REVIEW: “Eva” by Ashley Burnett

Review of Ashley Burnett, “Eva,” Luna Station Quarterly 65 (January 2026): 185-203 — Purchase here. Reviewed by Sara L. Uckelman.

Content note: Enslavement, prison, forced adoption, forced pregnancy.

I find that I am beginning to tire to stories where misogyny is baked into the core of the narrative — even if the narrative is one of release, and freedom, and vengeance, and retribution, of escape for the woman/women involved, I am increasingly longing for stories that imagine an entirely different way of existence.

Still, I understand the value in ones that take our world as it is, and show that we can resist, so I don’t want to speak too negatively of Burnett’s story; it’s just not the story for me, I guess.

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REVIEW: “The Disparity of Confidence” by Emmie Christie

Review of Emmie Christie, “The Disparity of Confidence,” Luna Station Quarterly 65 (January 2026): 155-159 — Purchase here. Reviewed by Sara L. Uckelman.

Sometimes experiences give people confidence; sometimes it stifles them. Robin has the ability to see the disparity between the two for each person — and also knows what to do to fix it. This was a short, sweet, beautifully empowering story!

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REVIEW: “Person, Place, Thing” by Marissa Lingen

Review of Marissa Lingen, “Person, Place, Thing”, Clarkesworld Issue 234, March (2026): Read Online. Reviewed by Myra Naik.

A story about a colony, with many subcolonies. One of those, the translator subcolony, interacts with the first humans they’ve ever come across. 

They are all one, and they are all united. This story explores how these two very vastly different kinds of creatures interact. 

It’s way more beautiful than that, I’m definitely not doing justice. 

Such a pleasure to read.

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REVIEW: “Laisha” by Amantia Menalla

Review of Amantia Menalla, “Laisha,” Luna Station Quarterly 65 (January 2026): 79-100 — Purchase here. Reviewed by Sara L. Uckelman.

This was a fascinating, haunting, beautiful story — full of rich, complex characters and threads that I wasn’t entirely sure how they all woven together until the denouement came. The story was on the longer side, yet I never got bored and it never dragged, if anything, it became increasingly more interesting the longer I read. I’d love to read a novella or even a novel by Menalla, if she can replicate this kind of taut story-telling!

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REVIEW: “Are We There Yet?” by Allison Mulder

Review of Allison Mulder, “Are We There Yet?” Luna Station Quarterly 65 (January 2026): 205-210 — Purchase here. Reviewed by Sara L. Uckelman.

In our fast-paced, modern society, there is always too much work and not enough people to do it, meaning corners get cut, in every occupation and industry — including the grim reaping industry, where it’s easy to not notice a left-behind soul.

At first I thought this ghost story was going to be sweet and sad, but in the end I actually found it funny, in a sort of ironic way — but definitely very sweet!

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REVIEW: “Squilla of the Flower Moon” by M. McNamara

Review of M. McNamara, “Squilla of the Flower Moon,” Luna Station Quarterly 65 (January 2026): 35-52 — Purchase here. Reviewed by Sara L. Uckelman.

Content note: Violence against women, sex work.

Bordello Bot Jenny was programmed with Level 14 curiosity, which left her unsatisfied with her intended purpose and longing for adventure. But the adventure she embarked upon wasn’t anything like what was advertised, which is how she ended up as a Bordello Bot.

This story was predicated on the violence and oppression of women and so of course the only solution available was also violent. I’m sure there are audiences for stories like this, but I’m not one.

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