Mindworks: An Uncanny Compendium of Short Fiction

Mindworks: An Uncanny Compendium of Short Fiction
by Neal Shusterman
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2025. Short Stories.

Explore a world where bats block out the sun, where soup is a trap for your soul, or where the life-force of a glacier can bring back the dead. Journey to a place where the wind can be captured, time can be crafted into infinite attic space, or a hot tub can house an ancient monster. And revisit the Arc of the Scythe universe for two all-new tales of gleaning.

A short story collection by one of my favorite "evil genius" authors? Yes, please!

In the introduction, Shusterman discusses how he grew up enjoying the short stories of Isaac Asimov (I, Robot, the Foundation series, etc.). This collection (featuring some new stories and many previously published in other anthologies) would fit in perfectly among the likes of Asimov, Richard Matheson, Orson Scott Card, and The Twilight Zone. He moves through different genres with ease, spinning clever tales of a pizza delivery to the underworld, an unconventional presidential campaign, an elite boarding school for severely phobic youth, time-traveling lightning storms, a colony ship voyaging to a distant world, circus zombies, a self-aware (and surprisingly compassionate) firearm, lost luggage, and one of the best worst(?)(best???) puns you’ll ever read. This is a great place to begin if you have never tried Neal Shusterman’s books before, as his witty and thoughtful writing style is on full display. If you’re already a fan, it’s a pleasure to see how much fun he can have on a smaller scale (not to mention the always appreciated Arc of a Scythe bonus stories, plus an extra treat to tide you over until the prequel novels arrive).

To sum it up: Butterball. Trust me, it's worth it, ha ha ha.

If you like Mindworks, you might also like:

They Bloom at Night
by Trang Thanh Tran
Bloomsbury Children's Books, 2025. 262 pages. Fantasy.

Since the hurricane, the town of Mercy, Louisiana has been overtaken by a strange red algae bloom. Noon and her mother have carved out a life in the wreckage, trawling for the mutated wildlife that lurks in the water and trading it to the corrupt harbormaster. When she's focused on survival, Noon doesn't have to cope with what happened to her at the Cove or the monster itching at her skin. Mercy has never been a safe place, but it's getting worse. People are disappearing, and the only clues as to why are whispers of underwater shadows and warnings to never answer the knocks at night. When the harbormaster demands she capture the creature that's been drowning residents, Noon finds a reluctant ally in his daughter Covey. And as the next storm approaches, the two set off to find what's haunting Mercy. After all, Noon is no stranger to monsters . . .

Pretty Monsters
by Kelly Link
Viking, 2008. 389 pages. Short Stories.

Nine short stories ranging from fantasy to horror to sci-fi, in which nothing is what it seems, and everything deserves a second look. From the multiple award-winning "The Faery Handbag," in which a teenager's grandmother carries an entire village (or is it a man-eating dog?) in her handbag, to the near-future of "The Surfer," whose narrator (a soccer-playing skeptic) waits with a planeload of refugees for the aliens to arrive, Link's stories are funny and full of unexpected insights and skewed perspectives on the world.

Feed
by M.T. Anderson
Candlewick Press, 2002. 237 pages. Science Fiction.

For Titus and his friends, it started out like any ordinary trip to the moon - a chance to party during spring break and play around with some stupid low-grav at the Ricochet Lounge. But that was before the crazy hacker caused all their feeds to malfunction, sending them to the hospital to lie around with nothing inside their heads for days. And it was before Titus met Violet, a beautiful, brainy teenage girl who knows something about what it's like to live without the feed--and about resisting its omnipresent ability to categorize human thoughts and desires.

-LAH

Brawler: Stories

Brawler: Stories

By Lauren Groff 

Riverhead Books, 2026. 275 pages. Fiction. 

Ranging from the 1950s to the present day and moving across age, class, and region--from New England to Florida to California--these nine stories reflect and expand upon a shared theme: the ceaseless battle between humans' dark and light angels.

I love short story collections because in a short 5 pages you can fall in love with a character, become invested in a plot and feel the story deeply. And then it's over. Lauren Groff is a talented author with the ability to hook you in just a few sentences. These stories are character driven and speak so much about the human condition. Time for me to read everything Lauren Groff has written.

