This was such a good read to fly by my day! Thoughtful, whimsical, and fantastically vibrant, I’m sort of sad there isn’t more! There is a level of absurdity to these tales – entwining realism and notes of the surreal – that, I feel, conveyed a new, fresh take on the queer experience. There are some fabulous insights in Tea Leaves about queer identity and sexuality.

Thank you to Netgalley and Amble Press for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review!2023-read arcs14 s Rae Hargrave97 7

I had high hopes for this collection and unfortunately, it fell a bit short. I really struggled with some of these stories, especially in the first 150 pages or so - I was left wondering "why?" at the ends, seeing the potential threads of commentary or deeper meaning but not quite seeing them all come together cohesively by the end of each story. Many of the stories felt too on the nose, the metaphors a bit too blunt, and that lack of finesse felt I was being hit over the head even while I struggled to parse a deeper lesson or meaning in the story. The second half stories, however, felt much stronger to me! They had much clearer voices, more natural-feeling characters, and clearer take-aways. Unfortunately, I think most readers would DNF a collection before getting to that point and this collection might have benefitted from the stories being ordered differently. I did appreciate the diversity of the stories and their characters, though, and I think this collection will certainly be loved by some readers - it just wasn't quite the right fit for me.2 s giada468 75

Many a times has the queer community (as any other minority in history) been ostracised and demonised as a way to further the myth of a “modest and proper society“ as a means of control of the masses; but the surefire way to disrupt a community is to make it disappear, for how can you join one and revel in the joy of fellowship and camaraderie if it’s not only signaled as evil but it’s also invisible?

The use of the idea of the “monstrous” in media has been linked to the the portrayal of queerness (both the lgbtqai+ kind of queerness as well as the Stranger and the Diverse, be it in terms of race, disability, gender, etc) - this idea is further explored in these short stories by the presence of the fae folk and other magical creatures, be it witches, demons and ancient gods.

The author puts his best foot forward in this collection, fruit of a decade of work, by making queer people and magical creatures the undisputed protagonists of both common and uncommon situations in an alternate universe of our world (I would call this book an urban fantasy if I had to put it in a genre category) in order for them to be *seen*, and finally regarded as fully fledged members of society without having to hide or mellow themselves down in order to be accepted.

Despite the noble intent, I did not find myself enjoying the reading process: I wasn’t a fan of the author’s characterisations of their protagonists, nor of the writing style in general. I do think there’s a dedicated audience waiting to find this book as their Holy Grail, but sadly it was not for me.

Access to the ARC acquired thanks to NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.arc fantasy lgtbqa ...more1 Andreea91

This was the book equivalent of a Kinder Surprise - I never knew what to expect with each new short story and finding out was half the fun.

Tea Leaves is an eclectic collection of short stories in a wide range of topics and genres with two ever-present constants: an LGBTQ+ perspective, and a strong link to magic and mysticism. This translates at times into cozy magical universes, at others into horrific depictions of humans and mysterious creatures (?warning - it gets violent and very graphic in a couple of stories).

This is a well-written, fascinating book, where no element feels an afterthought and every detail plays a role. One of my favorite reads of 2023 so far.

?Disclaimer?
I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.1 LaraN48

[Thanks to NetGalley & the author for providing me with this ARC]

“For all the queers and mystics and fairies and witches who only ever wanted to be seen.“

This book is so dear to my heart. A gorgeous collection of magical short stories.
These stories allow a powerful statement about the othering of queer people by presenting struggles of the queer experience in a magical setting in an otherworldly setting.
It showed the absurdity of the hatred as well as the resulting hurt and alienation.

With every short story, the author takes the reader on a new journey. The rich and beautiful settings were described with much attention to detail which allowed me to completely sink into the story.

Disclaimer: The ARC was provided to me by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The ARC category in no way impacts the rating of the book. All of my contain my honest opinions.1 Joseph Shaw78 2

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Tea Leaves is a collection of short stories with a fantasy/speculative/dystopian lean underpinned by explorations of queer life and existence. From eldritch octopus horrors in cafe restrooms, to reincarnated lovers destined to find each other in doomed cities, to shape changing reptilians, these short stories are varied and exciting, and some are deeply emotional, or incredibly terrifying.

