The second short story collection edited by Saundra Mitchell about queer teens, with stories ranging from the contemporary to the fantastical: a boy-meets-boy at a barbershop, a genderqueer teen who collects subversive teapots tries to find their people and their identity, a boy with superpowers saves the life of his lover from assassins, a bakery witch accidentally switches her spelled pastries and falls for a boy she never thought she’d have a chance with. All of the stories were unique, and I appreciate that they represented teens from across the spectrum: not only L, G, & B, but T, A and beyond!

As always with short story collections, I had my favorites, and will be checking out the works of those particular authors, but I’m glad I read this and was introduced to so many different and delightful characters.

I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This was overall just a meh anthology - I almost gave up on it after the first two stories because they were horrendous. Thankfully, there were other gems throughout that made this kind of worth reading.

I REALLY tried to like this book but I just couldn’t get into it for the life of me. Some stories were good, others lacked. With multiple stories like this, I like for the stories to have some sort of realism to them. I just didn’t get that from this book. I feel like I’m being harsh but, I’m just being truthful. I’ve seen people say the first book to this was better, so I might just give that one a go and see if I like it better. Thank you to NetGalley, Harlequin Tours and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I adored this collection of LGBTQIA stories, ranging from meet-cute romance stories to fairy tale re-tellings and vampires reminiscent of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. There are a lot of high profile YA authors included here: Tara Sim, Mark Oshiro, C.B. Lee, to name a few!

My favorite short stories were Caleb Roehrig's "What Happens in the Closet," the aforementioned high school vampire prom story and C.B. Lee's "Lumber Me Mine," another story set in high school, about a sweet connection between two classmates. I also really enjoyed "One Spell Too Many" by Tara Sim, which involved a supernatural bakery. There was a great balance of fun stories, intense tales, coming out stories, and loud-and-proud stories.

Short story collections are typically hit-and-miss for me, but Out Now: Queer We Go Again! was consistently strong throughout.

Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC.

Out Now is a young adult LGBTQ short story collection that is diverse and contemporary. My favorite two stories were “Kick. Push. Coast.” by Candice Montgomery and “Follower” by Will Kostakis. I rated this a three because not all of the stories resonated with me, and a few I found myself skimming to get to the end. Overall, it is a book that has LGBTQ characters and it is nice to see representation!

Copy provided by #NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to the publisher, Inkyard Press, for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I have seen people rave about the first anthology of this collection and I wish I could have checked it out before diving into this one, but since the lockdown is still going strong in my neck of the woods, I am dependent on the digital books my library has to offer. Unfortunately, <i>All Out</i> was not listed in its database.

So, I’m putting a pin in reading its predecessor until I can get to my library safely and with my social anxiety in check.

For now, let’s talk about <i>Out Now</i>: I loved it. The stories made me feel a lot of different emotions from warm and fuzzy, to somber and truthfully admitting to myself that I know embarrassingly little of the scope that encompasses the subject of “queer”.

It made me realize (and this was also addressed in one of the stories) that our language restricts us in being able to express who we are. For a long time, I was immersed in the world of classic literature where the term queer means something different than it does now and it is making me realize that I need to reprogram my brain and the usage of this term to make it fit the evolution it went through.

This can be a long and tedious process, especially when we keep in mind all the prejudices that are still very much alive and (sadly) at times thriving.

I appreciated how some of these stories took the subject of being bisexual, pansexual or asexual and made it a natural part of the plot. It wasn’t a big deal and it shows that this is only a big deal when we make it one.

It was refreshing to see the scope of traditional storytelling being broadened to include so much more than just our preconceived “normal”. I have noticed this change happening in other stories I recently read as well, and it made me smile and so much more enthusiastic to continue reading.

This anthology has seventeen stories that range from contemporary to fantasy and even the slightly more abstract. It is well worth a read and it gave me a crash course in terms I should have known a long time ago.
I wish I could discuss each one in this review, but I don’t have the space for it. Mentioning just two or three wouldn’t be fair to the others. But trust me, each one is worth a read.