If you like Brawler, you might also like:

A Manual for Cleaning Women: Selected Stories 

By Lucia Berlin Farrar

Straus and Giroux, 2015. 403 pages. Fiction. 

With her trademark blend of humor and melancholy, Berlin crafts miracles from the everyday--uncovering moments of grace in the cafeterias and Laundromats of the American Southwest, in the homes of the Northern California upper classes, and from the perspective of a cleaning woman alone in a hotel dining room in Mexico City. 

You Have a Friend in 10A 

By Maggie Shipstead 

Alfred A. Knopf, 2022. 253 pages. Fiction. 

In this collection of stories, Maggie Shipstead dives into eclectic and vivid settings, from an Olympic village to a deathbed in Paris to a Pacific atoll, and illuminating a cast of indelible characters, Shipstead traverses ordinary and unusual realities with cunning, compassion, and wit. In "Acknowledgments," a male novelist reminisces bitterly on the woman who inspired his first novel, attempting to make peace with his humiliations before the book goes to print. In "The Cowboy Tango," spanning decades in the open country of Montana, a triangle of love and self-preservation plays out among an aging rancher called the Otter, his nephew, and a young woman named Sammy who works the horses.

JK

Tailored Realities

Tailored Realities
By Brandon Sanderson
Tor/Tor Publishing Group, 2025. 428 pages. Science Fiction

 From #1 New York Times bestselling author Brandon Sanderson―creator of The Stormlight Archive, the Mistborn saga, and numerous smash-hit works of science fiction and fantasy―comes Tailored Realities, a new short fiction collection including the never-before-published novella "Moment Zero." Spanning the genres of fantasy and science fiction, Tailored Realities includes ten works of short fiction from the ingenious mind of one of the genre's most beloved bestselling authors.

 I was first introduced to Brandon Sanderson’s writings when I was working as a Provo City Library page a little over 20 years ago (I saw Alcatraz Vs the Evil Librarians listed on the Utah Library Association conference schedule, and needed to know what the heck that was all about), and he has published at least three times that many books since then! Having followed his work for so long, I was already familiar with most of the stories featured in this collection (some are available for free on his website), but four were new to me: “Brain Dump” reads like a new episode of The Twilight Zone, “Probability Approaching Zero” reminded me of some of Isaac Asimov’s cheekier short fiction, and “I Hate Dragons” is a funny twist on a familiar fantasy trope. “Moment Zero” is the main reason for which this collection exists, a brand new action-packed and mind-bending novella that is well worth the read. (The most non-spoiler way I can describe it is…the end of the world, but turned inside out?) This collection is both a fun treat for a longtime fan like me, and a good jumping-on point for a newcomer who might want to just sample Sanderson’s work without committing to an entire novel.

If you like Tailored Realities, you might also like:

Arcanum Unbounded
By Brandon Sanderson
Tor Books, 2016. 671 pages. Fantasy

Sanderson’s first short story collection explores the various worlds and magics of the Cosmere. This collection includes his Hugo Award-winning novella, The Emperor’s Soul, the spoiler-laden Mistborn: Secret History, and the brand-new novella, Edgedancer, from the Stormlight Archive.

 

 

Small Magic: Short Fiction 1977-2020
By Terry Brooks
Del Rey, 2020. 447 pages. Fantasy

Escape to worlds full of adventure and magic in the first-ever Terry Brooks short story collection, featuring both new and fan-favorite stories from all three of his major literary worlds: Shannara, Magic Kingdom, and The Word & The Void. The first short story collection from Terry Brooks offers readers both new and long-forgotten glimpses into all of Terry's most beloved worlds, plus one elegaic gem from a different world entirely.

 

Lake of Souls
By Ann Leckie
Orbit, 2024. 403 pages. Science Fiction

Journey across the stars of the Imperial Radch universe. Listen to the words of the Old Gods that ruled The Raven Tower. Learn the secrets of the mysterious Lake of Souls. And so much more, in this masterfully wide-ranging and immersive short fiction collection from award-winning author Ann Leckie.

