Book reviewer, Tara Scott, and award-winning author, Kris Bryant, discuss queer books, movies, TV shows, graphic novels and narrow down selections for listeners. Grab a glass of wine, dram of whisky, or cup of coffee and join them as they suggest to you, the listener, and to each other, something wonderfully queer and inspiring to check out.
Listeners of Queerly Recommended that love the show mention: queer, recommendations, awesome, fun, love, listen, tara and kris.
The Queerly Recommended podcast is a must-listen for any big lesfic fan. As someone who was late to the podcast, I quickly found myself hooked and eagerly catching up on all the previous episodes. Hosted by Tara and Kris, this podcast explores a wide range of queer content and offers valuable recommendations for books, movies, and TV shows.
One of the best aspects of The Queerly Recommended podcast is the deep knowledge and passion that Tara and Kris bring to each episode. From their social media presence, it is evident that they are avid consumers of queer media themselves, so their recommendations come from a place of genuine enthusiasm. Whether it's discussing the latest lesfic novels or highlighting underrated queer films, Tara and Kris offer insightful analysis and engaging conversations that make listeners want to dive into these works as well.
Another strong point of this podcast is the chemistry between Tara and Kris as co-hosts. It feels like they have been doing this together for years, effortlessly bouncing ideas off each other and bantering back and forth. Their rapport creates an enjoyable listening experience that feels like sitting down with friends to discuss queer content. This dynamic also allows them to provide diverse perspectives on the recommendations they discuss, catering to a wide range of tastes within the LGBTQ+ community.
While there are countless positive aspects to The Queerly Recommended podcast, one potential downside is that it assumes a certain level of familiarity with queer content. As mentioned in the initial review, having a notebook at hand might be necessary to keep track of all the recommendations discussed in each episode. For those who may not have consumed much LGBTQ+ media before discovering this podcast, it can be overwhelming to keep up with all the suggestions without feeling lost or left out.
In conclusion, The Queerly Recommended podcast is an absolute joy to listen to for any fan of lesbian fiction or LGBTQ+ media in general. With hosts Tara and Kris who bring both expertise and passion to the table, listeners are treated to engaging conversations about queer books, movies, and TV shows. While it may be a bit overwhelming for newcomers to the genre, this podcast is an invaluable resource for discovering new and exciting queer content.
This week, Tara discovers that all the fanfiction she's been reading lately has completely thrown off her ability to determine what is and is not a long book. Kris talks about her first time interacting with AI. This turns out to be Tara's activation phrase and leads to a longer conversation about AI, how it's coming for our jobs, and what we need to keep in mind when using it. And, of course, they bring recommendations. Official Recommendations From Kris: On Swift Horses (2024) Kris's official recommendation this week is On Swift Horses, a romantic drama film that revolves around a woman and her relationship with her husband's brother. Kris described their relationship as one of those "few times in a life" things that wake a person up to who they really are, challenging them to move past themselves. From Tara: Di-Curious by Erin Branch Tara's official recommendation this week is Di-Curious by Erin Branch, a book steeped in the TTRPG space (that's table-top roleplaying games for all you cooler kids). It's about one woman's journey to rebuild her career after a mishap puts her into the crosshairs of an old friend she'd unwittingly hurt. Sparks fly! Tara described this as a cozy, thoughtful, and lovely read. Works/People Discussed SASS - Sapphic Action Support Squad Facebook Group Ed Zitron The AI Con: How to Fight Big Tech's Hype and Create the Future We Want by Emily M. Bender and Alex Hanna Queer Liberation Library The Walking Dead: Dead City (AMC) Sirens (Netflix) Jeopardy! (NBC) RuPaul's Drag Race: All Stars (Paramount+) Principle Decisions by Thea Belmont Boss of Her by Anna Stone Support & follow the show Buy us a Ko-fi Sign up for our newsletter on Substack Facebook: @QueerlyRecommended Instagram: @queerlyrecommended Bluesky: @queerlyrec.bsky.social Get all our links on Linktr.ee
This week, Kris catches Tara up on all the news. Book deadlines, a trip to Vegas, Tiki the rescue dog, and a whole summer dedicated to working on what? Check that episode title. Kris is super busy and Tara is a little scatterbrained (wait for the outtake at the end to hear why). But what's nobody too busy for? You guessed it: recommendations. Official Recommendations From Kris: Younger (Netflix) Kris's official recommendation this week is the TV series Younger (2015-2019). This is Kris's second time watching it and she's fallen in deep. It's the story of a middle-aged woman who pretends to be in her 20s to work in a millennial media company. Kris describes it as queer-friendly, flirty, and fun, with characters you'd want to be friends with. She's had a great time with it and thinks you will too. From Tara: The Woman From the Waves by Roslyn Sinclair Tara's official recommendation this week is The Woman From the Waves by Roslyn Sinclair, which isn't out yet, but will be on June 5 (here's the preorder link). It's a contemporary romantasy between a shapeshifting ocean-dwelling horse spirit off the coast of the Orkney Islands in Scotland and the nun who captures her attention. Tara loved this book, describing it as one she will return to again and again. She gives a caution for readers with religious trauma, particularly if it's rooted in Catholicism, as the nun in the book reconciles with a lot of internalized homophobia. Works/People Discussed Tiki, the rescue dog SASS - Sapphic Action Support Squad Facebook Group Lambda Literary Statement on Book Bans The Last of Us (HBO) Survivor (CBS) Novocaine (2025) Death of a Unicorn (2025) RuPaul's Drag Race: All Stars (Paramount+) 90 Days to Wed by Yanana Sapphic World Book Club Facebook Group Dream a Little Dream by Melissa Brayden Support & follow the show Buy us a Ko-fi Sign up for our newsletter on Substack Facebook: @QueerlyRecommended Instagram: @queerlyrecommended Bluesky: @queerlyrec.bsky.social Get all our links on Linktr.ee
Sometimes you just gotta get away, and that's what Kris and Tara did during their unannounced break (sorry about that). But they're back now, and ready to report on where they've been, what they've done and, perhaps most importantly, what they recommend. Also, Tara cheats this week. Instead of one official recommendation (which is the entire point of this podcast) Tara comes back from vacation with two. Buckle up, folks. Chaos reigns! Official Recommendations From Kris: The Four Seasons (Netflix) Kris's official recommendation this week is the Netflix series The Four Seasons. The show revolves around three couples who vacation together four times a year (each season) and what happens when one of the couples breaks up. Kris says this has it all, the funny moments and the sad, and once she started, she couldn't put it down. From Tara: The Princess Match by Clare Lydon Tara's first recommendation this week is The Princess Match by Clare Lydon. It's a slow burn(ish), high romantic tension story between an out-and-proud athlete and an in-the-closet princess who wants to risk it all for her first chance at true happiness. Tara loved this so much she read it twice and she says it's her favourite of Lydon's books. From Tara: Discovering Nicola by Clare Ashton Tara's second recommendation this week is Discovering Nicola by Clare Ashton, an enemies-to-lovers, ice queen romance, with two women in their 50s embracing a same-sex relationship for the first time. Tara said the chemistry between the leads is incredible and this book ruined her in the best way. Go get it! Works/People Discussed SASS - Sapphic Action Support Squad Facebook Group The Last of Us (HBO) Survivor (CBS) Jeopardy! (NBC) Ransom Canyon (Netflix) Strongmen: Mussolini to the Present by Ruth Ben-Ghiat Closing The Distance by BelladonnaInBloom and Yanana The House of Black and its follow-up Cutting the Pattern by Calliopeia419 Extinction by rubikanon Support & follow the show Buy us a Ko-fi Sign up for our newsletter on Substack Facebook: @QueerlyRecommended Instagram: @queerlyrecommended Bluesky: @queerlyrec.bsky.social Get all our links on Linktr.ee
Kris is selling football cards at a retirement home, hoping to get The Golden Girls in on the grift. Tara is happily boring and middle-aged with her triple-paned windows and kids who keep teasing her that her new glasses make her look like a Pokemon bug researcher. Official Recommendations From Kris: Straight Up (2019) Kris's official recommendation this week is the romantic comedy Straight Up. This movie has the dubious honour of coming out at the exact right moment to get obliterated by the onset of the covid pandemic. Thankfully, Kris is running the revival efforts and getting the news out there to the people. Straight Up is a movie for the younger set, with a closeted gay man and woman getting into a lavenderish relationship that changes them both for the better. Kris says it's a solid, feel-good movie that you should check out. From Tara: Orlando, My Political Biography (2023) Tara's official recommendation this week is the documentary Orlando, My Political Biography. Using Virginia Woolf's Orlando as a primary text, this documentary explores the contemporary trans experience through 26 performers, all of which play the titular Orlando. Tara found this an incredibly thought-provoking and cerebral experience. Works/People Discussed 1923 (Paramount+) Survivor, season 48 (CBS) The End of Us (2021) The Last of Us (HBO) The Sunrise of the Reaping by Suzanne Collins Balatro by LocalThunk Dimension 20: Neverafter (DropoutTV) RuPaul's Drag Race, season 17 (MTV) The Vanquishers by Kalynn Bayron Overtime by Tracey Richardson Support & follow the show Buy us a Ko-fi Sign up for our newsletter on Substack Facebook: @QueerlyRecommended Instagram: @queerlyrecommended Bluesky: @queerlyrec.bsky.social Get all our links on Linktr.ee
