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Reviews tagging 'Eating disorder'
Being Ace: An Anthology of Queer, Trans, Femme, and Disabled Stories of Asexual Love and Connection by Madeline Dyer
10 reviews
hazel_oat's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping, Acephobia/Arophobia, and Eating disorder
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Grief, Sexual assault, and Toxic friendship
emily_mh's review against another edition
4.0
This anthology didn’t blow me away as I was expecting, but there were a few absolute gems, and the rest (apart from two in particular) were solid. My particular favourites were Across the Stars, Sealights, Moonspirited, and No Cure for Doubt. The collection was fantastic in showing both ace joy AND the oppression ace people face. The latter is validating for aces, but also educates allos who often don’t think ace people are discriminated against. Also, the story header illustrations were a really nice touch.
In terms of intersectionality, I wanted to note that there were six stories by authors of the global majority, and four stories featuring disabled protagonists. Unfortunately I didn’t note what stories had trans protagonists, but there were at least a couple.
I do have a couple of “overall” negative notes. Firstly, I was disappointed that authors like Melissa See, Darcie Little Badger, Raquel Marie, and Alechia Dow weren’t included, but this is more of a personal wish thing!
Secondly, the anthology says it intends to reflect the reality of the ace community, and therefore because asexuality among cis men is uncommon, there are no stories from cis men in the collection. But the anthology also acknowledges that there is underrepresentation of cis men in the ace community BECAUSE of a lack of representation (and toxic masculinity). So why on earth wouldn’t you try to help this by including a cis male author in the collection, perhaps a story directly addressing their underrepresentation? It just seemed like a weird choice, almost like they had complied the anthology, realised there were no cis men, and tried to retroactively justify it.
Now onto the individual reviews of each story! I’ve put a rough rating out of five in brackets after the title, followed by the stated (or implied) ace identity of the MC(s).
How to Love a Sidewinder by Kat Yuen (4): aroace MC. This story was all about how allonormative our world is, so that people assume you’re allo, which makes it difficult to live your life authentically. You have to explicitly state your desires and expectations, whereas those of allos are taken for granted. Why do we assume certain behaviours are romantic? Why do we assume that everyone wants to be married? This theme is couched in a unique writing style, and played out in a magical version of our world, giving real character to the story.
Across the Stars by Akemi Dawn Bowman (5): demi bi ace. Make this a full-length novel immediately, I’m begging you!! A girl goes on a trip to recover the last thing she has of her parents and along the way realises that she is capable of achieving all she’s ever dreamed of? Set in our future solar system when interplanetary travel is as easy as catching a train?? And there are cute robot companions??? Yes, please. The ace rep was more casual in this one, but I loved that, too.
Well Suited by Rosiee Thor (3): aroace MCs, QPR. I loved this story for how it showed that platonic love can be just as passionate as romantic love. It did this by taking romantic tropes and recontextualising them with aroace MCs. The world-building was lacking a bit, though.
Nylon Bed Socks by Madeline Dyer (4): ace MC. This was dark and really challenging. The MC has developed an eating disorder due to bullying over her ace identity. She was told being ace was a way “chubby” people justified why they don’t have sex. She was also raped by her bully (this is implied through a non-graphic brief description). Now her doctors are telling her that her asexuality is just low libido, a symptom of her mental illness. As the reader you see her try to process these things as she struggles to see a way that she will survive. Thankfully (and appropriately for a YA audience), the ending is hopeful. I loved how powerful this story was, and how it exhibited some lesser-known effects of acephobia.
Give Up the Ghost by Linsey Miller (4-5): ace MC. It’s quite a feat to satisfyingly introduce and solve a murder mystery in a short story, yet Miller achieved this. I thought she also cleverly tied in acephobic stereotypes (for example, that aces are closer to being dead than living) with the theme of the story. I do wish this had had a happier ending, as there was definitely opportunity for it.
No Such Thing as Just by K. Hart (4): ace MC. This was another dark, challenging read. Our MC is stuck in an abusive relationship without realising it, and part of the abuse they suffer is that their allo partner wants to “fix” them. It takes a friend’s unwavering support to make the MC realise their position, and that there is nothing about them to fix. I really appreciate this story showing what an unhealthy relationship looks like so YA readers might learn to recognise it for themselves.
