In Carle’s short story collection, they give the reader a glimpse into queer life in Puerto Rico, exploring themes such as growing up and loneliness. I admit that I found some of these stories bleaker than expected (e.g., one story dove deep into the fear of testing positive for HIV), but other stories reflected the care and resilience that existed in queer communities (online and offline). These stories focused on queer young adults making sense of their lives, albeit in a relatively reckless fashion. Sex and drugs were prevalent across these stories, the undercurrents of their frequent appearances reflecting a desire and longing for something more.

For me, this collection was a bit of a mixed bag. There were a few memorable ones, but the others I didn’t care as much for. One thing is for certain, though, that these stories were unflinching, raw, and intimate.