LAH

The Man in Black

The Man in Black

By Elly Griffiths

Mariner Books, 2024. 310 pages. Mystery

From the internationally bestselling author of the Ruth Galloway Mysteries, an eclectic, thrilling collection of short stories, featuring many characters that readers have come to know and love. Elly Griffiths has always written short stories to experiment with different voices and genres as well as to explore what some of her fictional creations such as Ruth Galloway, Harbinder Kaur, and Max Mephisto might have done outside of the novels. The Man in Black gathers these bite-sized tales all together in one splendid volume. There are ghost stories, cozy mysteries, tales of psychological suspense, and poignant vignettes of love and loss.

I don't always like short stories, so I approached this collection with caution, even though I love author Elly Griffiths and her Ruth Galloway mystery series. A few stories in, I knew I had nothing to fear. I found this collection really charming, thought-provoking and spooky. There's a beautiful tribute to "Little Women", and I think my favorite story was told from the point of view of a cat! She does revisit characters from her series (yay!), but I don't think you need to be familiar with those to enjoy this book. For example, some of the stories featured characters from her Magic Men mysteries, which I haven't read yet. I heartily recommend this book to anyone who loves short stories, mysteries, and charming, odd British tales. 

If you liked The Man in Black, you might also like: 

The Mistletoe Murder: and other stories

By P.D. James

Alfred A. Knopf, 2016. 152 pages. Mystery

Four previously uncollected stories from one of the great mystery writers of our time--swift, cunning murder mysteries (two of which feature the young Adam Dalgliesh) that together, to borrow the author's own word, add up to a delightful "entertainment." The newly appointed Sgt. Dalgliesh is drawn into a case that is "pure Agatha Christie." . . . A "pedantic, respectable, censorious" clerk's secret taste for pornography is only the first reason he finds for not coming forward as a witness to a murder . . . A best-selling crime novelist describes the crime she herself was involved in fifty years earlier . . . Dalgliesh's godfather implores him to reinvestigate a notorious murder that might ease the godfather's mind about an inheritance, but which will reveal a truth that even the supremely upstanding Adam Dalgliesh will keep to himself. Each of these stories is as playful as it is ingeniously plotted, the author's sly humor as evident as her hallmark narrative elegance and shrewd understanding of some of the most complex--not to say the most damning--aspects of human nature.

Lord Peter: the complete Lord Peter Wimsey stories

By Dorothy L. Sayers

Perennial, 2001. 474 pages. Mystery

One of the founding mothers of mystery, Dorothy Sayers first introduced the popular character Lord Peter Wimsey in 1923 with the publication of Whose Body? Over the next twenty years, more novels and short stories about the aristocratic amateur sleuth appeared, each one as cunningly written as the next. Now in single volume, here are all the Lord Peter Wimsey stories, a treasure for any mystery lover. From "The Fantastic Horror of the Cat in the Bag" to "The Image in the Mirror" and "Talboys," this collection is Lord Peter at his best -- and a true testament to the art of detective fiction.

MGB

No One Will Come Back for Us

No One Will Come Back for Us
by Premee Mohamed with Soneela Nankani (narrator)
Tantor Media, Inc., 2024. 10 hours. Sci-Fi, Horror, Short Stories.

Here there be gods and monsters—forged from flesh and stone and vengeance—emerging from the icy abyss of deep space, ascending from dark oceans, and prowling strange cities to enter worlds of chaos and wonder, where scientific rigor and human endeavor is tested to the limits. These are cosmic realms and watery domains where old offerings no longer appease the ancient Gods or the new and hungry idols. Deities and beasts. Life and death. Love and hate. Science and magic. And smiling monsters in human skin…

I have to admit that horror is not my favorite genre. Until now, my only real forays into the realm of horror were the writings of Edgar Allan Poe, Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, and the Jane Austen parodies by Seth Grahame-Smith and Ben H. Winters. However, I was intrigued by the premise of this short story collection, in which ancient beings come into conflict with our modern world. I quickly found myself drawn in by Mohamed’s straightforward writing and Nankani’s unsettlingly cheerful narration. These tales are standalones; two are definitely connected if you’re paying close attention, but overall the only real common element is the idea that there are…things out there that are far older than we can imagine and are probably beyond our comprehension. At times, they feel like fairy tales--but the older, scarier kind, wherein if the “fair folk” take notice of you for any reason, you’re probably doomed. Whether it’s a beehive possessing the little girls of a village, the “old gods” that bless your farmland in exchange for the proper offerings, an alien something that has welcomed unsuspecting human colonists in the worst way possible, a science experiment gone unbelievably wrong, or even “Death” itself, there are enough creepy eldritch things in this collection to keep you awake for a long time.

