Elizabeth Fitzgerald's Blog: Earl Grey Editing, page 25

Queens of Geek by Jen Wilde

Published: March 2017 by Swoon Reads

Format reviewed: Paperback, 288 pages

Genres: Contemporary YA

Source: Publisher

Reading Challenges: Australian Women Writers Challenge 2017

Available:Abbey’s ~ Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ Book Depository ~ Booktopia ~ Dymocks ~ Kobo

Disclaimer: I was provided with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

When BFFs Charlie, Taylor and Jamie go to SupaCon, they know its going to be a blast. What they don’t expect is for it to change their lives forever.

Charlie likes to stand out. SupaCon is her chance to show fans shes over her public breakup with co-star, Reese Ryan. When Alyssa Huntington arrives as a surprise guest, it seems Charlies long-time crush on her isn’t as one-sided as she thought.

While Charlie dodges questions about her personal life, Taylor starts asking questions about her own.

Taylor likes to blend in. Her brain is wired differently, making her fear change. And there’s one thing in her life she knows will never change: her friendship with Jamie, no matter how much she may secretly want it to. But when she hears about the Queen Firestone SupaFan Contest, she starts to rethink her rules on playing it safe.

I loved Queens of Geek. I read the whole thing in an afternoon and I’ll be shoving it into the hands of friends as soon as I’ve finished writing this review.

The book is written in first person, alternating between the perspectives of Charlie and Taylor, the two main characters. Charlie is a rising star with a popular YouTube vlog. She also recently starred in an indie movie that was a hit with audiences. She’s very much in the public eye and she’s come to SupaCon at the behest of the film studio to promote the movie and the sequel. However, neither she nor her agent have much influence in the industry and so even though Charlie’s friends have come along for moral support, they’re unable to get VIP passes and are separated from Charlie early on in the story.

This gives space for Taylor’s side of the story to develop. Taylor is an Aspie with social anxiety. Coming all the way to America for a big convention is a huge step outside her comfort zone. But she’s determined to meet her favourite movie star, and her best friend Jamie is there looking out for her. I loved the relationship between these two. It’s clear from the start that Jamie cares about Taylor by all the small things he does to ease her way and to check on her. When she inevitably has a meltdown, he never pushes, but gives her the space she needs, often without her even having to ask for it. I also loved that he is as much of a geek as she is. They talk in movie quotes and his own interest in comics is present alongside her love for fandom. It was refreshing to see a relationship portrayed between geeks instead of between a geek and an outsider or from an outsider’s perspective of geekdom.

The book touches on a lot of different issues. While Taylor is negotiating the challenges presented by her social anxiety, Charlie is dealing with sexism in the entertainment industry and the division (or lack of it) between her public and private lives. And the story also touches on bisexual erasure, when Charlie’s ex declares he doesn’t believe bisexuals exist. The presentation and resolution of these issues isn’t always the most subtle; like most fangirls, this book wears its heart on its sleeve.

It also constantly shows examples of women supporting each other. Even when things are falling apart for Charlie, she’s always there for Taylor’s big moments or whenever Taylor needs a friend. Likewise, even when Taylor is competing against other women, it never stops her from holding out a hand in friendship–especially when its needed. And this support is also demonstrated over and over again by minor characters.

Queens of Geek made me so happy and I’d love to see more stories like it.

Bout of Books #19

Round 17 of Bout of Books wrapped up yesterday, so it’s time for me to check in with my progress!

In my sign-up post, I mentioned my goal was to get through a minimum of three books. I got off to a roaring start. By Tuesday, I’d finished Kaaron Warren’s masterpiece of atmosphere The Grief Hole, and blasted through Queens of Geek by Jen Wilde. The two books balanced each other nicely, with the contemporary YA making a wonderful antidote to the lingering creepiness of the previous book. I’ve got a review of Queens of Geek going up on Friday but (spoilers) I loved it a lot and can’t wait to share it with you. You’re going to have to wait a little longer for my review of The Grief Hole, which will coincide with Kaaron’s turn as MC at Conflux in October.

My reading rate dropped off after Tuesday. An impending deadline ate my brain and I also had a few social commitments. I think some better planning is in order for the next time around.

What about you? Did you join in Bout of Books last week? If so, how did you do? If not, what did you read over the week?

For those interested in the next Bout of Books, it will take place on 21-27 August 2017. For further details, keep an eye out here or head over to the Bout of Books blog.