Kris has been writing and is stuck in a wild limbo where the days to her next book's deadline get smaller as the story keeps growing. Tara suggests a new trend to solve Kris's problem, before our hosts wade bravely into the epilogue debate. They're deep, dangerous waters, but they have the nerve to say their piece. And to top it off, Tara bores the class by gushing about her upcoming triple-paned windows. You know, real adulting stuff. Official Recommendations From Kris: Chasing Chasing Amy (2023) Kris's official recommendation this week is the documentary, Chasing Chasing Amy. It tracks director Sav Rodgers' experience with the 1997 film Chasing Amy and how important that movie was to his queer identity growing up, including that it saved his life. Filmed over five years, Chasing Chasing Amy details Sav's exploration of the cult hit and his changing opinions of it when new information comes to light. From Tara: Sweet Home Alabarden Park by TJ O'Shea Tara's official recommendation this week is the newly released sapphic romance Sweet Home Alabarden Park by TJ O'Shea. It's a "sort of one night to forever set in the UK," which features recently cheated on and divorced Fiona and the soft butch gentlewoman Alice, who ends up being nobility. Tara loved this book and it's already her best book of the year. Works/People Discussed Survivor, season 48 (CBS) Paradise (Hulu) 1923 (Paramount+) RuPaul's Drag Race, season 17 (MTV) The Vanquishers by Kalynn Bayron Scarlet Love by Gun Brooke Sav Rodgers: The rom-com that saved my life (TED Talk) Chasing Amy (1997) Go Fish (1994) All That Matters by Susan X. Meagher Support & follow the show Buy us a Ko-fi Sign up for our newsletter on Substack Facebook: @QueerlyRecommended Instagram: @queerlyrecommended Bluesky: @queerlyrec.bsky.social Get all our links on Linktr.ee
Important kitty update: the angel and the devil have switched roles and now no one is safe. Kris and Tara discuss the correct nomenclature around being a friend to cats. Labels are bandied around and a suitable title is found. In other news, Tara's youngest turns ten and there's some talk about milestones before, you guessed it, this week's recommendations! Official Recommendations From Kris: Fanatical: The Catfishing of Tegan and Sara (2024) Kris's official recommendation this week is the 2024 documentary, Fanatical: The Catfishing of Tegan and Sara. 15 years ago, Tegan's identity was stolen. This began an unending ordeal of someone pretending to be them to have secret relationships with people in and outside their lives. Kris warns that this is a rough watch, but there's a lot to learn and it's important to spread the message. From Tara: The Unlikely Pursuit of Mary Bennet by Lindz McLeod Tara's official recommendation this week is The Unlikely Pursuit of Mary Bennet by Lindz McLeod. This sapphic historical romance takes place a few years after the events of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. After Mr. Collins dies, Lizzie sends her sister Mary to console Charlotte, and Mary is nothing like Charlotte (or anyone who's read the book) remembers. Tara thoroughly enjoyed it and will be reading it again. Works/People Discussed Love is Blind, season 8 (Netflix) Survivor, season 48 (CBS) 1923 (Paramount+) RuPaul's Drag Race: season 17 (MTV) Dimension 20: Dungeons and Drag Queens, season 2 (Dropout TV) Our Secret Summer by Harper Bliss Support & follow the show Buy us a Ko-fi Sign up for our newsletter on Substack Facebook: @QueerlyRecommended Instagram: @queerlyrecommended Bluesky: @queerlyrec.bsky.social Get all our links on Linktr.ee
Last episode, Tara put out the call for queer YA books and a reader did the damn thing and delivered. So this week, we start off with a handful of fantastic reader recommendations for the little people in your life. Audiobook listening speeds, sphagnum moss, The Odyssey, and other queer topics are also discussed. Official Recommendations From Kris: Prime Target (Apple TV+) Kris's official recommendation this week is the TV series Prime Target. A gay mathematician who's disastrously bad at relationships stumbles onto a discovery that puts him in the sights of a shadowy conspiracy. From Tara: If It's Meant to Be by Lily Seabrooke Tara's official recommendation this week is If It's Meant to Be by Lily Seabrooke. It's a "falling for the best friend's sister" romance that's set in a cozy small town. It also has a very fun disastrous lead (sensing a theme, here) who has no idea that everyone around her can see how down bad she is for the love interest. Tara's recommended this author before, but this is her favourite so far. Works/People Discussed You Should See Me in a Crown by Leah Johnson Loudmouth Books in Indiana The Lesbiana's Guide to Catholic School by Sonora Reyes 6 Times We Almost Kissed by Tess Sharpe Forget Me Not by Alyson Derrick Gay the Pray Away by Natalie Naudus The Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow Love is Blind, season 8 (Netflix) Extracted (Fox) The White Lotus, season 3 (HBO) Yellowjackets, season 3 (Showtime) The Handmaid's Tale (Hulu) The Queen's Gambit (Netflix) RuPaul's Drag Race, season 17 (MTV) Hope in the Dark by Rebecca Solnit Strongmen: Mussolini to the Present by Ruth Ben-Ghiat The Odyssey by Homer Ulysses by James Joyce Ellie Engle Saves Herself by Leah Johnson Her Best Friend's Sister by Meghan O'Brien Waiting in the Wings by Melissa Brayden Support & follow the show Buy us a Ko-fi Sign up for our newsletter on Substack Facebook: @QueerlyRecommended Instagram: @queerlyrecommended Bluesky: @queerlyrec.bsky.social Get all our links on Linktr.ee
Current Kris thanks Past Kris for being an adult and having a super low deductible. Tara shares stories from her life in the freezing north, leading to a cross-cultural exchange of their experiences with frigid temperatures. It's cold, y'all. Official Recommendations From Kris: The Traitors, season 3 (Peacock) Kris's official recommendation this week is the third season of The Traitors, the American version of the Dutch reality television series. Similar to other social deduction games like Werewolf or Mafia, The Traitors has a group of people, most of whom are labeled "faithful" and others as "traitors." Every night, the traitors gather to vote off someone from the group, thereby murdering them. The goal is to get to the end as either a faithful or a traitor to win the prize. Kris loves this show, especially for its queer cast. From Tara: Number Six by Lee Winter Tara's official recommendation this week is Number Six by Lee Winter. The third in her Villains Series, it's an opposites-attract lesbian romance set in Hotel Duxton (from Hotel Queens), and Tara LOVED it. In addition to appreciating the excellent romance and laughs, this book made her think about the characters in a way that only the best books do. Works/People Discussed The Night Agent (Netflix) The Recruit (Netflix) You're Cordially Invited (2025) RuPaul's Drag Race, season 17 (MTV) A Spindle Splintered, A Mirror Mended by Alix E. Harrow Queerleaders by M.B. Guel Support & follow the show Buy us a Ko-fi Sign up for our newsletter on Substack Facebook: @QueerlyRecommended Instagram: @queerlyrecommended Bluesky: @queerlyrec.bsky.social Get all our links on Linktr.ee
Kris and Tara talk about their different experiences with last week's Polar Vortex. Kris relates job stress and what she has to do to make sure others get the job done. Then it's on to the recommendations! Official Recommendations From Kris: Severance (Apple TV+) This week, Kris officially recommends the critically acclaimed series Severance. A technology is created that can separate the memories of going to work from the rest of someone's life. This means that when the people are outside of work (outies), they reap the benefits of working without having to remember it, while they only experience going to the office when they're at work (innies). Conflict and mystery ensue! Kris was delighted and surprised by the older queer rep in the show and, while acknowledging that it takes some time to get hooked, when it's in, it's in. From Kris: I Shall Never Fall in Love by Hari Conner Tara's official recommendation this week is the graphic novel, I Shall Never Fall in Love by Hari Conner, a queer, regency, friends-to-lovers romance. Tara loved the art and storytelling, as well as how the book explored gender expression and the history behind the period. Works/People Discussed Smosh Reads Reddit Stories (Podcast) Wicked (2024) Gladiator 2 (2024) 1923 (Paramount+) Canada's Drag Race, season 5 (Crave) RuPaul's Drag Race, season 17 (MTV) Balatro (LocalThunk) Cozy Grove (Spry Fox) Murder in the Dressing Room by Holly Stars The Village (2004) Challengers (2024) Good One (2024) Support & follow the show Buy us a Ko-fi Sign up for our newsletter on Substack Facebook: @QueerlyRecommended Instagram: @queerlyrecommended Bluesky: @queerlyrec.bsky.social Threads: @queerlyrecommended Get all our links on Linktr.ee