 

If you like No One Will Come Back for Us, you might also like:

Out There Screaming: An Anthology of New Black Horror
by Jordan Peele (editor)
Random House, 2023. 386 pages. Fiction, Horror, Short Stories.

A cop begins seeing huge, blinking eyes where the headlights of cars should be that tell him who to pull over. Two freedom riders take a bus ride that leaves them stranded on a lonely road in Alabama where several unsettling somethings await them. A young girl dives into the depths of the Earth in search of the demon that killed her parents. These are just a few of the worlds of Out There Screaming, Jordan Peele's anthology of all-new horror stories by Black writers.

The Salt Grows Heavy
by Cassandra Khaw
Nightfire, Tor Publishing Group, 2023. 106 pages. Fiction, Horror, Fantasy.

You may think you know how the fairytale goes: a mermaid comes to shore and weds the prince. But what the fables forget is that mermaids have teeth. And now, her daughters have devoured the kingdom and burned it to ashes.

 -LAH

Out There : Stories

Out There : Stories

by Kate Folk 

Random House, 2022. 244 pages. Short Stories 

Full of indelible characters and darkly comic twists, the stories in Kate Folk's debut collection are perfectly pitched for the madness of our modern moment. A ward for a mysterious bone-melting disorder is the scene of a perilous love triangle. A curtain of void obliterates the globe at a steady pace, leaving one woman to decide whom she wants to spend eternity with. A woman navigates finding a partner while beautiful humanoid robots called "blots" have infiltrated the dating apps of San Francisco, dispatched by Russian hackers to steal data. And in a companion piece, a woman and a blot find connection in an unexpected yet tender love story. As this debut collection explores what it means to face the void, human beings try to find their way in bizarre and dystopic settings, whether their own body, their relationships, their home, or the world at large. Imaginative, genre-bending, and oddly prescient, Out There depicts a landscape that is eminently of-the-moment, terrifying but ultimately hopeful. 

This short story collection is perfect for fans of the kooky, witty, and bizarre. I am often skeptical when a book is described to me as "laugh-out-loud funny," but despite some darker elements, this one had me cracking up! Each story is full of fictional absurdities that shed light on the human condition. The author balances expertly crafted sentences with enough wit and humor to keep the stories from feeling bogged down. I found myself taking my time with each story, savoring the writing. I especially enjoyed the minor sci-fi elements. If you're in the mood for something "out there," this book certainly delivers on its title.

If you like Out There, you might also like: 

My Murder

by Katie Williams 

Riverhead Books, 2023. 294 pages. Fiction 

 A tautly paced novel in which a young mother who was cloned and brought back to life following her own murder comes to suspect that there is more to the story of her life and death than anyone is telling her. What if the murder you had to solve was your own? Lou is a happily married mother of an adorable toddler. She's also the clone of the original Louise who, along with four other victims of a local serial killer, has been brought back to life by a government project to return the women to their grieving families. But as the new Lou re-adapts to her old life, questions remain about what exactly preceded her death, and how much to trust those around her. Understanding the truth may determine what comes next for Lou. Darkly comic and lightly speculative, My Murder offers an exploration of ideas about personal identity, domestic life, and reinvention, within a thrilling, surprising, and entertaining mystery 

Annie Bot

by Sierra Greer 

Mariner Books, 2024. 231 pages. Science Fiction 

Annie Bot was created to be the perfect girlfriend for her human owner Doug. Designed to satisfy his emotional and physical needs, she has dinner ready for him every night, wears the pert outfits he orders for her, and adjusts her libido to suit his moods. True, she's not the greatest at keeping Doug's place spotless, but she's trying to please him. She's trying hard. She's learning, too. Doug says he loves that Annie's AI makes her seem more like a real woman, so Annie explores human traits such as curiosity, secrecy, and longing. But becoming more human also means becoming less perfect, and as Annie's relationship with Doug grows more intricate and difficult, she starts to wonder: Does Doug really desire what he says he wants? And in such an impossible paradox, what does Annie owe herself? 