Smells Like Teen Virgin by S.E. Anderson (3-4): sex-repulsed ace MC. There was some clumsy wording here that needed to be improved upon. For example, the MC insinuates that sexual assaulters and rapists “lose control” because of the power of sexual attraction, but later states views to the contrary (i.e. the correct view that they are fully in control of their actions). I also hated the phrasing “cripple a frail normie body.” But the story had an interesting premise: it plays with the “virgin blood” trope in the form of a sex-repulsed ace slayer whose blood is attracting too many monsters. There was also a neat exploration of the concept of purity, its root in oppression and the harm the label causes.
Sealights by Emily Victoria (5): presumably ace MC. Another short story with a world I want more of! The sea magic here kind of reminded me of Ponyo, the world-building at large feeling like Studio Ghibli. The MC goes on a character journey figuring out not only how to get what she wants, but what she wants in the first place. The scope of he plot was perfect, and I ADORED the lighthouse setting. My one gripe was that while I’m a fan of casual ace rep, there was not one sentence here where the MC’s orientation is even alluded to, which isn’t good enough, even in an all-ace anthology.
Moonspirited by Anju Imura (5): aroace MC. Author Imura here expertly put into words why family is so vital to aces. They also delve into disillusionment with religion, which is something I found myself relating to. The story is told in a dual timeline structure, which was effective as it kept the action going while providing context. The writing style was a little confusing at times, but also often nicely poetic.
The Third Star by RoAnna Sylver (4): aroace MC, QPRs. In terms of craft, this story wasn’t as strong as some of the other instalments in this anthology. But the ideas at play were great! I mean, the MC is trying to translate the language of a space wolf. Zir world is ending twofold as ze are stranded in a space bog with no hope of rescue along with zir queer-platonic partners - who have just broken up with each other.
The Mermaid’s Sister by Moniza Hossain (2): aroace MC. Unfortunately this story was rushed and felt cobbled together. Nicholas should have already been the palace and known to the MC, and the sister storyline shouldn’t have been a retelling of The Little Mermaid. The writing, world-building, characters, and their relationships etc. were generally lacklustre.
The Hazards of Pressing Play by Lara Ameen (2): biromantic ace. The atmosphere the author constructed here didn’t fit a kidnapping story. The narrative also felt rushed and read like a debut. Violet and Nova’s relationship didn’t seem like a healthy one, so the stakes were lacking, too.
No Cure for Doubt by Jas Brown (5): presumably ace MC. This was another story that didn’t allude to the MC’s orientation at all! Otherwise, it was fantastic. I would love this as a full-length novel (and it would have dominated as one back in the dystopian book days if publishing hadn’t been even more racist and queerphobic back then).
The Witch of Festa Falls by S.J. Taylor (4-5): aroace MC. This read like a folktale, which is one of my favourite writing styles. I loved the parallels that were drawn between the MC and the fossegrim. I almost think the best friend character was surplus to requirements. My favourite quote of the whole anthology comes from this story:
“It’s the only thing that keeps my head up when others in the village behave as though I do not belong, simply because I sing in a language they’ve forgotten and love in a way they refuse to understand.”
“It’s the only thing that keeps my head up when others in the village behave as though I do not belong, simply because I sing in a language they’ve forgotten and love in a way they refuse to understand.”
In sum I enjoyed my time with this anthology, and reading it has made me realise how much I yearn for an ace anthology comprised fully of realistic fiction. Maybe in the future?
