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An excellent collection perfect for night-time reading and reflective of the environmental terror that fills the news. Read-alikes include The Salt Grows Heavy by Cassandra Khaw, The Marigold by Andrew F. Sullivan, and the “Southern Reach” series by Jeff VanderMeer.
Though some of Gilman’s stories are more riveting than others, this hefty collection provides a thoughtful glimpse into the works of a groundbreaking feminist writer.
PREMIUM
Tell Me Everything
Any new novel by Strout generates excitement, and fans will love this one, especially if they appreciate the author’s return to a familiar and beloved setting and cast of characters. This book and reading experience is comfortable like a well-worn shirt.
PREMIUM
Unspeakable Home
This recommended book blends autofiction and a metanarrative. Give to Prcic’s fans and to readers looking for a structure that’s highly distinctive.
PREMIUM
Weird Black Girls: Stories
An excellent addition to any collection featuring literary short stories with a twist. Share with patrons seeking socially conscious fiction laced with horror and magical realism in the vein of Courtney Sender’s In Other Lifetimes All I’ve Lost Comes Back to Me.
These interconnected stories centered on the craft of writing are both intriguing and thought-provoking. Suggest to fans of Carmen Maria Machado.
Listeners seeking classically told horror with the bite of visceral splatterpunk need look no further. A mesmerizing and unputdownable collection that shocks, provokes, and appalls.
PREMIUM
Fragile Anthology
All of the writers in this collection seem to have fun with the premise of a mover and a cardboard box’s mysterious contents, creating a worthy showcase for sci-fi and horror fans looking for their next favorite author.
PREMIUM
Pearl
Hughes shows off her skills as an award-winning poet in this well-executed exploration of the emotional impact parental loss can inflict on a young person. Readers will also appreciate the author’s introduction of a nursery rhyme or some folkloric element for each chapter’s epigraph.
PREMIUM
Villa E
Alison skillfully probes the nature of collaboration, influence, and credit in the world of architecture and design, as well as the often gender-confining roles of artists.
Ogawa (The Memory Police), an award-winning novelist both in her native Japan and in the United States, writes with exquisite artistry about the complications of a close-knit household whose members are quietly protective of its wounding secrets, as seen through the eyes of a young girl; the novel is beautifully translated by Snyder.
Short story fans might just discover their new favorite author in this arresting collection, a must-have.
PREMIUM
Coexistence: Stories
Belcourt demonstrates the true strength of the story collection format, leveraging his remarkable skill with character and language to deliver a potpourri of memorable and moving short-form works.
PREMIUM
In This Ravishing World
A short story collection best for libraries where there are already enthusiastic ecofiction readers.
PREMIUM
Old Crimes: And Other Stories
McCorkle skillfully delivers moving, intense stories with characters who harbor secrets and profound regret. A compelling exploration of humanity.
Genius narration pairs with an excellent collection to create a must-listen audiobook, particularly for fans of John Hornor Jacobs’s A Lush and Seething Hell and Laird Barron’s The Beautiful Thing That Awaits Us All.
A genius collection of enticing tales, sure to create more fans for both the author and the narrator.
PREMIUM
Table for Two: Stories
A captivating collection done no favors in audio form by slow narration and little characterization.
PREMIUM
Green Frog: Stories
A touching and compelling collection that will resonate broadly. Pair with Pik-Shuen Fung’s Ghost Forest or Isabel Yap’s Never Have I Ever.
PREMIUM
Spiral and Other Stories
Koch considers whether humans can understand and protect nature, and her multi-form characters call readers to recognize them, to empathize and preserve. A good volume for ecology collections; also important for students of graphic narrative.
With their energetic narrative and relentless humor, Ryan’s stories are both entertaining and thought-provoking, making this book endlessly quotable and hard to put down. Fans of Ryan’s observational TikTok shorts will enjoy the same irreverent humor in this longer, immersive format.