Loose-leaf Links #39

Loose-leaf Links is a feature where I gather together the interesting bits and pieces on sci-fi, fantasy and romance I’ve come across and share them with you over tea. Today’s tea is Milky Oolong from the Tea Centre. It’s a light, sweet tea with a creamy flavour (as the name suggests), making it lovely for after dinner.

Follow Up

Maria Lewis’ werewolf novel Who’s Afraid? has been optioned for TV.

Awards News

If you were a member of Contact 2016 or are a member of Continuum 13, please don’t forget to vote for the Ditmar Awards! Online voting closes before 15 May.

The judging panels for the 2017 Aurealis Awards have been announced. Good luck to those participating! I hope you have fun with it.

The shortlist for the 2017 Clarke Award has been released.

Over at Rocket Stack Rank, Greg Hullender takes a detailed look at the efficiency of methods to block slate voting in the Hugo Awards.

Nominations for the inaugural Defying Doomsday Award are now open. Made possible by a donation from D. Franklin, the award is in recognition of disability advocacy in SFF literature. The award will be judged by Alisa Krasnostein, Tsana Dolichva and Holly Kench, who were respectively the publisher and editors of the Defying Doomsday anthology.

Community and Conventions

M.C.A Hogarth has stepped down from her position as Vice President of the Science Fiction Writers of America. The SFWA will be holding elections for new officers this month.

On Equity

A few more reactions to the Odyssey Con debacle: Michi Trota explains how “professional” and “volunteer-run” are not mutually exclusive and how both should mean the safety of guests; SFWA President Cat Rambo ponders some approaches to changing the “missing stair” approach to serial harassers in SFF communities.

Natalie Luhrs discusses failures of empathy in relation to call-outs about unprofessional behaviour. This comes in the wake of a couple of authors complaining about copyeditors erasing non-binary characters in their stories by removing the singular use of “they” from manuscripts.

Over on Fantasy Cafe, Nisi Shawl discusses the erasure of older women as characters and authors.

For Writers

Writers have just a couple of days to submit to Luna Station Quarterly before their deadline for Issue 31 closes. Stories should be 500-7000 words.

Arsenika are also open for poetry and flash fiction until 15 June.

Self-published authors with stand-alone or first books in a series might be interested in entering Mark Lawrence’s third Self-Published Fantasy Blog-Off. Katharine of Ventureadlaxre is one of this year’s judges. Entries close 1 July.

Peter Ball contemplates the role market plays in fantasy book series.

For Readers

The next Dewey’s Read-a-thon will take place on 21 October, so mark it in your calendar!

The first four volumes of Amanda Bridgeman’s Aurora series (reviewed here) is now being offered as a boxed set.

 

And lastly (just for fun), Ann Leckie reviews some blends from Adagio Teas.

Finnikin of the Rock by Melina Marchetta

Published: September 2008 by Viking Australia

Format reviewed: Trade Paperback, 416 pages

Series: Lumatere Chronicles #1

Genres: Young adult, fantasy

Source: Secondhand book shop

Reading Challenges: Australian Women Writers Challenge 2017

Available: Publisher (print and electronic) ~ Abbey’s ~ Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ Book Depository ~ Booktopia ~ Dymocks ~ Kobo ~ Smashwords

Finnikin of the Rock and his guardian, Sir Topher, have not been home to their beloved Lumatere for ten years. Not since the dark days when the royal family was murdered and the kingdom put under a terrible curse. But then Finnikin is summoned to meet Evanjalin, a young woman with an incredible claim: the heir to the throne of Lumatere, Prince Balthazar, is alive.

Evanjalin is determined to return home and she is the only one who can lead them to the heir. As they journey together, Finnikin is affected by her arrogance . . . and her hope. He begins to believe he will see his childhood friend, Prince Balthazar, again. And that their cursed people will be able to enter Lumatere and be reunited with those trapped inside. He even believes he will find his imprisoned father.

But Evanjalin is not what she seems. And the truth will test not only Finnikin’s faith in her . . . but in himself.

Melina Marchetta made a huge impact on Australian literature with her contemporary YA novel Looking for Alibrandi. More than a decade later, she made her debut into fantasy with Finnikin of the Rock. Reflecting this path, the book comes across as patchy, showing Marchetta’s experience as a writer in some places, while showing the flaws of a debut author in others.

