Always well-written, verging on the literary. People and their passions, yet I felt bored.
This review is based on an advanced reader copy from NetGalley.

TW: sexual assault/domestic abuse

Get ready to take off your shirt to reveal your other shirt folks because Kink is NSFW. Kink was one of my most anticipated releases of the year and it did truly hold up! This book is a collection of stories by some of the most incredible writers in the industry, a large majority of them queer, trans, and writers of color. This collection was a delight and provided the perfect balance of erotica and high literary fiction. The writing is unbelievable, particularly in Larissa Pham and Carmen Maria Machado’s stories, which I would recommend this collection for alone. Every one of these stories celebrates sexualities of people who are not normally visible in heteronormative lit and romance media. It is so refreshing to have a collection that contains narratives outside the patriarchal nuclear family. There are also stories that explore the boundary between kink and abuse and how consent is so vital to that conversation. I am so happy this book is out in the world and cannot thank @simonandschuster enough for the eARC!! If you love good writing and reading some great steamy scenes while contemplating the meaning of life, Kink is definitely here for that.

This intimate look at the concept of desire occasionally aims to titillate, but mostly, the focus is on exploring what humans yearn for: a close connection, whether that's with a long-term partner or somebody you've just met. These stories are less interested in exploring why a person might act in a certain way, and just lets them be, free of judgment, with the space to explore themselves. The erotic nature of these stories is presented as frankly as it would be in a tamer, let's call it "traditional" approach in any romance novel; the experiences might not be relatable to every reader, but it's impossible to put this book down without feeling some kind of closeness to the emotions wrung up in these stories.

This was a very interesting collection of short stories that was nothing like I've ever read. I was initially attracted to it for the big names involved in the collection and was pleasantly surprised by the stories by people I didn't previously know, too. Like any story collection, there were some stories that were more my style than others. Some of my favorites stories included those by Brandon Taylor, Carmen Maria Machado, and Jayn Zoukhadar. Others were more difficult to read, especially Chris Kraus and Garth Greenwell's, not at all due to the storytelling but rather the content itself.

Overall, I am appreciative for the opportunity to read this collection. It certainly opened my eyes to the different ways that people find love and pleasure in the world and there are some characters that will stick with me for awhile.

I always enjoy reading stories that push me out of my comfort zone. Reading about sex ishard for a lot of people. Short stories made it approachable!

3.5 stars
This was a fun read. Similarly to my track record with anthologies, there were a few stories that I really connected with and loved, while others I found boring or even disliked. The first few stories I really liked but the rest fell a little flat for me. I liked that the stories weren't strictly heterosexual relationships. We had gay, lesbian, trans and intersex stories on top of the various kinks that were explored.

A solid collection on the subject, and while each story manages to be (at least) daring, others manage to be much more than that. Brandon Taylor's "Oh, Youth" is particularly memorable.

“kink: Unconventional sexual taste or behavior” -Merriam Webster online dictionary

“kink: Bizarre or unconventional sexual preferences or behavior” -Collins online dictionary


The title Kink: Stories stood out among the other titles on the Netgalley site. My initial reaction was one of excitement and curiosity. This anthology’s fictional short stories didn’t disappoint. The authors allowed me to explore their expression and understanding of sex/sexuality. There are SO many intricate layers to a person’s perception of sex and preferred practice. Psychological. Cultural and race. Upbringing.

Each story was thought provoking. The common themes that were in many of the stories were of pain and shame. The shame stems from what is believed to be “unconventional” and out of the norm. What is the norm? Missionary, heterosexual sex? NOPE. Each society will create their own norms, but that doesn’t reflect reality. But what is conventional? Does it matter?

The short stories that stood out for me were:

-Best Friendster Date Ever (Alexander Chee)
-Reach (Roxane Gay)
-Godpodar (Garth Greenwell)
-Scissors (Kim Fu)
-The Lost Performance of the High Priestess of the Temple of Horror (Carmen Maria Machado)

This is a fascinating collection of stories that left me thinking for weeks after I finished. Some stories are better than others, but when it's good, it's good. While a bit uneven, Kink is worth your time.

Love Short Stories..

Love Erotic Tales...

Especially Love Some BDSM .......

Absolutely Loved This Book !!!

I found many of the stories in this book to have a fresh voice, and loved the forward by RO Kwon and Garth Greenwell, describing kink as a way of communication. I did find a few stories fell short for me, though. A mixed bag of compelling insight and what felt like literary masturbation, perhaps of stories that were meant for something else but found their home in this book as a second chance. Worth a read, but could have been better. Considering some of the names attached to this book, I was hoping for more, and perhaps my expectations were too high. Still, grateful to have gotten to read it and experience the novelty of something that isn't often done in literature.