Adopting yet subtly subverting the prevalent imperialist biases of their day, these popular tales offer a diverting glimpse of the cultural ferment and ambivalence of late colonial Bengal.
King explains in an afterword to the collection that short stories are hard for him to write, but readers will be thrilled by these tales. Some of the stories are darker and more poisonous than others, but they all have that King touch.
PREMIUM
Old Crimes: And Other Stories
Great short story writers encapsulate and distill the experience and emotions of a character in what amounts to a mini-novel. McCorkle demonstrates why she is considered a virtuoso of the form. This new collection will not disappoint her bevy of fans and may introduce some new readers to her flock of followers.
Not all novelists are good short story writers, but Towles excels with this collection. Readers unfamiliar with his novels will love these examples of his shorter fiction and they will be pure catnip to his legions of fans. Highly recommended.
Strong writing and consistently skillful performances make this a must-buy for any audio fiction collection.
Taking a cue from classic horror stories such as Poe’s works and Shirley Jackson’s The Haunting of Hill House, Winterson has crafted an unsettling and thoughtful collection sure to appeal to those seeking an atmospheric, chilling listen.
PREMIUM
Elsewhere: Stories
Ge’s gorgeous language flows with pain and frustration, perfect for fans of K-Ming Chang.
PREMIUM
Ladies’ Lunch: And Other Stories
An unforgettable short story collection, with witty and poignant insights and a deeply relatable depiction of women approaching older age with wit and forthrightness.
PREMIUM
Roman Stories
Despite the mixed quality of the narrator ensemble, Lahiri is an important author, and this collection will find a wide audience in most libraries.
PREMIUM
Dearborn: Stories
Michigan listeners who know Dearborn may find themselves smiling at the mention of well-known streets and establishments, while those unfamiliar with the area will enjoy Zeineddine’s insight into community, race, and family.
This audio will appeal to listeners seeking moving, melancholy contemporary short stories about hope and heartache. Recommended for fans of Anne Enright, Kevin Barry, and Lauren Groff.
PREMIUM
Galatea: A Short Story
Will appeal to listeners seeking a haunting short story with classical inspiration and unsettling contemporary implications. Recommended for fans of Jennifer Saint, Natalie Haynes, and Claire Heywood.
A huge hit in Nigeria, Kuku’s story collection explores women’s lives, sexuality, and resilience in the face of adversity.
This complete volume of Leckie’s short stories will be much appreciated by her fans, particularly as the “Imperial Radch” universe is award-winning and popular; the volume’s new story set there should be a welcome addition to that world.
The fierce genius on display here leaves little doubt that had she lived past 33, Latimer may well have rivaled Virginia Woolf as modernist master and feminist icon. A revelation.
LaRocca (Everything the Darkness Eats) is a viral sensation for all the right reasons, showcasing why extreme horror is so resonant, thought-provoking, and necessary. Suggest to fans of Tender Is the Flesh by Agustina Bazterrica and We Are Here To Hurt Each Other by Paula D. Ashe.
PREMIUM
Wednesday’s Child: Stories
Insightful yet matter of fact, Li’s beautiful and heartbreaking collection about lost lives, connections, and opportunities resonates. A striking addition to any short story collection.
This is engrossing reading, and Orhan provides smart insight into a complicated country as no newspaper ever could. Highly recommended.
These stories bring enough of a chill factor to raise the hairs on the back of the neck as the ghosts use contemporary methods to scare readers. The tales also open a creaking door to empathy for the dead, the living, and the lonely.
PREMIUM
House Gone Quiet: Stories
Linked by their surreal nature and strong sense of place, the works in Norris’ss book include both well-developed characters and strong settings. Recommended for most collections.
PREMIUM
Holler, Child: Stories
Watkins expands her grasp with stories that are distinctive yet create an indivisible, propulsive whole, and readers will be hard-pressed to put the book down.
These complicated, layered stories, narrated with heart and empathy, lay bare the challenges of starting life anew. Listeners will look forward to more from the talented Bhanoo.