Finnikin of the Rock shares some thematic concerns with Looking for Alibrandi. Both are concerned with identity and the experience of immigrants. However, while Looking for Alibrandi is concerned with an individual, first-generation Australian looking to negotiate between the different cultures she belongs to, Finnikin of the Rock is more concerned with nationhood and the plight of refugees. When the story begins, the nation of Lumatere is under a curse. A significant portion of its citizens were magically expelled from the kingdom, which has also been sealed off from the rest of the world. Attempts to enter the kingdom have resulted in death. Finnikin has long since given up hope of returning. Instead, he has concentrated his efforts on securing land for the refugees in order to establish a new home for them.

Marchetta doesn’t shy away from showing the plight of the refugees. Many camps are squalid and plagued with illness. There have been massacres and while the nobility are tolerated in other countries, the majority are shunned. Through Finnikin, the reader is encouraged to identify with them and sympathise with their desire for a place of safety, for a home.

Finnikin is an understandably angry character at the start of the book. Futile negotiations with foreign kingdoms on behalf of his people have left him despairing, though he never gives up. Marchetta shows her strengths as a writer in this complex character, gradually bringing him back to hope but in a way that brings him little comfort.

Evanjeline is less complex, but no less interesting. Her purpose is intentionally quite obvious from early on and she causes Finnikin no end of grief–particularly when she completely disregards his orders. I appreciated her strength of character and the tension between her purpose and her relationship with Finnikin. There is an inversion of power dynamics that grants her agency and keeps Finnikin on the back foot, reacting more than acting. In some respects, the book is more Evanjeline’s story than Finnikin’s.

Although the story was compelling, the pacing was also a bit slow. At one point, Finnikin is literally forced to backtrack in order to advance his relationship with Evanjeline in a manner that felt contrived and quickly undermined.

This is also a book concerned with violence against women. This primarily manifests within the kingdom of Lumatere itself, where the usurper and his forces prey on the (mostly young) women of the kingdom. There is also an attempted rape against Evanjalin. While these elements contributed to the bleakness of the story, they felt unnecessary. Perhaps the threat to the women of the kingdom was intended to show the ways in which people are kept oppressed and vulnerable. However, it came across a shortcut way to express the evil of the current rulers of Lumatere.

One other element I appreciated about the story was the presence of religion. It’s rare to see the inclusion of religion in fantasy in a way that is generally positive and contributed to the plot.

Overall, I found Finnikin of the Rock a promising debut, despite some flaws.

Mt TBR report: April 2017

April was already a great month for my reading, but it was nice to have Dewey’s readathon to give it an extra boost. Mt TBR has increased a little with the release of the shortlists for the Hugos and the Ditmars. However, the award shortlists also mean I’m not having any trouble meeting my new year’s resolution to get to the library more often.

Mt TBR Status

Mt TBR @ 1 January 2016: 327

Mt TBR @ 31 March 2017: 307

Mt TBR @ 30 April 2017: 306

Books Read

69. A Private Miscellany by K.J Charles. A epistolary short story following on from Charles’ historical romance series Society of Gentlemen. I enjoyed the way we checked in with all the characters and the way their letters conveyed their distinct voices. Readers will need to have read the series to appreciate this story.

70. Twist by Kylie Scott. Reviewed here.

71. Magic for Nothing by Seanan McGuire. Sixth in the InCryptid series. Being the youngest of the Price siblings isn’t exactly a barrel of laughs, especially when you’re struggling to hide your emerging pyrokinesis. However, life gets a whole lot harder for Antimony Price when her sister outs the family to an international organisation looking to hunt them down. Antimony must go undercover to discover what the Covenant of St George plans. I loved the new characters and McGuire’s trademark sense of humour.

72. Black Panther, Vol. 1 by Ta-Nehisi Coats, illustrated by Brian Stelfreeze. Read for the Hugo Awards. Gorgeous use of colour and it touched on some interesting issues, but it nevertheless left me feeling a little lost.

73. Mouse Guard, Vol. 3: The Black Axe by David Petersen. A graphic novel about anthropomorphic mice. The story travels back in time to show how Celanawe came into possession of the notorious Black Axe. Suitably epic and had a legendary quality not present in the other volumes.

74. Beyond Solitude by Kit Rocha. Post-apocalyptic erotica. A short novella set between the fourth and fifth books of the Beyond series. Sweet, but didn’t bring anything particularly new to the series.

75. Certain Dark Things by Silvia Moreno-Garcia. Read for the Sisterhood of the Travelling Paperback podcast. The scions of two vampire clans engage in a deadly game of cat-and-mouse in Mexico City. A wonderfully fresh take on vampires with some fantastic world-building.