A fantastic collection, some of which I really wish were used as opening chapters to full-length novels, particularly The Oak I Knew. A powerful and riveting collection.1 Zoozoo90

This short story collection deals with topics and themes which are very close to my heart, namely queerness and climate change. I have enjoyed the speculative nature of a number of the stories, as well as a tinge of horror in others. Although I didn't particularly connect to any of the characters, the stories "Borealis", "And Then Again To The Next" and "Ah, Well" resonated with me deeply. I think reading this collection was a nice and enjoyable way to start my new reading year.

Thank you to NetGalley for a free review copy of this book!1 Mae of Scotland150

An enjoyable of collection of fantasy stories featuring mythical creatures and magic. Features 17 beautifully crafted queer romance stories that invoke powerful emotions with the diverse range of situations captured in each tale from joy to despair as the character face challenges and dark moments of life. Tackles some difficult topics from the experience LGBTIQA community dealing with hatred, judgment and the darkness that can live within our hearts.arcs netgalley1 Tim611 5

This is my favorite kind of collection. And wow did I feel seen these stories were actually coming for me slow down thank you I did not give you permission to expose me that bye.anthology-collection favorites1 Liz48 6

A collection of short stories that uses magical realism and urban fantasy to celebrate queerness in its many forms. Love to see it. I wish that the magical/realism balance had fallen on the magical side a little harder, but that's largely a personal preference.

Thank you to netgalley for the arc.anthology lgbt short-stories ...more1 Heather368 17

Average rating = 3.25. Rounded to 3.5 for personal stats. Rounded to 4 for Goodreads
Firstly I'd to start this by saying this is the first time I've read a short story collection that hasn't been a part of a pre-established series or has not had the stories connected in some way normally by following the same character or character group, and unfortunately I don't think this type of book works for me.
I would say if you have read and know you these types of short story collections before or if you the storytelling style of a season of black mirror where you see a snippet of this thing and then move on to something different then you could really this.
I really enjoyed the writing style and if the author ever comes out with a full length novel I would read it.
I did write down a couple of sentences after finishing and individual rated each story, you can find this below by viewing spoilers, spoilers are minor but in many I do talk about the plot or point of stories which you don't know before going into them.


Seen - 2.5 stars, MC really seemed to hate himself and not only put himself down but constantly talk of others in a negative light too. Because it was a short story it felt there wasn't room for character growth but the ending made me hopeful it was heading that way. In terms of the fairies I found them interesting I'm not sure I totally understood but I also don't think I was meant to

Of the Air and Land - 3.5 stars, I didn't love the open ending but apart from that I alot of things about this one, the two main (human) characters were not likable however I didn't care about that because I was just chilling with the spirits causing chaos. Their chat really amused me and for someone who often struggles with comedy in books I found quite a few bits funny.

Under Her White Stars - 4 stars, really enjoyed this it had a very different tone to the first two and it really worked for me, I felt I got out MC's personality without actually knowing anything about our main character and it was very interesting to read. I also d how the story ended up being so different and having a very different point to what I expected.

Deadbeat - 3 stars, very short, idk I felt as soon as I started it it ended so truly don't know how to rate it, it wasn't bad but it didn't do anything for me either.

Mask for Mask - I'm really not sure about this one, I think i'd round it up to 4 stars, although it didn't 100% work for me in terms of the main character and not caring about where the plot was going because of not caring for him this was very bingeable and probably the first story of the collection that i've wanted to invest in and really really d the premise and how interesting speculating about what was really happening was.

I think at this point of 5 stories into the collection I'm not sure reading this type of story in such a short form is working for me 100% but as long as i continue to enjoy the rest of the stories I can see myself picking up a full length novel by the author in the future.

HouseGuest - 2.5 stars. I was captivated by what was going on but felt I was waiting for a reveal that never happened. I think it was well written as it made me uncomfortable but something about it didn't work for me, I think it was the open endedness of now understanding what happened, but maybe it was the length I'm not sure.

The girl the crows followed - 4 stars creepy, short, curious about the crows. Wish it was longer I would have d to have known more about both characters.

Ah,well - 3 stars but I feel I can't give it a higher rating as this just felt the first couple of chapters of a book and I just wanted to continue reading and following lindens journey, I could 100% see this one day being a cosy fantasy novel full of hope and comedy, but because that's how I see it it just didn't feel complete

The colour of cream - 2 stars. I think the basics premise of being unhappy and needing a push to leave is nothing new and I never it. And the story itself didn't do anything for me.

