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.

249 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 6, 2025

Reviews

[Frances Thompson · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Lucy · Rating 4 out of 5]

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 · Rating 4 out of 5]

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