Short Story
Normal rules don't apply : stories
Kate Atkinson
FICTION Atkinson Kate
Short Story
"A dazzling collection of eleven interconnected stories from the bestselling, award-winning author of Shrines of Gaiety and Life After Life, with everything that readers love about her novels-the inventiveness, the verbal felicity, the sharp observations on human nature, and the deeply satisfying emotional wallop. In this brilliant volume, nothing is quite as it seems. We meet a queen who makes a bargain she cannot keep; a secretary who watches over the life she has just left; a lost man who bets on a horse that may-or may not-have spoken to him. Everything that readers love about the novels of Kate Atkinson is here-the inventiveness, the verbal felicity, the sharp observations on human nature, and the deeply satisfying emotional wallop. Witty and wise, with subtle connections between the stories, Normal Rules Don't Apply is a startling and funny feast for the imagination, stories with the depth and bite to create their own fully-formed worlds"--
The skull : a Tyrolean folktale
Jon Klassen
jFICTION Klassen, Jon
Kids, Early Chapter Books, Fiction, Paranormal, Short Story
"This is an old story. It is about a girl named Otilla who runs away. It is also about a house in the woods, and a skull who lives there, and a secret the skull has, and the night that Otilla finds out what that secret is."--
Jon Klassen’s signature offbeat humor takes a turn for the ghostly in this retelling of a traditional Tyrolean folktale. Steeped in shadows and threaded with subtle wit—with rich, monochromatic artwork and an illuminating author’s note—The Skull is as empowering as it is mysterious and foreboding and quite different from most of our chapter books on our shelves! -Angie
How high we go in the dark : a novel
Sequoia Nagamatsu
SCIENCE FICTION Nagamatsu, Sequoia
Science Fiction, Short Story
"For fans of Cloud Atlas and Station Eleven, a spellbinding and profoundly prescient debut that follows a cast of intricately linked characters over hundreds of years as humanity struggles to rebuild itself in the aftermath of a climate plague-a daring and deeply heartfelt work of mind-bending imagination from a singular new voice. Beginning in 2030, a grieving archeologist arrives in the Arctic Circle to continue the work of his recently deceased daughter at the Batagaika crater, where researchers are studying long-buried secrets now revealed in melting permafrost, including the perfectly preserved remains of a girl who appears to have died of an ancient virus. Once unleashed, the Arctic Plague will reshape life on earth for generations to come, quickly traversing the globe, forcing humanity to devise a myriad of moving and inventive ways to embrace possibility in the face of tragedy. In a theme park designed for terminally ill children, a cynical employee falls in love with a mother desperate to hold on to her infected son. A heartbroken scientist searching for a cure finds a second chance at fatherhood when one of his test subjects-a pig-develops the capacity for human speech. A widowed painter and her teenaged granddaughter embark on a cosmic quest to locate a new home planet. From funerary skyscrapers to hotels for the dead to interstellar starships, Sequoia Nagamatsu takes readers on a wildly original and compassionate journey, spanning continents, centuries, and even celestial bodies to tell a story about the resiliency of the human spirit, our infinite capacity to dream, and the connective threads that tie us all together in the universe"--
This is an amazing and devastating novel. I had to psych myself up each time to read it, because I would always end up sobbing. I'm glad I read it though. It's beautiful and cathartic. -Brian
The secret lives of church ladies
Philyaw, Deesha, author.
FICTION Philyaw Deesha
Literary Fiction, LGBTQ+, Short Story
"The Secret Lives of Church Ladies explores the raw and tender places where black women and girls dare to follow their desires and pursue a momentary reprieve from being good. The nine stories in this collection feature four generations of characters grappling with who they want to be in the world, caught as they are between the church's double standards and their own needs and passions"--
Every single story in this collection is beautifully crafted, emotionally impactful, with characters you'll feel connected to even in just a few pages. This was truly a delight to read, perfect for taking a pause between weekend errands. -Bailey
Rogues
SCIENCE FICTION Rogues
Science Fiction, Short Story
"Featuring some of the hottest names in fiction--including New York Times bestsellers Gillian Flynn, Neil Gaiman, and Patrick Rothfuss, PLUS a new Song of Ice and Fire story by George R. R. Martin--the second of our three George R. R. Martin/Gardner Dozois all-original anthologies. Everybody loves a rogue, though sometimes we live to regret it. In this anthology, each of the contributors was asked for a story about a rogue, full of deft twists, cunning plans, and reversals"--
Added by Beth
Trigger warning : short fictions and disturbances
Neil Gaiman
SCIENCE FICTION Gaiman Neil
Science Fiction, Short Story
In this new anthology, Neil Gaiman pierces the veil of reality to reveal the enigmatic, shadowy world that lies beneath. Trigger Warning includes previously published pieces of short fiction--stories, verse, and a very special Doctor Who story that was written for the fiftieth anniversary of the beloved series in 2013--as well "Black Dog," a new tale that revisits the world of American Gods, exclusive to this collection. Trigger Warning explores the masks we all wear and the people we are beneath them to reveal our vulnerabilities and our truest selves. Here is a rich cornucopia of horror and ghosts stories, science fiction and fairy tales, fabulism and poetry that explore the realm of experience and emotion.