Overall, <i>Out Now</i> was a wonderful experience and one I am very glad I got to have. I would absolutely recommend it as a must-read.

I haven't yet gotten the chance to read All Out, but after seeing glowing reviews for it, I had to read Out Now when I got the opportunity. While not every story was 5 stars, I enjoyed the anthology so much that I have to give it 5 stars for pure entertainment. It features so much diversity that's presented as perfectly normal, which is always so refreshing. So many of the stories had elements that made me both laugh and cry and it was obvious that they all came from the heart, even if they happened to be humorous in nature.

Disclaimer: I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing, Netgalley, and Inkyard Press for this free copy. All quotes in this review are taken from the Advanced Reader Copy and may change in final publication.

I think this was the perfect start to Pride Month and June, and I am actually really bummed that I never heard of this book until I was asked to do this blog tour. Unless I just never followed anyone that promoted this anthology, but really, I’m wishing that I heard about this book a lot more because it would have been really great to see more people talking about this in the book community.

Anthologies can be hit or miss all around, especially depending on either the authors included in the anthology and the voice of each story. For me, I felt like I enjoyed this experience and it gave me a lot to think about in the LGBT experience and the diverse LGBT experience. It was only very recently that I was able to feel safe enough to figure out how I identified in the LGBT world, and even though I feel like maybe I’m still trying to figure that out completely and more accurately, these stories helped me learn more about myself and show me that I’m not alone in this world.

Also, with anthologies, I don’t personally like picking a “favorite” or a “least favorite” because I feel like each author put their heart and soul into their stories and just like with non-fiction stories, I feel like it’s not my place to judge what they have to say. I guess I’m just weird like that, but I was able to find something that I liked in everything. I think that everyone should be able to give this book a chance and learn more about these stories.

Out Now is a delightful new release filled with to the prim with diversity. We see teens that are trans, gay, lesbian, ace, bi, pan, demisexual, questioning, non-binary, Black, Choctaw, fat, Taiwanese, Pakistani, Latinx. It’s a nice to see so much diversity in not only the main characters of each story but the subtle representation of side or mentioned characters. I also appreciated seeing not only the stories where the characters are PROUD of who they are but also their struggle with their identities. There’s a big emphasis on romance, but also with friendships and family. As with most anthologies, not every story is going to be the perfect match. There were a few stories were a bit more fleshed out than others. Some stories i actually wished were full on novels. But I’m overall just satisfied to see these kind of stories in 2020. We need these stories and these authors to thrive and exist.

What a great way to start off Pride Month and my month-long effort to read LGBTQ+ books for PrideReads!

Out Now: Queer We Go Again is a new anthology featuring 17 short stories written by queer YA authors. From names you may recognize if you're a YA fan (Julian Winters, Meredith Russo, Caleb Roehrig, Mark Oshiro) and names I wasn't familiar with, these stories run the gamut from tales of romance, friendship, and self-acceptance, to fantasy, sci-fi, and folklore, all with an LGBTQ+ angle.

My favorite stories in the collection included: "What Happens in the Closet" by Caleb Roehrig, when vampires attack a high school prom and a gay student tries to better understand his nemesis; "Star-Crossed in DC" by Jessica Verdi, featuring the president's daughter who is ready to make a stand; "One Spell Too Many" by Tara Sim, about a teenage girl and kitchen witch, whose penchant for weaving spells into her baked goods has chaotic consequences; "Refresh" by Mark Oshiro, which tells of the frantic moments leading up to a blind date for two boys who met online; "Lumber Me Mine" by CB Lee, about two students who become enamored of one another during woodshop class; "Follower" by Will Kostakis, in which a social media influencer meets one of his fans; and perhaps my favorite story, "Victory Lap" by Julian Winters, in which a young man in search of a date to a school dance finds an unlikely ally in his search.

