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

We come up with new terms 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

Queerly Recommended is here to celebrate the resolution of the SAG-AFTRA strike — and also that we'll be covering queer holiday-themed content this year! Labor rights are of the utmost importance and we would have supported the strike as long as it took, but we're excited to bring you Christmas treats next month, too. In addition to talking about the outcome of the strike (there’s a lot of good here, but some troubling portents for the future), Kris talks about good vs bad queer kissing in films. Tara goes on to discuss the benefits of feeling uncomfortable.  Official Recommendations From Kris: Red, White & Royal Blue (2023) This week, Kris dives into the 2023 film Red, White & Royal Blue, the cinematic adaptation of Casey McQuiston’s m/m novel of the same name. It’s a high-powered romance featuring the son of the American president and a British prince. Kris wants you to know that the chemistry is hot, hot, hot, and the cast is out of this world.  From Tara: Flung Out of Space: Inspired by the Indecent Adventures of Patricia Highsmith, by Grace Ellis and Hannah Templer (Illustrator) Tara recommends the graphic novel, Flung Out of Space: Inspired by the Indecent Adventures of Patricia Highsmith, by Grace Ellis and Hannah Templer (Illustrator). It’s a fictionalized imagining of how Patricia Highsmith came to write The Price of Salt, aka Carol, and it doesn't shy away from Highsmith's flaws. This story invites us to hold two truths at the same time: The Price of Salt is a foundational text in the sapphic canon that saved an inestimable number of lives and Highsmith held awful views and exhibited ugly behaviors. This exploration of her life and times will leave you with a deeper appreciation of our history and can't be missed. Works/People Discussed Justine Bateman Slams SAG-AFTRA Tentative Deal's AI Provisions (Hollywood Reporter) Black Mirror, Season 6, Episode 1: Joan is Awful (Netflix) Dame Judi Dench Masterfully Does A Shakespeare Sonnet (Graham Norton Show) The Great British Baking Show (BBC One, BBC Two, Channel 4) Chicago Fire (NBC) The Morning Show (Apple TV+) Alone (History) RuPaul's Drag Race UK (BBC Three) Dropout.tv Dimension 20: The Unsleeping City (Dropout TV) Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani (2023)

This week, Tara and Kris are back! They're also sleepy, busy, and full of recommendations.  Kris is our official correspondent from this year’s Women’s Week in Provincetown. Then, Kris accuses Tara of lying about her height and Tara insists she's not because that inch is REAL.  Kris explores the sweeter side of David Beckham. Tara talks about a comedian’s dreams of ice skating and Whitney Houston. Both discuss how watching so many documentaries has changed them (for the better!). And then, as always… the recommendations. Official Recommendations From Kris: Back to Black (2020) and Reclaiming Amy (2021)  This week, Kris recommends two documentaries about Amy Winehouse, Back to Black (2020) and Reclaiming Amy (2021). Taken separately, they tell conflicting stories that silo Winehouse into images that those creating the documentaries most want to portray. But, the truth is in the cracks, in the similarities and differences between accounts. From Tara: An Acquired Taste by Cheri Ritz (Bella Books) This week, Tara recommends An Acquired Taste by Cheri Ritz, which she describes as the ultimate gentle, cozy, lovely, sapphic romance. Set in a reality competition cooking show, it follows two former acting rivals who are both competing for something different: bragging rights as Celebrity Cook Off Champion. Maybe they'll cook up some love too? (We'll see ourselves out...) Works/People Discussed The Great British Baking Show (BBC One, BBC Two, Channel 4) The Great Canadian Baking Show (CBC Television) Beckham (2023) (Netflix) Survivor (CBS) Alone (History) Alone Australia (SBS) RuPaul's Drag Race UK (BBC Three) I Have Nothing (Crave Original) Baroness von Sketch Show (CBC Television) Handsome podcast 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 TikTok: @queerlyrecommended Get all our links on Linktr.ee Support local animal shelters by joining Kris's Patreon

