DNF at 40%

The premise of this book sounds so interesting, but either I'm completely missing out on undertones it might have, or the storytelling style of having many small moments and a very slow main plot is just not for me.

But I would tell anyone who's intrigued by the synopsis to give it a try.

Every so often I like to pick up a book I've never heard of and go in with no expectations. Sometimes the book is a major disappointment, and other, rarer times it is a captivating and memorable success. Tannery Bay is the latter.

Welcome to the town of Tannery Bay, where the sky is pink, it's always July, and artwork comes to life. Our cast of colorful characters revolves around Uncle Gerald and Auntie Anita, patriarch and matriarch of Bowfin Street, who find themselves visited by a ghost woman who emerged from the bay and has a message she needs to share. Part mystery, part fairytale, part fever dream, Tannery Bay is unlike any book I've read this year, and among the most endearing.

Capturing the love characters have for each other is a special skill, one that co-authors Steven Dunn and Katie Jean Shinkle have mastered. From Chapter One I was drawn into this joyful group of family and friends, and by the end I wished I could join them. Tannery Bay is an example of diversity done right: almost every character is either black, queer, or both, a fact which does not affect the storyline much, but exists simply because that's how people are. It takes all kind to make a world in Tannery Bay, and that includes a butch lesbian bicycle gang, a little girl who walks on water, and the disembodied laugh of one Willie Earl.

My only critique of Tannery Bay comes down to a formatting issue--on several pages, there is a photo of the town newspaper, the text of which advances the story, but the ebook image was too blurry to read. This left some holes in my understanding of the plot, though I was mostly able to fill them in later on.

Other than that technical problem, I found Tannery Bay an utterly delightful, imaginative, and immersive reading experience, one that's left me wanting more. Thank you to NetGalley and University of Alabama Press for the opportunity to read it.

fun, fast-paced and very quirky read! I enjoyed it but didn't love it, and found that the writing style threw me off at times. I still think its a really inventive way to tell a story, and an inventive story itself. somewhere around 3.5 stars for me but rounding down!

What a cool book! It read like a Coen brothers movie with its cinematic magical realness. It’s also always a big bonus when a story includes so much casual black queerness. It doesn’t always have to be a major plot point or the crux of the books conflict and this book really showcased that. The only issue I had was that I wish the newspaper pictures were clearer. I couldn’t really read them and they didn’t cover what was included in the photos conversationally in the book so there were some holes left for me. All in all I loved this

Tannery Bay invites readers into an enchanting world where time loops like a stubborn cassette tape. In this mysterious town, it’s July 37, then suddenly July 2 again, but the year remains elusive. The prose hums with immediacy and timelessness, unraveling secrets that cling to the air like summer heat. Characters—rich, lovable, and haunting—navigate a landscape shaped by place and memory. Yet, despite its brilliance, the novel occasionally stumbles in pacing, preventing a perfect 5-star rating.

Tannery Bay - A Novel by Steven Dunn & Katie Jean Shinkle is a gorgeous amalgam of highly detailed characters with depth of personality that the reader will want to dive down into and explore extensively

There is just so much to this highly lyrical account of a family sharing time, thoughts and dreams, from the greatest loves to the darkest evil that lurks outside

Brilliant

Thank you to NetGalley, University of Alabama Press, Fiction Collective 2 and the authors for this outstanding ARC. My review is left voluntariy and all opinions are my own

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book.

This was a fun, fairly fast read, with a dreamy storytelling style and unusual characters. I enjoyed it, but I think it could have been a bit longer. A lot goes on in this book for it to be so short.

Ethereal and uniquely poignant, Tannery Bay provides the reader with discussions of pride, time, and the greed that flows so viciously through those in positions of authority. This book is an astounding example of the dangers of being perfunctory in the face of adversity.
Thank you to the author, The university of Alabama press, and Netgalley for this incredible reading experience.

Every character is delightful, the story is unique, I loved it! And I know it came out in February, but I didn't see the read-now ARC until June, which means I read about the neverending July during the neverending July. It might not coincide with the publishing date, but it was perfect timing for me. Thanks to the authors for this marvelous book.

Tannery Bay feels like hazy summer memories in a close community, a family reminiscing about a shared dream. The slices of intimate moments pull the reader in close enough to want more. There's anger, there's resistance, there's justice, there's joy, there's pain, there's art, and there's love, so much love.

You yearn to know more about the main cast of characters; they are so richly written. Both authors' voices are intertwined so smoothly and cohesively, that I could not pick them apart from each other. The prose is imaginative and dreamy but it pairs with this vibe of uncanny magical realism, that makes you absolutely itch with unease and tension. All this, set alongside the exploitative villains who are portrayed in an exaggerated and caricatured way, and the oppressive atmosphere of an eternal summer setting, the characters all trapped in sticky limbo, makes for a unique outcome.

Thank you to NetGalley and University of Alabama Press, Fiction Collective 2 for this eARC.

Vivid, poignant and almost stream-of-consciousness at times, Tannery bay tells the story of a community stuck in a non-defined July, trying to free themselves from the chains of time, space, and The Owners. The characters (old, young, black, queer, rich, poor) are real, tangible in an universal sort of way - we struggle when they struggle, we rejoice when they do (not the Owners!).
It would probably be very interesting as an audiobook, due to the style and voice in the writing.
All in all, I definitely recommend it.

"Tannery Bay" offers a surreal reading experience that combines magical realism and elements of speculative fiction within a Black and queer community.

It took me some time to get into the writing style, which had a distinctive style different from my usual reads. However, while the writing challenged me at times, it also strangely added to the feeling of this town where nothing really makes sense: pink fog, ghosts, July on repeat. It's funny, haunting, and highlights the importance of collaboration and community.

While there were some parts that did not quite work for me, the concept and the synergy between the two authors tipped the scale, making it overall an enjoyable experience.

Tannery Bay is a book that must be experienced to be fully understood.

Thank you to the University of Alabama Press & Fiction Collective 2 for providing this book for review via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

I was able to read this via an ARC on NetGalley!

What a beautifully haunting story that painted so many incredible and frightening pictures with a great cast of characters. You can feel the synergy between the two authors and their source material so much in each sentence that my eyes were glued to my Kindle for the whole read.

Dear Authors,

Your book made me smile, many times. Your book made me laugh, over and over. Your book made me feel normal, as any queer man can.

Thank you for writing such a beautifully poetic, magical tale about a town on a purple bay, with pink fog, ghosts, laughter, love, community, and hope.

Yours truly,
J. D. McCoughtry

A big thank you to NetGalley and University of Alabama Press for allowing me to read such a wonderful book.