I tend to like stories that are a little simpler; there were a few stories in the collection that were science-fiction- or fantasy-based, and those didn't appeal to me as much. But for me, ultimately, the mark of a good story is one I'd love to see expanded into a longer form or even a full-length novel. All of the above stories, plus several others I didn't include in my list, definitely piqued my interest, and I'm going to explore the work of many of the authors featured in the collection.

The path to love and attraction, to connecting with someone you're interested in, to accepting who you are and/or working with family and friends to do the same, is different for every person. The stories in Out Now: Queer We Go Again didn't try to make their characters fall into predetermined patterns. While not every story was completely realistic, there's probably a story in here that almost everyone can identify with in one way or another.

Apparently Out Now is a follow-up to an anthology called All Out: The No-Longer-Secret Stories of Queer Teens throughout the Ages, also edited by Saundra Mitchell. I'll definitely be checking that out as well.

I was fortunate to be part of the blog tour for this book. NetGalley and Inkyard Press provided me with an advance copy of the book in exchange for an unbiased review. Thanks for making it available!

Having adored Mitchell's companion anthology ALL OUT, I leapt at the chance to read OUT NOW. Unsurprisingly, this anthology is queer as hell, with stories that were wonderfully diverse and offered all sorts of queer representation.

My favourite contributions were:
- What Happens in the Closet (Caleb Roehrig)
- Victory Lap (Julian Winters)
- One Spell Too Many (Tara Sim)

Across the board though, this was an outstanding collection of unapologetically queer stories, that offers something for every reader in practically every genre, from fantasy to thriller to contemporary.

Kick. Push. Coast.
Candice Montgomery

rep: questioning | until now I didn't realize "questioning" could also apply to those unsure about the label they wanted to choose, so i'm glad i learned that through this story. i wasn't a fan of the second person POV. there was so much skateboard terminology that i was a bit overwhelmed. the ending left me with a "that's it?" feeling.

What Happens in the Closet
Caleb Roehrig

rep: gay male, closeted mlm | i was hooked from the start, how have i not read a Roehrig book before now? thank you for fulfilling my need for ~gay~ vampires (cannot wait for his full vampire novel The Fell of Dark !) and sassy teens. i really hope Lucas sticks to his word because i like this couple.

Player One Fight!
Eliot Schrefer

rep: gay male, questioning/closeted mlm | i felt for Ricky in this one. i don't think this is an uncommon experience for LGBTQ+ youth, and Ricky's hopefulness mixed with his stated distrust for relationships can be relatable. the formatting of the short story was very cool, based on his love of video games.

Lumber Me Mine
CB Lee

rep: wlw, ace | i was so here for Jasmine's journey into independence following an emotionally manipulative relationship. i love you, Jasmine!! (still don't get the title, tho.) her tentative start into a new relationship was beautifully written.

Follower
Will Kostakis

rep: bi, gay | that was so cuuute!! i adored everything, from the writing, to the dialogue between the characters, to the plot (i never would have imagined a story line like that). i had a huge corny smile on my face at the end.

Refresh
Mark Oshiro

rep: plus-size mlm, latinx mlm | i spent half my read in a state of intense nerves for Rodrigo. and then he met his online crush!! and then the thing happened! and then i was feeling all the other emotions! Oshiro, you hooked all my feelings in with this one.

Victory Lap
Julian Winters

rep: mlm | this one was cute and had a welcoming coming out moment. i loved the immediate support Luke got from his father. a lot did happen in a short time in this story, to the point that i felt kind of winded when i finished.

A Road of One's Own
Kate Hart

rep: pansexual indigenous, questioning | i struggled a bit with this one. right at the start, we're introduced to Eliza and her three friends as they drive to pick up a fourth person for a camping trip. i got lost with the names, the personalities, the locations that were thrown in. i liked the open discussions on indigenous identity and history, but the romance wasn't a big win for me since i never connected strongly with the characters.