This isn't just any episode of Queerly Recommended. This is the hundredth episode! To celebrate, Kris and Tara look back over the last four years and pick out the top five recommendations they each made since this whole bag of cats (black and orange) started. Of course, despite the strict format, they add some honourable mentions because limitations are for cowards. Official Recommendations Kris's top five recommendations Dickinson (Apple TV) The Old Guard (Netflix) A League of Their Own (Amazon Prime Video) Heartstopper (Netflix) The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid Honourable mention: Summerland (2020) Tara's top five recommendations Hoosier Daddy by Ann McMan and Salem West The Headmistress by Milena McKay The Subtweet by Vivek Shraya The Beebo Brinker Omnibus: Ann Bannon's Pulp Classics Truth and Measure/Above All Things by Roslyn Sinclair Honourable mentions: The Queen (1968) and We're Here (HBO). Works/People Discussed Landman (Paramount+) Canada's Drag Race, season 5 (Crave) RuPaul's Drag Race, season 17 (MTV) Dragon Age: Veilguard (Bioware) Balatro (LocalThunk) Support & follow the show Buy us a Ko-fi Sign up for our newsletter on Substack Facebook: @QueerlyRecommended Instagram: @queerlyrecommended Bluesky: @queerlyrec.bsky.social Threads: @queerlyrecommended Get all our links on Linktr.ee
It's the last day of 2024, so we're looking back at our favourite recommendations of this year. These books and films moved us in a way that's lasting, whether for the message they provided or the comfort they brought. Of course, Tara and Kris also squeeze in some Cracker Barrel discourse (What age is their target audience? What's the deal with the sodium content?) and chat about gambling and fantasy football. Happy New Years, everyone! Official Recommendations Kris's top three recommendations for 2024: Consecrated Ground by Virginia Black Will & Harper (Netflix) Good Grief (Netflix) Tara's top three recommendations for 2024: View from the Top by Rachel Lacey Tempting Olivia by Clare Ashton Loser of the Year by Carrie Byrd Works/People Discussed Black Doves (Netflix) Survivor (CBS) Queer Eye, season 9 (Netflix) Drag Race Down Under, season 4 (Starz) Canada's Drag Race, season 4 (Crave) Dragon Age: Veilguard (Bioware) Ice Queen by Gun Brooke Support & follow the show Buy us a Ko-fi Sign up for our newsletter on Substack Facebook: @QueerlyRecommended Instagram: @queerlyrecommended Bluesky: @queerlyrec.bsky.social Threads: @queerlyrecommended Get all our links on Linktr.ee
We're bringing more holiday recommendations to you in this slightly shorter episode of Queerly Recommended. We also get an after-action report on Orange Kitty following an injury and discover some unsettling facts about cat eyelids. From meddling Grandmas to Secret Santas, we're your one-stop for queer media and opinions this holiday season. Official Recommendations From Kris: Merry Weihnachten by E. J. Noyes Kris has known since GCLS that she'd only have time for one Christmas book this year, so she's been excited since July to read Merry Weihnachten by E. J. Noyes. It's a sapphic romance between an American woman and her new neighbor from Germany, as they decide to merge traditions over the holidays. Kris adored this book, and especially the main character, Evie. It's spicier than most Christmas books, but who doesn't like to be surprised with a little spice during the holiday season? From Tara: A Break in Communications by Lily Seabrooke This week, Tara recommends A Break in Communications by Lily Seabrooke. It's a rivals-to-lovers romance between coworkers, where Anna hates Lucy and has no idea that Lucy is hopelessly in love with her. This book is chock-full of tropey goodness— it's a workplace romance, it has a fake romance, it takes place over the holidays. It's got everything! Works/People Discussed Special Ops: Lioness (Paramount+) Star Wars: Skeleton Crew (Disney+) RuPaul's Drag Race UK (BBC Three, BBC One) Drag Race Down Under (WOW Presents Plus) Canada's Drag Race (Crave) Cozy Grove (Nintendo, Playstation, Xbox, Android, iOS, Steam) Music Box: Yacht Rock: A Dockumentary (2024) Deck the Palms by Kat Jackson Support & follow the show Buy us a Ko-fi Sign up for our newsletter on Substack Facebook: @QueerlyRecommended Instagram: @queerlyrecommended Bluesky: @queerlyrec.bsky.social Threads: @queerlyrecommended Get all our links on Linktr.ee
Tara and Kris discuss the important matters of the moment: Christmas trees! Are you a white light or coloured light kind of house? Listen to find out Kris's stance and then stay to catch up on horrible HR managers, Orange Kitty and Black Kitty updates, as well as all the delicious food that Tara "bricked" herself with on a recent work trip to Toronto. And, as always, they have recommendations Official Recommendations From Kris: Bad Sisters (Apple TV+) This week, Kris recommends Bad Sisters, an Irish black comedy series. It revolves around a group of sisters and what happens when one sister's controlling husband suddenly dies, putting them at the center of a life insurance investigation. Kris loved everything about this series, and if that's not enough for you, it has Fiona Shaw. What more can you ask for? From Tara: Don't Marry Me at Christmas by Clare Lydon This week's recommendation is the latest Christmas romance from British romcom queen, Clare Lydon. Tara was a little sad not to see a Lydon Christmas romance last year, but the wait was worth it. Don't Marry Me at Christmas is a frenemies-to-lovers (we love this description) situation that will give you all the good feelings and leave you hungry for cupcakes. Dig in! Works/People Discussed The Great British Baking Show (BBC) Survivor (CBS) Disclaimer (Apple TV+) Cross (Amazon Prime Video) RuPaul's Drag Race UK (BBC Three, BBC One) Drag Race Down Under (WOW Presents Plus) Sort Of (CBC) A Christmas Chance by A.L. Brooks This Christmas by Georgia Beers The Christmas Catch by Clare Lydon Support & follow the show Buy us a Ko-fi Sign up for our newsletter on Substack Facebook: @QueerlyRecommended Instagram: @queerlyrecommended Bluesky: @queerlyrec.bsky.social Threads: @queerlyrecommended Get all our links on Linktr.ee
Last episode, we said we love you and to take care of yourself. That's more true than ever. This week, Tara and Kris trade stories about the week of the US election, its aftermath, and more importantly, what comes next. They settle on being pirates. We're still here, folks, and we're going to be here until the wheels fall off this thing. Kris doesn't have a recommendation this week, but Tara has come through with not one but two Christmas romances. Official Recommendations From Tara: A New Leash on Love and Frosted by the Girl Next Door by Jaime Clevenger and Aurora Rey This week, Tara is recommending two Christmas romances that take place in a small Colorado town and run in parallel with each other. A New Leash on Love by Jaime Clevenger and Aurora Rey (Bella Books) is about an interior designer who's back in the hometown she hates, only to fall for Shawn. Shawn is as sweet as the cupcakes her sister bakes for the family business and can't help falling for Kit right back. Frosted by the Girl Next Door by Aurora Rey and Jaime Clevenger (Bold Strokes Books) features Shawn's sister Tara falling for Kit's friend Casey. Casey's new to town and opens a sex shop next door to their cupcake store. Is the shop a town scandal or the best thing that's happened to it in a long time? Read it to find out! Works/People Discussed Rebecca Solnit's post Rachel Maddow clip Jen Psaki on Tiktok On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century by Timothy Snyder Lambda Legal National Center for Lesbian Rights Lee (2023) The Great British Baking Show (BBC) The Great Canadian Baking Show (CBC) Baroness Von Sketch Show (CBC) Disclaimer (Apple TV+) RuPaul's Drag Race UK, season 6 (BBC Three, BBC One) Drag Race Down Under, season 4 (WOW Presents Plus) Will & Harper (2024) Martha (2024) Agatha All Along (Disney+) Hope in the Dark by Rebecca Solnit Support & follow the show Buy us a Ko-fi Sign up for our newsletter on Substack Facebook: @QueerlyRecommended Instagram: @queerlyrecommended Bluesky: @queerlyrec.bsky.social Threads: @queerlyrecommended Get all our links on Linktr.ee
It's a big week. We love you and hope you're taking care of yourself, whatever that may look like. Kris gives an update on her visit to P-Town for Women's Week and her plans for Friendsgiving. Tara talks ice queens and participating in The Lesbian Review's event. As always, we have a bunch of recommendations. We hope they give the distraction you need from the world outside. Official Recommendations From Kris: Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019) This week, Kris caves to peer pressure in the best possible way to watch the film Portrait of a Lady on Fire. It's the story of a young painter who masquerades as a walking companion to capture a reluctant subject in her last days of freedom before marriage. The ending isn't happy, but it is, according to Kris, "satisfying," because this movie has a different take on love. From Tara: Most Wonderful by Georgia Clark This week, Tara recommends the holiday romance, Most Wonderful by Georgia Clark. It follows a trio of siblings as they find love (and themselves) when they head home for the holidays. One is a showrunner who has fallen for their star. Another is a complete disaster trying to… not disaster. And the third has recently discovered their lifelong friend is super hot. Tara loved it. Great vibes all around. Works/People Discussed The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon (AMC) The Great British Baking Show (BBC) Love is Blind, season 7 (Netflix) Heartstopper, season 3 (Netflix) RuPaul's Drag Race Global All Stars (Paramount+) RuPaul's Drag Race UK, season 6 (WOW Presents Plus) Culinary Class Wars (Netflix) Synchronicity by J.J. Hale Support & follow the show Buy us a Ko-fi Sign up for our newsletter on Substack Twitter: @queerlyrec Facebook: @QueerlyRecommended Instagram: @queerlyrecommended Blusky: @queerlyrec.bsky.social Get all our links on Linktr.ee