76. Sharp Turn by Marianne Delacourt. Reviewed here.

77. Monstress, Vol. 1 written by Marjorie Liu, illustrated by Sana Takeda. Read for the Hugo Awards. A seemingly-human girl infiltrates a stronghold of priestesses in order to discover the truth of her mother’s death. A dark and engaging tale with absolutely exquisite artwork.

78. Finnikin of the Rock by Melina Marchetta. Review forthcoming.

79. Beyond Addiction by Kit Rocha.Post-apocalyptic erotica. Fifth book in the Beyond series. I enjoyed seeing the overall plot of the series move forward and the redemption of a character who hasn’t been on the right side of things in previous books. There were also a couple of nice moments reminiscent of Mad Max: Fury Road.

80. The Dream-Quest of Vellitt Boe by Kij Johnson. Awesome to see an older woman featured as the protagonist of a very traditional quest narrative. The world struck the right balance between the familiar and the deliciously strange. Very enjoyable.

81. Nerve Endings edited by Tobi Hill-Meyer. I don’t have much to add to Anne Rowlands’ guest review. This book is jam-packed with stories and a lot more of them were speculative than I’d been expecting. Singularity by Katherine Cross was a particular stand out.

82. Ms Marvel, Vol. 1 by G. Willow Wilson, illustrated by Adrian Alphona. A teenage Muslim girl develops superpowers and sets about using them to save her friends and acquaintances when they’re in danger. However, her inexplicable behaviour gets her in trouble with her strict parents.Utterly charming and very relateable. I’m a little sorry it has taken me so long to get to this.

Books Acquired

Lightspeed Magazine, Issue 82 edited by John Joseph Adams

Lightspeed Magazine, Issue 83 edited by John Joseph Adams

Abducted by Evangeline Anderson

Behind the Mask edited by Tricia Reeks

The Geek Feminist Revolution by Kameron Hurley

The Dream Quest of Vellit Boe by Kij Johnson

Ms Marvel, Vol. 1 by G. Willow Wilson, illustrated by Adrian Alphona

vN by Madeline Ashby

Dancing with Demons by Amanda Pillar

Crow Shine by Alan Baxter

The Grief Hole by Kaaron Warren

Online Reading

Emanata (The Comics Will Break Your Heart Remix) by teaberryblue. Another recommendation from Kay. This is a charming story in which the Avengers have strict privacy clauses and don’t know each other’s true identity. So when Steve Rogers is hired by Tony Stark as a comic artist for the Iron Man line, he has some reservations about the growing attraction he feels to Tony–especially when he feels the same attraction to Iron Man. The awkwardness is just adorable and there are some very sweet moments.

Dewey’s Read-a-thon, April 2017

Dewey’s 24-hour Read-a-thon took place on Sunday, Australian time. For those who have somehow managed to miss my incessant posting about it, the event is basically a chance for book geeks across the world to get together and read as much as possible. It is also held in honour of its founder, a book blogger who went by the name Dewey, who passed away several years ago. I participated in my very first read-a-thon in April 2011 and haven’t looked back since.

As usual, things kicked off just as I was winding down.

It’s time!!! Start reading!!! #readathon #goforthegold

Dewey’s Read-a-thon (@readathon) April 29, 2017

You’re reading with 1,650 readers today! Doesn’t that feel great? #readathon

Dewey’s Read-a-thon (@readathon) April 29, 2017

My Mt TBR around start time:

On the left are all the books I’d half started. The ones on the right were all from the library and either on the Ditmar or the Hugo shortlist.

I’m hoping to finish off a few things I’m halfway through. I’ll be reading segments from THE GEEK FEMINIST REVOLUTION between other things.

Sharp Turn by Marianne Delacourt

Published: December 2016 by Deadlines

Format reviewed: E-book (mobi)

Series: Tara Sharp #2

Genres: Crime, paranormal

Source: Publisher

Reading Challenges: Australian Women Writers Challenge 2017

Available: Publisher (print and electronic) ~ Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ Book Depository ~ Booktopia~ Kobo ~ Smashwords

Disclaimer: I was provided with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This review contains spoilers for previous volumes/books.

Tara’s quirky PI business is attracting some even quirkier customers. She’s not sure how Madame Vine’s Escort Agency got her number. And then there’s the eccentric motorcycle racing team owner, Bolo Ignatius. Both these clients want to Tara to investigate suspicious circumstances that turn up dead bodies. That can only mean one thing in this town: John Viaspa. Tara goes in for round two with the local crime boss, while balancing the tight rope of her deliciously complicated love life.