Seditious Teapots
Katherine Locke

rep: questioning | i was in love with Rory from the first page. this story had very painful moments as Rory questioned the labels they felt comfortable using. tw for depression.

Starcrossed
Jessica Verdi

rep: bisexual | this was so good! i was hooked from the first line. no more words, just I Need MORE!

Floating
Tanya Boteju

rep: wlw autistic | boteju's writing is so poetic. i could read it for hours and just ~drift~. this is a character-centric piece where not a lot physically happens but i truly fell in love with Shanti.

The Soft Place
Hillary Monahan

rep: wlw | this story had a dull ache to it that i felt throughout my reading. there was an element of magical realism. i enjoyed Rey's frank discussions with Kimber, for the "pull up your bootstraps" kind of talk that it was.

A Pound of Flesh
Kosoko Jackson

rep: Black mlm | past lives, Greek gods? yes please! sadly i was confused throughout this story. there was too little background on why Carson was being reincarnated or why he kept dying early. i couldn't quite make the ties between the Greek gods' presence and the riots going on.

One Spell Too Many
Tara Sim

rep: taiwanese bi, trans male | okay how have i never read a book about witches that run a bakery. tara sim i am PLEADING make this concept a whole book. and if you keep anna and noah as the characters you better bet i will be screeching about this for years. i adored this to the moon and back.

Far From Home
Saundra Mitchell

rep: mlm | aliens! this was a fun read although i wish the story had been told in real time and not as a flash back that is my only critique. wade and river are so great and also if *this* was a book... i mean.

The Coronation
Meredith Russo

rep: trans | i had some trouble following this story. i plan to come back to it another time. there were just some statements that made me go "?" and i need a focused brain to really go through it all. also as a cis person i'm not exactly the person to speak on it.

Once Upon a Seastorm
Fox Benwell

rep: trans male | there was a lot of abstract writing, almost magical realism, used at the beginning of this story. part of me liked it and another part of me got confused because i didn't know if Theo was actually trans or a selkie. OBVIOUSLY HE IS TRANS, but i spent the beginning thinking oh, maybe he is a selkie, so by the end of the story i needed to readjust my thinking which might be the authors' point (since Theo is confused about his identity) but i think this might need a re-read to digest.

This was a really fun and diverse collection of short stories. I especially loved Roehrig's story with vampires and literally being in the closet. That one was easily my favorite, but I enjoyed all of the others as well, which is rare. Usually in anthologies like this there are a couple I'm "meh" about, but I generally have positive feelings about all of these stories.

I received an ARC of this book thanks to NetGalley and publisher Inkyard Press in exchange for an honest review.

Number of stories: 17
Great stories: 3
Good stories: 6
Okay/not for me stories: 8

Despite what those stats might suggest, I adored this collection. The stories which I loved, I really loved and I know I'll remember them for a long time. The good stories were similarly very enjoyable, and those I didn't enjoy were mostly due to them being genres I am not typically a fan of. I have comments for every story so I'm going to launch straight into those.

Kick. Push. Coast. by Candice Montgomery-This was a great opening story about a girl who is skateboarding and questioning her sexuality. The skateboarding works as a decent metaphor and while not a lot is going on, it's very well-written and I like the general themes and feel of it.

What Happens in the Closet by Caleb Roehrig-I LOVED this story. Set in a world with vampires, a gay guy is at his Homecoming dance when a vampire attack happens. He ends up in the closet with his crush and things go from there. This had a brilliant sense of humour and fantastic character dynamics. It was also very hot! One of my favourites and I wish it was a whole book.

Player One Fight! by Eliot Schrefer-This started off strong but got a bit lost along the way. A guy uses videogame metaphors to describe the kind of messy relationship he's in at the moment. It ended very abruptly and I couldn't quite get what the author was trying to say.