Get in Trouble : Stories 

by Kelly Link 

Random House, 2015. 336 pages. Short Stories

A collection of short stories features tales of a young girl who plays caretaker to mysterious guests at the cottage behind her house and a former teen idol who becomes involved in a bizarre reality show. 

RP

First Person Singular: Stories

First Person Singular: Stories 

By Haruki Murakami 

Alfred A. Knopf, 2021. 245 pages. Fiction. 

A riveting new collection of short stories from the beloved, internationally acclaimed, Haruki Murakami. The eight masterful stories in this new collection are all told in the first person by a classic Murakami narrator: a lonely man. Some of them (like "With the Beatles," "Cream," and "On a Stone Pillow") are nostalgic looks back at youth. Others are set in adulthood--"Charlie Parker Plays Bossa Nova," "Carnaval," "Confessions of a Shinagawa Monkey" and the stunning title story. Occasionally, a narrator who may or may not be Haruki himself is present, as in "The Yakult Swallows Poetry Collection." Is it memoir or fiction? The reader decides. The stories all touch beautifully on love and loss, childhood and death . . . all with a signature Murakami twist. 

I originally picked up this book because I wanted to read more short story collections, and Murakami did not disappoint. Murakami is one of the most influential writers in the magical realism space. The stories mainly center around mundane day-to-day with little hints and not-so-little hints of magic – like a talking monkey that works in a bath house and literally steals women’s names. Some stories, could be true stories that Murakami experienced, others are obviously not, and others? Well, it’s impossible to tell. 

Overall, I really enjoyed the ambiguity of the stories, but I can see how that would be frustrating to some readers. There are no solid answers in this collection. There are a lot of references to jazz, classical piano music, and baseball, none of which I am particularly interested in so I’m sure some of the meaning flew right over my head. Out of all the stories, “Confessions of a Shinagawa Monkey” and “With the Beatles” are my particular favorites. 

If you like First Person Singular, you might also like:

 

Strange Pilgrims: Twelve Stories 

By Gabriel García Márquez 

Vintage Books, 2006. 188 pages. Fiction. 

The 12 stories in this shimmering collection poignantly depict South Americans adrift in Europe. Combining terror and nostalgia, surreal comedy and the poetry of the commonplace, Strange Pilgrims is a triumph of narrative sorcery by the Nobel Prize-winning author of One Hundred Years of Solitude.

The Houseguest and Other Stories 

By Amparo Dávila 

New Directions Paperbook Original, 2018. 122 pages. Fiction. 

Like those of Kafka, Poe, or Shirley Jackson, Amparo Dávila's stories are terrifying, mesmerizing, and expertly crafted you'll finish each one gasping for air. With acute psychological insight, Dávila follows her characters to the limits of desire, paranoia, insomnia, and fear. She is a writer obsessed with obsession, who makes nightmares come to life through the everyday: loneliness sinks in easily like a razor-sharp knife, some sort of evil lurks in every shadow, delusion takes the form of strange and very real creatures. After reading Dávila's debut collection in English you'll wonder how this secret was kept for so long. 

Interpreter of Maladies: Stories 

By Jhumpa Lahiri 

Houghton Mifflin, c1999. 198 pages. Fiction. 

Stories about Indians in India and America. The story, A Temporary Matter, is on mixed marriage, Mrs. Sen's is on the adaptation of an immigrant to the U.S., and in the title story an interpreter guides an American family through the India of their ancestors.

Magic Has No Borders

Magic Has No Borders       
By Sona Charaiportra
HarperTeen, 2023. 338 pages. Young Adult Fiction

From chudails and peris to jinn and goddesses, this lush collection of South Asian folklore, legends, and epics reimagines stories of old for a modern audience. This fantasy and science fiction teen anthology edited by Samira Ahmed and Sona Charaipotra contains a wide range of stories from fourteen bestselling, award-winning, and emerging writers from the South Asian diaspora that will surprise, delight, and move you. So read on, for after all, magic has no borders.

