom?
-“One Spell Too Many” by Tara Sim: Ever since Tamora Pierce enraptured me with the “magic in ordinary wonders” in her Circle of Magic series (do yourself a favor and check those out) I have loved magic in simple contexts. Sim delivers in this short story of a young witch that specializes in magical baking (literally baking her spells into cupcakes, etc.). Unfortunately she mixes up two customer orders that could have disastrous consequences. It’s quirky, it’s fun, and I found myself loving the magical delivery.
-“Once Upon a Seastorm” by Fox Benwell: This story is all about finding one’s identity. It just so happens that Theodora Hearn is trying to figure out who he is, which is no small feat considering his mother claims to have found him in the foam of the sea. Benwell delves into what makes you you in the short story that will tug at your heartstrings.

Seeing as I absolutely loved All Out, I expected to feel the same about Out Now. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case. Ultimately, this collection (to me) wasn't as strong as it could have been. I found myself skimming most of the stories because I wasn't grabbed by them, and the ones that I was somewhat interested in seemed to end too quickly. As well, I felt that the overall organization of the stories could have been done differently. I felt like there were too many similar stories placed back to back and they ended up blurring together for me. My favourite stories were 'Lumber Me Mine' by CB Lee and 'One Spell too Many' by Tara Sim.

I had a few qualms about the writing- mainly that most characters felt very young/juvenile (most characters read like they were closer to 12 than high school age), and that some of the already 'out' characters in the stories relied heavily on assumptions and stereotyping. For example, the main character in "What Happens in the Closet" by Caleb Roehrig, who is an out gay man, continually talks about how another character is 'clearly gay' based on his body language and the way he spoke. This quote in particular did not sit well with me: "He says he's not gay. I can't believe it, because the signs are all right there. His skin is flawless, his eyebrows are perfectly shaped, and when he starts talking to Taisha and Gabi, his hands wave everywhere like he's conducting a symphony, but if you so much as hint he's gay, he gets all furious and offended" (page 22). For a collection of stories celebrating queer individuals aimed at young adults, I don't think that insinuating you know more about a person's sexuality than they do is a healthy thing to suggest, especially when this assumption is based on someone's physical appearance. This notion is not challenged in the story, which is the main reason I was bothered by it. Had the character in question been told that he had no right to assume or stereotype another person based on his perceptions of them, I think it would have made for a good conversation, especially for young queer readers.

This is not to say that this book doesn't have its merits for young queer readers- there is a wide variety of sexualities depicted and it will definitely be beneficial for those who have yet to find what language works best for describing themselves, and will allow more queer readers to see themselves in literature. I can appreciate this collection's benefits, but unfortunately, it just wasn't for me.

Thank you, NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read this anthology!


I adore diverse short story collections, so when I found out about "Out Now" I thought it would be perfect for me. As with most anthologies, some of these were not my thing, while others I really enjoyed, overall, I found this to be just an okay read.


1) Kick. Push. Coast. by Candice Montgomery (2 stars)
Rep: questioning MC

I really liked the way this short story tackled the messiness of questioning your gender and sexuality, and it was interesting that this is told through 2nd person. However, I had a couple of issues, for instance, the phrase "symptoms of demisexuality" and the fact that the main character starts to id as pansexual after kissing a trans boy, questioning your sexuality is obviously good and healthy but this paragraph felt off to me. However, I could've read it wrong.


2) What Happens in the Closet by Caleb Roehrig (4 stars)
Rep: gay mc

I've been wanting to read something by this author for ages, and after reading this short story I will 100% be picking up "The Fell of Dark" when it comes out, queer vampires here we go! This was a pretty ridiculous story but I was hooked from the first line. I loved the writing style and while I wasn't a massive fan of the main character, I loved the love interest and side characters!


3) Player One Fight! by Eliot Schrefer (1.5 stars)
Rep: gay mc

This story was a bit weird and creepy and I'm not entirely sure what happened and why. I think it was meant to be funny but it really wasn't for me, especially as I'm not a lover of video games so a lot of this went over my head.


4) Lumber Me Mine by CB Lee (3 stars)
Rep: wlw and poc mc, ace love interest

After reading and loving "Not Your Sidekick" I've been meaning to pick up more by CB Lee, so I was super excited for this short story. And while I did like it, I found it boring. I liked the portrayal of an unhealthy relationship and the characters were cute but overall this story dragged for me.


5) Follower by Will Kostakis (3.5 stars)
Rep: gay mc, bi li

This story was way to short for me to really form an opinion, but what I read I really enjoyed. I loved the writing style and the characters but I just wanted a bit more! I liked the authors take on being an influencer and the story was very fast-paced.


