While the days are growing longer (and hotter), my attention span seems to be getting shorter. This list includes anthologies, short stories, novellas and zines — all about chaos, drama, failure, loss, tenderness, queerness, unrequited love,and weirdness. They are brief and captivating enough to get into without getting distracted — perfect to carry around for city strolls or hanging out in the countryside with insects and cows for company.

Nghi Vo’s fifth installment in The Singing Hills Cycle series wanders into gothic horror territory. The protagonist Cleric Chih has a knack for finding trouble, and doesn’t shy away from exploring dangers to uncover hidden stories. In this new standalone novella, their travels bring them to a wedding “situated at the crossroads of dead empires” in a haunted estate. Truly the perfect book to take on any forest adventure.

Set within a university and prison on a spaceship, this short novella “is not a blueprint for fixing any kind of system. It’s an invitation to exist in the cracks,” as the author puts it. It delves into inequities, injustice, and the absence of concrete solutions, all depicted in stunning prose. Highly recommended for all fans of Ursula K. Leguin.

Joanna Russ était une écrivaine qui de son vivant a défendu sans retenue la légitimité de la science-fiction avec ferveur en plus d’être de critiquer le sexiste en littérature. Édité avec brio, l’équipe de Cambourakis a déniché des textes inédits comprenant des correspondances, des essais et des nouvelles qui dressent un précieux portrait de cette grande femme.

Je vous suggère de compléter cette lecture avec la réédition des écrits d’Ursula Le Guin The Language of the Night: Essays on Writing, Science Fiction, and Fantasy.

Les Éditions Triptyque ont commencé l’année en grand en publiant des recueils de poésie complément époustouflants, dont celui de Sayaka Araniva-Yanez. Conversations intimes et mélancolique entre l’auteurice et la machine, les écrits juxtaposent le corps matériel et l’algorithme, le désir et la mort, d’une manière juste et pertinente surtout considérant les enjeux actuels entourant l’utilisation d’intelligence artificielle dans les arts. À lire et relire tout au long de l’été.

One of my most anticipated reads, this collection of strange speculative short stories that is stylistically similar to Ottesa Moshfegh’s writing. It's akin to being a medley of Bestiary by K-Ming Chan and The Dangers of Smoking in Bed by Mariana Enriquez. Each story is the perfect amount of weirdness, queerness, lusciousness, and loneliness. Deeply engaging.

With its ominous synopsis, “Kermit the Frog dreams of murder” on the back cover, I couldn’t resist picking it up. It's a curveball in the horror anthology — a pleasantly surprising and funny summary. Two Lines Press’s mission is to publish “dazzling new, overlooked, and underrepresented voices, brought into English by the best translators, and to celebrate the art of translation” and I have to say, they're hitting the mark once more with this stunning compilation of contemporary Latin American writers. Who knows, maybe this could become our next pick for the Latine Book Club?

As I’m writing these lines, this anthology of Arab queer stories hasn’t been released yet. However, Metonymy Press has proven to be one of the most exciting publishing houses in town and I believe this book is not to be missed. The lineup of established writers is excellent, and I’m equally excited to discover the emerging talents the editors included in the list. Be sure to join the launch on June 15 at Brique par Brique on 633 Beaumont.

It’s not a brand-new book per se, but my colleague Reid has been earnestly recommending reading it. Plus, the bookstore will be welcoming a new book club “T4T”, led by our manager Kennedy. I had no choice but to join the hype train. See you there on August 19th!

Désolée, l’amour n’est pas pour toi (Sorry, Love is not for You) edited by Claire Malissen

I’ve been enjoying the graphic novel Girl Juice by Benji Nate and series of zine Shit Dates by Mel Stringer, so this anthology came by at the right time. It’s the perfect blend of autobiographical, experimental, and pathetic love stories in honor of Aline Kominsky-Crumb’s legacy.

Peep: Anthology curated by Sammy Harkham & Steven Weissman

This (comically oversized) anthology might — dare I say — be one of the bests of the year, and here’s 29 reasons why: 

Alex Schubert, Disa Wallander, Vanessa Davis, Mats Stromberg, Molly O'Connell, Art Spiegelman, Gabrielle Bell, Steven Weissman, Matthew Kam, Ben Katchor, John Hankiewicz, Roman Muradov, Danielle Chenette, Chris Cilla, David Amram, E.A. Bethea, Antoine Cosse, Sammy Harkman, Harvey Kurtzman, Brian Chippendale, Kevin Huizenga, Sophia Foster Dimino, Audrey Murly, Casey German, Jeff Mahannah, Spain Rodriguez, Katie Skelly, Lili Todd, and Artichokat.

The Roses of Heliogabalus by Sofia Ajram

It’s the perfect blend between The Portrait of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde and The Perfume by Patrick Süskind, but with flood of roses. I couldn’t get enough of Sofia Ajram’s writing, it’s exquisite! Lucky for us, their upcoming book Coup de Grâce will be out this October. I recommend pairing this chapbook with a visit to the Botanical Garden — to fully immerse yourself in its eerie opulence and fantasy.

Walls Remember by Sloane Sherman

In the summer, there's nothing I love more than roaming the city, and I wholeheartedly suggest you do the same, with this zine tucked in your backpack. This charming zine is an accurate representation of Rosemont’s architecture. Sloane Sherman’s drawings fit perfectly with the ephemeral beauty of remembering the past.

This collection of stories is full of adultery, unrequited love, and complex characters trying to find their happy ending. It’s sexy and beautifully drawn — as if the illustrations were for a fashion magazine. The interview with Yamada Murasaki, translated by none other than manga historian Ryan Holmberg, is the perfect companion piece. Cows grazing in the countryside have no idea they'll soon be subjected to my enthusiastic ramblings about this.

Bubbles Zine is steadily solidifying its reputation as one of the coolest independent publishers, thanks to the release of this quintessential old-school sports manga. As someone not deeply versed in this manga genre, I find myself eager to explore and learn the historical context, especially with insights from acclaimed manga historian Ryan Holmberg - who is featured twice in this list for good reason.

Just in time for summer, Drawn & Quarterly is reissuing everyone's beloved gremlins. The Moomin family are seasoned party animals, masters of mischief wherever they go. With Tove Jansson's comic strips, there's never a dull moment—perfect for beach reading bliss while soaking up the sun.

A wide range of artists embrace the beauty of chaos throughout 20 delightful and vibrant comics in this collective work. There are so many talented individuals in every KUS! Publications. Admittedly, I’m partially biased towards the works of Noemi Vola, Oskars Pavalovskis, and Aidan Koch (which reminds me - I should get into her new graphic novel Spiral and Other Stories soon!). An additional bonus this anthology is just the right size to put in pockets or jackets. Love a win-win situation.