Atkinson’s many fans will love this collection, and newcomers will be enchanted as well. Showcasing Atkinson’s ingenuity and Joseph’s nuanced narration, this audio is an essential purchase for all libraries.
PREMIUM
Float Up, Sing Down: Stories
While the stories work as stand-alone pieces, they also form a beautiful whole. This is a loving portrait of small-town Middle America that resonates well beyond its borders.
PREMIUM
Neighbors and Other Stories
Oliver uses subtlety and nuance like a knife. These stories reveal a writer who was willing to explore and stretch, telling honest, bared-open stories of her time and now of ours.
Recommended for fans who are curious about Bishop’s journey as a writer and are interested in reading about the inspiration and motivation behind her stories.
Unger and Cha edit an exceptional selection that clearly shows crime and suspense fiction flourishing still. Mystery lovers will snatch it off the shelf.
This latest from Datlow is a consistently creepy anthology made for long, dark solstice nights (or long days, if you’re in the Southern Hemisphere).
This commendable compilation could be considered an octogenarian writer’s valedictory gift to the literary community, who will revel in its thematic originality and stylistic bravura.
A gorgeously narrated collection of shimmering, quietly powerful stories. For fans of Lorrie Moore’s Collected Stories.
Fans of Pratchett (The Shepherd’s Crown) will love questing through these stories for bits of Ankh-Morpork.
Although all of the stories here have been previously published, this is always a much anticipated collection, and readers of SF/F in short form will be glad to have so many standout stories, some already award-winners, in a single volume.
PREMIUM
The Wolfe at the Door
Wolfe (1931–2019) has always been considered one of the most literary of SFF writers; though he hewed closely to genre tropes, he also sent them in directions no one had imagined. This collection picks up where 2009’s The Best of Gene Wolfe left off and will be appreciated most by readers and scholars of the author’s work.
A deftly written, atmospheric short-story collection for fans of Jordan Peele, P. Djèlí Clarke, and Octavia E. Butler.
PREMIUM
Muckross Abbey and Other Stories
This collection of stories is eerie enough to seep into one’s bones, but listeners looking for truly horrific ghost stories might want to seek out scarier fare. Recommended for those who enjoy gothic literature and detailed settings and are open to ambiguous endings.
This panoramic collection offers something for everyone, with sci-fi and fantasy stories that are both inventive and creative. A solid addition to any SFF collection and a delight for genre fans.
PREMIUM
Dearborn
Often bittersweet, these stories consistently surprise. Good reading about community, and of special appeal for its insights into the Arab American experience.
This anthology is perfect for those who’ve enjoyed Indigenous horror authors like Stephen Graham Jones, who provided the book’s introduction, and want to discover more.
Good short stories are complete and satisfying in themselves while leaving open the possibility of a continuing storyline; Hadley’s stories do both very well.
PREMIUM
Old Babes in the Wood: Stories
Expect many holds; this multifaceted collection should appeal to listeners looking to explore grief, aging, and the intimate bonds between loved ones.
A pithy, easy-to-read collection, with an excellent introduction, especially for devotees of the author.
PREMIUM
Innards: Stories
Soweto-born Makhene uses her unique voice to characterize South Africa much as Ben Okri does for Nigeria or NoViolet Bulwayo for Zimbabwe. Her debut collection is necessarily difficult and disturbingly intense, as any stories of life under apartheid must be, but careful reading will unearth kernels of the inherent resilience and humor of her people.
Not just for fans of Russian literature, though casual readers may be challenged; the discerning will find much brilliance here.
PREMIUM
The Last Catastrophe: Stories
Fans of speculative fiction, The Twilight Zone, and Black Mirror should enjoy. Although listeners can relish this chilling and timely collection one story at a time, some may find that they can’t put this one down.
PREMIUM
Onlookers: Stories
Full of ambivalent love, modern Southern charm, and contemporary concerns, the stories in this collection are timeless as well as sharply contemporary.