6) Refresh by Mark Oshiro (3.5 stars)
Rep: gay, plus size, Latinx mc

I loved the talks on body positivity in this one and I found the premise interesting. It was cute and hooking, I won't hesitate to pick up more by this author in the future!


7) Victory Lap by Julian Winters (4.5 stars)
Rep: gay and poc mc.

I'm so happy I've finally read something by Julian Winters and it definitely lived up to my expectations! This is about a boy who wants to ask another boy to a school dance, it was one of the cutest things I've ever read but the thing that really shines through is the main characters relationship with his dad (aka the best dad on earth). I loved the writing style and the characters, I can't wait to read more by this author after loving this story so much.


8) A Road of One's Own by Kate Hart (3 stars)
Rep: questioning mc (wlw)

I'm extremely happy that this anthology featured a story by a native author with native representation. I really liked the premise and the story had potential but overall I was just really bored, it had cute moments and I liked the main character for the most part but this one dragged for me.


9) Seditious Teapots by Katherine Locke (3 stars)
gender-questioning main character, non-binary rep.

This is a lovely story about Rory, the main character, questioning their gender and befriending other queer people. I liked it well enough but I wasn't a massive fan of the writing style, a few things felt a little too contrived, but I really liked the discussions/thoughts and feelings on questioning your sexuality and gender.


10) Star-Crossed in DC by Jessica Verdi (4 stars)
Rep: bi mc, lesbian love interest (wlw)

I really loved this one! This is the story of the president's bi daughter, who accidentally supports an anti-lgbtq+ bill and then tries to make it right. I loved the writing style but this ended so abruptly and I wanted more!


11) Floating by Tanya Boteju (2.5 stars)
Rep: ??

Interesting story with a magical writing style but I honestly had no clue what the plot of this was. It was just fine, I don't have tons to say about this one!


12) The Soft Place by Hillary Monahan (2.5 stars)
Rep: wlw

This story had an interesting premise but it wasn't for me, I don't think I really "got" it. I liked the writing style and the characters though.


13) A Pound of Flesh by Kosoko Jackson (3.5 stars)
Rep: mlm, poc main.

I adore anything greek mythology so this story intrigued me. I really liked it for the most part! But I think this would've worked best as a full-length book/novella because there were just so many ideas and parts to this that there wasn't enough time for everything to develop. The pacing was off and a few things didn't work for me/confused me, but this definitely had potential!


14) One Spell Too Many by Tara Sim (4 stars)
Rep: bi and poc mc, trans love interest

I loved this story so much! It was magical and entertaining with a super likeable main character and a lovely budding romance (yay for bi rep in an m/f relationship!). I adored the writing style and I won't hesitate to pick up more by this author in the future!


15) Far From Home by Saundra Mitchell (3 stars)
rep: mlm

The premise for this was super interesting, (gay aliens anyone?) and the story was very fast-paced and entertaining. It was a bit ridiculous, to be honest, but I was hooked.


16) The Coronation by Meredith Russo DNF


17) Once Upon a Seastrom by Fox Benwell (3 stars)
Rep: trans mc

This was a weird and magical story about a trans boy who feels that there is part of his identity missing, after becoming pregnant he travels back to the place he was born to try and find answers. I don't think the writing style for this was for me and I was a bit confusing throughout. But I liked the premise and I won't hesitate to pick up more by this author in the future.


Overall, I highly recommend this book if you're looking for diverse short story collections!

Welcome to this book review,
I received a copy of this book in exchange of an honest review.

This book is a multifaceted book, as an anthology not every story is my favourite but there are some gems in there that are definitely worth reading.
I really enjoyed the supernatural aspect of it and the wholesomeness of the stories. Some make you laugh, others tear you apart but it is needed, I definitely wish this had been around when I was in highschool.
While this anthology is not as strong or hard hitting as the first one, some of these stories are worth reading again, again and again. Yes, some will feel a little more on the "okay but not WOW".
One thing that I hope will be changed for the final copy is the line about the "symptoms of demisexuality" which is a term only used for that identity which is part of my own identity as a bi-demisexual person.
I feel that it may lead to some teens feeling like a sickness or that it's just a 'symptom' and not a real identity as other identities or make them feel alienated which is not the point of this anthology.

Apart from that a story that I would skip altogether from reading is the one called " Player One Fight" as someone who had a stalker, this is exactly what this story is. A romanticized version of a queer stalker story about how he's in love and the other guy just doesn't realize he's his boyfriend yet. Overall gave me flashbacks about a really awful experience where a guy told me I was the "woman of his life" and how I "did not understand we were meant to be together".