Kris is out this week because it was recorded when she was heading off for Women's Week. But fret not! Tara is joined by none other than Becks, reader and listener extraordinaire, and Director of Outreach for GCLS. They talk books, cozy games, politics, and so much more. Official Recommendations From Becks: positivity! Instead of a film, TV show, or book, Becks recommends… positivity! We're living in difficult times, so it's important to reach out and let the people who make your life better know that you appreciate them. Maybe that means sending an author a nice email. Maybe it's posting a review for something that moves you to tears. Whatever it is, Becks suggests you act on the positive impulse you get from what moves you. From Tara: Reverence by Milena McKay This week, Tara recommends Reverence by Milena McKay. Set in the world of 1980s ballet, Reverence is a beautifully written sapphic romance with an ice queen and some quality angst (but not too much). For Tara, it's so much more than that, though. Reverence is an important book for us all to be reading right now, given what's happening in the world. What's past isn't always prologue, but we need to know what came before to deal with what's in front of us. Read this and get back to Tara. She's desperate to talk about it. Works/People Discussed Starship Q Star Podcast Lake, developed by Gamious Stardew Valley, developed by Eric Barone Spiritfarer, developed by Thunder Lotus Games Cozy Grove, developed by Spry Fox Here We Go Again by Alison Cochrun read by Natalie Naudus and Jeremy Carlisle Parker The Well of Loneliness by Radclyffe Hall RuPaul's Drag Race Global All Stars (Paramount+) RuPaul's Drag Race UK, season 6 (WOW Presents Plus) Binge Queens (WOW Presents Plus) Culinary Class Wars (Netflix) Physical: 100 (Netflix) Dave the Diver, developed by MINTROCKET and Nexon Make My Wish Come True by Rachael Lippincott and Alyson Derrick Make Her Wish Come True by A.L. Brooks The Goodmans by Clare Ashton The Delicate Things We Make by Milena McKay The Music and the Mirror by Lola Keeley Loser of the Year by Carrie Byrd Support & follow the show Buy us a Ko-fi Sign up for our newsletter on Substack Twitter: @queerlyrec Facebook: @QueerlyRecommended Instagram: @queerlyrecommended Blusky: @queerlyrec.bsky.social Get all our links on Linktr.ee
Welcome everyone, to a big update about Kris's neighborhood! We have Orange Kitty, weird neighbors, maybe new neighbors, and everything in between. Come on in and be entertained. Official Recommendations From Kris: Will & Harper (Netflix) This week, Kris recommends the new documentary Will & Harper. It's about Will Ferrell and his best friend Harper, one of the writers he met and came up with at Saturday Night Live. Harper transitioned later in life, and she and Will go on a trip across America to reconnect, learn and experience a very different world. It has tough parts and joyous parts, and it made Kris cry three times. From Tara: The Duke's Sister and I by Emma-Claire Sunday This week, Tara recommends (checks notes) a Harlequin Historical Romance?!? The Duke's Sister and I by Emma-Claire Sunday is a story about a woman trying to get married to a duke and falling for his raucous sister. Tara found this book and the hidden history it presents joyous and uplifting. Maybe history didn't happen quite like this (we'll never know), but this book is a celebration of the fact that we have always been here. Works/People Discussed TLR event: Frozen Attitudes Melted Hearts: Ice Queen Weekend RuPaul's Drag Race Global All Stars (Paramount+) RuPaul's Drag Race UK (WOW Presents Plus) Tea with the Dames (2018) I'll Get Back to You by Becca Grischow Tribute by L.M. Rose Support & follow the show Buy us a Ko-fi Sign up for our newsletter on Substack Twitter: @queerlyrec Facebook: @QueerlyRecommended Instagram: @queerlyrecommended Blusky: @queerlyrec.bsky.social Get all our links on Linktr.ee
Project 2025's introduction makes it clear that the very existence of LGBTQ people is under threat, and that includes cutting off access to fiction that represents us. Because most queer fiction is published in the US, that means access could be dramatically restricted for everyone worldwide. And even if Project 2025 isn't rolled out, state-level challenges are unlikely to slow down anytime soon. Laura Green from the Sapphic Book Review podcast joins Kris and Tara for this important bonus episode to talk about the very real and current threats against the books we love, and share tangible steps that anyone can take, whether you live in the US or not. Works/People/Organizations Cited Banned penguin children's book with same-sex couple Maggie Tokuda-Hall Authors Against Book Bans Heather has Two Mommies by Lesléa Newman Unbanning Books webinar recording Follow Sapphic Book Review Podcast feed Instagram Twitter Threads Blusky Support & follow the show Buy us a Ko-fi Sign up for our newsletter on Substack Twitter: @queerlyrec Facebook: @QueerlyRecommended Instagram: @queerlyrecommended Blusky: @queerlyrec.bsky.social Get all our links on Linktr.ee
Kris tells a gross story at the beginning of this episode. Then there's a bunch of stuff that's not gross, like knife queens™, heart punchers, and the dangers of sneak reading. All of that is followed by recommendations, as always. Official Recommendations From Kris: In Bloom by Kat Jackson This week, Kris recommends In Bloom by Kat Jackson. It centers around two damaged people, burned by love, who discover that they may not have actually experienced love until now. This is a difficult book, with lots of hard emotions. Kris praises the writing, including Jackson's way with words and characterization, as well as the book's sense of humor. Run, don't walk, and get ready to feel something. From Tara: View from the Top by Rachel Lacey This week, Tara recommends View from the Top by Rachel Lacey. Tara has read five books by this author, and this smalltown romance is her favorite. She describes it as a "one-night stand to enemies (ish?) to friends to lovers" and it immediately went to her to-reread list. Works/People Discussed Frozen Attitudes Melted Hearts Panel (The Lesbian Review) Sense8 (Netflix) Prison Break (Fox) Fear the Walking Dead (AMC) Wynonna Earp: Vengeance (2024) RuPaul's Drag Race Global All Stars (Paramount+) Race Chaser Podcast Just One Good Reason by Harrytoad (Devil Wears Prada fanfic) Strange Attractors by Ana K. Wrenn Informed Consent by Rachel Spangler Support & follow the show Buy us a Ko-fi Sign up for our newsletter on Substack Twitter: @queerlyrec Facebook: @QueerlyRecommended Instagram: @queerlyrecommended Blusky: @queerlyrec.bsky.social Get all our links on Linktr.ee
Kris talks about her new book Perfect and her first-ever experience working with a sensitivity reader. Tara shares about vacationing without children, finding a signed copy of one of her favourite books, and the joys of a newly painted house. After a month apart, they have a lot to catch up on! Official Recommendations From Kris: Sense8 (Netflix) This week, Kris recommends the 2015 Netflix series, Sense8. Eight strangers across the globe suffer a traumatic vision that also seemingly connects them to each other. They begin to experience what the others experience and are able to communicate across great distances through their senses. Kris adored the concept and was unable to stop watching. From Tara: Second Verse by Natasha West This week, Tara recommends Natasha West's Second Verse, a tropetastic sapphic romance that Tara found delightful. It's a friends-to-enemies-to-lovers romance told in two timelines, with two women who had once experienced an intense connection at the end of high school and parted on disastrous terms, reuniting 20 years later when their children become best friends. Works/People Discussed Perfect by Kris Bryant A Sweet Sting of Salt by Rose Sutherland Alone (History Channel) Alone Australia (SBS) Twisters (2024) Three Body Problem (Netflix) Cherish by Kris Bryant The Complete Carlisle Series by Roslyn Sinclair In the Dead of Night by Lost_my_soul_in_a_black_hole Support & follow the show Buy us a Ko-fi Sign up for our newsletter on Substack Twitter: @queerlyrec Facebook: @QueerlyRecommended Instagram: @queerlyrecommended Blusky: @queerlyrec.bsky.social Get all our links on Linktr.ee Support local animal shelters by joining Kris's Patreon
Kris provides an update on the situation with the feral cats in her neighborhood, including her ongoing campaign to love them (despite their attempts to gently murder her while she sleeps). Tara and Kris take a quick detour to write a book together before diving into the Olympics and then — drum roll — recommendations! Official Recommendations From Kris: Consecrated Ground by Virginia Black This week, Kris recommends Virginia Black's debut novel, Consecrated Ground. It's an urban fantasy with a romance, set in a world with witches and vampires, and it just hits. While Kris praises all aspects of this book, the pacing and juggling of the many storylines stood out the most for her. From Tara: The Boyfriend (Netflix) And this week, Tara recommends Japan's first gay dating show, The Boyfriend (Netflix). Nine young men live together in a house in a small seaside town, dividing their time between working at a coffee truck and... finding true love? Tara loved how gentle the show was in comparison to a lot of Western dating shows, and how it showcased male vulnerability. Read the article that Tara references. Works/People Discussed Good Girls Guide to Murder (Netflix) House of the Dragon (HBO) RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars, season nine (Paramount+) Hot Summer by Elle Everhart, narrated by Marisa Calin Stars Collide by Rachel Lacey Informed Consent by Rachel Spangler Kate Daniels series by Ilona Andrews Support & follow the show Buy us a Ko-fi Sign up for our newsletter on Substack Twitter: @queerlyrec Facebook: @QueerlyRecommended Instagram: @queerlyrecommended Blusky: @queerlyrec.bsky.social Get all our links on Linktr.ee Support local animal shelters by joining Kris's Patreon