An essential addition to any collection where short stories from around the world are in demand. For lovers of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Lisa Cupolo, and Mai Nardone.
This is an exquisite marriage of writer and narrators. Every collection should include these brilliantly written stories that combine sharp social commentary with truly captivating characters.
PREMIUM
White Cat, Black Dog: Stories
Patrons who enjoy the bizarre and fantastical will be enchanted. Share with fans of Christina Henry’s Into the Forest or A.A. Balaskovits’s Strange Folk You’ll Never Meet.
PREMIUM
Cursed Bunny: Stories
Fans of unsettling short stories should give Chung’s twisted modern folk tales a listen. These visceral, smart tales, teaching their lessons through suffering, make an impact.
PREMIUM
Queer Little Nightmares
Listeners will likely sympathize and perhaps even root for these monsters not because they are monstrous but because their status as outsiders is universally human.
These stories will resonate with listeners and are excellent for book clubs. Pair with Omolola Ogunyemi’s Jollof Rice and Other Revolutions.
Penzler’s latest is remarkable in size and scope, but listeners may want to enjoy in print rather than audio.
A sometimes harrowing, sometimes gruesome, but always entertaining collection; listeners may want to take care not to listen near a forest! Fans of feminist folklore retellings will find much to love.
Garricks’s Nigeria is a land broken by rapid change, and his characters have been broken psychologically and spiritually by it as well, living lives filled with longing and disappointment and seeking an ever-elusive redemption.
PREMIUM
Games and Rituals: Stories
Heiny seems to have a little soft spot for her fellow humans, writing honest stories generous in their portrayal of how all are just trying to connect while protecting themselves and searching for some comfort in a complicated world.
The collection’s wide range of international authors means it has something to offer everyone. Recommended for libraries with strong SFF collections and readers who enjoy short fiction.
Each story in this charming collection flows naturally, conveying how owners and their pets understand and nurture each other. The outstanding audio production brings listeners the same audience intimacy as a well-performed play.
Nkweti’s rich heritage and nuanced writing shines throughout every story in this stunning collection. Share this important work, which details the complexity and diversity of the African diaspora experience, with fans of Lesley Nneka Arimah’s What It Means When a Man Falls from the Sky.
PREMIUM
Liberation Day: Stories
There is a reason Saunders is often cited as one of the finest short-story writers working today. Each story in this collection has the potential to be an all-time favorite, and the addition of superstar narrators makes this an essential purchase for all public libraries.
Superb narration enhances Ogunyemi’s extraordinary writing, with atmospheric Nigeria and its language making this audio a must-listen.
There are a couple of standouts, including the eponymous story about Paul’s attempts to tell his stepdaughter that her father is not returning. Give to those who enjoy quick reads that require deep thought.
PREMIUM
A New Race of Men from Heaven
Recommended for readers who enjoy thoughtful fiction with well-developed characters navigating difficult situations.
PREMIUM
A Manual for How To Love Us
Slaughter admirably conveys a heightened awareness of how we harbor within our tamed lives an undeniable wildness.
As Saba boards her flight, she looks back, wondering if her relatives “might connect with her one more time,” and the need to connect shines throughout this strong collection.
PREMIUM
Walk the Blue Fields: Stories
Award-winning Irish author Keegan (Antarctica) delivered this delightful collection of short stories in 2008...
Glose’s superbly and empathetically written book is highly recommended. While the subject matter is inherently heavy, it is compassionately managed by one who understands the journey.
These poignant stories of self-discovery revealing the faces we show to the world, our friends and family, or perhaps no one at all, alternately tug at the heartstrings and tickle the funny bone. An essential purchase.
PREMIUM
Gods of Want: Stories
Experiencing this collection in print would allow readers to more easily savor Chang’s lyrical writing, but listening provides an opportunity to fully dwell within the stories and be carried to the end.
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