Overall good anthology if not for those two stories that left a bad taste in my mouth.
3.5/5 stars.
Bookarina

Out Now by Saundra Mitchell is an anthology collection of seventeen YA LGBT+ short stories that run the gamut of genres from fantasy, sci-fi, to realistic from queer authors. While I may not have loved each and every story, I really still particularly appreciated what the collection is trying to do which is uplift queer voices. The variety within the stories is pretty great when it comes to genre, style, and identity, but on that note I think I would have preferred a collection that feels a little bit more cohesive on the whole, especially when it comes to genre. Sometimes I almost felt like I had whiplash from all of the stylistic genre changes between stories. While some of the stories were perfect at the length we received, but on the other hand there were a few tales that I would have loved to see a full length novel on with further expansion on the cast and world. I've only read a couple of the authors before picking this up, but several of these authors I'll need to pick up their full length novels soon. In the future, I'll have to try this book's companion collection, All Out.

3/5 stars!

I really enjoyed this collection of short stories. I liked the different fantastical and sci-fi elements and adding that like soft queer/casual gay aspects where they were important to the plot and the love story, but it was more so normalizing the queerness, if that makes any sense.

The stories were lighthearted and fun and easy to follow! I did hit a couple of walls while reading the short stories, but by the end, I found myself unable to put them down and really enjoyed the stories involving Greek myths.

My biggest problem with the short story collection as a whole was that sometimes the characters, to me, read a lot younger than they were supposed to be and it did take me out of the stories when it did happen. But, that's more so a personal issue than it was something on the book.

As with any collection of short stories I liked some more than others. I found this to be less cohesive than All Out but still really fun. Every story was like a little queer teen movie. My favourite story was One Spell Too Many by Tara Sim. It was the perfect amount of magical realism and queer love. Overall, I would say it's definitely some light and fun queer love across the LGBTQ+ spectrum with some really great representation and just all around warm and fuzzy.

Out Now follows a similar theme to its predecessor All Out, a collection of YA short stories covering diverse themes of sexual orientation and gender identity. All Out was one of my favorite books of 2019, so when I saw Out Now was being published this year I jumped at the chance to read it.

Like All Out, Out Now will be enjoyed differently by everyone who reads it. Whether you're a fan of slice of life stories, self-discovery, unique perspectives, or just surface-level enjoyment, there's a bit of everything in Out Now. There were some stories I read that I felt were okay at best, but others that made me put down my kindle and cry a little bit. One story in particular gave me such an emotional reaction that I had to put down the book for a whole day and compose myself before picking up again. This is a wonderful collection for teens who wouldn't have been able to find something like this 10 years ago. It's so important to have books like this and I'm so happy to see that Out Now exists and will hit the shelves soon. If my library doesn't already plan on buying it I will put myself to the task of annoying them until they do.

Rating: 3.8/5 Stars
A much longer review will be posted to Goodreads once I'm finished writing it that will detail my experience with each short story.

I received an advanced copy of Out Now: Queer We Go Again From Netgalley, so that I could share my review with you!

Out Now: Queer We Go Again is the follow-up to the incredibly popular All Out: The No-Longer-Secret Stories of Queer Teens throughout the ages, presenting 17 new short stories full of LGBTQ characters! This anthology of stories contains tales from across many genres, written by many up-and-coming queer authors! Whether you love stories of fantastical magic, or prefer a more contemporary narrative, Out Now will definitely have a story for you! You do not have to have read the previous anthology to enjoy this one, as the content within each of them are standalone stories. That being said, if you enjoy this collection, it’s predecessor would be a natural fit for you! The anthologies share the same editor, Saundra Mitchell, as well as similar covers, which will look *fantastic* next to each other on your shelf!

You can get your copy of Out Now: Queer We Go Again on May 26th from Inkyard Press!

This book contained many stories I loved, and only a few that didn’t resonate with me, which I find is typically the case for short story collections. My favorite story from the whole collection would have to be A Pound of Flesh, by Kosoko Jackson, which is a reincarnation love story with a Greek mythology twist! I also really enjoyed One Spell Too Many, by Tara Sim, because of its charming system of modern magic and sweet romantic story lines! I would absolutely read a whole book based around either of these stories! When they were done, I found myself wishing that there was more to read about those characters and worlds!