Tea leaves - very interesting premise, I started reading it seemed cool, I was just starting to get interested in how this thing could work, what is is how is it going to be explored and that was the end there was nothing more. 3 stars I guess it had promise to be interesting but was over too soon. I'm also really struggling to apply a star rating to the ones that are only ~3 pages as it doesn't feel enough to rate off of.

Trial - 4 stars this was interesting and I feel made alot of good points it's also the first story that has said something I've loved so much that I had to highlight it. I didn't overly care about the story but it's also the first one that I understand why it's only a short story as I feel no matter how much you agree with what the MC is saying in a longer format it would have come across as preachy and annoying. So yeah this worked for me.

Borealis - 3.5 stars. I enjoyed the story, the witchy take on sleeping beauty/ the sleeping this way that you read about in odd history books. The take was interesting and it did feel the main point of the story was concluded. Unfortunately I just don't think short story collection this are my thing, and I just wanted more.

A theory on lamposts - 4 stars. I found this truly interesting. I think this short story would make a very interesting discussion and overall think piece for a bookclub or reading group. It feels there's so much left without answers to delve into

And then again to the next - 2 stars I just didn't care. I don't read second chance romance books because I personally think it's stupid to get back with someone you were willing to let go and was willing to let you go you know it won't work. This was that many many many times over. I know there was more messaging in this than just a romance but I couldn't see past the trope.

The oak I knew - 4 stars I felt so absorbed into this world and so invested in our main character, whilst I still can away wishing to know more and follow this character more I also came away from the story hopeful in so many ways. It also surprised me too, and in a society sucks way didn't surprise me in some ways too but both worked for the story.

The age of Oceanus - 3 stars. What this had to say is so important and I and stand behind the message behind it. Humans suck and we need to change before it's to late. But that was it for me it was to short for me to feel truly invested in the story even with being invested in the message.


Thanks to @netgalley , the publishers @amble_press and the author @dreambabyjake for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Jay117

Okay, this was a very interesting approach to a short story collection, and not what I expected at all. It includes a whole range of stories, some that are firmly magical realism, some urban fantasy, some high fantasy, and some that are all three, neither, or too short to really know. Many are tinged with horror; most are pessimistic. Some are nearly thirty pages, while others are under five. While there are some themes (marginalization, dissatisfaction) that run through the book, there are few real continuities. What I love about this is it’s simply a collection of the author’s works, without particular regard for short story conventions; it’s very unique.
Unfortunately, most of the stories ranged from inspiring active dis to just ambivalence, and I wasn’t particularly compelled by the first two thirds or so of the book. However, towards the end there were a few standouts: I particularly enjoyed “Borealis” (about a sort of modern-day sleeping beauty whose aunt helps wake her from her slumber with the offer of freedom), “And Then Again to the Next” (a story of two lovers who meet across time and space, but only in cities doomed to destruction), “The Oak I Knew” (a post-apocalyptic critique of society that can’t quite be called a love story, and “The Age of Oceanus” (a brief tale of the death of river goddesses). These four were actually quite good, and if you should end up with a copy of this book you’d be well-served to skip ahead to these if you aren’t enjoying the first few. This actually makes plenty of sense – the stories have been written by the author over his career, and in these few stories I felt he was really beginning to touch on some particularly resonant themes. So these ones are absolutely worth reading, even if the first several aren’t. Lexie22

Tea Leaves is a short story collection that blurs the line between modernity and the fantastical. Many of the stories feature mystical elements – such as faeries, magic, and shapeshifters – all in parallel with the LGBTQ+ experience, developing themes around love and desire but also marginalization and violence.

This book was a very interesting read. As a queer person, I enjoyed having LGBTQ+ people me and the exploration of their experiences at the forefront of so many stories. I applaud Jacob Budenz’s creativity in putting together a collection covering such a wide breadth of tones and characters. Some stories drew me in with how heartfelt they were while others did so with their absurdity, their humor, or their gruesomeness. There were alligator-men, immortal beings, Lovecraftian monstrosities, witches, magicians, and futures full of climate catastrophes. With such fascinating concepts and a pleasant writing style, I found that once I started each story, it was easy to finish them.

While a couple of stories stayed with me far after I was finished reading them, I will say that there were others that were quickly forgettable, and they interfered with my enjoyment of the collection as a whole. Additionally, I sometimes struggled to grasp the overarching theme that drew all the stories together into a single collection, but I still d a majority of the stories individually.

