Explore every episode of the podcast Queerly Recommended
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| And they all died (QR 101) | 28 Jan 2025 | 00:39:44 | |
Kris and Tara talk about their different experiences with last week's Polar Vortex. Kris relates job stress and what she has to do to make sure others get the job done. Then it’s on to the recommendations! Official Recommendations From Kris: Severance (Apple TV+) This week, Kris officially recommends the critically acclaimed series Severance. A technology is created that can separate the memories of going to work from the rest of someone's life. This means that when the people are outside of work (outies), they reap the benefits of working without having to remember it, while they only experience going to the office when they're at work (innies). Conflict and mystery ensue! Kris was delighted and surprised by the older queer rep in the show and, while acknowledging that it takes some time to get hooked, when it’s in, it’s in. From Kris: I Shall Never Fall in Love by Hari Conner Tara’s official recommendation this week is the graphic novel, I Shall Never Fall in Love by Hari Conner, a queer, regency, friends-to-lovers romance. Tara loved the art and storytelling, as well as how the book explored gender expression and the history behind the period. Works/People Discussed
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| Rainbow Beautiful (QR 100) | 14 Jan 2025 | 01:05:56 | |
This isn't just any episode of Queerly Recommended. This is the hundredth episode! To celebrate, Kris and Tara look back over the last four years and pick out the top five recommendations they each made since this whole bag of cats (black and orange) started. Of course, despite the strict format, they add some honourable mentions because limitations are for cowards. Official Recommendations Kris’s top five recommendations
Honourable mention: Summerland (2020) Tara’s top five recommendations
Honourable mentions: The Queen (1968) and We’re Here (HBO). Works/People Discussed
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| I love magicians (QR 099) | 31 Dec 2024 | 00:52:02 | |
It’s the last day of 2024, so we're looking back at our favourite recommendations of this year. These books and films moved us in a way that's lasting, whether for the message they provided or the comfort they brought. Of course, Tara and Kris also squeeze in some Cracker Barrel discourse (What age is their target audience? What’s the deal with the sodium content?) and chat about gambling and fantasy football. Happy New Years, everyone! Official Recommendations Kris’s top three recommendations for 2024:
Tara’s top three recommendations for 2024:
Works/People Discussed
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| I did not kill that grandma (QR 098) | 17 Dec 2024 | 00:47:26 | |
We're bringing more holiday recommendations to you in this slightly shorter episode of Queerly Recommended. We also get an after-action report on Orange Kitty following an injury and discover some unsettling facts about cat eyelids. From meddling Grandmas to Secret Santas, we’re your one-stop for queer media and opinions this holiday season. Official Recommendations From Kris: Merry Weihnachten by E. J. Noyes Kris has known since GCLS that she’d only have time for one Christmas book this year, so she's been excited since July to read Merry Weihnachten by E. J. Noyes. It's a sapphic romance between an American woman and her new neighbor from Germany, as they decide to merge traditions over the holidays. Kris adored this book, and especially the main character, Evie. It’s spicier than most Christmas books, but who doesn’t like to be surprised with a little spice during the holiday season? From Tara: A Break in Communications by Lily Seabrooke This week, Tara recommends A Break in Communications by Lily Seabrooke. It's a rivals-to-lovers romance between coworkers, where Anna hates Lucy and has no idea that Lucy is hopelessly in love with her. This book is chock-full of tropey goodness— it's a workplace romance, it has a fake romance, it takes place over the holidays. It’s got everything! Works/People Discussed
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| Clutch your pearls, cause here we go (QR 097) | 03 Dec 2024 | 00:52:00 | |
Tara and Kris discuss the important matters of the moment: Christmas trees! Are you a white light or coloured light kind of house? Listen to find out Kris's stance and then stay to catch up on horrible HR managers, Orange Kitty and Black Kitty updates, as well as all the delicious food that Tara "bricked" herself with on a recent work trip to Toronto. And, as always, they have recommendations Official Recommendations From Kris: Bad Sisters (Apple TV+) This week, Kris recommends Bad Sisters, an Irish black comedy series. It revolves around a group of sisters and what happens when one sister’s controlling husband suddenly dies, putting them at the center of a life insurance investigation. Kris loved everything about this series, and if that’s not enough for you, it has Fiona Shaw. What more can you ask for? From Tara: Don’t Marry Me at Christmas by Clare Lydon This week’s recommendation is the latest Christmas romance from British romcom queen, Clare Lydon. Tara was a little sad not to see a Lydon Christmas romance last year, but the wait was worth it. Don’t Marry Me at Christmas is a frenemies-to-lovers (we love this description) situation that will give you all the good feelings and leave you hungry for cupcakes. Dig in! Works/People Discussed
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| Let’s be pirates (QR 096) | 19 Nov 2024 | 01:01:05 | |
Last episode, we said we love you and to take care of yourself. That's more true than ever. This week, Tara and Kris trade stories about the week of the US election, its aftermath, and more importantly, what comes next. They settle on being pirates. We’re still here, folks, and we’re going to be here until the wheels fall off this thing. Kris doesn’t have a recommendation this week, but Tara has come through with not one but two Christmas romances. Official Recommendations From Tara: A New Leash on Love and Frosted by the Girl Next Door by Jaime Clevenger and Aurora Rey This week, Tara is recommending two Christmas romances that take place in a small Colorado town and run in parallel with each other. A New Leash on Love by Jaime Clevenger and Aurora Rey (Bella Books) is about an interior designer who's back in the hometown she hates, only to fall for Shawn. Shawn is as sweet as the cupcakes her sister bakes for the family business and can't help falling for Kit right back. Frosted by the Girl Next Door by Aurora Rey and Jaime Clevenger (Bold Strokes Books) features Shawn's sister Tara falling for Kit's friend Casey. Casey's new to town and opens a sex shop next door to their cupcake store. Is the shop a town scandal or the best thing that's happened to it in a long time? Read it to find out! Works/People Discussed
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| We love you (QR 095) | 05 Nov 2024 | 00:56:14 | |
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
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| Oh no, it’s me! (QR 094) | 22 Oct 2024 | 01:30:48 | |
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
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| Orange Kitty Update (QR O93) | 08 Oct 2024 | 01:00:52 | |
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
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| Hands off our books (QR Bonus 012) | 01 Oct 2024 | 00:45:20 | |