Content Warnings
Graphic: Acephobia/Arophobia
Moderate: Death, Violence, Toxic relationship, Eating disorder, Medical content, Gaslighting, Sexual assault, Mental illness, Medical trauma, Cursing, Ableism, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Car accident, Sexism, Animal death, and Murder
Minor: Bullying, Gun violence, Alcohol, Racism, Blood, Sexual content, Transphobia, Injury/Injury detail, Fire/Fire injury, Kidnapping, Pregnancy, Torture, Homophobia, Death of parent, Vomit, Grief, Classism, Rape, Body horror, Cancer, Suicide, Gore, War, Islamophobia, and Physical abuse
Moderate: calorie counting, "mercy killing", loss of a loved one, explosion, internalised acephobia Minor: toxic masculinity, earthquake, volcano, drowningbookishmillennial's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
disclaimer: I don’t really give starred reviews. I hope my reviews provide enough information to let you know if a book is for you or not. Find me here: https://linktr.ee/bookishmillennial
With any anthology, people will have favorite stories and others that were just fine. However, I mostly felt grateful reading this, as I have been exploring my own demisexuality, and it’s just so lovely to read about others’ experiences, whether it is via essays or fictional short stories! Art is so impactful, and authentic representation matters.
My favorites out of this bunch were:
With any anthology, people will have favorite stories and others that were just fine. However, I mostly felt grateful reading this, as I have been exploring my own demisexuality, and it’s just so lovely to read about others’ experiences, whether it is via essays or fictional short stories! Art is so impactful, and authentic representation matters.
My favorites out of this bunch were:
- Across the Stars by Akemi Dawn Bowman
- Well Suited by Rosiee Thor
- Moonspirited by Anju Imura
- No Cure for Doubt by Jas Brown
I found a lot of new-to-me authors by reading this! 🥹
Acephobia/Arophobia, Death, Eating disorder
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Acephobia/Arophobia, and Eating disorder
Moderate: Animal death, Death of parent, Sexual assault, Emotional abuse, Ableism, and Bullying
sarah_shelf's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25
Favorites
How to Love a Sidewinder
Across the Stars
Give Up the Ghost
Smells Like Teen Virgin
The Third Star
The Mermaid’s Sister
No Cure for Doubts
How to Love a Sidewinder
Across the Stars
Give Up the Ghost
Smells Like Teen Virgin
The Third Star
The Mermaid’s Sister
No Cure for Doubts
Content Warnings
Minor: Ableism, Transphobia, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Death, Death of parent, Bullying, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Eating disorder, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Physical abuse
Content warnings from the book: "Sexual assault, sexual violence, and coercion; abuse (sexual, verbal, emotional, mental, physical); acephobia; transphobia; misgendering; ableism; abduction; death of a parent, a love interest, a sibling, and best friend; bullying; and mental illness including depression, suicidal ideation, and eating disorders with discussion of calorie counts"ellie_debney's review against another edition
hopeful
mysterious
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Acephobia/Arophobia, and Eating disorder
Moderate: Death of parent, Sexual assault, Transphobia, and Sexual violence
ashylibrarian's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
inspiring
lighthearted
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I truly thought I was going to LOVE this book much more than I did. This is not to say I didn't enjoy it, however!
I think this honestly was a case of "It's me, not you." Most of the stories were great, and I even wished a few of them were longer, even full-length stories, to spend more time with the characters in their worlds. I think the reason this fell a little flat for me is because I'm not a huge short-story reader. I have a difficult time finding a good transitional pace between stories and sometimes find myself rushing through them.
All this being said, I still enjoyed reading these stories and exploring the variety of world-building and character creation. It was so nice to experience so many ace stories with other awesome rep, as well. I will definitely keep this book on my recommending radar.
I think this honestly was a case of "It's me, not you." Most of the stories were great, and I even wished a few of them were longer, even full-length stories, to spend more time with the characters in their worlds. I think the reason this fell a little flat for me is because I'm not a huge short-story reader. I have a difficult time finding a good transitional pace between stories and sometimes find myself rushing through them.
All this being said, I still enjoyed reading these stories and exploring the variety of world-building and character creation. It was so nice to experience so many ace stories with other awesome rep, as well. I will definitely keep this book on my recommending radar.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Eating disorder, and Acephobia/Arophobia
Moderate: Bullying, Death, and Death of parent
Minor: Animal death
rattletheshelves's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
As with every anthology, there were some better and worse stories. The story by Akemi Dawn Bowman was my favourite (to no one's surprise).
What I didn't expect is how triggering I found some of the stories. There's a list of trigger warnings at the beginning of the collection but I wish they were listed at the beginning of every story. This way I could have skipped the story by the editor of the collection (Madeline Dyer) which dealt with eating disorders and medicalization of asexuality. It's a great and important story but it was way too triggering for me and I had to put the book down for a while after that.
