Contemporary Literature · Magical Realism · Short Stories

The Haunting of Hajji Hotak and Other Stories

This is my third Aspen Words Literary Prize 2023 longlist read. And honestly so far this longlist is next level. All three (this, How Not to Drown in a Glass of Water and The Town of Babylon) so far have been 5-star reads. I wasn’t planning to read the whole longlist this year, but I… Continue reading The Haunting of Hajji Hotak and Other Stories

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ALC · Contemporary Literature · Humor · Short Stories

Night of the Living Rez

This recent release is one that mostly made it onto my TBR list after being offered as an ALC from Libro.fm. Once that got it on my radar, I did see a couple reviews for it pop up here and there, everything really positive, but it just seems like the proverbial publication splash it made… Continue reading Night of the Living Rez

SciFi · Short Stories

The Memory Librarian: And Other Stories of Dirty Computer

This is a super eye-catching cover, with the bright white and gold, and a title that really makes any book nerd really want to see more of what it's about. I had read a few reviews that said this was, at some points, a bit hard to follow (for various reasons), so I waited until I was… Continue reading The Memory Librarian: And Other Stories of Dirty Computer

Contemporary Literature · Short Stories

How to Pronounce Knife

I loved the title of this collection from the moment I first read it. I remember, even as a native English speaker, not ever getting a clear explanation for words like knife (or pterodactyl!) and those ridiculously unnecessary silent letters. And then after studying multiple languages throughout college (including Arabic, Russian, Chinese and, of course,… Continue reading How to Pronounce Knife

Contemporary Literature · Short Stories

The Office of Historical Corrections

My 10th Aspen Words Literary Prize 2021 longlist read! I’m two thirds of the way there – maybe I will actually make it! Anyways, this one was amaze-balls. As per usual, here's a quick note with reactions for each story, and the closing novella of course, with some final thoughts to wrap it up. The… Continue reading The Office of Historical Corrections

Contemporary Literature · Short Stories

The Secret Lives of Church Ladies

I’ve seen literally nothing but rave reviews for this collection. Some major bookstagrammers who always have the inside track on great new releases, as well as some smaller ones whose recommendations I’ve come to just really trust will line up with my own appreciations. So naturally I added myself to the library waitlist for this… Continue reading The Secret Lives of Church Ladies

Contemporary Literature · Magical Realism · Short Stories

What It Means When a Man Falls from the Sky

This collection has been on my radar for a while. With a title like that, it’s one that sticks out and sticks with you. But I am not often in the mood for story collections, so it stayed on the periphery for quite some time. However, I have to say, I think I am coming… Continue reading What It Means When a Man Falls from the Sky