This week, Tara sits down with Frederick Smith (he/him), author of Tara's official recommendation from Episode 86, One and Done. Fred talks about his early writing aspirations, the books that inspired him in his youth, his experiences as an author writing about Black gay men, and who he's reading right now. Works/People Discussed Invisible Life by E. Lynn Harris Just as I Am by E. Lynn Harris Denise Hamilton A Little Kissing Between Friends by Chencia C. Higgins The 7-10 Split by Karmen Lee Second Night Stand by Fay Stetz-Waters and Karelia Stetz-Waters Kennedy Ryan Beverly Jenkins Bad Queers Podcast Minority Report Podcast Follow Frederick Smith Website Twitter (X) Facebook Support & follow the show Buy us a Ko-fi Sign up for our newsletter on Substack Twitter: @queerlyrec Facebook: @QueerlyRecommended Instagram: @queerlyrecommended Blusky: @queerlyrec.bsky.social Get all our links on Linktr.ee Support local animal shelters by joining Kris's Patreon
Kris and Tara are back from the annual GCLS conference. They're energized, motivated, and… suffering from Covid, in Kris's case. They talk all about their experiences at the best sleepaway camp for sapphic fiction fans before getting deep into those recommendations. Official Recommendations From Kris: The Man with 1000 Kids (Netflix) This week, Kris recommends The Man with 1000 Kids, a limited documentary series that tells the real-life story of a Dutch scammer, accused of traveling the world and deceiving mothers into having his babies on a mass scale. Kris came into this series “completely naive” on the fertility industry and found the scale of the man's crimes and the laws around it horrible, but in a way that also made it a compelling watch. From Tara: Loser of the Year by Carrie Byrd This week, Tara recommends Carrie Byrd's debut novel Loser of the Year. Mattie is a Jewish lesbian working at a Catholic school with a morality clause in its contract, which she didn't notice when she took the job. Shouldn't be a problem except for the soccer coach, Jillian, who starts as an enemy and over time becomes (you guessed it) a lover. Tara loved this one and thinks you will too. Works/People Discussed The Perfect Match (Netflix) Sapphic World Book Club Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F (2024) Dimension 20 (Dropout TV) Hot Summer by Elle Everhart, narrated by Marisa Calin A Bluestocking's Guide to Decadence by Jess Everlee The Black Bird of Chernobyl by Ann McMan Support & follow the show Buy us a Ko-fi Sign up for our newsletter on Substack Twitter: @queerlyrec Facebook: @QueerlyRecommended Instagram: @queerlyrecommended Blusky: @queerlyrec.bsky.social Get all our links on Linktr.ee Support local animal shelters by joining Kris's Patreon
Tara and Kris chat with Ann McMan about her latest novel, The Black Bird of Chernobyl, how elements were inspired by previous GCLS conferences, and eco-friendly burial options (we promise, it makes sense when you listen). Recorded at the 20th annual Golden Crown Literary Society conference in St. Paul, Minnesota. Visit Ann McMan's website Trusting Tomorrow by PJ Trebelhorn Support & follow the show Buy us a Ko-fi Sign up for our newsletter on Substack Twitter: @queerlyrec Facebook: @QueerlyRecommended Instagram: @queerlyrecommended Blusky: @queerlyrec.bsky.social Get all our links on Linktr.ee Support local animal shelters by joining Kris's Patreon
Tara and Kris chat with A.L. Brooks about her latest novel, Make Her Wish Come True and her experience at the conference. Recorded at the 20th annual Golden Crown Literary Society conference in St. Paul, Minnesota. Visit A.L. Brooks' website Support & follow the show Buy us a Ko-fi Sign up for our newsletter on Substack Twitter: @queerlyrec Facebook: @QueerlyRecommended Instagram: @queerlyrecommended Blusky: @queerlyrec.bsky.social Get all our links on Linktr.ee Support local animal shelters by joining Kris's Patreon
Tara and Kris chat with Kristen Zimmer about her latest novel, Forbidden Girl, and her experience at the conference. Recorded at the 20th annual Golden Crown Literary Society conference in St. Paul, Minnesota. Support & follow the show Buy us a Ko-fi Sign up for our newsletter on Substack Twitter: @queerlyrec Facebook: @QueerlyRecommended Instagram: @queerlyrecommended Blusky: @queerlyrec.bsky.social Get all our links on Linktr.ee Support local animal shelters by joining Kris's Patreon
Tara and Kris chat with Carrie Byrd about her debut novel, Loser of the Year, and her experience at the conference. Recorded at the 20th annual Golden Crown Literary Society conference in St. Paul, Minnesota. Visit Carrie Byrd's website Support & follow the show Buy us a Ko-fi Sign up for our newsletter on Substack Twitter: @queerlyrec Facebook: @QueerlyRecommended Instagram: @queerlyrecommended Blusky: @queerlyrec.bsky.social Get all our links on Linktr.ee Support local animal shelters by joining Kris's Patreon
Tara and Kris chat with Nan Campbell about her novella New York is Losing Hope, which is part of the recent Hot Hires collection, her experience at this year's GCLS conference, and her advice for future conference goers. Recorded at the 20th annual Golden Crown Literary Society conference in St. Paul, Minnesota. Visit Nan Campbell's website Support & follow the show Buy us a Ko-fi Sign up for our newsletter on Substack Twitter: @queerlyrec Facebook: @QueerlyRecommended Instagram: @queerlyrecommended Blusky: @queerlyrec.bsky.social Get all our links on Linktr.ee Support local animal shelters by joining Kris's Patreon
Tara and Kris chat with Alaina Erdell about her novella Two Women, Two Weddings, which is part of the recent Hot Hires collection, as well as her experience at GCLS 2024. Recorded at the 20th annual Golden Crown Literary Society conference in St. Paul, Minnesota. Visit Alaina Erdell's website Support & follow the show Buy us a Ko-fi Sign up for our newsletter on Substack Twitter: @queerlyrec Facebook: @QueerlyRecommended Instagram: @queerlyrecommended Blusky: @queerlyrec.bsky.social Get all our links on Linktr.ee Support local animal shelters by joining Kris's Patreon
Tara and Kris chat with Erica Lee about her forthcoming novel, A Very Miller-Cooper Life. Recorded at the 20th annual Golden Crown Literary Society conference in St. Paul, Minnesota. Visit Erica Lee's website Support & follow the show Buy us a Ko-fi Sign up for our newsletter on Substack Twitter: @queerlyrec Facebook: @QueerlyRecommended Instagram: @queerlyrecommended Blusky: @queerlyrec.bsky.social Get all our links on Linktr.ee Support local animal shelters by joining Kris's Patreon
Tara and Kris chat with Morgan Lee Miller about her latest novel, 2024 Romantic Blend Goldie winner The Memories of Marlie Rose, as well as what she loves about attending GCLS conferences. Recorded at the 20th annual Golden Crown Literary Society conference in St. Paul, Minnesota. Visit Morgan Lee Miller's website Support & follow the show Buy us a Ko-fi Sign up for our newsletter on Substack Twitter: @queerlyrec Facebook: @QueerlyRecommended Instagram: @queerlyrecommended Blusky: @queerlyrec.bsky.social Get all our links on Linktr.ee Support local animal shelters by joining Kris's Patreon
Tara and Kris chat with Krystina Rivers and Ana Hartnett about their new books The Heart Wants and Comes in Waves, as well as their experience at the conference. Recorded at the 20th annual Golden Crown Literary Society conference in St. Paul, Minnesota. Visit Kristina Rivers's website Visit Ana Hartnett's website Support & follow the show Buy us a Ko-fi Sign up for our newsletter on Substack Twitter: @queerlyrec Facebook: @QueerlyRecommended Instagram: @queerlyrecommended Blusky: @queerlyrec.bsky.social Get all our links on Linktr.ee Support local animal shelters by joining Kris's Patreon
Tara and Kris chat with E. J. Noyes about her latest novel, Loyalty (book 3 in the Halcyion Division series) and her experience at the conference. Recorded at the 20th annual Golden Crown Literary Society conference in St. Paul, Minnesota. Visit E. J. Noyes' website Support & follow the show Buy us a Ko-fi Sign up for our newsletter on Substack Twitter: @queerlyrec Facebook: @QueerlyRecommended Instagram: @queerlyrecommended Blusky: @queerlyrec.bsky.social Get all our links on Linktr.ee Support local animal shelters by joining Kris's Patreon
Kris and Tara chat with K.B. Draper about her latest novel, Southbound and Down, her thoughts on GCLS conferences, and the authors K.B. fangirls over. Recorded at the 20th annual Golden Crown Literary Society conference in St. Paul, Minnesota. Visit K.B. Draper's website Support & follow the show Buy us a Ko-fi Sign up for our newsletter on Substack Twitter: @queerlyrec Facebook: @QueerlyRecommended Instagram: @queerlyrecommended Blusky: @queerlyrec.bsky.social Get all our links on Linktr.ee Support local animal shelters by joining Kris's Patreon
Tara and Kris chat with K. Aten about her latest novel, Paradise Lost and Found, her thoughts on GCLS conferences, and the best places to buy books if you want the most money to go to authors. Recorded at the 20th annual Golden Crown Literary Society conference in St. Paul, Minnesota. Visit K. Aten's website Support & follow the show Buy us a Ko-fi Sign up for our newsletter on Substack Twitter: @queerlyrec Facebook: @QueerlyRecommended Instagram: @queerlyrecommended Blusky: @queerlyrec.bsky.social Get all our links on Linktr.ee Support local animal shelters by joining Kris's Patreon