Kris went to Women's Week and Tara got knocked over by a couple of vaccines, so no new episode this week.  We didn't want to leave you totally hanging, so we're rerunning one of our faves: last year's conversation with Melissa Brayden, popular author of sapphic romances. We may have recorded it for Valentine's Day, but this is a fun listen any time of year.  We’re talking love this episode, people! Kris, Tara and Melissa compare their fave fictional couples, kisses, and romances that they love to reread. We also find out if Kris has a low bar for kissing in media (Melissa thinks so), Kris thinks out loud about Charlize Theron’s mouth, and Tara recounts her Summer of Steel at the tender age of twelve. Works/People Discussed Chapters: Interactive Stories – App Imagine Me & You (2005) Atomic Blonde (2017) Steven Universe (Cartoon Network) The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid Tricky Wisdom by Camryn Eyde And Playing the Role of Herself by K.E. Lane Wynonna Earp (Syfy) The Red Files and Under Your Skin by Lee Winter Star by Danielle Steel Paradise by Judith McNaught Too Close to Touch by Georgia Beers Letters Never Sent by Sandra Moran Turn Back Time by Radclyffe Fated Love by Radclyffe Rage of Angels by Sidney Sheldon Winter Jacket by Eliza Lentzski Leave Yesterday Behind (1978) Doctor Quinn, Medicine Woman (CBS) Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte All that Matters by Susan X. Meagher Didn’t Stay in Vegas by Chelsea M. Cameron Truth and Measure by Telanu If you want to check out more from Melissa, you can find her on: Twitter: @MelissaBrayden Instagram: @mbraydenbooks Facebook @melissabrayden  Support & follow the show Buy us a Ko-fi Sign up for our newsletter Twitter: @queerlyrec Facebook: @QueerlyRecommended Instagram: @queerlyrecommended Tumblr: @queerlyrecommended TikTok: @queerlyrecommended Get all our links on Linktr.ee Support local animal shelters by joining Kris's Patreon

This week, Tara and Kris start by celebrating the conclusion of the WGA strike and sending support for SAG-AFTRA in their continued quest for an equitable deal. Looking ahead, they wonder about the future of AI. Tara doesn’t think it’s as bleak as it sounds. Kris disagrees. Luckily we have opinions on survival reality shows to bring us together.  After getting deep into Alone Australia and Survivor, we hear more about RuPaul's Drag Race UK from Tara and then dive headlong into recommendations! Official Recommendations From Kris: Gaga: Five Foot Two (Netflix) This week, Kris recommends the 2017 Netflix documentary, Gaga: Five Foot Two, which covers a year in the life of Lady Gaga as she works on her fifth studio release album, Joanne. It’s a deeply vulnerable piece according to Kris, examining long standing pain conditions that the artist suffers from. It also details the 51st Super Bowl half-time show where Gaga gave her critically acclaimed appearance. From Tara: Bingo Love by Tee Franklin (Author), Jenn St-Onge (Artist) After comic creator Lawrence Lindell talked about it in our bonus episode with him, Tara picked up one of the books he suggested: Bingo Love. Spoiler: she fell in love with it. Bingo Love is a second-chance romance between two Black women that starts in the 1960s when they meet and become instant best friends at their church's Sunday bingo. Separated once their relationship turns romantic and is discovered, they go on to marry men, have families, and then meet once more sixties at another Sunday bingo when they're in their 60's. It’s a beautiful story about love, second chances, and honestly how many stories like this include Black women? We love to see it. Check it out. Works/People Discussed If Books Could Kill (Podcast) "On the Dangers of Stochastic Parrots: Can Language Models Be Too Big?" By Emily M Bender, Timnit Gebru, Angelina McMillan-Major and Shmargaret Shmitchell Alone Australia (SBS) Survivor (CBS) https://www.tiktok.com/@208sportscards RuPaul's Drag Race UK (BBC) The Big Nailed It Baking Challenge (Netflix) Mimosa by Archie Bongiovanni Black Mirror, Series Three, Episode Four “San Junipero” (Channel Four/Netflix) Support & follow the show Buy us a Ko-fi Sign up for our newsletter Twitter: @queerlyrec Facebook: @QueerlyRecommended Instagram: @queerlyrecommended Tumblr: @queerlyrecommended TikTok: @queerlyrecommended Get all our links on Linktr.ee Support local animal shelters by joining Kris's Patreon

