The fifth title for Chapbook Week is Abstinence Only by Meghan Phillips.

I first heard Meghan Phillips read early-ish in the pandemic, when all events were on Zoom and you felt exhilarated that you could see authors that were normally too far away. After her first reading, I went to so many more because I was drawn to her writing style in general, and these stories specifically. This collection is one you’ll want to re-read often. The double standards between the females and males in the stories are infuriating but realistic, so it’s refreshing that Phillips brings it into focus and adds some twisted humor to the matter. I can’t pick a favorite, but “V-Card” is high on the list, along with the innovative logic puzzle format of “There’s No Good Reason Not To Wait!”

The print chapbook is sold out, but you can get a digital version from Barrelhouse.