Sharp Turn is the second Tara Sharp book and continues to be fast-paced fun. Although Tara finds herself in some prickly situations (sometimes quite literally), the story maintains a light-hearted tone.

The first book in the series got off to a bit of a slow start, but Sharp Turn came roaring out of the gate. Within two chapters, the story had reintroduced reoccurring characters and set up several new plots. It verged on a little too fast for me, but fortunately settled.

I really enjoyed the return of some of the characters. Cass was a particular surprise–a streetwise teen who helped Tara out in the first book. She’d seemed like just a passing character, so I was delighted to see her back. Not only that, but she gets fleshed out as we learn a bit more about her background. She serves as an excellent foil for Tara. The fact she has more life skills than Tara–particularly when it comes to cooking–highlights Tara’s privilege, as does Cass’s relationship with Tara’s mother.

The romantic relationships were a bit of a weak point of the book. There are appearances from both love interests, just long enough to remind us that they are still there with very little meaningful interaction. New complications are added to both relationships, but these felt flimsy and unsatisfying. Overall, Tara gives the impression of not being interested in any kind of relationship beyond the superficial.

The mystery elements were stronger, with each of the cases deftly intertwined. Coming from a family of motorbike enthusiasts, I also really enjoyed the setting. It felt vibrant and full of tension.

If you’re looking for a quick, fun read, Sharp Turn doesn’t disappoint.

Loose-leaf Links #38

Loose-leaf Links is a feature where I gather together the interesting bits and pieces on sci-fi, fantasy and romance I’ve come across and share them with you over tea. Today’s tea is Lapsang Souchong from T2. The cooler weather always has me craving smoked teas and this is one of the more smoky varieties.

Awards News

As previously mentioned, the winners of the 2016 Aurealis Awards were announced earlier this month. Congratulations once again to both the winners and nominees!

But there’s no rest for the wicked, I’m afraid. The organisers already have a call out for 2017 judges. I admit that for a hot minute I was tempted to sign up again, despite what I said about needing some time to recover.

The shortlists for the Sir Julius Vogel Awards have been released. If you’re looking to explore New Zealand SFF, this is a good doorway.

The ballot for the Hugo Awards has changed slightly. Alex Garner stepped down as a nominee for Best Fan Artist on account of being ineligible. He has been replaced by Steve Stiles.

The British Science Fiction Association announced the winners of the 2016 BSFA Awards.

The new design for the World Fantasy Awards was released this month and it looks gorgeous. It’s definitely an improvement on the bust of H.P. Lovecraft, which looked like it would live on for a while in the nomination pins. Fortunately, it has been announced that the pins will also be retired, perhaps in response to Nalo Hopkinson’s refusal to continue as a WFA judge while the pins were in use.

Community and Conventions

Congratulations to Donna Maree Hanson who won the GUFF race and will be heading to Helsinki for Worldcon 75!

The results of the NAFF race were also announced. Fe Waters will be attending the Australian Natcon, Continuum 13.

Bidding for Con or Bust’s annual auction has begun. Con or Bust helps POC fans attend conventions around the world. Among their auction items this year is an ARC of Ann Leckie’s forthcoming novel Provenance.

Odyssey Con have been in the news recently for all the wrong reasons. It began when Monica Valentinelli withdrew as a Guest of Honour due to the presence of Jim Frenkel, a known serial harasser, on the convention committee. Jim C. Hines details some of Frenkel’s history, while Mary Robinette Kowal has some strong words on the situation. Valentinelli’s withdrawal and the subsequent uproar also led to the withdrawal of the other two Guests of Honour: Tad Williams and Christopher R. Mihm. Despite this, Odyssey Con have decided the show must go on and have recruited two new Guests of Honour.

On Equity

Brianna Wu weighs in on the Odyssey Con situation, examining the sexist parallels between the SFF community and the gaming community.

Fantasy Cafe continue their excellent Women in SFF Month with a post from Danya from Fine Print about menstruation in fantasy novels, and one from S. Jae-Jones about being an Asian-American writer who doesn’t write about being Asian.

Yoon Ha Lee calls for nuance in deeming works as problematic.

For Writers

George R.R. Martin has created a new scholarship to the Clarion Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Workshop.

Chuck Wendig shares what he has learned about writing.

Over on Twitter, Hugo nominee Alyssa Wong has pulled together a thread of essays she recommends for writers.

As another of Fantasy Cafe’s guest posts, Fran Wilde discusses shifting POVs between books in a series.

