Although I have not read any of the other Best Lesbian Erotica editions, I was delighted by the quality, diversity, and intensity that this book packed into only 175 pages. I expected Best Lesbian Erotica to be the girl-on-girl, femme-y, lacy panty parade that many other stories that are described as "lesbian erotica" are, however this book thoroughly surprised and pleased me.

Best Lesbian Erotica 2012 deeply reveals the taste and preferences of this year's guest editor, Sinclair Sexsmith, and that particular vein of taste is not to be trifled with. Sinclair has long been a hero of mine and it was their participation in this project that drew me towards reviewing the book in the first place. I wanted to know what would happen when the self-described "kinky queer butch top" took on editing a "lesbian" erotica collection. The answer is: lots of deliciously interesting things.

Best Lesbian Erotica 2012 therefore contains a heavy amount of BDSM and kink, butches and their femmes, transmen/transmasculine beings, cocks/dildos/strap-ons, slapping around, impact play, fucking, rough-housing, the occasional "little girl" theme, blowjobs, queerness of all flavors, interesting fetishes, gender play, and intensely emotional and well-written works. Readers be forewarned: if these aren't the things you're into; if you're expecting oral sex, lacy thongs and panties, girly-terminology, and only mild power play, this might not be the best book for you. This book is heavy, it's diverse, fascinating, captivating, moving, and, above all, transcendent. Sinclair's unique preferences and desires show through clearly in their choices of what to include in this book and those tastes are ones that I happen to be very much in agreement with, though the dominant 'lesbian' culture probably would not be. However, this IS a book review, not a language seminar, so we'll leave the question of "should transmasculine people really be in a book described as 'lesbian erotica'?" for another time.

Warning aside, Best Lesbian Erotica is a truly transformative experience. In between its covers you will find an entire universe in which gender is fluid and sex is deeply emotional and personal. You will see submissives break down into cathartic tears (How He Likes It) and choke on cock and take amazing amounts of pain (Envy). You will read about people whose genders defy gravity (Heartfirst), whose pronouns switch during the course of a single page (Hush), whose identities are blurred in the sexiest of ways (Stubborn Ache). You will experience "bizarre" fetishes like blood (Blood Lust), food (Produce Queen), maids (Maid For You), Girl Scouts (On My Honor), necks (Neck Magic), and cars (My Femme). You will see intimacy through many eyes including those of a disabled person (When You Call), of youths (Touched), of the wise and aged (Never Too Old), of the transgender. You will read stories that make you actually, literally cry (The Last Time) and stories that leave you aching for more (Rebel Girl) and many, many, many stories that you simply can't finish without jacking off to.

One thing is certain: no matter how queer-knowledgeable you are, no matter where on the gender or kink or sexuality spectrum you are, whether you think you've seen it all (like me) or are just starting out - your horizons will expand reading this book. And believe you me, you want them to. You want to read this book.

Kathleen Warnock had it right when she wrote in her introduction,
"There are no prerequisites for enjoying this book. There will be no judgement, no identity checks, no right or wrong side of the column, no test afterward, no grades. Rather, you might want to pretend it's the first beautiful day of summer and no matter what comes next, you're walking outside and it's warm and sunny out and you feel great in your own skin."