It was a bit weird to me that there were so many different genres squeezed in as well. Maybe they could have been arranged better, so that half would be speculative and half contemporary so that you know what you get. It didn't really work for me.
Despite that, it's a great and necessary collection. It's amazing to have an entire book with so many writers writing stories with ace characters.
What I didn't expect is how triggering I found some of the stories. There's a list of trigger warnings at the beginning of the collection but I wish they were listed at the beginning of every story. This way I could have skipped the story by the editor of the collection (Madeline Dyer) which dealt with eating disorders and medicalization of asexuality. It's a great and important story but it was way too triggering for me and I had to put the book down for a while after that.
It was a bit weird to me that there were so many different genres squeezed in as well. Maybe they could have been arranged better, so that half would be speculative and half contemporary so that you know what you get. It didn't really work for me.
Despite that, it's a great and necessary collection. It's amazing to have an entire book with so many writers writing stories with ace characters.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Acephobia/Arophobia and Eating disorder
mfrisk's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Short story collections can tend to be hit and miss for me and this one was definitely that for me. Additionally, sci fi and fantasy overall can be tough for me to get into. Additionally, because of the collection being YA sometimes the endings felt very after school special in terms of them being told to us and not shown. Some of that is to be expected for the reading level but it could get tiring.
That being said I do want to highlight 3 of the stories from this collection which I quite enjoyed:
That being said I do want to highlight 3 of the stories from this collection which I quite enjoyed:
- Well Suited - this was a lovely story of friendship, magic, and of rising above expectations set about by those around you.
- Smells like Teen Virgin - this was a take on the Slayer-verse which introduced some new lore and took us in an empowering direction of self-discovery and of helping others see new possibilities.
- Across the Stars: this was a story of family, friendship, and overcoming fear and a slice of life in space.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Sexual violence, Physical abuse, Ableism, Kidnapping, Acephobia/Arophobia, Death, Suicidal thoughts, Transphobia, Bullying, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Emotional abuse, and Eating disorder
Minor: Animal death
caseythereader's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
4.25
Thanks to Pride Book Tours for the free copy of this book.
- BEING ACE is a joy to read. I had such fun tearing through this collection, which spans a variety of genres and of asexual and aromantic identities, often with other intersecting identities as well.
- No story in this book is a dud, which for me is a rarity in a short story collection. I was swept up in the world of each and every one. This book is proof that stories do not need to have romantic and/or sexual plot threads to be compelling.
- I'd happily read full length novels of a few of these stories, and I also discovered a few new-to-me authors, so this was a winner all around for me.
- BEING ACE is a joy to read. I had such fun tearing through this collection, which spans a variety of genres and of asexual and aromantic identities, often with other intersecting identities as well.
- No story in this book is a dud, which for me is a rarity in a short story collection. I was swept up in the world of each and every one. This book is proof that stories do not need to have romantic and/or sexual plot threads to be compelling.
- I'd happily read full length novels of a few of these stories, and I also discovered a few new-to-me authors, so this was a winner all around for me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Eating disorder, Acephobia/Arophobia, Ableism, Animal death, Death, Kidnapping, and Grief
caitlindee's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Thank you to Pagestreet YA for the arc of this anthology!
Summaries of each story are taken from the Pagestreet YA arc sheet for this book.
General trigger warnings provided at the beginning of the book: sexual assault, sexual violence, and coercion; abuse (sexual, verbal, emotional, mental, physical); acephobia; transphobia; misgendering; ableism; abduction; death of a parent, a love interest, a sibling, and best friend; bullying; and mental illness including depression, suicidal ideation, and eating disorders with discussion of calorie counts.
OVERALL RATING: 4 STARS
How to Love a Sidewinder by Kat “Void” Yuen
Summaries of each story are taken from the Pagestreet YA arc sheet for this book.
General trigger warnings provided at the beginning of the book: sexual assault, sexual violence, and coercion; abuse (sexual, verbal, emotional, mental, physical); acephobia; transphobia; misgendering; ableism; abduction; death of a parent, a love interest, a sibling, and best friend; bullying; and mental illness including depression, suicidal ideation, and eating disorders with discussion of calorie counts.