This week, we start with a little update on the Hollywood strikes (still ongoing, no end in sight). This was recorded before Drew Barrymore and Bill Maher decided to go back on strike instead of scabbing, but that doesn't mean our assessment of Bill Maher being a colossal asshole was incorrect. Bill might be a stopped clock that's correct in this moment, but we’re full digital at Queerly Recommended and we know an asshole when we see one. We also talk about Kris’s new work situation, which seems to include nothing but meetings. It’s like that Lion King meme where Mufasa is saying everything the light touches belongs to Simba, except it's meetings. Everything the light touches is meetings. You know what else the light touches? Recommendations. Official Recommendations From Kris: Glow Up, Season Five (Netflix) This isn't the first time that this reality make-up competition show has been queerly recommended (and we wouldn’t be surprised if it’s not the last, either). The Netflix show is a delight of diverse contestants, celebrations of art, and in Kris’s words "a good introduction for seeing what a queer world actually looks like."  From Tara: Goodbye Volcano High by KO_OP (Playstation, PC) It’s the senior year of high school, and young Fang has to decide what to do with the rest of their life. The Battle of the Bands is coming, but so are strange reports of a coming meteor. Did we mention that Fang and all her friends are dinosaurs? Tara described this game as a poignant, powerful reflection of our modern moment. Also, the music fucking slaps. Check it out. Works/People Discussed Alone Australia (SBS) RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under (WOW Presents Plus) Alone (History Channel) The Bodyguard Affair by Anna Stone and Hildred Billings I Like to Watch with Trixie and Katya (Youtube) How to Become a Cult Leader (Netflix) Support & follow the show Buy us a Ko-fi Sign up for our newsletter Twitter: @queerlyrec Facebook: @QueerlyRecommended Instagram: @queerlyrecommended Tumblr: @queerlyrecommended TikTok: @queerlyrecommended Get all our links on Linktr.ee Support local animal shelters by joining Kris's Patreon

Kris and Tara sit down with cartoonist Lawrence Lindell to talk about his upcoming graphic novel, Blackward (releases September 26th!). As well as being a self-proclaimed introvert (hard same), Lawrence is an artist and educator, working in many disciplines like comics, music, illustration, and mixed media. His self-published graphic memoir, From Truth With Truth, was nominated for the Believer Book Awards, and the Dwayne McDuffie Award for Diversity in Comics in 2020. Together, the three talk about Blackward, the choices that went into it, and what Lawrence is currently reading and recommending. Lawrence recommends: Bingo Love by Tee Franklin When Hazel Johnson and Mari McCray met at church bingo in 1963, it was love at first sight. Forced apart by their families and society, Hazel and Mari both married young men and had families. Decades later, now in their mid-'60s, Hazel and Mari reunite again at a church bingo hall. Realizing their love for each other is still alive, what these grandmothers do next takes absolute strength and courage. Mimosa by Archie Bongiovanni Best friends and chosen family Chris, Elise, Jo, and Alex work hard to keep themselves afloat. Their regular brunches hold them together even as the rest of their lives threaten to fall apart. In an effort to avoid being the oldest gays at the party, the crew decides to put on a new queer event called Grind–specifically for homos in their dirty thirties. Grind is a welcome distraction from their real problems: after a messy divorce, Chris adjusts to being a single parent while struggling to reconnect to their queer community. Elise is caught between feelings for her boss and the career of her dreams. Jo tries to navigate the murky boundaries of being a supportive friend and taking care of her own needs. And Alex is guarding a secret that might change his friendships forever. While navigating exes at work, physical and mental exhaustion, and drinking way, way too much on weekdays, this chosen family proves that being messy doesn’t always go away with age. Rupert Kinnard Rupert Kinnard is a long-time activist and American cartoonist who created the first ongoing gay/lesbian-identified African-American comic-strip characters: the Brown Bomber (a teenage superhero) and Diva Touché Flambé (his ageless lesbian partner). Support & follow our show Buy us a Ko-fi Sign up for our newsletter Twitter: @queerlyrec Facebook: @QueerlyRecommended Instagram: @queerlyrecommended Tumblr: @queerlyrecommended TikTok: @queerlyrecommended Get all our links on Linktr.ee Support local animal shelters by joining Kris's Patreon

Welcome to Queerly Recommended’s Documentary Era! With the writer and actor strikes continuing in Hollywood, Kris and Tara have been digging into a lot of interesting and provoking queer documentaries. Everything’s about eras these days, isn’t it? Tara is living in that kids-going-back-to-school era. Kris is entering a new professional era… and she might even be slipping into her third-person era. It’s wild. Also, Tara gives Kris a big surprise. Official Recommendations From Kris: Wish Me Away (2011)  This week, Kris continues her long line of musical documentary recommendations with Wish Me Away. It tracks the story of Chely Wright, the first major country music singer to come out publicly as queer. Kris describes Chely’s coming out as "a blaze of glory," something the star did intentionally and confidently, despite the negative repercussions. From Tara: Freedom Uncut (2022)  Spurred on by Kris’s Wham! (Netflix) recommendation last episode, Tara recommends the documentary George Michael Freedom Uncut, which follows George Michael's career after Wham!. It paints the star’s life, including his public and private successes and losses, as one defined by a sadness deeply felt, and his legacy of beautiful, timeless music. Works/People Discussed Alone Australia (SBS) Eliza Lentzski’s Winter Jacket Series RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under (WOW Presents Plus) Alone (History Channel) Maintenance Phase Podcast “You Just Need to Lose Weight” and 19 Other Myths About Fat People by Aubrey Gordon Support & follow the show Buy us a Ko-fi Sign up for our newsletter Twitter: @queerlyrec Facebook: @QueerlyRecommended Instagram: @queerlyrecommended Tumblr: @queerlyrecommended TikTok: @queerlyrecommended Get all our links on Linktr.ee Support local animal shelters by joining Kris's Patreon

