Lee Mandelo

I spent the majority of this book going between, my god this is beautifully gay and I don’t care about cars to I SWEAR IF THIS BITCH ISNT THE BAD GUY ILL SCREAM. It can’t be SAM I swear to god….I like that west took his shot and sued the school. And that the topic of racism and academia was handled well, not to mention homophobia in the south. I love that Sam and Andrew were left with possibilities and overall I am satisfied with the ending, however I would read about the beautiful train wreck of them finding their ways back to one another. You know Andrew is a mess and would be SO HUMAN and I just….

I love this book whole heartedly… (mer)

Woods All Black is a beautifully written novella about Leslie Bruins, a WW2 nurse who has been assigned to a small, rural Appalachian town through the Frontier Nursing Services to take a post there.
Leslie prefers to see themselves as a man but in Spar Creek in 1929 that is very much not acceptable behavior. When Leslie arrives to the small town, he finds that the hellfire and brimstone minister of the town already has the town against them due to another young woman, Stephanie (Stevie) who also prefers to be known as a man and has brought down the wrath of his family and congregation.
Little do they know that Stevie has called upon the dark ancient magic living in the woods to bring his vengeance upon the town.
I really enjoyed this story and most likely because of the time period the story takes place in. It's a fascinating tale that explores reproductive rights and the terrors that small town fanatics can bring upon everyone.… (mer)

Feed Them Silence is a short science fiction novella with a premise that explores the ethical and psychological implications of using a neural interface to connect with a wolf. Dr. Sean Kell-Luddon, is a scientist obsessed with experiencing the world through the eyes of a wild wolf, one of the last of its kind. She uses a device that allows her to tap into the wolf’s mind and feel its sensations, emotions, and instincts. However, this comes at a cost to her personal life, her mental health, and her research integrity. She also faces the risk of losing her subject to the greedy interests of her funders, who want to exploit the technology for profit.

The novella is at times gripping and thought-provoking, raising questions about the nature of consciousness, empathy, and identity. Mandelo skillfully portrays the contrast between the human and the animal perspectives, as well as the ethical dilemmas that arise from such a radical experiment. The novella also touches on themes of environmentalism, conservation, and animal rights, as well as the challenges of being a queer woman in a male-dominated field. The writing is crisp and engaging, and the plot is fast-paced and suspenseful. There also times the story is bogged downed about sophomoric ethical philosophy and naivete that is ill suited for an accomplished researcher.… (mer)