OVERALL RATING: 4 STARS
How to Love a Sidewinder by Kat “Void” Yuen
Xiaoying has spent her life on friendships and keeping an arm’s length from love. When cursed to seek out “true love’s kiss,” Xiaoying resigns to asking her mother for help. But when she returns home she faces pressing questions for which she has no good answers.
Xiaoying is aromantic asexual and the story focuses on her relationship and communication with her mother and eventual coming out. The story had a beautiful message but it was a little too short for me, and I wish there had just been a bit more backstory to help flesh it out a little more - 3 STARS
Across the Stars by Akemi Dawn Bowman
Freya grew up on a space station with only her robots for company. The last message her parents left her before their deaths exists on her beloved communications bot, Tiki. But when Tiki’s memory core is accidentally wiped, Freya must find the courage to do the one thing she’s never been able to do: Leave home. With the help of a friendly customer service representative, Freya travels across the galaxy and learns what it means to let go of grief.
Freya is biromantic asexual. The story deals with parental death and grief, creating connection and moving forward through fear. I really enjoyed the relationship between Freya and Zoey and the connection they made. Lovely ending as well - 4 STARS
Well Suited by Rosiee Thor
When newly minted noble lady Brindle must attend a debutante ball, she lies about being engaged to a fictitious knight to avoid choosing an escort. Her best friend, Fig, a nonbinary mage, enchants a suit of armor to play the part, but there’s more to the enigmatic Sir Guy than they bargained for, and they soon realize that sometimes armor is more of a cage than a shield.
Brindle is aromantic asexual, Fig is nonbinary romantic asexual, and uses they/them pronouns. A story about two best friends both being pushed in directions they don’t want, a story about deep friendship and platonic love, coming together to create a life they want for themselves - 3.5 STARS
Nylon Bed Socks by Madeline Dyer
Amelia is desperate to escape - both the psychiatric hospital she’s found herself in and life itself. It’s too confusing, listening to the other girls who now live inside her body. Too scary being forced to eat. Too painful remembering how she was sexually assaulted for being ace. But then she meets Dale, a boy who’s accepted his own asexuality, and she wonders if she can reach that place too. But as Amelia tries to recover, the voices in her head are determined to hold her back.
Amelia is asexual, and Dale (a side character) is also asexual. A lot of trigger warnings for this one: eating disorders, sexual assault, mental illness, general ups and downs of recovery. This is written in verse and does have a hopeful ending - 5 STARS.
Give Up the Ghost by Linsey Miller
The dead stay dead in Pinesplit but don’t stay quiet, and that’s how Cassandra prefers it. Her job ferrying the living through the woods to speak with their lost loved ones pays well, keeps people from questioning her aceness, and allows her to investigate her murdered best friend’s death. However, when her newest client breaks the rules and risks Cassandra never being able to speak with the dead again, she’ll have to face far more dangerous ghosts than the real ones chasing her.
Cassandra is asexual and is focused on solving her best friend’s murder. Strong friendship, heartbreaking and bittersweet ending - 4 STARS
No Such Thing As Just by K. Hart
Halcion is keeping their asexuality a secret from their controlling boyfriend. When a threatening letter arrives at their door, it might be time to remember that there are many types of love in the world.
Halcion is asexual and nonbinary, uses they/them pronouns, and actively uses/abuses substances during the story. Their best friend is a drag queen who is focused on helping them accept themself and escape their current relationship. The story discusses the importance of love outside of romantic relationships and having strong loving friendships - 4 STARS
Smells Like Teen Virgins by S.E. Anderson
Artemis has always dreamed of being a Slayer like her family before her, tasked with dispatching monsters and protecting humanity. But with her initiation looming and her “pure” blood still attracting monsters, losing one’s virginity isn’t that easy for a sex-repulsed asexual. With jocks getting handsy, hellhounds abounding, and vampires refusing interviews, the clock is ticking for Artemis to prove, once and for all, that the very concept of virginity is outdated, and purity is a lie.