For Readers

Over on the Australian Women Writers blog, Rivqa Rafael interviews Cat Sparks about her new novel Lotus Blue.

Amanda Pillar is offering a limited edition boxed set of her Graced series.

Kate Sloan explains how reading erotica can be great for your mental health.

Bout of Books 19 sign-up

Dewey’s 24-hour read-a-thon takes place this weekend and, as I’ve mentioned before, I’m hoping it will help me put a dint in Mt TBR and my reading for the Hugo Awards. But I know I need all the help I can get. Therefore I’m planning to follow it up by participating in round 19 of Bout of Books.

The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda @ On a Book Bender and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am Monday, May 8th and runs through Sunday, May 14th in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 19 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog.– From the Bout of Books team

Being a low-pressure challenge, Bout of Books lets me set my own goals. As with last few times, I’m aiming to get through a minimum of three books. I’m not entirely sure yet what I’ll end up going with, but there’s plenty to pick from. At the moment, I’m leaning towards Jen Wilde’s Queens of Geek and S.C. Flynn’s Children of the Different. And there’s still reading to be done for the Hugos and the Ditmars.

If you’d like to join in, there’s still time to sign up!

What’s on your TBR pile this week?

Anne Rowlands reviews Nerve Endings edited by Tobi Hill-Meyer

Published: February 2017 by Instar Books

Format reviewed: E-book (mobi)

Genres: LGBTQIA, erotica. Stories are a mix of contemporary and speculative fiction.

Source: Publisher

Available: Publisher (print and electronic) ~ Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble

Disclaimer: I was provided with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A trans woman watches her sleeping lover and contemplates the moment of his departure. A genderqueer sissy fantasizes alone about connection in their hotel room. A trans woman adjunct professor and sex worker is hired for a sex party held by her colleges philosophy department. A trans boy has a Craigslist hookup with a queen embarked on detransition. A bodiless AI announces its gender, takes a lover, and works to revolutionize the world.

Presented here are thirty stories edited and with an introduction by Tobi Hill-Meyer that offer revolutionary erotic fantasies by trans people, about trans people, and for trans people at the crossroads of history, biology, anxiety, and love.

Editor’s note:I acquired a review copy of Nerve Endings on the recommendation of a friend. I thought reviewing it would be a good way to boost trans voices. However, once I started reading, I quickly realised I wasn’t the intended audience. Furthermore, this thread on Twitter from Corey Alexander made me realise I could be doing more harm than good by reviewing it. So, I invited Anne Rowlands for an Own Voices perspective on the anthology.

 

 

Transgender people are not a plot twist: the introduction of Nerve Endings reminds us of this essential point. It is a point recently discussed in Liz Duck-Chong’s essay on the play The Trouble with Harry and is also often used in more erotic novels in a way that is not only dehumanising but out-and-out stupid. A person who is transgender wants not to be treated as a special bit of “spice” or worse a surprise. They want to be wanted, loved, cared for, or just simply not to be told they are playing pretend.

The central idea of Nerve Endings is to help us realise and capture this in a way that keeps transgender stories present in our minds when we, the transgender audience, are at our most lonely. These stories keep us remembering that our lives are worthy. That we matter. Nerve Endings never shies away from being written by trans people for trans people. Anyone else who likes it, that’s fine, but it’s not for them, it’s for us. This was so clear as I read that I really understood why I was asked to write this review.

Nerve Endings is proud in its erotica and its kink, its few polyamorous tales. It is never there to shame, or to make readers feel less (or more) than what we are: a part of society, transgender or not.

Each story brings us into a universe that we can almost imagine is real. Even when the characters are a Demon and his summoner, or an AI and their partner, or just a simple trans woman, man or boi trying to make their way in the world.

I’m always a little left wanting with short stories anthologies. Each tale is almost always slightly less than perfect, ending bitter-sweet, or offering only a brief glimpse into the life and emotions of the characters. Almost every story left me wanting more. More of the characters. More of their love. More of the things they do to conquer their fears and anxieties. More orgasms. The unashamedly erotic, the consent, the kink, the characters and their needs and desires. It’s too much and not quite enough at the same time. I was left with a profound sense of needing–not just wanting–more. I really hope this is just the first serving of a new genre of positive, consensual stories about transgender people told in erotic, loving, caring and knowledgeable ways.

4 out of 5 stars.

 

Anne Rowlands is a transgender woman librarian, in her spare time she is also an artist and poet. You can find her on Twitter as @anne_rowlands.