I always love finding books that give more people opportunities to see themselves in stories. The premise of this collection is that it provides updated versions of tales that are familiar to South Asian cultures. Even though the legends and characters were new to me, I enjoyed that I found themes common to my usual fairytales. Each story was unique, and I was amazed at how each authors voice came through distinctly. This is an obvious recommendation for anyone who grew up devouring books about mythology. I would also suggest it to anyone who wants to revitalize their imagination. It was delightful to see how these stories sunk into my subconscious and influenced my dreams.

If you like Magic Has No Borders, you might also like: 

Reclaim the Stars: 17 tales across realms and space

By Zoraida Cordova

Wednesday Books, 2022. 417 pages. Fiction

From stories that take you to the stars, to stories that span into other times and realms, to stories set in the magical now, Reclaim the Stars takes the Latin American diaspora to places fantastical and out of this world.

Follow princesses warring in space, haunting ghost stories in Argentina, mermaids off the coast of the Caribbean, swamps that whisper secrets, and many more realms explored and unexplored; this stunning collection of seventeen short stories breaks borders and realms to prove that stories are truly universal.

Transmogrify: 14 fantastical tales of trans magic

By Haron G. Davis

HarperTeen, 2023. 400 pages. Young Adult Fiction

Perfect for fans of All Out and Cemetery Boys, this anthology claims a seat at the table of fantasy literature for trans and gender nonconforming stories. Transness is as varied and colorful as magic can be. In Transmogrify!, you'll embark on fourteen different adventures alongside unforgettable characters who embody many different genders and expressions and experiences--because magic is for everyone, and that is cause for celebration.

A Thousand Beginnings and Endings: 15 retellings of Asian myths and legends

By Ellen Oh

Greenwillow Books, 2018. 328 pages. Young Adult Fiction

Star-crossed lovers, meddling immortals, feigned identities, battles of wits, and dire warnings: these are the stuff of fairy tale, myth, and folklore that have drawn us in for centuries. Sixteen bestselling and acclaimed authors reimagine the folklore and mythology of East and South Asia in short stories that are by turns enchanting, heartbreaking, romantic, and passionate. A mountain loses her heart. Two sisters transform into birds to escape captivity. A young man learns the true meaning of sacrifice. A young woman takes up her mother's mantle and leads the dead to their final resting place. From fantasy to science fiction to contemporary, from romance to tales of revenge, these stories will beguile readers from start to finish.

KJ

Tiny Nightmares

Tiny Nightmares: Very Short Tales of Horror
with Lincoln Michel, editor
Catapult, 2020. 289 pages. Short Stories

Tiny Nightmares brings to life broken-hearted vampires, Uber-taking serial killers, mind-reading witches, and monsters of all imaging, as well as stories that tackle the horrors of our modern world from global warming and racism to social media addiction and online radicalization.

A spine-tingling collection where leading literary and horror writers spin unforgettably chilling tales in only a few pages, so be sure to read this with a light (or two) on. Recommended for those looking to find more stories to tell over a campfire and for bite-sized shocks that linger.

If you liked Tiny Nightmares, then you may also like:

The Crossroads at Midnight
by Abby Howard
Iron Circus Comics, 2020. 344 pages. Young Adult Comics

In this collection of literary slice-of-life horror, five stories explore what happens when one is desperate enough to seek solace and connection in the world of monsters and darkness.

The Merry Spinster: Tales of Everyday Horror
by Daniel M. Lavery
Henry Holt and Company, 2018. 190 pages. Short Stories

Sinister and inviting, familiar and alien all at the same time, The Merry Spinster updates traditional children's stories and fairy tales with elements of psychological horror, emotional clarity, and a keen sense of feminist mischief.

AS  

Eat Joy

Eat Joy: stories & comfort food from 31 celebrated writers 
Edited by Natalie Eve Garrett
Black Balloon Publishing, 2019. 194 pages. Nonfiction 

Growing pains, loss, healing, homecoming—food can play a major role in each phase of our journey through life. Food can be full of memories, can help us cope with the loss of a parent, heartache, and loneliness. In this collection of short stories, beloved authors and writers share their experiences (and recipes!) of food and how it helped them through difficult times in life.

This is a great read for anyone that has a special emotional connection to food. The book is split into four parts—growing pains, loss, healing, and homecoming—and each short story focuses on those themes. The stories are autobiographical, and are short enough to be easily digestible for when you just have a few minutes to sneak some reading in. My favorite part is the inclusion of recipes at the end of each story. Lev Grossman’s after-divorce General Tso’s Tofu is as delightfully delicious as his story is painfully hilarious. And Chantel Acevedo’s nostalgic story about her abuela’s merenquitos will fill you with longing for a quiet moment with a sweet treat.

