Outsiders by Lynn AmesMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
Finished on April 7, 2021
Favorite Story: Billy Boy by Susan Smith
This anthology consists of five different novella, one written by each author. The stories vary in plot and none of the plots were even remotely similar to any other plot. The stories are relatively interesting, and it was altogether a good read.
The first novella is In a Flash by Lynn Ames; I gave this one about a 4.5/5. The story was well-written and had an interesting premise. I really, really wanted there to be a full-length book of the two of them. I love the idea of the two having spiritual abilities that, for one of them, was strengthened by the extreme conditions of their meeting. The two of them had an instant connection and it would have been nice to have a longer book to watch the relationship fully develop between the two of them.
The second novella is Balance by Georgia Beers; I gave this one a 4/5. I liked this one well-enough. It was a bit harder to get into, but the idea of the book was very interesting. The character wasn’t exactly good, but she was somebody that I could definitely back, someone I could support. It wasn’t great by any means, but it wasn’t bad.
The third novella is Triskelion by JD Glass; I gave this one a 3/5. I really wanted to like this one because it involved a triad that had to get around personal issues that were there. I just didn’t like it very much. I worried about this book when it started in first-person point of view for the friend of one of the main characters and then switched to a third-person point of view for most of the rest of the book. It also kept switching between people, which I can understand, for them to reveal what they know about others and the current situation they are in. It was just a bit hard to understand and follow at times. I would have liked to have had a full-length novel about them as well and JD Glass does have books on them but none that appear to be explicitly about them being together as a triad.
The fourth novella is Blackout by Susan X. Meagher; I gave this one a 4/5. The characters in this one are relatively likeable and posed an interesting contrast to each other. I had some personal issues with this book including how one of the characters reacted when the blackout occurred and there was a suspicion that it might have been terrorists. The book, which explicitly takes place within a year of 9/11, made multiple references to terrorists and they made next to no sense. It just felt like a forced characteristic and it made me really not like the character.
The last novella is Billy Boy by Susan Smith and I gave this one an easy 5/5. I absolutely adore this novella and I really, really want a full-length book either about these characters or in a similar vein. This novella involved a butch lesbian falling for a trans man and I loved it so much. I especially loved that the author didn’t make either character change who they are in order to be with the other. I love the affection in “my boy” and the connection between the two of them. I also love that the author confronted what occurs when someone who is labeled a lesbian ends up with a man (and changing their identity) and the author had a character realize that “womyn born womyn” (as it’s quoted from the book) is transphobic to trans women. The characters even acknowledge that not allowing trans men into women’s space makes sense but that it is transphobic to not allow trans women into women’s spaces.
This anthology is an enjoyable read if you just want to see some diversity in your stories but, as like most anthologies, there might be stories that you don't enjoy.
This anthology consists of five different novella, one written by each author. The stories vary in plot and none of the plots were even remotely similar to any other plot. The stories are relatively interesting, and it was altogether a good read.
The first novella is In a Flash by Lynn Ames; I gave this one about a 4.5/5. The story was well-written and had an interesting premise. I really, really wanted there to be a full-length book of the two of them. I love the idea of the two having spiritual abilities that, for one of them, was strengthened by the extreme conditions of their meeting. The two of them had an instant connection and it would have been nice to have a longer book to watch the relationship fully develop between the two of them.
The second novella is Balance by Georgia Beers; I gave this one a 4/5. I liked this one well-enough. It was a bit harder to get into, but the idea of the book was very interesting. The character wasn’t exactly good, but she was somebody that I could definitely back, someone I could support. It wasn’t great by any means, but it wasn’t bad.
The third novella is Triskelion by JD Glass; I gave this one a 3/5. I really wanted to like this one because it involved a triad that had to get around personal issues that were there. I just didn’t like it very much. I worried about this book when it started in first-person point of view for the friend of one of the main characters and then switched to a third-person point of view for most of the rest of the book. It also kept switching between people, which I can understand, for them to reveal what they know about others and the current situation they are in. It was just a bit hard to understand and follow at times. I would have liked to have had a full-length novel about them as well and JD Glass does have books on them but none that appear to be explicitly about them being together as a triad.
The fourth novella is Blackout by Susan X. Meagher; I gave this one a 4/5. The characters in this one are relatively likeable and posed an interesting contrast to each other. I had some personal issues with this book including how one of the characters reacted when the blackout occurred and there was a suspicion that it might have been terrorists. The book, which explicitly takes place within a year of 9/11, made multiple references to terrorists and they made next to no sense. It just felt like a forced characteristic and it made me really not like the character.
The last novella is Billy Boy by Susan Smith and I gave this one an easy 5/5. I absolutely adore this novella and I really, really want a full-length book either about these characters or in a similar vein. This novella involved a butch lesbian falling for a trans man and I loved it so much. I especially loved that the author didn’t make either character change who they are in order to be with the other. I love the affection in “my boy” and the connection between the two of them. I also love that the author confronted what occurs when someone who is labeled a lesbian ends up with a man (and changing their identity) and the author had a character realize that “womyn born womyn” (as it’s quoted from the book) is transphobic to trans women. The characters even acknowledge that not allowing trans men into women’s space makes sense but that it is transphobic to not allow trans women into women’s spaces.
This anthology is an enjoyable read if you just want to see some diversity in your stories but, as like most anthologies, there might be stories that you don't enjoy.
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