Have we got a treat for you! Last week, Kris and Tara talked to a bunch of authors at the Golden Crown Literary Society's 20th annual conference in St. Paul, Minnesota. Each conversation will be posted individually on this feed throughout the day and in the days to come. Please bear with the sound quality, because recording at a conference is challenging. We hope you enjoy the conversations as much as they did! Support & follow the show Buy us a Ko-fi Sign up for our newsletter on Substack Twitter: @queerlyrec Facebook: @QueerlyRecommended Instagram: @queerlyrecommended Blusky: @queerlyrec.bsky.social Get all our links on Linktr.ee Support local animal shelters by joining Kris's Patreon
Cue the fanfare, friends, because Kris is back! She returns with stories of Pride celebrations, galas, plays in New York City, conventions, and gambling. This conversation has it ALL. Official Recommendations From Kris: Turbulence by E. J. Noyes This week, Kris recommends Turbulence by E. J. Noyes. A stockbroker just looking for sex after a breakup has an amazing one-night stand… with the newly hired pilot at her company. Kris found this one "laugh out loud funny" with great characters and exploration of their flaws. It's also pretty spicy with lots of sex on the page. From Tara: One and Done by Frederick Smith This week, Tara recommends One and Done by Frederick Smith, an opposites-attract m/m romance. One of the men is a university administrator who wants to be the youngest queer Black university president in the US and the other is running the accreditation process at the university. Of course, they only figure this out after clashing at a drag brunch. Tara says this one is sweet, fun, and grounded in reality in ways that make this book special. Works/People Discussed The Great Gatsby (Musical by Kait Kerrigan) Alone (History Channel) House of the Dragon (HBO) Bridgerton (Netflix) RuPaul's Drag Race: All Stars, season 9 (Paramount+) Strange Horticulture (Iceberg Interactive) When You Smile by Melissa Brayden Support & follow the show Buy us a Ko-fi Sign up for our newsletter on Substack Twitter: @queerlyrec Facebook: @QueerlyRecommended Instagram: @queerlyrecommended Blusky: @queerlyrec.bsky.social Get all our links on Linktr.ee Support local animal shelters by joining Kris's Patreon
Kris is off on assignment this week. What assignment? We have no idea. She just left a note on our windshield that read "Off to do cool shit." Fret not! When the cat's away, the mice will play. And these mice… are Canadian. Podcast and personal favourite Amanda returns to the show! If you don't know Amanda, you can check out her other appearances on the pod here and here. Settle in for talks about various Pride celebrations, anime, water restrictions, and how Tara is confronted by her love of age-gap romances when a character is her exact age. And, we get a poetry reading for the first time in QR history! Official Recommendations From Amanda: A Fate Worse Than Death by Nisha Patel This week, Amanda recommends A Fate Worse Than Death by Nisha Patel. It's a poetry collection that investigates the vulnerabilities and life experiences of navigating a medical system mired in capitalism. Amanda reads a poem at the end of the episode if you want a sense of what to expect. From Tara: A Little Kissing Between Friends by Chencia C. Higgins This week, Tara recommends A Little Kissing Between Friends by Chencia C. Higgins. This sapphic romance has a messy friends-to-lovers pairing between a music producer and her best friend, the premiere dancer at a local strip club. Tara praised this book for its fat rep, its kissin', and how it dives into the sloppy muck of what to do when you sleep with your best friend. Works/People Discussed Yuri on Ice (MAPPA) Truth and Reconciliation Final Report University of Alberta Free Online Indigenous Canada course 21 Things You May Not Know About the Indian Act by Bob Joseph The Untamed (Tencent Video) Winter Begonia (iQiyi) Farewell my Concubine (1993) S.C.I. Mystery (Youku) I'm Afraid of Men by Vivek Shraya Babel: Or the Necessity of Violence: An Arcane History of the Oxford Translators' Revolution by R. F. Kuang Dead Boy Detectives (Netflix) What We Do in the Shadows (FX) What We Do in the Shadows (2014) Just Kiss Her by Clare Lydon Squad by Maggie Tokuda-Hall (Writer), Lisa Sterle (Illustrator) The Worst Ronin by Maggie Tokuda-Hall (Writer), Faith Schaffer (Illustrator) Support & follow the show Buy us a Ko-fi Sign up for our newsletter on Substack Twitter: @queerlyrec Facebook: @QueerlyRecommended Instagram: @queerlyrecommended Blusky: @queerlyrec.bsky.social Get all our links on Linktr.ee Support local animal shelters by joining Kris's Patreon
(tap, tap) Is this thing on? (tap) I think it's on. Hey everyone. It's just me, Tara, this week. Kris couldn't join me as usual, so instead of replaying one of our old episodes, we came up with an idea for something smaller. Here are my top five podcasts and an official recommendation. Official Recommendation From Tara: Blood Remains by Cathy Pegau This week, I'm recommending the historical, sapphic, urban fantasy romance Blood Remains by Cathy Pegau. The worldbuilding is robust, inviting us into the syndicated crime scene of 1930s Seattle. It also has found family, which I'm a huge sucker for. Works/People Discussed Maintenance Phase (Suggested episodes: Snake Oil, The Body Mass Index, Diet Book Deep Dive: Angela Lansbury's “Positive Moves”) Your Fat Friend If Books Could Kill (Suggested episodes: Men are From Mars, Women are From Venus, The 5 Love Languages, The 4-Hour Work Week) A More Civilized Age Better Offline History of Philosophy Without Any Gaps Support & follow the show Buy us a Ko-fi Sign up for our newsletter on Substack Twitter: @queerlyrec Facebook: @QueerlyRecommended Instagram: @queerlyrecommended Blusky: @queerlyrec.bsky.social Get all our links on Linktr.ee Support local animal shelters by joining Kris's Patreon
Sometimes you drive out into the dark, beyond the city lights, and wonder whether your loved one's intentions are nefarious. Other times you see the northern lights! This week, a very relieved Kris shares stories of lights in the sky, the benefits of not being murdered, and what it's like to swim with penguins. And Tara's here too, more laid back after emerging from a gaming fugue state, with another banger recommendation. Official Recommendations From Kris: Mary & George (Sky/Starz) This week, Kris recommends the British historical drama Mary & George, which tells the story of a man, his mother, and the King of England they're intent on seducing. Kris particularly liked this one because of the lengths the characters go to get what they want. From Tara: I Was A Teenage Exocolonist (PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, Steam) This week, Tara recommends I Was A Teenage Exocolonist by Northway Games. In this deckbuilding life sim game, you play a settler going through a wormhole to a brand-new world. The story is looped, with the player returning to their arrival point over and over, trying to set right what went wrong in previous loops. It's queer AF and was the subject of much delight in Tara's home. Works/People Discussed Queer Liberation Library Christine Williams Jeopardy! (NBC) Survivor (CBS) Catfish (MTV) Dead Boy Detectives (Netflix) Here for the Wrong Reasons by Annabel Paulsen & Lydia Wang Lavash at First Sight by Taleen Voskuni Support & follow the show Buy us a Ko-fi Sign up for our newsletter on Substack Twitter: @queerlyrec Facebook: @QueerlyRecommended Instagram: @queerlyrecommended Blusky: @queerlyrec.bsky.social Get all our links on Linktr.ee Support local animal shelters by joining Kris's Patreon
Grab your popcorn, chocolate, or other favourite movie snack, and sit down with Kris for her recommended double feature. Don't worry! You still have time before the first movie starts. Kris and Tara discuss two constants in life, Covid and the NFL, before getting into what they've been reading and watching lately. Then it's lights out and no cellphones. We have a strict policy. Official Recommendations From Kris: Blue Jean (2022) & Love Lies Bleeding (2024) This week, Kris recommends two films set in the late 1980s. The first is Blue Jean (2022), a drama about a closeted gym teacher in Britain who has to handle a student threatening to expose her sexuality to the community. The second is the thriller Love Lies Bleeding (2024), about a gym manager who falls in love with a bodybuilder and gets mixed up with her mob father. From Tara: The Summer Love Strategy by Ray Stoeve This week, Tara dips her toe into the YA romance pool to recommend the lovely and warm The Summer Love Strategy by Ray Stoeve. Two best friends are ready to start dating, so they plan a summer's worth of activities to find their first loves. Of course, no one is more surprised than them when it turns out love might be closer than they originally thought. Tara recommends this book to anyone, especially the tweens and teens in your life, because it has no sex, some kissing, and all good vibes. Works/People Discussed Crashing (Channel 4) RuPaul's Drag Race, season 16 (MTV) Physical 100 Season Two: Underground (Netflix) About that Kiss by Harper Bliss (check out the episode where Tara recommended it) Cabin Fever by Tagan Shepard Support & follow the show Buy us a Ko-fi Sign up for our newsletter on Substack Twitter: @queerlyrec Facebook: @QueerlyRecommended Instagram: @queerlyrecommended Blusky: @queerlyrec.bsky.social Get all our links on Linktr.ee Support local animal shelters by joining Kris's Patreon
