Queer Life, Queer Love. 3

by Kate Beal (Editor), Sarah Beal (Editor), Karen McLeod (Editor)

The best of Queer writing from around the world. Championing new and emerging writers alongside established authors, the anthology features voices across all narrative forms including fiction, poetry, memoir, essay and flash-fiction. The anthology will comprise of 40 pieces, the winning entries from an international competition to capture the best of queer writing today. The first volume, published by Muswell Press in November 2021, has reprinted five times and praise was widespread, This is writing that explores characters, stories and experiences beyond the mainstream. Celebrating the fascinating, the forbidden, the subversive, and even the mundane, but in essence, the view from outside. Introduction by Paul Burston.

Genres: Queer

249 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 6, 2025

Reviews

[Frances Thompson]

Loved this queer collection of fiction, poetry and non-fiction. Lots of variety in terms of style and tone, BUT I would have loved to have seen more bi+ representation (because I'm a greedy bisexual) and also more trans and a-spec stories/rep.

[Bee]

I enjoyed the range of voices woven throughout Queer Life, Queer Love 3, and there are some genuinely powerful, beautifully written pieces within this anthology. What stood out most was how authentic many of the stories felt; there’s a real sense of lived experience behind the writing, which gives the collection an emotional honesty that’s difficult to ignore. It feels thoughtful and carefully curated, with each contributor bringing something personal and meaningful to the wider conversation around queer identity and connection. I really liked how it varied between poetry and prose throughout the book so each new piece was unlike the last which made me wonder as I turned the page ‘what next’ which I enjoyed.

That said, I did find myself wishing there had been stronger bisexual representation throughout the anthology, as it felt noticeably lighter compared to some of the other identities explored. It’s not entirely absent, but it lacked the same depth and visibility that other perspectives were given, which left the collection feeling slightly unbalanced at times because representation of all branches of the LGBTQIA+ community are not only valid but should be celebrated and showcased. There has, as of late, sadly been a lot of bi-erasure in many areas of the media, so it’s disappointing to see it within books that loudly claim to be Queer Voices.

I was also a little surprised by how emotionally heavy many of the stories became. While there’s absolutely space for grief, trauma, and difficult experiences within queer storytelling , and those stories matter immensely - I think I went in expecting a slightly more celebratory tone overall, especially given how vibrant the cover was; and yes, I know I shouldn’t judge a book by it’s cover but I think perhaps I needed positivity especially as a nonbinary person who feels increasingly downhearted by the world around them and how I am treated by the government etc. Instead, a lot of the anthology leans into pain, isolation, or heartbreak, which creates a more sombre atmosphere than I had anticipated. Some of the pieces are incredibly moving because of that, but taken together it occasionally made the collection feel emotionally weighty rather than uplifting.

[Lucy]

Having read previous Queer Life, Queer Love anthologies, I was excited to see another one had arrived. The book features queer writing from around the globe in forms of poetry, fiction and essays in a variety of genres and styles. Seeing that it is an anthology, it is a good way to explore authors who you may have not previously come across.

Personally, I really enjoyed Dining Table (Sold as Seen) by Tom Marshman, God Redeems by Claire Deacon and The Predicters by Cait Owen.

I'm rating it 3.5 stars(rounded up to 4 stars)as some pieces I really enjoyed, whereas others I didn't enjoy as much. I would, however, thoroughly recommend it.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers and authors for access to this book.

[Luna and Co]

3.5 rounded up. I love the idea, but honestly, I liked 1/3 of it( the long haul, and I'll scratch yours, god redeems, when dysphoria visits, the last hurrah, dining table and one or two others that I can't remember the titles made the book for me); the rest left me feeling very neutral. I was expecting it due to the variety of writers, but I would've hoped that proportion was higher. I wish there were more bi representation and the texts were organized by genre, length, or something. Would I read it again? Yeah.

Thank you, Netgalley and Muswell Press, for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review