Added by Beth
Someone who will love you in all your damaged glory : stories
Raphael Bob-Waksberg
FICTION Bob-Waksberg, Raphael
Fiction, Short Story
From the creator and executive producer of the beloved and universally acclaimed television series BoJack Horseman , a fabulously off-beat collection of short stories about love--the best and worst thing in the universe Written with all the scathing dark humor that is a hallmark of BoJack Horseman , Raphael Bob-Waksberg's stories will make readers laugh, weep, and shiver in uncomfortably delicious recognition. In "A Most Blessed and Auspicious Occasion," a young couple planning a wedding is forced to deal with interfering relatives dictating the appropriate number of ritual goat sacrifices. "Missed Connection--m4w" is the tragicomic tale of a pair of lonely commuters eternally failing to make that longed-for contact. The members of a rock band in "Up-and-Comers" discover they suddenly have superpowers--but only when they're drunk. And in "The Serial Monogamist's Guide to Important New York City Landmarks," a woman maps her history of romantic failures based on the places she and her significant others visited together. Equally at home with the surreal and the painfully relatable (or both at once), Bob-Waksberg delivers a killer combination of humor, romance, whimsy, cultural commentary, and crushing emotional vulnerability. The resulting collection is a punchy, perfect bloody valentine.
Added by Beth
After the quake : stories
Haruki Murakami
FICTION Murakami, Haruki
Fiction, Short Story
An electronics salesman who has been deserted by his wife agrees to deliver an enigmatic package— and is rewarded with a glimpse of his true nature. A man who views himself as the son of God pursues a stranger who may be his human father. A mild-mannered collection agent receives a visit from a giant talking frog who enlists his help in saving Tokyo from destruction. The six stories in this collection come from the deep and mysterious place where the human meets the inhuman—and are further proof that Murakami is one of the most visionary writers at work today.
Added by Beth
The jungle books
Rudyard Kipling
FICTION Kipling, Rudyard
Fiction, Short Story
The story of the man-cub Mowgli, who is raised by wolves in the Indian jungle, guided by his mentors Baloo the bear, Bagheera the black panther and the ancient python Kaa, and who confronts his archenemy Shere Khan the tiger, is one of the greatest literary myths ever created. Mowgli's adventures are juxtaposed with other animal stories set in the British Empire, ranging from the heroic battle of "Rikki-tikki-tavi" and the Himalayan pastoral "Purun Bhagat" to the drama of survival in "The White Seal". With The Jungle Books, Rudyard Kipling drew on ancient beast fables, Buddhist philosophy and memories of his Anglo-Indian upbringing to create a rich, symbolic portrait of man and nature, and an eternal classic of childhood that has had a lasting impact on our imaginations.
Added by Beth
Tales of Beedle the Bard
J. K. Rowling
jFICTION/Rowling, J. K.
Young Adult, Short Story
The Tales of Beedle the Bard, a wizarding classic, first came to Muggle readers' attention in the book known as Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Now, thanks to Hermione Granger's new translation from the ancient runes, we present this stunning edition with an introduction, notes, and illustrations by J.K. Rowling, and extensive commentary by Albus Dumbledore.Never before have Muggles been privy to these richly imaginative tales: "The Wizard and the Hopping Pot," "The Fountain of Fair Fortune," "The Warlock's Hairy Heart," "Babbitty Rabbitty and Her Cackling Stump," and of course "The Tale of the Three Brothers." But not only are they the equal of fairy tales we know and love, reading them gives new insight into the wizarding world.
Added by Beth
Saying that Kate Atkinson's new book is a collection of short stories is a little misleading. While they could all stand on their own, the stories make more sense in how they are connected—how they call back and reference each other. And the connections are surprising and pretty fun. We have Atkinson's crime fiction, but also nods to fantasy and science fiction. As always, Atkinson brings her sardonic wit. -Anne M