Lumber Me Mine by CB Lee-This story is the perfect example of how to flesh out things with only a few words. A lesbian who has recently gone through a bad breakup is forced to return to school where her ex attends. She also thinks the new girl in her class is pretty cute. This had great rep, cute character dynamics and I liked the protagonist a lot. Very solid.

Follower by Will Kostakis-Whilst hanging out on a beach, a guy sees a famous influencer and strikes up a conversation with him. This is a great example of how I don't necessarily have to like the characters in order to appreciate a relationship dynamic. It had some good moments and potentially could have been fleshed out more but I still really enjoyed it.

Refresh by Mark Oshiro-A boy waiting for his app date is in for a surprise. This could have gone a bit sour but I loved the writing and it was so well-executed. Again, this was another story I wanted more of but not in a bad way. It ended at a good point and, while not as fluffy as some of the others, still had an engaging relationship dynamic.

Victory Lap by Julian Winters-This story genuinely almost made me cry, despite not being sad in the least bit. A boy is looking for a date for his dance and is unsure of how to come out to his father. This was the best kind of cute, the characters were insanely fleshed out for how short it is and I absolutely adored it. A definite favourite.

A Road of One's Own by Kate Hart-A group of queer people go on a road trip together and a romance ensues. This one was okay and again, it had a decent discussion of rep and various things that can come up when you are not white and straight. However, it was a bit lacking and I never really bonded with the characters that strongly.

Seditious Teapots by Katherine Locke-This had an awesome premise. A person starts collecting teapots with various anarchist/political things on them and the story is about them trying to work out their gender identity, pronouns etc while accepting that labels don't necessarily fit them well (I use 'they' as that was the phrase used in the story, though it was also discussed as not a great-fitting label. Alas I lack a better one).

Starcrossed in DC by Jessica Verdi-This short story basically has the plot of State of Us as far as I can tell. That is, two daughters of the president and a rival candidate fall in love. It had potential but again, the characters weren't super engaging and that made it hard to get invested in their romance.

Floating by Tanya Boteju-I could not remember this story for the life of me and sadly, none of the reviews I checked could remember it either. I like Tanya Boteju's other work but this did not stand out.

The Soft Place by Hillary Monahan-This story was almost entirely about a girl's drug trip. I can see some people really liking this story but sadly it didn't gel well with me and I didn't get a whole lot out of it.

A Pound of Flesh by Kosoko Jackson-This was the story about a human in love with a god and the punishment Aphrodite enacts on them because of it. Again, this was a story that just wasn't for me but this time it was because of the fantasy element and the way it was done. Fantasy fans might get a lot more out of this but it didn't do a whole lot for me.

One Spell Too Many by Tara Sim-In a world with witches, a girl works at a bakery incorporating spells into the things they sell. She gets asked to make a love potion for a friend and a confidence potion for her crush and hi-jinks ensure. This was another favourite for me. Very cute set-up and, while somewhat predictable, I loved the world and characters.

Far From Home by Saundra Mitchell-This is about an alien/Superman expy and him getting into a situation with his crush. This had some interesting points and not bad writing, but the sci-fi/alien element didn't do a whole lot for me.

The Coronation by Meredith Russo-I got lost pretty soon when reading this one. Two trans teens get sent out into a fantastical world but I couldn't keep track of what was going on. Again, not my kind of fantasy sadly.

Once Upon a Seastorm by Fox Benwell-This was another fantasy story which looked at being trans through the lens of the selkie mythology. I actually really enjoyed this, partially because my trans partner is super into selkies but also just because it was a well-written story which was lighter on the fantasy elements. I liked what it did and thought it was a cool concept.
~
So yes, overall I really adored this book. I've not yet read All Out so I can't say how it compares, but this had a whole variety of rep, plots and characters to enjoy. I am so glad I read this and I will 100% be recommending this to my queer (and not so queer) friends.

Overall Rating: 4/5 stars

I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed are my own.