My Recommendation-
If you have been struggling to focus on reading during this time of global turmoil, an anthology of short stories might be the perfect fix! Each story varies in length, but I typically would read one each sitting. This was a refreshing style of reading, as the stories were fairly easy to follow, and quick to get to the action! Additionally, if you have been looking for stories with queer characters, by queer authors, Out Now could be a great pick for your next read!

When the description of this book says there’s something for everyone, it’s not kidding. There were stories I loved, and some I couldn’t really get into, so this anthology really is a mixed bag.

I’ve read other work by some of OUT NOW’s contributors, like Katherine Locke, whose story stood out to me. I connected with their story (and I love the idea of seditious teapots in itself), and as an adult who’s still working on labeling their identity, I liked how it allowed for self-exploration without ignoring the anxiety and other challenges that come with it. This story was one of those in the anthology that transcended the target demographic for me, as other stories will for different readers.

Others didn’t have to do that for me to love them. Julian Winters’s story grabbed me just because I liked the way it was written. I liked reading about the main character’s relationship with his dad, and small details like a haircut leading to a conversation. It ended up being one of my favorites.

There were other points where I wasn’t sure whether I didn’t like a story because of the writing or whether I was just reading it at the wrong time in my life. I read a lot of YA, but I’m not in the YA demographic, so there are times when I don’t connect with a story. It could be because I’m just not close enough to its message or setting. Other times, it was because I felt like there was too much an author was trying to do in a short story, especially if it was a fantasy with lots of pieces to explain.

I love that so many people have the opportunity to see themselves in these pages. OUT NOW shows intersecting identities, #ownvoices, and different ways of understanding labels. Some characters are comfortable being out to their families while others aren’t. There are characters from all different backgrounds, and we get a glimpse into different cultures and backgrounds. One character who identifies as bisexual doesn’t have the same experience as another. The stories are diverse, and I loved seeing that in a book full of queer stories.

OUT NOW was a quick, low-pressure read. It’s easy to revisit the stories you love most, and each one is unique. That may have been my favorite thing about this anthology—you don’t have to like every story, but that just means there’s a different one meant for you in it. I really liked about half the stories because they connected with me, I liked the writing style, or I enjoyed unique elements of them. There’s a lot to love in this book, and I’d recommend it, especially for teen readers, but also for anyone craving queer short stories. Some are serious, others more lighthearted, and you can find everything in here from witches to heartfelt conversations and new friends who help characters come out to themselves as well as people around them. OUT NOW represents so many journeys, and we could use more short stories like these.

Out Now honestly just feels like coming home. There is such a huge range of representation, style and genre that you will find something that resonates with you. Almost every story in here was a four or a five for me. At least two of them made me cry. One of which was because it made me feel seen in a way I never have before. I don't want to go through every story and explain my thoughts because they are all short stories and half of the fun is not knowing what to expect. I will however highlight my absolute favorites which were: Kick. Push. Coast, Lumber me mine, Victory Lap, Seditious Teapots, and One Spell Too Many. I honestly already want to go back and reread this. I got so much out of it. If you love queer stories check out this anthology when it comes out on May 26th!Thanks to Netgalley for providing this book in exchange for an honest review

Out Now is an incredible compilation of stories featuring complex queer characters. Every teen reader will find a story to relate to here. I loved that this book included so many different identities and representations and sensitively included those who are not often in the mainstream YA market for now. This is a huge cast of YA writers that will delight readers! This book deserves a place on every library shelf.

Out Now: Queer We Go Again! is a collection of seventeen short YA stories written by a group of diverse authors. From every corner of the LGBTQ+ spectrum, these stories cover almost all of it. No matter your reading preferences, there’s probably something in Out Now to pique your interest.

It’s difficult to review anthologies, as there are so many different aspects to examine. For the most part, this is a strong collection of short stories, written well and interesting. A few stories that caught my attention for their solid writing and lovable characters were “Lumber Me Mine” by CB Lee, “A Road of One’s Own” by Kate Hart, “Seditious Teapots” by Katherine Locke, “Star-crossed in DC” by Jessica Verdi, “One Spell Too Many” by Tara Sim and “Once Upon a Seastorm” by Fox Benwell. My favorite part about Out Now is that the stories feature queer characters with plotlines beyond simply having queer characters. Though perhaps the stories themselves are not as important as what the anthology overall is doing: providing teens a volume of queer-positive stories featuring characters of all different gender, sexuality, and racial backgrounds.

"Out Now" is a wonderfully eclectic smorgasbord of short stories by lgbtqia YA writers, sending readers through an ever-changing landscape of worlds with relatable queer and protagonists (from selkies to First daugters). The mix of genres provides a little bit of something for all readers. It's also a great way to discover new-to-you writers.