Does listening to audiobooks count as reading? Here it does. Let’s discuss your favorite reads — or listens.
All tagged short stories
Even the weaker stories carry flashes of what makes Sittenfeld compelling: the sly observation, the perfect turn of phrase, the ability to make a character feel ridiculous and real in equal measure. This is objectively not a bad book, it’s just not Sittenfeld at her best.
A solid addition to Stephen King’s bibliography, though it may not stand alongside his most enduring works. The stakes in each story feel high, and while not every piece reaches the heights of his best work, the collection as a whole offers a compelling, if occasionally uneven, journey into King’s evolving narrative style.
As a debut, “The Continental Divide” is grim, bold and occasionally brilliant. Johnson knows how to build tension and tap into the slow, often quiet desperation of a life that feels like it’s going nowhere. He’s not reinventing the short story but proving he belongs in the conversation.
While the author primarily focuses on the experiences of straight white men, his narratives transcend the typical masculine tropes. With raw emotional honesty, he taps into the inner workings of the male psyche, examining the impact of toxic masculinity, friendship, fatherhood, trauma, loss, identity and nature on the common man.
With 26 stories in the collection, it's unsurprising that not all of them resonated. I enjoyed about half, while others felt flat, somewhat confusing or a bit derivative of stronger stories in the mix. Still, this anthology serves as an excellent entry point to the world of Indigenous writers who are making waves in literature right now.
Overall, “Cursed Bunny” is a creative, yet uneven collection. While some stories are haunting and memorable, others feel stretched or underdeveloped. Fans of unconventional horror might find it worth the read, but for me, it was hit or miss.
Ben Shattuck has easily delivered a contender for my favorite read of 2024 by weaving together 12 richly drawn, interconnected narratives that span centuries. Masterfully blending elements of historical and contemporary fiction, romance and Americana, there is a little something for everyone in this Northeast-set collection.
Expectation: A “city as the sole connection” collection that reads more like a wannabe novel.
Reality: A sometimes funny, sometimes heartbreak collection about the new American experience that succeeds thanks to its subtlety. There are no bad apples in the bunch.
Expectation: An assortment of psychological thrillers buoyed by the author’s famous short story, “The Lottery.”
Reality: While each story has elements of intrigue, this was a rather boring outing. If you’re interested in “The Lottery,” skip the full collection and seek it out as a standalone.
Expectation: Stories to chill-the-bones from a noted voice in the Black horror genre.
Reality: Interesting scenarios and characters are largely overshadowed by ancillary details and incomplete endings.
Expectation: A companion to Kristin Hannah’s “The Great Alone,” with a focus on women taming the last frontier and the men around them.
Reality: Highly nuanced character studies that are more intimate than adventurous. Alaska looms large, but these probably aren't the stories you expect them to be.
Expectation: An anthology of loosely connected stories all set in the Halloween Capital of the World.
Reality: The setting isn’t leveraged as much as anticipated (although there are a few nice winks for locals) but Shane Hawk showed promise with this somewhat even horror collection.
Expectation: Rich social commentary about urban, middle-aged and non-white queer life.
Reality: Uneven and heavy handed, the collection felt rushed and lazy.
Reading this collection was a damn delight and a nostalgic serotonin boost that transported me back to high school when I devoured my first classic King novels in mass market paperbacks. As my mini-reviews show, this was a mostly solid top-to-bottom collection that got better as the stories progressed. It showcased King at the top of his game - observant, reflective, emotional and downright scary.
Expectation: A collection of Americana centered around one of the most popular and maligned states.
Reality: Groff starts the reader in a chokehold but slowly loosens her grip as the collection progresses.
Expectation: A collection of stories exploring different facets of American history that were misrepresented.
Reality: A top-to-bottom solid collection that takes you on several intriguing and understated journeys that force the reader to question “what would you do?”
Expectation: The next great coming-of-age collection spotlighting an underrepresented group of people.
Reality: A tonally uneven collection that was not helped by a terrible audiobook narration.
Expectation: A food-themed story collection.
Reality: Only a few stories missed the mark in this solid collection, introducing Christopher Gonzalez as a writer to watch.
Expectation: A darkly comedic take on acknowledging your own shortcomings.
Reality: Recursive and mediocre. None of the characters are particularly likeable, which made reading this feel like a chore.
Expectation: An “Animal House”-esque exploration of modern fraternity/college life.
Reality: A deft exploration of the dichotomies that exist within one of America’s oldest higher education social clubs.