All Out was really good. The stories in this volume are hit or miss. I do have to say the title and tag line are great, though!

The problem with anthologies is that I usually either LOVE stories and want them to be books or there's not enough time for the story to actually fully develop. Both were present here. I think it would have been better served to have fewer, longer stories. But it'll probably still get recommended for representation alone.

Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher! Thanks! All opinions are my own.

Book: Out Now: Queer We Go Again!

Author: Saundra Mitchell, Eliot Schrefer, CB Lee, Mark Oshiro, Kosoko Jackson, Hilary Monahan, Candice Montgomery, Meredith Russo, Fox Benwell, Jessica Verdi, Tanya Boteju, Tara Sim, Julian Winters, Will Kostakis, Caleb Roehrig, Kate Hart, and Katherine Locke

Book Series: Standalone

Rating: 4/5

Diversity: LGBT friendly! m/m romances, f/f romances, bi, queer, trans, etc. Latinex, Chinese, Native American, etc. characters!

Recommended For...: anthology lovers and LGBT recs!

Publication Date: May 26, 2020

Genre: YA Anthology (Contemporary, Romance, Fantasy, all revolving around LGBT authors and stories)

Recommended Age: 15+ (homophobia, death, heterosexism, toxic relationships, catfishing, genocide, discrimination, substance abuse TW, child abuse TW, transphobia)

Publisher: Inkyard Press

Pages: 416

Synopsis: QUEER WE GO AGAIN! A follow-up to the critically acclaimed All Out anthology, Out Now features seventeen new short stories from amazing queer YA authors. Vampires crash prom, aliens run from the government, a president’s daughter comes into her own, a true romantic tries to soften the heart of a cynical social media influencer, a selkie and the sea call out to a lost soul. Teapots and barbershops, skateboards and VW vans, Street Fighter and Ares’s sword: Out Now has a story for every reader and surprises with each turn of the page!

Review: I find it hard to review books with multiple authors sometimes because I like some stories and don’t others. For the most part though I really liked all of the stories in this book. The book had a variety of POVs and representation. I think all of the stories did well with character development and world building. The book will be something I remember for awhile.

The only thing I found “fault” with is that I thought the pacing in some of the books was a bit slower than what I wanted and the plot of some of the stories was not as interesting as others, but the great thing about this book is that you can pick and choose what you want to read!

Verdict: A definite recommended read!

Before I get into these stories, I just want to say you do not need to read All Out in order to enjoy this! These are all short stories spotlighting various LGBT characters and are all amazing in their own right! There were 16 short stories in this anthology. They explored so many sexualities.

My favorite story was a tie between What Happens in the Closet and The Coronation. What Happens in the Closet is about vampires who crash a homecoming dance. Austin gets locked in a closet with his arch-nemesis while hiding from them. They are not the sexy vampires we know and love. Of course, while in the closet, they find love.
The Coronation is about a trans boy and girl who are being given to the Gods but they decide to fight back. This read very much like a fantasy that picked up right when the action started. Once it ended I was yearning for a whole book!

There weren’t any bad stories in this book. There were some that featured gods and goddesses, some that read like ya contemporary love stories, and fantasies. There is something for everyone in this book! It was 416 pages long, but didn’t feel like it. I flew through it!

I recommend this to anyone who is LGBT, loves their stories, is an ally, or who wants to learn more about different sexualities. You will be sure to find a story you love.

After doing the math, my average rating for this book is 3 stars. Overall, this is a fun anthology. Not every story did it for me, but there were a few that I truly loved.

1. Kick. Push. Coast: 2 stars.
This story did not make much of an impact on me. I did not come out of it with any solid opinions. The romance was there, but it was more of an underlying thing, and the characters were not developed. It was just okay.

2. What Happens in the Closet:3 stars.
I found this story to be really cute. I adore vampires, so their inclusion did not hurt. I really enjoyed it; however, I found the writing and characters to be a tad juvenile. This does have a slight enemies-to-lovers thing going on though, which I am always a sucker for.