It's tax season at Queerly Recommended and Kris and Tara are comparing notes (and stamps!). Kris also talks about her upcoming trip to Earp Division Expo and Tara shares about a recent trip to Vancouver. Official Recommendations From Kris: Maestro (2023) This week, Kris recommends Maestro (2023), the Bradley Cooper-directed feature film about American composer Leonard Bernstein and his wife Felicia Montealegre. Kris was especially taken by how completely Bradley Cooper disappeared into the role and the emotions of the storytelling. From Tara: Dulhaniyaa by Talia Bhatt This week, Tara recommends the sapphic romance Dulhaniyaa by Talia Bhatt. It's about how Esha, an American-raised Indian woman, is pressured into learning a special dance for her wedding to a man she's never met and falls for her dance instructor, Billu, instead. Tara adored this book, describing it as an amazing translation of a Bollywood film into a book. You should definitely check out a few Bollywood romance films before reading this one to truly understand the achievement that was made with this book. Works/People Discussed One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston 9-1-1 (Fox) The Resident (Fox) Fallout (Amazon Prime Video) RuPaul's Drag Race, season 16 (MTV) Blown Away (Makeful/Netflix) Colstead & Andie by Olivia Janae A Sweet Sting of Salt by Rose Sutherland (find out if the ending is happy by opening the spoiler tag on this page) Support & follow the show Buy us a Ko-fi Sign up for our newsletter on Substack Twitter: @queerlyrec Facebook: @QueerlyRecommended Instagram: @queerlyrecommended Blusky: @queerlyrec.bsky.social Get all our links on Linktr.ee Support local animal shelters by joining Kris's Patreon
This was recorded later on a Tuesday night, so some meds have worn off, some are kicking in, and Kris and Tara get lost in a field of rabbit holes… and recommendations! They answer your questions about cartoon covers in lesfic and the comfort reads they return to repeatedly. Even better? Their recommendations are all brand new lesfic releases. The stars have aligned and you, dear listener, will benefit. Official Recommendations From Kris: Aubrey McFadden is Never Getting Married by Georgia Beers This week, Kris recommends Georgia Beers's new romance, Aubrey McFadden is Never Getting Married, which she describes as a "warm hug of a book." It's structured around the five weddings that Aubrey McFadden has to attend in the presence of the woman who convinced Aubrey's fiance to break off their engagement when she was in her twenties. It's a friends-to-enemies-to-lovers story that's full of love, weddings, and pretty low angst. From Tara: Houseswap 101 by Jaime Clevenger This week, Tara recommends Houseswap 101 by Jaime Clevenger. Tara loved this book because it gave her the "housebutch" she she never knew she needed. She appreciated the depiction of the early days of someone discovering their bisexuality and it has a cute dog that you definitely wouldn't want to pick up. This is a strong recommendation and it even made it into her Kindle favourites list for easy future rereading. Works/People Discussed While You Were Sleeping (1995) Elf (2003) Too Close to Touch by Georgia Beers Ali Vali Curious Wine by Katherine V. Forrest The Philadelphia Story (1940) Pride and Prejudice (1995 Mini-Series BBC1) Course of Action by Gun Brooke Truth and Measure by Roslyn Sinclair Above All Things by Roslyn Sinclair The Red Files by Lee Winter The Headmistress by Milena McKay The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live (AMC) The Resident (Fox) RuPaul's Drag Race (MTV), season 16 RuPaul's Drag Race: UK vs. the World, season 2 (BBC Three) Physical: 100, season 2 (Netflix) Leather, Lace and Locs by Anne Shade Bloodline by Jenn Alexander Support & follow the show Buy us a Ko-fi Sign up for our newsletter on Substack Twitter: @queerlyrec Facebook: @QueerlyRecommended Instagram: @queerlyrecommended Blusky: @queerlyrec.bsky.social Get all our links on Linktr.ee Support local animal shelters by joining Kris's Patreon
Tara did a thing! She went to the Sapphic World Book Club's event featuring Lee Winter and is here to spread the good word. Kris and Tara talk about Facebook reels for a bit. Now that Tara has finished Love is Blind, she and Kris have their own reunion show to discuss the fallout. Spoilers around 14:50 - 30:42. Official Recommendations From Kris: Nyad (2023) This week Kris recommends the 2023 biographical film Nyad. Starring Jodie Foster and Annette Benning, Nyad follows Diana Nyad's multiple attempts to swim the straits of Florida in the 2010s. Sports movies get us where we live and when they have excellent performances? They get recommended. From Tara: London Ever After by Clare Lydon This week Tara recommends London Ever After by Clare Lydon, the 9th and final book in her London Romance series. Tara appreciated the laughs and the journey of seeing someone become a drag king in this one, describing it as a "lovely, happy" book. Works/People Discussed Vengeance Planning for Amateurs by Lee Winter Sapphic World Book Club The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live (AMC) Apples Never Fall (Peacock) Apples Never Fall by Liane Moriarty The Resident (Fox) RuPaul's Drag Race, season 16 (MTV) RuPaul's Drag Race: UK vs. the World, season 2 (BBC Three) Love is Blind, season Six (Netflix) Firebugs by Nino Bulling Cover Story by Rachel Lacey Support & follow the show Buy us a Ko-fi Sign up for our newsletter on Substack Twitter: @queerlyrec Facebook: @QueerlyRecommended Instagram: @queerlyrecommended Blusky: @queerlyrec.bsky.social Get all our links on Linktr.ee Support local animal shelters by joining Kris's Patreon
Are all cats ice queens? Are all ice queens cats? What if they're British? Kris's Alexa wants to weigh in on this very important conversation, too. We answer a listener question about debut authors that swept us off our feet, making this a recommendation-heavy episode. After this edifying topic, Kris and Tara belly up to a long conversation about the latest season of the trash can that is the latest season of Love is Blind. Official Recommendations From Kris: Nurses (Global/NBC) This week, Kris recommends the Canadian medical drama Nurses (Global/NBC), which follows a group of nurses in a busy downtown Toronto hospital. There's a lot of death and dying in the show, so watch out for that if you're squeamish. Otherwise, Kris describes it as a much less angsty Grey's Anatomy. From Tara: Tempting Olivia by Clare Ashton Tara recommends the contemporary sapphic romance Tempting Olivia by Clare Ashton. An icy, perfectionist lawyer with a secret celebrity crush ends up representing that celebrity during her divorce and, well, you can kind of figure out the rest from there. Tara praises the reality of how the relationship is handled, including how the power dynamics of their professional/client relationship are handled. Tara adored this book so much so that it's now her favourite Clare Ashton book, toppling the reigning champ, Poppy Jenkins. Run, don't walk. Works/People Discussed Vengeance Planning for Amateurs by Lee Winter The Delicate Things We Make by Milena McKay Compass Rose by Anna Burke Stick McLaughlin: The Prohibition Years by C.F. Frizzell Changing Majors by Ana Hartnett The Red Files by Lee Winter Jericho by Ann McMan The Music and the Mirror by Lola Keeley Avatar: The Last Airbender (Netflix) Survivor, Season 46 (CBS) The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live (AMC) Love is Blind, Season 6 (Netflix) RuPaul's Drag Race, Season 16 (MTV) RuPaul's Drag Race: UK vs. the World, Season 3 (BBC Three) Taylor Tomlinson: Have it All (Netflix) Lean in to Love by Catherine Lane Support & follow the show Buy us a Ko-fi Sign up for our newsletter on Substack Twitter: @queerlyrec Facebook: @QueerlyRecommended Instagram: @queerlyrecommended Blusky: @queerlyrec.bsky.social Get all our links on Linktr.ee Support local animal shelters by joining Kris's Patreon
CONTENT WARNING: We're excited that Kris's team won the Super Bowl for the second year in a row. Tragically, as some of you may have heard, the celebratory parade was interrupted by a mass shooting. Kris talks about her experience and feelings about the event. There are no graphic or scary details, but if you want to avoid it, the section is 01:28 - 07:36. Stay safe, everyone. Tara's reading slumpbuster keeps on chugging with more book recommendations. Kris goes to space (and the library) to get some work done. Reality television, in books and otherwise, is discussed at length. Official Recommendations From Kris: ISS (2023) This week, Kris recommends the science fiction thriller ISS. Kira Foster is the latest addition to the International Space Station. When nuclear war breaks out on Earth and the key to survival lies in the research aboard the ISS, America and Russia order their respective astronauts to take the station at any cost. From Tara: Vengeance Planning for Amateurs by Lee Winter This week, Tara recommends Vengeance Planning for Amateurs by Lee Winter, which the author described on Facebook as her first "romcom on purpose." Muffin maker Olivia Roberts is tired of being taken advantage of by a series of bad exes and has decided on revenge. The problem is she needs help. When she puts out an ad looking for a henchperson, she gets it in the form of the mysterious Margaret Blackwood, and then we're off to the races. Tara adored this book and thinks you will too. Works/People Discussed Love is Blind, Season 6 (Netflix) True Detective: Night Country (HBO) RuPaul's Drag Race, Season 16 (MTV) RuPaul's Drag Race: UK vs. the World, season 2 (BBC Three) Baldur's Gate 3 (Larian Studios) Forever by Kris Bryant Support & follow the show Buy us a Ko-fi Sign up for our newsletter on Substack Twitter: @queerlyrec Facebook: @QueerlyRecommended Instagram: @queerlyrecommended Blusky: @queerlyrec.bsky.social Get all our links on Linktr.ee Support local animal shelters by joining Kris's Patreon