It’s a big ole catchup episode this week. Tara’s back from a botched vacation with tons of recommendations. Kris returns with boat problems and a bunch of excitement about the current state of (checks notes) foot…ball?  They check in on the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes, which most recently has taken the second season of A League of Their Own as a casualty (or that's what management claims, anyway). This isn’t going to end anytime soon, folks, but we’re in it for the duration. Official Recommendations From Kris: Wham! (Netflix) This week, Kris brings a recommendation for the music lovers out there: Wham!. This documentary covers the popular band from their childhood friendship in the 1970s through to their megastardom in the 1980s, via archival footage and interviews with George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley. Kris loved it and thinks you will too. From Tara: All Man: The International Male Story Tara's officially recommending the documentary All Man: The International Male Story. It covers the full lifecycle of the highly sought-after, mail-order catalog International Male, from its very beginnings to how it all unravelled. You'll never look at contemporary men's fashion the same way again after watching this one. Works/People Discussed Tagan Shepard A League of Their Own (Amazon Prime) Wynonna Earp (Syfy) Warrior Nun (Netflix) Alone (History) Alone Australia (History) Wytchwood by Alien Trap Games The Big Nailed It Baking Challenge (Netflix) Matteo Lane: The Advice Special (YouTube) Under the Stars with You by Jaime Clevenger Support & follow the show Buy us a Ko-fi Sign up for our newsletter Twitter: @queerlyrec Facebook: @QueerlyRecommended Instagram: @queerlyrecommended Tumblr: @queerlyrecommended TikTok: @queerlyrecommended Get all our links on Linktr.ee Support local animal shelters by joining Kris's Patreon

Kris, aka "The Road Trip Warrior Audiobook Listener," and Tara have talked many times about their love of audiobooks. The right audiobook is a mix of the right story and the right performer. If you only have one, the project doesn’t work. So, it’s with great joy that we welcome two very special guests this week to talk about all things audiobooks. If you've listened to a sapphic romance in the last 5 years, chances are good you've heard Lori Prince's voice. And if you listen to historical fiction, then you've probably heard Marisa Calin, too. Here’s the other cool thing: Marisa and Lori are married to each other! You know what narrators, readers, and writers also love to do? Laugh. There’s a lot of laughing in this episode, probably because there’s a lot of love here. Love for stories and how they reach out through our headphones, our speakers, or just the page itself, to connect us all together. Like Kris, aka "The Pusher," is fond of saying, “Punch and roll, bitches. Let’s go!” Works/People Discussed SAG-AFTRA strike website WGA Strike Hub Interview with Adam Conover, member of WGA's negotiating committee (A More Civilized Age podcast) "AI is coming for your audiobooks. You’re right to be worried." (Washington Post, August 16, 2023) Alison Bechdel’s Dykes to Watch Out For, by Alison Bechdel and Madeleine George (audiobook) My Covid Romance by Gabra Zackman About our guests Lori Prince is an New York City based actor and narrator with over 25 years of acting experience. She has an extensive theatre background from Off-Broadway to some of the country’s top regional theatres and you’ve probably seen her on TV. With over 150 audiobooks on Audible, she has become a go-to Sapphic Romance narrator with two Earphones Awards. Marisa Calin is an Audie, Odyssey, seven-times Audiofile Earphones Award winning and SOVAS nominated audiobook narrator. She’s had an Audible Best Audiobook of the Year, Apple Books Must-Listen audiobooks of the month, starred reviews in Publishers Weekly and School Library Journal, and books on YALSA’s Amazing Audiobooks of the year list. She's also the author of Between You & Me, a queer YA coming of age novel which was selected for ALA’s Rainbow Book List, and the writer of the film A Million Happy Nows, which won best feature at the first Clexacon conference.  Support & follow our show Buy us a Ko-fi Sign up for our newsletter Twitter: @queerlyrec Facebook: @QueerlyRecommended Instagram: @queerlyrecommended Tumblr: @queerlyrecommended TikTok: @queerlyrecommended Get all our links on Linktr.ee Support local animal shelters by joining Kris's Patreon