Artemis is a sex-repulsed asexual and her sister also identifies as asexual, possibly demisexual. There is an attempted sexual assault at the beginning between Artemis and a side male character. I thought the message of this one was good, regarding the belief of virginity and purity, but I’m still unsure how I feel about the plot and the storyline to convey the message - 3 STARS
Sealights by Emily Victoria
Her whole life, Annelise and her father have protected their lighthouse and the sea magic of the harbor around them. But when her father dies in a storm and Annelise begins struggling to skim the magic she needs, she’s afraid she’ll lose her home forever. It’s only when Annelise meets Meera, an innovative girl who knows land magic, that Annelise realizes there might still be a way to save her lighthouse and the magic of the sea.
Annelise isn’t labeled in this story but reads as potentially aromantic asexual. I enjoyed the friendship development between Annelise and Meera, a good story about creating connection after loss and moving forward through grief - 3.5 STARS
Moonspirited by Anju Imura
All her life, Sena has known two things: The safety of Maiko’s hand in hers, and the wanton selfishness of the gods, the spirits who brought humanity to the stars. When Maiko is taken by the Moon Empress, Sena must finally face the gods - and her own resentment towards them - if she ever wants to see her sister again.
Sena is unlabeled in the story but reads as asexual, potentially aromantic asexual. A story focused on the bond of sisterhood and familial relationships. I was sometimes confused with the past and present timeline jumps. Hopeful ending - 3 STARS
The Third Star by RoAnna Silver
When an ancient cosmic monster destroys their home, Orion and zir queerplatonic partners Leo and Brenna desperately strike out in a half-wrecked escape pod. Together, they face a cataclysmic space disaster that spells the end of their world - and maybe even their love for each other. Orion wants revenge, but is that what the trio needs? And what happens when a “monster” begins to speak?
Orion is agender, aromantic, asexual, and autistic, and uses ze/zir pronouns. The sexualities of Leo and Brenna are not specified but it is stated that they are both romantic and sexual between the two of them. There were very important relationship dynamic discussions and I enjoyed watching the trio navigate the conflicts they were dealing with together - 4 STARS
The Mermaid’s Sister by Moniza Hossain
When Phoebe’s sister enters a disastrous pact with a sea witch, all for the love of a human prince, Phoebe is confronted with the true meaning of love - love as she understands it - that to save a beloved sister there is nothing she will not brave.
Phoebe is aromantic asexual and is being arranged to marry a prince. The two of them go on a rescue mission to save Phoebe’s sister and develop a wonderful platonic friendship. Another story focusing on sisterly bonds and familial relationships. Also deals with coming out to family members - 3.5 STARS
The Hazards of Pressing Play by Lara Ameen
Violet, a wheelchair user with cerebral palsy, just wants to have a fun Friday night date with her girlfriend Nova. Instead, Nova goes missing and Violet begins receiving threatening and cryptic video messages luring her to Nova’s rescue. If that’s not strange enough, the person in the video looks - and sounds - just like Violet. To save her girlfriend, she’ll have to muster the courage to follow the clues despite whatever danger might be waiting at her destination.
Violet is biromantic asexual, Nova is asexual (romantic orientation not specified), and Felix is asexual (romantic orientation not specified) and Egyptian-American. A mystery/thriller short with Violet and Felix staging a rescue mission to save Nova. Creepy guy behavior - 4 STARS
No Cure for Doubt by Jas Brown
Defective Dallas is determined to make one last kill before quitting their life as an assassin after a failed mission resulted in the death of the only person they ever loved. However, when their current mission brings new revelations to light, they will have to decide what’s more important: the past, or the future?
Dallas uses they/them pronouns and reads as non-binary, but I don’t believe their gender is labeled in the story. They are asexual and possibly aromantic, but it is not specified. I enjoyed this story and the relationship between Dallas and Myriad that we saw play out in the past and the present - 4 STARS
The Witch of Festa Falls by S.J. Taylor
A historical fantasy steeped in Norwegian folklore. Birga’s beloved cousin came to the woods for peace and healing. Instead, she was drowned by a frightening monster. When the monster appears in the woods again outside the village, luring away more girls with treacherously beautiful violin song, Birga sets out alone to face him…and avenge her cousin’s death.