We've got a packed house this week at ol' QR HQ. Kris has some big projects out on them lonely roads. Tara's reading slump seems to have been busted (fingers crossed). We talk card conventions and we answer your questions. Pull up a chair and hang out for a while. Official Recommendations From Kris: Theater Camp (2023) This week, Kris recommends Theater Camp. It's a delightful and heartfelt mockumentary-style comedy about a summer theater camp in New York where the kids are wonderful and the adults are all hot messes. From Tara: How You Get the Girl by Anita Kelly This week, Tara recommends How You Get the Girl by Anita Kelly, a cozy and queer sports romance. Which sport? Tara doesn't know. Basketball, maybe? It features characters from Kelly's other books but stands alone just fine. Tara adored this book. Works/People Discussed All Things Beautiful by Alaina Erdell The Grammys The Color Purple (2023) True Detective: Night Country (HBO) RuPaul's Drag Race, Season Sixteen (MTV) Not in the Plan by Dana Hawkins Keep This Off the Record by Arden Joy Much Ado About Nothing (1993) Thorn by Anna Burke The Bear (FX on Hulu) Love & Other Disasters by Anita Kelly Something Wild & Wonderful by Anita Kelly Support & follow the show Buy us a Ko-fi Sign up for our newsletter on Substack Twitter: @queerlyrec Facebook: @QueerlyRecommended Instagram: @queerlyrecommended Blusky: @queerlyrec.bsky.social Get all our links on Linktr.ee Support local animal shelters by joining Kris's Patreon
Kris returns from a road trip adventure that pitted her against all kinds of weather. Tara talks about conquering her public speaking fear and announces that she'll be attending GCLS for the first time this year. For all those planning to attend, you'll experience the first meet-up between our Queerly Recommended hosts. Shit's gonna get wild, friends. Official Recommendations From Kris: Joy Ride (2023) This week, Kris recommends Joy Ride, a raunchy, sex-positive comedy about four Asian American friends reconnecting while travelling across China. Kris loved the relationships in this one and found a subplot about transitioning to be respectfully and lovingly handled. From Tara: Limelight by Gun Brooke Tara recommends Limelight by Gun Brooke, a sapphic romance set in a competitive singing reality TV show, with a contestant and one of the show's mentors falling for each other. Tara describes the setting as perfect for driving tension without requiring a third-act break up and she enjoyed the spin on ice queens, too. Works/People Discussed QR 044 - Jonathan Van Ness Says “Tara 4 Congress!” Chicago Fire (NBC) Love on the Spectrum (ABC TV/Netflix) RuPaul's Drag Race, season 16 (MTV) Canada's Drag Race, season 4 (Crave) RuPaul's Drag Race: UK vs. the World, season 2 (BBC Three) Baldur's Gate 3 (Larian Studios) Fierce Overture by Gun Brooke Course of Action by Gun Brooke Support & follow the show Buy us a Ko-fi Sign up for our newsletter on Substack Twitter: @queerlyrec Facebook: @QueerlyRecommended Instagram: @queerlyrecommended Blusky: @queerlyrec.bsky.social Get all our links on Linktr.ee Support local animal shelters by joining Kris's Patreon
After recounting their holidays and discussing the vomiting strategies of families with small children, Kris and Tara start with their new year updates. The first? Kris's new book, Dreamer, is out. You can check it out here or wherever books are sold. We've got some good recommendations this week, folks. Conversation starters, you might say. Official Recommendations From Kris: Good Grief (Netflix) This week, Kris recommends Dan Levy's directorial debut, Good Grief, which recently premiered on Netflix. In addition to directing, Dan Levy writes and acts in this compelling (and sometimes frustrating) film about a man and his friends struggling to come to terms with their grief after his husband dies tragically. Watch this movie with someone because it may not be a perfect movie, but it's a perfect movie to talk about. You'll thank us later. From Tara: Magdalene Nox by Milena McKay This week, Tara recommends Magdalene Nox by Milena McKay, the companion novel to one of Tara's all-time favourite romances, The Headmistress. Tara praises its heightened language and how that contributes to creating the vibe of a beautiful fairy tale about two women surrounded by others while still very much alone, as they find companionship in each other. While The Headmistress was written as a standalone novel, Madalene Nox references it without always reproducing the content, making it a little more difficult to read by its own. This is great for you because you get to read both! Works/People Discussed Survivor, Season 45 (CBS) Fool Me Once (Netflix) Canada's Drag Race (Crave) RuPaul's Drag Race, Season 16 (MTV) Snack vs. Chef (Netflix) Baldur's Gate 3 (Larian Studios) The Beat Of Her Heart by Steren_Heart Support & follow the show Buy us a Ko-fi Sign up for our newsletter on Substack Twitter: @queerlyrec Facebook: @QueerlyRecommended Instagram: @queerlyrecommended Blusky: @queerlyrec.bsky.social Get all our links on Linktr.ee Support local animal shelters by joining Kris's Patreon
Queerly Recommended is three years old! According to physical development guidelines, this podcast should be able to a) ride a tricycle b) climb stairs and c) walk backwards or side to side. Two out of three ain't bad, and the less we say about emotional development, the better. Speaking of new developments, Kris talks about her new book baby, Dreamer, which is out January 1st from Bold Strokes Books. Kris also has an interesting answer to the time old publishing question, “What comes first, the book or the book cover?” Blow out the candles and make a wish. We hope it's for…. recommendations!!! Official Recommendations From Kris: Squid Game: The Challenge (Netflix) This week, Kris really wanted to recommend another queer Christmas movie, but the selection out there didn't deliver. It's very possible a slate of Christmas films were delayed or cancelled due to the writer's strike. So instead, Kris draws your attention to Squid Game: The Challenge (Netflix). It has a bunch of queer people in it, it's fun, and there are a lot of very hot, very tight bodies on display. And honestly, what's more Christmasy than that? From Tara: A Flight to Love by Frankie Fyre This week, Tara recommends the novella A Flight to Love by Frankie Fyre. She describes this as “zero-angst” and “utterly Hallmark”. If you're up for a gentle read about exes rekindling their relationship (plus, some pretty hot airport sex) then check this one out this holiday season. Works/People Discussed Tinsel by Kris Bryant Dreamer by Kris Bryant Leave the World Behind (2023) Elf (2003) Candy Cane Lane (2023) While You Were Sleeping (1995) Obliterated (Netflix) The Great Canadian Baking Show, season 7 (CBC Television) Baldur's Gate 3 (Larian Studios) Sea of Stars (Sabotage Studio) Heartstopper, Vol. 2 and 3 by Alice Oseman Bottoms (2023) Highlander (1983) Support & follow the show Buy us a Ko-fi Sign up for our newsletter on Substack Twitter: @queerlyrec Facebook: @QueerlyRecommended Instagram: @queerlyrecommended Blusky: @queerlyrec.bsky.social Get all our links on Linktr.ee Support local animal shelters by joining Kris's Patreon
It's the holiday season BAYbee! We're decking those halls. We're putting up the tree. Kris demands to know how big Tara's feet are, which leads to a measurement ON AIR. We've got bitches stealing Christmas, a bunch of thirsty suitors, and an oddly unprompted promotion for a Secret Santa website. Buckle up. On a more serious note, this week Tara recommends (albeit not queerly) the short documentary film Apostate by Carmel Mikol, which both deals with and leads to a conversation about religious trauma, cults and a bunch of related bad stuff. If you're not down for that, the applicable content is between 31:00 - 40:16. Official Recommendations From Kris: The Holiday Sitter (2022) A workaholic bachelor gets stuck with his sister's kids for the holiday season. What a bummer. He's not cut out for this. His solution involves hiring a guy who is into taking care of the kids…and his heart! Kris describes this as perfectly gentle and the kind of Christmas movie where all the obstacles are believable but totally overcome. It's a warm hug of a film. Don't you deserve a warm hug? From Tara: Make Her Wish Come True by A.L. Brooks Tara's recommendation is a fauxmance leading to true romance at Christmas. A woman's kid writes a letter to Santa asking for another mom for Christmas. Turns out Santa thinks the proper present this year is an aspiring journalist who's looking for a story and open to fake dating to get it. And he's right! Tara notes that despite it having fake dating deception in it, the deceit is dropped fairly early on. So, put down the stress ball, kiddies. It's time for some romance under the mistletoe. Works/People Discussed elfster.com The Great British Baking Show (BBC One, BBC Two, Channel 4) RuPaul's Drag Race UK (BBC Three) Canada's Drag Race (Crave) The Bitch Who Stole Christmas (2021) Thirsty Suitors (Outerloop Games) Heartstopper by Alice Oseman A Carol for Karol by Ann Roberts Apostate Spider Man Pointing at Spider Man Meme Support & follow the show Buy us a Ko-fi Sign up for our newsletter on Substack Twitter: @queerlyrec Facebook: @QueerlyRecommended Instagram: @queerlyrecommended Blusky: @queerlyrec.bsky.social Get all our links on Linktr.ee Support local animal shelters by joining Kris's Patreon
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