Another banger from Querencia Press. A collection of poems, prose, stories, and art collected and edited by Shilo Niziolek. The collection is fresh and the layout keeps everything moving. I highly recommend these collections for those looking for queer writing and art that likes to break out of the mold.

My favorite pieces are: "this will destroy you" by Alexandra Piette, "333" by Jannat Alam, and "So You'll Have to Work Just a Little Bit Harder" by Lucien Rae Gentil.

This is my second Scavengers issue, and it does not disappoint.
The thought-provoking poetry, prose, and verse hit hard with family, love, and the hardships of life. Nostalgia is a big theme, where contributors share personal thoughts on their past and thoughts on how life has been for them. These thoughts are very relatable.
Abstract art pieces break up the heaviness of some of the prose, yet at the same time provoke mixed emotions from the reader.
Scavengers is something to be read, weather in one go or in bite sized pieces it will definitely elicit emotions and talking points.

I won't beat around the bush for this one, and immediately admit that this collection of (mostly) poetry and artwork was not for me. I've been desperate to enjoy poetry more, for the very human reason that my cool colleague loves it.
The art was a little too abstract for me, but often interesting to look at. My favourite poem was Maggots, by Daniel Schulz, and I also liked Commencement (at the School for Danger) by Ceridwen Hall and Alabama Boys of Childhood by Hallie Johnston.
In general most of the poems were really hard to get into, I think because I found a lot of the word choices almost too refined, which made the poems themselves feel artificial and insincere, BUT AGAIN, this might simply be because I don't really appreciate poetry yet.
I hope more people (the actual audience for this kind of thing) find and try out this collection, which I'm sure was compiled with love and care.

Huge thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review!

Thanks to NetGalley and Querencia Press for the ARC!

I was previously unfamiliar with Querencia’s literary magazine, but “Scavengers” embodies so much of the mission one encounters in the publisher’s books.

There’s a kind of scrappy, underdog spirit binding each of the pieces throughout this issue, and readers will find the anarchist sensibility of a zine mediated through the warmth of a community garden. It feels willfully subversive, but the goal is to elevate voices who might otherwise be missed. It’s sweet, not saccharine.

As with all literary journals, readers’ mileage will vary greatly, but that’s a testament to Shilo Niziolek’s wide-ranging editorial tastes more than a statement on quality. If you welcome surprises and view the collection almost like a vibes-driven playlist, I think you’ll find lots to love.

I personally felt most drawn to the visual art throughout, especially the pieces from Sarp Sozdinler and Lucien Rae Gentil, and I hope future issues lean even more heavily into visual language.

I’m looking forward to following along!

There is pain and vulnerability in every piece of poetry, and that’s what makes it so hard to comment and critique the words on the page. The poems in Scavengers 2 are raw and render the burdens of contemporary life as tangible things to be picked at. Personally, although I liked elements of the poetry, the poems (especially the first few) came across too blunt. The poets don’t put enough trust in their readers’ understanding or imagination. Consequently, when reading, I struggled to feel as if I was in conversation with the imagery or metaphors or messages within the poems. A standout poem for me, was the experimental, 'Large-leaved lupine', by Jessamyn Duckwall, which was rich with imagery and feeling. Overall, a great collection of poems, with united themes and images running throughout.