Birga is asexual and her best friend is gay. The story focuses on their friendship within the story of the monster in the woods. It has a hopeful ending with a focus on moving forward in your life to focus on your true desires - 3.5 STARS
Across the Stars by Akemi Dawn Bowman
Freya grew up on a space station with only her robots for company. The last message her parents left her before their deaths exists on her beloved communications bot, Tiki. But when Tiki’s memory core is accidentally wiped, Freya must find the courage to do the one thing she’s never been able to do: Leave home. With the help of a friendly customer service representative, Freya travels across the galaxy and learns what it means to let go of grief.
Freya is biromantic asexual. The story deals with parental death and grief, creating connection and moving forward through fear. I really enjoyed the relationship between Freya and Zoey and the connection they made. Lovely ending as well - 4 STARS
Well Suited by Rosiee Thor
When newly minted noble lady Brindle must attend a debutante ball, she lies about being engaged to a fictitious knight to avoid choosing an escort. Her best friend, Fig, a nonbinary mage, enchants a suit of armor to play the part, but there’s more to the enigmatic Sir Guy than they bargained for, and they soon realize that sometimes armor is more of a cage than a shield.
Brindle is aromantic asexual, Fig is nonbinary romantic asexual, and uses they/them pronouns. A story about two best friends both being pushed in directions they don’t want, a story about deep friendship and platonic love, coming together to create a life they want for themselves - 3.5 STARS
Nylon Bed Socks by Madeline Dyer
Amelia is desperate to escape - both the psychiatric hospital she’s found herself in and life itself. It’s too confusing, listening to the other girls who now live inside her body. Too scary being forced to eat. Too painful remembering how she was sexually assaulted for being ace. But then she meets Dale, a boy who’s accepted his own asexuality, and she wonders if she can reach that place too. But as Amelia tries to recover, the voices in her head are determined to hold her back.
Amelia is asexual, and Dale (a side character) is also asexual. A lot of trigger warnings for this one: eating disorders, sexual assault, mental illness, general ups and downs of recovery. This is written in verse and does have a hopeful ending - 5 STARS.
Give Up the Ghost by Linsey Miller
The dead stay dead in Pinesplit but don’t stay quiet, and that’s how Cassandra prefers it. Her job ferrying the living through the woods to speak with their lost loved ones pays well, keeps people from questioning her aceness, and allows her to investigate her murdered best friend’s death. However, when her newest client breaks the rules and risks Cassandra never being able to speak with the dead again, she’ll have to face far more dangerous ghosts than the real ones chasing her.
Cassandra is asexual and is focused on solving her best friend’s murder. Strong friendship, heartbreaking and bittersweet ending - 4 STARS
No Such Thing As Just by K. Hart
Halcion is keeping their asexuality a secret from their controlling boyfriend. When a threatening letter arrives at their door, it might be time to remember that there are many types of love in the world.
Halcion is asexual and nonbinary, uses they/them pronouns, and actively uses/abuses substances during the story. Their best friend is a drag queen who is focused on helping them accept themself and escape their current relationship. The story discusses the importance of love outside of romantic relationships and having strong loving friendships - 4 STARS
Smells Like Teen Virgins by S.E. Anderson
Artemis has always dreamed of being a Slayer like her family before her, tasked with dispatching monsters and protecting humanity. But with her initiation looming and her “pure” blood still attracting monsters, losing one’s virginity isn’t that easy for a sex-repulsed asexual. With jocks getting handsy, hellhounds abounding, and vampires refusing interviews, the clock is ticking for Artemis to prove, once and for all, that the very concept of virginity is outdated, and purity is a lie.
Artemis is a sex-repulsed asexual and her sister also identifies as asexual, possibly demisexual. There is an attempted sexual assault at the beginning between Artemis and a side male character. I thought the message of this one was good, regarding the belief of virginity and purity, but I’m still unsure how I feel about the plot and the storyline to convey the message - 3 STARS
Sealights by Emily Victoria
Her whole life, Annelise and her father have protected their lighthouse and the sea magic of the harbor around them. But when her father dies in a storm and Annelise begins struggling to skim the magic she needs, she’s afraid she’ll lose her home forever. It’s only when Annelise meets Meera, an innovative girl who knows land magic, that Annelise realizes there might still be a way to save her lighthouse and the magic of the sea.