This collection of stories was absolutely stunning. It explores a range of identities and sexualities and how they relate to coveted aspects of a person’s intimate life; I was amazed by how individualized each story was, and how relatable the deeper ideas within them were. As with every short story collection, there were a few that fell flat for me. but the opening story was absolutely gorgeous, and I thought Carmen Maria Machado’s piece was the standout story from the collection. I could read an entire novel centered around the characters she created. This is probably closer to a 3.5 rating, but I’m rounding up to 4 for the stories that will stick with me for some time to come.

I'm a big fan of the two editors and this book was no disappointment. The stories were interesting, insightful and well-written.

I had a great time reading this collection, though it was a bit uneven. My favorite story, by far, was Scissors by Kim Fu. The other standouts for me were Safeword (R.O. Kwon), Best Friendster Date Ever (Alexander Chee), and Oh, Youth (Brandon Taylor). I could see Brandon Taylor’s story easily becoming an entire novel (or movie or TV series) as his characters were so real to me.

I think I wanted a bit more variety of “kink” as there was a lot of BDSM. That’s fine, but I just expected there to be a broader exhibition of “kink” and all the ways that it can present.

Overall, very glad I read this, as my favorite stories MORE than made up for the ones I felt were less successful. Thank you for the review copy!

Short story collection of well, kinky stories. I had to read it in small doses and digest. To be honest, I'm not really sure how I feel about my reading. I don't know I would recommend this even to my closest friends.

Whoa. I’ve gotta say this book is quite a change of pace for me, but I’m up for it. “Kink: Stories” is a collection of 15 short stories by some of today’s VERY respected writers. And I guess I’d describe it as a respectable (read: literary) version of the “50 Shades” variety. The good news is that it includes content across the spectrum so there’s something for everyone!

Beyond the appeal of themes that explore what we think about but don’t discuss (sex, power, submission, desire, etc.), I was drawn to the bevy of award-winning contributors: Roxane Gay (“Hunger”), Brandon Taylor (“Real Life”), Melissa Febos (“Whip Smart”), R.O. Kwon (“The Incendiaries”), Carmen Maria Machado (“In the Dream House”), Zeyn Joukhader (“The Thirty Names of Night”) and Garth Greenwell (“Cleanness”).

As is true of many anthologies, not all stories are as interesting or memorable. That said, the ones that most entertain and/or surprise me include: “The Cure” by Melissa Febos; “Best Friendster Date Ever” by Alexander Chee; “Impact Play” by Peter Mountford; “Oh, Youth” by Brandon Taylor”; “Reach” by Roxane Gay; and “The Voyeurs” by Zeyn Joukhadar.

Special thanks to Simon & Schuster for the advanced reader copy, via NetGalley, in exchange for my honest review. I also listened to it the Simon & Schuster Audio version, via CloudLibrary, which was narrated by a very talented cast.

There’s something so grounding about short stories. An express overindulgence in setting the scene, creating a character. The entire story could take place over a handful of breaths, but the scene is described so plainly, so artistically, that you can feel the chipped paint on someone else’s fingernails.

This anthology was super fun. The diversity and approach of each of the writers made each story unique but also seamlessly intertwined. The exploration of “kink” was fascinating. Each author had a different approach, and definition, of the word, and it was refreshing to see sex portrayed with such honesty and vulnerability.

Kink was one of my most anticipated releases of 2021. The lineup of authors in this anthology is truly incredible! While each story is rooted in sex and kink, there is significant complexity to these stories in their examination of connection, power, identity, and consent through a variety of sexual dynamics. I appreciate this collection for its diverse authorship and putting sex and kink on full display to explore varying subtexts. As an anthology, I do think this is a mixed bag. I found a few of these stories to be tedious and lacking propulsion, which ultimately led them to be forgettable. However, the standouts were magnificent (i.e., Brandon Taylor, Alexander Chee, Kim Fu, Larissa Pham). Overall, this is a unique collection of talented literary voices that is definitely worth your time if interested in the subject matter.

I liked this just fine. It's good! Medium good. Some stories I loved (the Larissa Pham, Brandon Taylor, Carmen Maria Machado!!!, and Zeyn Joukhadar were standouts) and some I didn't really like (the last two stories mostly) and some I liked a sensible amount. It does have me excited about some writers I didn't know who had some great stories here. Also the inclusion of Gospodar is a great reminder that Cleanness is a perfect book.

Not at all what I expected. Short fiction that explores
Kink on a cerebral, thoughtful level. An excellent read that requires
time and thought.