Overall, I thought that the book was a wonderful foray into magical realism. I would recommend it to those interested in the genre or searching for more queer representation in their reading!

Thank you to Net Galley and Amble Press for providing me with this advanced readers copylgbtq-books Tired Tiger139 4

This is a collection of short stories and, as such, bound to have narratives that better fit your tastes than others. The second half of the book spoke more to mine (And Then Again to the Next, The Oak I Knew, The Age of Oceanus, Borealis), but I'm not sure someone without my completist tendencies would hold out for it.

If I had to label the genre, I'd say it features mostly urban fantasy, climate fiction, and horror. All of these are often used for commentary, and this collection was no exception. But I felt I was being talked down to, smacked over the head with the ideals conveyed with little to no depth or finesse. (Mind you, I mostly agree with the author's views, so it's got nothing to do with that.)

The potential was obvious, but there were no new perspectives to garner from these stories. They were also hindered by the length, of course, as it is much harder to make a reader care about a character's journey in so few words. It would've probably helped to invest a little more on characterization, however. As my brilliant friend put it, “[nearly] all the characters in this collection are in unhappy relationships. Yet none is as unhappy as I am having to read this book”. And most of these relationships are terrible by MC's own doing and in the same or very similar way. The relationships were either 1) going stale, the MC struggling with feelings of inadequacy or lack of desire for their partner, or 2) new but not exciting. So, if you’re looking for uplifting queer romance, best to look elsewhere.

This book is for you if you enjoy:
- reading about failing relationships
- dystopian cli-fi
- fantastical creatures behaving oddly
- sprinkles of body horror

Thank you NetGalley, Amble Press and Jacob Budenz for the opportunity to read and review this book.arc cli-fi fantasy ...more Dawn VogelAuthor 144 books40

Tea Leaves by Jacob Budenz is a collection of short stories with mostly queer protagonists and filled with a delightful surrealness across the various worlds and characters of the stories.

I first became familiar with Jacob’s writing when he submitted the story “Seen” for DefCon One’s I Didn’t Break the Lamp anthology, which was one of the stories we selected for that anthology. I was pleased to see it reprinted here and love it even years after my first reading. Other stories I enjoyed in this collection included “Under Her White Stars,” in which a witch needs to apprehend another magic user, and brings his boyfriend along to help him. “And Then Again to the Next” is a somewhat tragic story of love across reincarnations and time, with a seeming non-linear format of the story that comes to fruition in the telling of it. Finally, I enjoyed “Borealis,” which I read as a dark modern twist on Sleeping Beauty with some substantial remixing of the supporting characters.

If you enjoy reading stories with queer protagonists who lead messy, human lives, with a dose of the surreal, check out Tea Leaves!

The author provided me with an advance copy of this book in exchange for review consideration. B.S. CaseyAuthor 2 books29

A beautiful collection of sixteen short stories that are filled with mystery, magic and wonder – creating a powerful statement about the othering of queer people and culture by placing them in an otherworldly story. There is just something about placing the obstacles and struggles of the queer experience in a backdrop of surreal magic and adventure that emphasises the absurdity of the hatred we receive for simply existing in our world.
We journey to ancient times and modern offices. Visit witches, magicians, fairies and immortal beings in adventures that were delicate, thoughtful and absorbing.
Every story has a curious, playful energy - with beautifully descriptive settings, fantastic characters and richly vivid, lyrical prose throughout. As a short story, of course you can’t always capture the ‘full story’ as it were which at times left me wishing for just a little more context; but the author instead gives us a series of moments that don’t necessarily follow a typical story structure, instead almost acting a crystal ball and letting us temporarily watch a few moments of life in this mystical world.
fantasy just-really-pretty-covers lgbtq-reads ...more1 Min173 2

I am in love with this "collection of fables for our time". I have never before read a collection of short stories where I was satisfied with every single one. Obviously there were some I could fawn over for decades and others that I just d but I enjoyed every single story.
"Tea Leaves presents 16 speculative short stories that place queer characters in larger-than-life situations to emphasise the surreal experience of marginalisation." I can tell already that this collection is unly to be as big as it should be, but please devour this book and pass on the love for these stories. I would definitely love to read a full length novel by this author, and although every story had a satisfying ending, while I was immersed in these tales I knew they would each end too soon for me. If you can't tell, I wholeheartedly recommend this collection, and implore you to read it.


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