3. Player One Fight: 1 star.
This story is so pointless. It's just full of irrelevant video game talk and absolutely no character growth. I did not enjoy this one at all.

4. Lumber Me Mine: 4,5 stars.
So adorable!! I adore the characters in this story. The main character especially has amazing character development, which can be rare in short stories. The romance was great and I thoroughly enjoyed this read.

5. Follower: 2.5 stars.
The chemistry in regards to the romance is there but the build-up is not. This story is not that interesting, to be honest. I barely remember what it is about looking back.

6. Refresh: 2 stars.
The writing here is fine- not great, but fine. However, the characters and their choices really bothered me. I think that things in this story moved much too quickly.

7. Victory Lap: 4.5 stars.
I LOVE THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE MAIN CHARACTER AND HIS FATHER. This relationship completely made the story for me. The romance was also adorable and so was the love interest. Such a wholesome read that made me incredibly happy.

8. A Road of One's Own: 3.5 stars.
This story contains some very important themes. However, I found it sort of dry at times, as it focused mainly on the characters going on some road trip which I did not care about.

9. Seditious Teapots: 3.5 stars.
Again, this story also has very important themes. Extremely relevant things are discussed and important concepts and ideas are introduced. I'm very glad that this story exists. However, the story itself just was not as gripping as I would have liked.

10. Starcrossed in DC: 4 stars.
I love the emphasis this story places on standing up for what is right and being brave. This is a really solid story as well. I adore the romance and wish that I could have more!

11. Floating: 2 stars.
Beautifully written, but I did not connect with it at all. It is not written in a traditional way and I think this is what threw me off.

12. The Soft Place: 2 stars.
A very sad yet hopeful story. However, I also did not connect with this one, either. I just did not care for the main character's voice much at all.

13. A Pound of Flesh: 4 stars.
I LOVE THIS CONCEPT. Incredible idea!! The romance was also something that I love. My only gripe with this story is that the execution could have been a bit better in certain areas.

14. One Spell Too Many: 4 stars.
I love the characters in this, especially the love interest. He is adorable! I also adore the little 'twist' with the best friend's love life. Cute and wholesome story.

15. Far From Home: 3 stars.
Is the title a Spider-Man (MCU) reference? This story mentions Spider-Man, so I believe so. Anyway, I love the main couple. While I also love aliens, I found myself not caring about the plot points regarding that.

16. The Coronation: 3 stars.
Story-wise, this was a tad confusing at times. I love the mythology aspect a lot though and really did enjoy reading it.

17. Once Upon a Seastorm: 3.5 stars.
LOVE LOVE LOVE this story's setting and the emphasis on Celtic mythology. Now I want to go to Scotland :(. My gripe with this is that some plot-points fell a bit flat for me.

Like me, did you revel in the queer short stories of All Out: The No-Longer-Secret Stories of Queer Teens Throughout the Ages? Even if you didn't, Out Now is a fantastic sequel.

Summary

Out Now: Queer We Go Again! is a YA short story anthology that covers different tones and topics within the world of queerness. From girls falling in love in shop class, to kitchen witches baking magic cupcakes, to gods fighting on earth, to a selkie looking for his home, this book has something for everyone.

Review

I enjoyed the diversity of this anthology in terms of identity and culture but also in terms of storytelling. There are stories about people exploring their identity but also stories about people who are comfortable with their identity. There are both happy endings and ambiguous endings, and you can jump from story to story with ease.

A few of these stories made me wish for more, and that is the sign of a good short story to me. You can bet I'm going to track down other works by some of these authors to satisfy my cravings.

This anthology showcases different queer voices and perspectives, and I think we need more of that in books.

Rating: 4/5 stars
Release Date: May 26, 2020

Thank you NetGalley and Inkyard Press for the ARC!

“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.