Felicia Luna Lemus' "Trace Elements of Random Tea Parties" is one of the best fiction novels I have read in quite some time. Each character takes on a life and depth all her own, rising above any sterotypes or limits associated with identity which so frequently plague the pages of queer fiction. In this book the characters queerness is not the defining aspect, rather it is only a part of their multifasceted lives which serves to make them all the more believable. "Trace Elements" is a captivating look into the life of Leti a queer dyke in Los Angeles who her girlfriend comes to describe as a "shy bookworm sweater femme boy" as she struggles to find a place for herself in an ever changing world. Readers follow her journey as she grapples with the intersections of love, family, gender, sexuality, culture, and spirituality coming of age and being forced to deal with changes she never imagined. Lemus tackles big issues of belonging, family, and comitment within these pages and handles them all seamlessly. Her characters are so tangible, that as I set down the book after turning the final page I felt as though they were my friends, seeing the faces of my community on each page.