Queerly Recommended

Queerly Recommended

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.

  1. 1 day ago

    Hardcore for Jeopardy! (QR 138)

    We return from our break with tales of GCLS and family trips, before diving into our deep backlog and emerging with fresh recommendations to get you through the end of summer. Official Recommendations From Kris: Crash Into You by E. J. Noyes Kris's official recommendation this week is Crash Into You by E. J. Noyes. This powerful book is about a twin overcoming the loss of her sister and her struggle to rebuild her life in the aftermath of that loss. Kris was absolutely wowed by this one, considering it less of a romance and more of a deep character study with romantic elements. It's a heavy book, so check the tags and trigger warnings before you dive in. If and when you do? Kris is confident that you'll find something powerful to get lost in. From Tara: Never Date a Celebrity by Claire Forsythe Tara's official recommendation this week is Never Date a Celebrity by Claire Forsythe. Imogen is brutally dumped by her influencer girlfriend online, causing her to withdraw from social media and get talked into taking over a pub in a small Irish town with her two closest friends. Celebrities are everywhere these days, though, and an increasingly famous actor can't help but be charmed by the way Imogen has no idea who she is. Tara loves the chemistry in this book and the smalltown setting. Works/People Discussed Josh Johnson Harriet Tubman: Live in Concert: A Novel by Bob The Drag Queen Conan the Barbarian (1982) The Other Bennet Sister (BBC One) Welcome to Ero-TEA-Ca by Alyson Root Those Who Wait by Haley Cass Support & Follow the Show Buy us a Ko-fi Facebook Instagram Threads Bluesky TikTok YouTube Get all our links on Linktr.ee

  2. 9 Jun

    Under the covers (QR 134)

    It's that most wonderful time of the year (Pride! And it's beach reads time!). Old Lady Tara rears her ancient head this episode, talking about respecting bedtimes and being excited for the rain to loosen up the soil for weeding flowerbeds. We also return to one of our favourite topics of conversation: book covers. Official Recommendations  From Kris: Love is a Contact Sport by Frederick Smith Kris's official recommendation this week is the gay romance novel Love is a Contact Sport by Frederick Smith. You may remember Smith from previous episodes where we've officially recommended his book One and Done and had the opportunity to sit down with him for a conversation. This second chance romance includes aspects of relationships we don't often see on page, like therapy and safe sex practices. Kris loved this one. From Tara: For the Bride by Becca Grischow Tara's official recommendation this week is For the Bride by Becca Grischow, an enemies to lovers sapphic romance that Tara couldn't put down. She may have quibbles about the cover's colour scheme, but only because it suggests the book is a cozy, rom-com kind of affair, which it is not (and that's a very good thing). The main character, Alice, is a mess and Tara hasn't seen this kind of character work in a long time. 2026 has been a great year for books and For the Bride is right up there. Works/People Discussed The Matrix (1999) The Four Seasons (Netflix) The Mandalorian and Grogu (2026) RuPaul's Drag Race: All Stars (Paramount+) Project Hail Mary (2026) Madame Hyde by Thea Belmont Support & Follow the Show Buy us a Ko-fi Facebook Instagram Threads Bluesky TikTok YouTube Get all our links on Linktr.ee

  3. 28 Apr

    Bikers or BDSM (QR 131)

    Things have been mostly quiet here at the old QR HQ, but the only news is good news! Kris's book Scandalous is up for a Goldie in the contemporary romance: mid-length novels category. In place of any new developments, Tara brings an extra official recommendation to the party. Official Recommendations  From Kris: Pillion (2025)  Kris's official recommendation this week is the movie Pillion. It's the story of a dreary wallflower of a young man who meets a biker and is carried into the world of BDSM. Kris learned a lot from this movie and enjoyed it thoroughly. From Tara: The Miseducation of Caroline Bingley by Lindz McLeod and The Second Draft by Carrie Byrd This week, Tara's first recommendation isThe Miseducation of Caroline Bingley by Lindz McLeod. It's the second story in her Ausentatious series, which asks "what if?" about sapphic partnerships among the side characters of Pride and Prejudice. Tara recommended the previous book, The Unlikely Pursuit of Mary Bennet, waaaaay back in episode 104 and came away from this one liking it more. In this story, Caroline Bingley asks Georgiana Darcy to teach her how to be a good person, and they find love along the way. The writing nails the balance between sounding period appropriate and remaining compelling for a modern audience (plus it has all the sex scenes that Austen didn't put in, but probably wanted to). The second recommendation is The Second Draft by Carrie Byrd. Tara adored this one. The only problem is, all the reasons she loved it most are spoilers! What she can tell you is that it's a later-in-life coming out story bundled with a sweet and emotional friends-to-lovers arc. The writing moved her and she thinks it'll move you too. Works/People Discussed Shrinking (Apple TV+) Paradise, Season Two (Hulu) Love on the Spectrum (Netflix) The Red Duet (Chasing Red & Catching Red) by Alix Marren Support & Follow the Show Buy us a Ko-fi Facebook Instagram Threads  Bluesky TikTok YouTube  Get all our links on Linktr.ee

About

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.