ALL

Exhalation

Exhalation
by Ted Chiang
Alfred A. Knopf, 2019, 350 pages, Science Fiction

This fascinating collection of science fiction short stories tackles questions such as, what is the nature of the universe? what does it mean to be human? and what would you do if you could travel through time? In the titular story, an alien learns grave news that will affect the outcome of his people. In another, a woman with a robotic pet debates about the characteristics that make someone human. In yet another, people confront moral dilemmas when they get the opportunity to speak to other versions of themselves in different timelines.

I’m not a big fan of science fiction or of short stories, but this collection had me hooked. Each story went in directions I didn’t anticipate, and asked questions I didn’t expect to confront in such engaging stories. The characters in each of Chiang’s stories are interesting and sympathetic, and they have multiple layers. It wasn’t until after I’d read these stories that I learned a different short story of Chiang’s was the inspiration of the movie Arrival, but it definitely makes sense. Beautifully written and captivating, this is a great book for those who like reading fiction that ponders deep questions in an approachable manner.

MB

Summer Days and Summer Nights: Twelve Love Stories

Summer Days and Summer Nights: Twelve Love Stories
Edited by Stephanie Perkins
St. Martin’s Press, 2016. 400 pgs. Young Adult Fiction

Anything can happen over the summer and in this book, 12 best-selling young adult authors give their take on summertime romance. The stories range in genre from contemporary to fantasy to horror and more. Along with summer love, characters navigate tough issues such as broken families, life after high school, and figuring out who they are.

This book is great for anyone who loves a good summer romance story since you have 12 to choose from. Even if you’re not looking to read all 12 stories, with such a wide range of subgenres, there’s definitely one in here to suit your mood. This book is marketed as being “love stories” so that makes things a little more predictable plot-wise—the main character and the love interest WILL get together—but that still doesn’t take away from the enjoyment of it happening. I would recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of one (or more) of the authors included, or to anyone who wants to spend half an hour reading a story with a guaranteed happy ending.

AU

Tales of a Korean Grandmother

Tales of a Korean Grandmother
By Frances Carpenter
Tuttle Publishing, 1973. 287 pgs. Young Adult Nonfiction

Halmoni (grandmother) is full of stories and loves telling them to her grandchildren, Ok Cha and Yong Tu, just as much as they love listening to them. This collection starts by introducing the reader to the Kim household and their family dynamics. Each of the 32 traditional tales is then preceded by a short narrative about what was going on in the Kim house that prompted Halmoni to tell that specific tale.

I enjoyed this collection of folklore immensely, partly because of the overall narrative framework surrounding the Kim family. Often collections of folk tales have very clear cut, standalone stories. This collection isn’t like that because the narrative bleeds into each of the tales, and the children make connections from one tale to another about similar themes and story elements. The folklore of a culture can provide a window into traditional values and beliefs, and this collection helped me understand elements of traditional Korean culture that I was thus far unfamiliar with. For anyone interested in Korean culture, or just looking for a good collection of short stories, this is an easy recommendation from me.

ACS

What is Not Yours is Not Yours

What is Not Yours is Not Yours

By Helen Oyeyemi

New York: Riverhead Books 2016. 325 pages. Fiction.

What do a flaming tyrant, a young puppeteer who enters the profession to woo his love interest, a man with a knife in his chest who calls to say he’ll be late for dinner, a teenage girl with a celebrity crush which turns to scandal, a woman who sneaks into a library at night, and a weight loss spa where patients are put into drug-induced comas have in common? Seemingly nothing, until Helen Oyeyemi gets a hold of them.

For a break from the traditional novel, I picked up this collection of nine short stories, where each is connected to the next by keys, doors, secrets, mystery, desire, and a little magic. The stories stands on their own well, but the book’s tone and themes carry throughout, drawing the reader in as move forward to see how the stories will connect or relate. Oyeyemi’s writing is beautiful and imaginative, and draws the reader in with ease. This was a book I could not put down and I would highly recommend. 

RC