Kris celebrates the birth of her new book… baby. Book babies are a thing, right? The book is called Cherish. You should check it out when it drops in September. If that doesn’t tickle your fancy, Kris reveals the winning strategy to make it through the survival reality show, Alone. Tara and Kris discuss their troubled history with Mus musculus (the common house mouse), as well as the extent to which they will allow their home to be "hacked." Programming note: the actors and writers unions currently on strike in the United States have asked for podcasts to not review or promote "struck" work, and we at Queerly Recommended stand with union asks. So until the strike ends you’ll be getting fewer movies and scripted TV series from us, and more books, documentaries, video games, etc.  Official Recommendations From Kris: Nothing Compares (2022) This week, Kris recommends the documentary, Nothing Compares, which details Sinead O’Connor's rise and fall in the public sphere, surrounding her infamous appearance on SNL when she ripped up a photo of the Pope. There is a lot to her struggle and her history that Kris didn’t know before this documentary and she wishes she’d paid more attention sooner. Sinead O’Connor was a defiant, powerful, liberatory artist. The world is lesser without her in it. From Tara: Blackward by Lawrence Lindell Rounding it off, Tara recommends the graphic novel, Blackward by Lawrence Lindell, which will be released this September. It’s about a group of black queer people trying to create community for themselves and others like them, and the challenges they face along the way. Blackward is written in African American Vernacular English. If you are not familiar with it, check out this quick primer to better your reading experience of this wonderful book. Works/People Discussed Crush by Ana Hartnett Reichardt Alone (History) Hack My Home (Netflix) The Last of Us (HBO) Diablo IV (Blizzard Entertainment) Venba (Visai Games) Support & follow the show Buy us a Ko-fi Sign up for our newsletter Twitter: @queerlyrec Facebook: @QueerlyRecommended Instagram: @queerlyrecommended Tumblr: @queerlyrecommended TikTok: @queerlyrecommended Get all our links on Linktr.ee Support local animal shelters by joining Kris's Patreon

It’s been a bit since Kris and Tara sat down together, so there’s a lot of catching up to do! Kris reports back on her experience at the annual GCLS conference, as well as what to expect if you’re a newbie. And Tara’s been on vacation! Well, sorta. Some of it was working. She brings to the podcast tales of her hometown pizza and spending time with some of her many, many cousins. You have a favourite cousin, right? With all the pleasantries done, they dive deep into the oceans of backlogs and recommendations. Release the Kraken…of content! Official Recommendations From Kris: Carol (2015) This week, Kris recommends the 2015 film that got all the sapphics excited: Carol. Having seen it before, Kris’s recollection was that the movie was pretty boring. Thankfully she gave the movie a second chance (to settle a bet, as one does) and….yeah, it’s a completely different movie now. That said, she does have a take that she doesn’t think you’ll see coming.  From Tara: Fun Home by Alison Bechdel This week, Tara recommends Alison Bechdel’s graphic novel Fun Home: A Family Tragicomedy. It’s a difficult, challenging, and beautiful book that dives into Bechdel's childhood and her relationship with her father. There are books you read and then there are experiences you have with books. For Tara, this book is an experience. Works/People Discussed Golden Crown Literary Society (GCLS) Storm Crow Manor Glad Day Bookshop Alone, Season 10 (History) Suits (USA Network) A Lesbian’s Guide to Women by Erica Lee The Delicate Things We Make by Milena McKay (Narrated by Abby Craden) RuPaul’s Drag Race: All Stars, Season Eight (Paramount+) Mike Judge Presents: Tales from the Tour Bus, Seasons 1 + 2 (Cinemax) Hack My Home (Netflix) Siren: Survive the Island (Netflix) The Persuaders by Anand Giridharadas Winners Take All: The Elite Charade of Changing the World by Anand Giridharadas Ten Steps to Nanette by Hannah Gadsby Letters Never Sent by Sandra Moran The Swashbuckler by Lee Lynch Support & follow the show Buy us a Ko-fi Sign up for our newsletter Twitter: @queerlyrec Facebook: @QueerlyRecommended Instagram: @queerlyrecommended Tumblr: @queerlyrecommended TikTok: @queerlyrecommended Get all our links on Linktr.ee Support local animal shelters by joining Kris's Patreon