Tag: short stories

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Posted in Reviews

ARC Review: Comfort Me With Apples by Catherynne M. Valente (11/9)

Posted on by Jennifer

Comfort Me With Apples by Catherynne M. Valente
Expected release date: November 9, 2021

Recommended: yes, to Ava
For a quick read that ends way creepier than it begins, for a short puzzle that’s brilliant once you know what to look for, for a story I’d describe as “eerie”

Summary

Sophia was made for him. Her perfect husband. She can feel it in her bones. He is perfect. Their home together in Arcadia Gardens is perfect. Everything is perfect.

It’s just that he’s away so much. So often. He works so hard. She misses him. And he misses her. He says he does, so it must be true. He is the perfect husband and everything is perfect.

But sometimes Sophia wonders about things. Strange things. Dark things. The look on her husband’s face when he comes back from a long business trip. The questions he will not answer. The locked basement she is never allowed to enter. And whenever she asks the neighbors, they can’t quite meet her gaze…

But everything is perfect. Isn’t it?

Thoughts

Hey Ava!

I think you’ll like this one (and it comes out tomorrow!). It’s one of those stories that starts out normal, then gets kind of strange, then subtly creepy, and then smashes headlong into WTF territory when you’re too far in to stop. Since it’s so short, the effect is doubled! And of course the mystery-ish aspect of trying to get a better sense of what exactly is going on in Acadia Gardens will definitely keep you going.

Continue reading “ARC Review: Comfort Me With Apples by Catherynne M. Valente (11/9)” →
Posted in Reviews

2 Second Review: The Office of Historical Corrections by Danielle Evans

Posted on by Jennifer

2 Sentence Summary

A collection of short stories and a novella with a focus on being black in America and the way race affects interactions large and small. With an incisive focus on relationships and the essence of a person, Evans examines truths of American history.

Thoughts:

The message and style are solid, but man, I just struggle with short stories. Took a risk, struggled through it. Not for me, but maybe for you.

The collection is absolutely a focus on people, in a way that is so close it made me uncomfortable and damn were these hard to read. They felt so true and accurate. I could imagine any one of these as moments happening right now somewhere, and goddamn is that just so depressing.

The effect and message in here are strong; that’s not in question. But my experience of reading this was strained simply due to the format. I know I personally don’t enjoy short stories very much, but I wanted to give this a shot. I had a hard time with, well, how short they were. I just wanted more. Combined with the fact that I felt like I did need time between reading each one for it to settle, and this took a long time to get through. By the end, I’d forgotten most of what was from the earlier sections.

Posted in Reviews

Short Story Review: Killian’s Dead by Josie Jaffrey

Posted on by Jennifer

Killian’s Dead by Josie Jaffrey -⭐⭐⭐

Recommended: sure, if you enjoyed the full novel May Day and want a little more explanation

Summary:
Jack doesn’t care about anything except music. All she wants to do is find a decent gig, stand by the speakers and let the bass roll through her. It’s the only reason she gets out of bed. Until she meets Winta. In the space of a second, everything is different. Winta knows what she wants and for one night, what she wants is Jack. It feels like the start of forever.
Then Winta disappears and Jack faces a choice: should she go back to her life, or track down the only girl who can change it beyond recognition?
One things’ certain: Jack has no idea what she’s getting herself into.

Thoughts:
This is a short story, only about 50 pages. Enough gets worked into this small amount to fill in some of the details hinted at in the main story, May Day. This is more about fact-based elements than building much up since it doesn’t have much room to work with, but if you’re curious about all the vague references to Winta in the main book, then this will satisfy your curiosity. Jack’s personality was still there for sure, though there were a few things I found slightly inconsistent. For example, does Jack have notably bad hearing in the main story, as was called out here? Or was that just no longer a problem given her becoming a Silver? I’m not sure. Either way, it’s nothing terribly distracting, just a little thing that stuck in my head when reading it.

See the review for the full novel, may day
Posted in Fast-Forward Friday

Fast Forward Friday: Craigslist Confessional

Posted on by Jennifer

In contrast to Throwback Thursday, I’m using Fast Forward Fridays to look ahead to a release I’m excited about! Today’s is Craigslist Confessional by Helena Dea Bala, and I am anticipating a book full of fascinating and emotional stories.

Expected Release: July 7, 2020

Why wait on this one?

  • I think this can be a sign of goodness in the world. This lady opens herself up for anyone who needs to talk, confess, get something off their chest. That’s generous, as you don’t know what you might get.
  • Other people’s stories are juicy stuff. Even for myself, a fairly not-interested-in-drama lady, can appreciate a good story of life. The idea of her being a repository for people with something weighing on them is a delight! I can’t wait!
  • Craigslist is a trove of interesting stuff. There are so many bizarre, sweet, and terrifying posts. You never totally know what you’re going to get, and that’s part of the fun of it (when you’re being careful). I just love things that are crowdsourced and anonymous!

Summary:
After graduating from law school, Helena Dea Bala was a lobbyist in Washington, DC, struggling to pay off her student loans. She felt lonely and unfulfilled but, after a chance conversation with a homeless man she often saw on her commute, she felt…better. Talking with a stranger, listening to his problems, and sharing her own made her feel connected and engaged in a way she hadn’t in a long time. Inspired, she posted an ad on Craigslist promising to listen, anonymously and for free, to whatever the speaker felt he or she couldn’t tell anyone else. The response was huge—thousands of emails flooded her inbox. People were desperate for the opportunity to speak without being judged, to tell a story without worrying it would get back to friends, family, or coworkers—and so Craigslist Confessional was born.