Annelise isn’t labeled in this story but reads as potentially aromantic asexual. I enjoyed the friendship development between Annelise and Meera, a good story about creating connection after loss and moving forward through grief - 3.5 STARS
Moonspirited by Anju Imura
All her life, Sena has known two things: The safety of Maiko’s hand in hers, and the wanton selfishness of the gods, the spirits who brought humanity to the stars. When Maiko is taken by the Moon Empress, Sena must finally face the gods - and her own resentment towards them - if she ever wants to see her sister again.
Sena is unlabeled in the story but reads as asexual, potentially aromantic asexual. A story focused on the bond of sisterhood and familial relationships. I was sometimes confused with the past and present timeline jumps. Hopeful ending - 3 STARS
The Third Star by RoAnna Silver
When an ancient cosmic monster destroys their home, Orion and zir queerplatonic partners Leo and Brenna desperately strike out in a half-wrecked escape pod. Together, they face a cataclysmic space disaster that spells the end of their world - and maybe even their love for each other. Orion wants revenge, but is that what the trio needs? And what happens when a “monster” begins to speak?
Orion is agender, aromantic, asexual, and autistic, and uses ze/zir pronouns. The sexualities of Leo and Brenna are not specified but it is stated that they are both romantic and sexual between the two of them. There were very important relationship dynamic discussions and I enjoyed watching the trio navigate the conflicts they were dealing with together - 4 STARS
The Mermaid’s Sister by Moniza Hossain
When Phoebe’s sister enters a disastrous pact with a sea witch, all for the love of a human prince, Phoebe is confronted with the true meaning of love - love as she understands it - that to save a beloved sister there is nothing she will not brave.
Phoebe is aromantic asexual and is being arranged to marry a prince. The two of them go on a rescue mission to save Phoebe’s sister and develop a wonderful platonic friendship. Another story focusing on sisterly bonds and familial relationships. Also deals with coming out to family members - 3.5 STARS
The Hazards of Pressing Play by Lara Ameen
Violet, a wheelchair user with cerebral palsy, just wants to have a fun Friday night date with her girlfriend Nova. Instead, Nova goes missing and Violet begins receiving threatening and cryptic video messages luring her to Nova’s rescue. If that’s not strange enough, the person in the video looks - and sounds - just like Violet. To save her girlfriend, she’ll have to muster the courage to follow the clues despite whatever danger might be waiting at her destination.
Violet is biromantic asexual, Nova is asexual (romantic orientation not specified), and Felix is asexual (romantic orientation not specified) and Egyptian-American. A mystery/thriller short with Violet and Felix staging a rescue mission to save Nova. Creepy guy behavior - 4 STARS
No Cure for Doubt by Jas Brown
Defective Dallas is determined to make one last kill before quitting their life as an assassin after a failed mission resulted in the death of the only person they ever loved. However, when their current mission brings new revelations to light, they will have to decide what’s more important: the past, or the future?
Dallas uses they/them pronouns and reads as non-binary, but I don’t believe their gender is labeled in the story. They are asexual and possibly aromantic, but it is not specified. I enjoyed this story and the relationship between Dallas and Myriad that we saw play out in the past and the present - 4 STARS
The Witch of Festa Falls by S.J. Taylor
A historical fantasy steeped in Norwegian folklore. Birga’s beloved cousin came to the woods for peace and healing. Instead, she was drowned by a frightening monster. When the monster appears in the woods again outside the village, luring away more girls with treacherously beautiful violin song, Birga sets out alone to face him…and avenge her cousin’s death.
Birga is asexual and her best friend is gay. The story focuses on their friendship within the story of the monster in the woods. It has a hopeful ending with a focus on moving forward in your life to focus on your true desires - 3.5 STARS
Content Warnings
Moderate: Acephobia/Arophobia, Transphobia, Death, Eating disorder, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Emotional abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Physical abuse, Drug use, Death of parent, Bullying, and Mental illness
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