"Bugsby & Other Stories" is a fun compilation of emotionally powerful, raw and honest short stories that will have you hooked. I also really appreciated the honesty and unapologetic nature of the author to "go there" in a variety of topics that most people would shy away from.

No topic was too taboo to not be explored, and this collection offers a mesmerizing glimpse into the human experience. The nuanced exploration of mental health, specifically addressing bipolar disorder and mania also blew me away. The author handled these themes with impressive depth, contributing to a broader conversation on the complexities of mental health in today's society.

It was definitely a departure for me, and something that involved me stepping outside of my comfort zone, and I would highly recommend.

Thank you NetGalley, Rafael Frumkin, and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was a true delight. One taboo topic after the other, but so well done! Bugsy captured me like no other short story has mixing BDSM with mental illness.

3.5 stars. I want to be a short story collection girly but I am not. That is no fault of the author, but I did struggle a little to finish this. I really enjoyed the first two stories..The honesty around sex work and mental health was great. I specifically found the second story to be very unique. A mental health clinician, going through their own mental heath crisis, is so incredibly complicated.

Thank you NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for this ARC.

I read and enjoyed CONFIDENCE but this short story collection really blew me away; it feels mature, and nuanced, and the writing on the line level is really strong. The stories here are queer, surprising, strange, and unsettling, and still deeply sensitive and generous. The author does a great job of telling stories that go beyond the typical coming out arc and really contextualize the way young queer people are living today, and the pressures we still have to hide or perform for others. I found the discussions of mental health, and specifically bipolar and mania, to be impressively done as well.