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
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| Knife queen (QR 092) | 24 Sep 2024 | 00:39:35 | |
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
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| I give you my cheese (QR 091) | 10 Sep 2024 | 01:26:03 | |
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
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| Kris and Tara write a book (QR 090) | 27 Aug 2024 | 01:08:26 | |
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
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| A Conversation with Frederick Smith (QR 089) | 13 Aug 2024 | 00:43:07 | |
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
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| Tara climbed me like a koala (QR 088) | 30 Jul 2024 | 01:04:00 | |
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
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| Ann McMan (GCLS 2024) | 18 Jul 2024 | 00:10:54 | |
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. Trusting Tomorrow by PJ Trebelhorn Support & follow the show
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| A.L. Brooks (GCLS 2024) | 18 Jul 2024 | 00:04:01 | |
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. Support & follow the show
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| Kristen Zimmer (GCLS 2024) | 18 Jul 2024 | 00:08:45 | |
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
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| Carrie Byrd (GCLS 2024) | 18 Jul 2024 | 00:02:19 | |
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. Support & follow the show
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| Nan Campbell (GCLS 2024) | 17 Jul 2024 | 00:05:22 | |
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. Support & follow the show
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| Alaina Erdell (GCLS 2024) | 17 Jul 2024 | 00:06:08 | |
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. Support & follow the show
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| Erica Lee (GCLS 2024) | 17 Jul 2024 | 00:03:10 | |
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. Support & follow the show
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| Morgan Lee Miller (GCLS 2024) | 17 Jul 2024 | 00:03:45 | |
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
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| Krystina Rivers & Ana Hartnett (GCLS 2024) | 16 Jul 2024 | 00:07:03 | |
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 Support & follow the show
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| E. J. Noyes (GCLS 2024) | 16 Jul 2024 | 00:06:00 | |
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. Support & follow the show
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| K.B. Draper (GCLS 2024) | 16 Jul 2024 | 00:09:55 | |
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. Support & follow the show
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| K. Aten (GCLS 2024) | 16 Jul 2024 | 00:08:39 | |
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. Support & follow the show
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| Dispatches from GCLS (QR 087) | 16 Jul 2024 | 00:04:27 | |
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
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| Is Kris Bryant here? (QR 086) | 02 Jul 2024 | 00:58:30 | |
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
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| The Canadians are taking over! (QR 085) | 18 Jun 2024 | 01:02:53 | |
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
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| The Minisode (QR 084) | 04 Jun 2024 | 00:18:20 | |
(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
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| Jammies are not death clothes (QR 083) | 21 May 2024 | 00:48:01 | |
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
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| I Can Love You From a Distance (QR 082) | 07 May 2024 | 00:59:39 | |
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
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| People like me don’t have stamps (QR 081) | 23 Apr 2024 | 01:00:22 | |
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
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| Filthy for Grown-Ups (QR 080) | 09 Apr 2024 | 01:07:59 | |
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 From Tara: Houseswap 101 by Jaime Clevenger Works/People Discussed
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| Parkour! (QR 079) | 26 Mar 2024 | 01:06:07 | |
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
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| Drunk me is fun, drunk her is awful (QR 078) | 12 Mar 2024 | 01:01:54 | |
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. 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.
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| We got a room (at the library) (QR 077) | 27 Feb 2024 | 00:59:46 | |
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. 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.
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| A little flash of Fireball (QR 076) | 13 Feb 2024 | 01:16:11 | |
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.
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| Going to a Casino When You’re Broke (QR 075) | 30 Jan 2024 | 00:51:54 | |
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
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| Money Makes a Big Difference (QR 074) | 16 Jan 2024 | 00:54:04 | |
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
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| One-Star Gay (QR 073) | 19 Dec 2023 | 00:48:07 | |
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
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| Maybe the tree isn’t going up today (QR 072) | 05 Dec 2023 | 00:59:59 | |
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
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| The Holiday Season is UNCANCELLED (QR 071) | 21 Nov 2023 | 00:53:53 | |
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
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| I’m Greedy (QR 070) | 07 Nov 2023 | 01:02:15 | |
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
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| Rerun: Melissa Brayden Has Not Been Frugal With Her Jewels (QR Bonus 006) | 24 Oct 2023 | 00:56:20 | |
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
If you want to check out more from Melissa, you can find her on:
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| Nice! (QR 069) | 03 Oct 2023 | 01:15:00 | |
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
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| Ding Dong Delicious (QR 068) | 26 Sep 2023 | 01:00:52 | |
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) From Tara: Goodbye Volcano High by KO_OP (Playstation, PC) Works/People Discussed
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| Making Zines and Building Community with Lawrence Lindell (QR Bonus 11) | 19 Sep 2023 | 00:33:43 | |
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
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| Coming Out in a Blaze of Glory (QR 067) | 12 Sep 2023 | 01:18:40 | |
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) From Tara: Freedom Uncut (2022) Works/People Discussed
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