Synopsis "The Red Garden explores the luminous and haunting world of Blackwell, Massachusetts, capturing the unexpected turns in its history and in our own lives. Beginning with the town's founder, a brave young woman from England who has no fear of blizzards or of bears, Hoffman seamlessly weaves together the stories of extraordinary characters, among … Continue reading The Red Garden By Alice Hoffman
Category: Short Story
The Lottery by Shirley Jackson
Synopsis “Dark and nightmarish, Shirley Jackson’s short stories represent a singular and every-present genre unto themselves. “The Lottery” remains one of the most terrifying stories ever published - all the more so for its lucid, convincing realism - and one of the most controversial; it has become an essential classic of American fiction. This selection … Continue reading The Lottery by Shirley Jackson
Conjure by Alice Hoffman
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com Hello and happy October! This month I’ll be sharing some themed book reviews of the spooky, mysterious, and witchy variety, starting with a review of “Conjure” by Alice Hoffman. “Conjure” appears in Shadow Show an anthology of short stories written in honor of Ray Bradbury, by twenty-six prolific writers. I … Continue reading Conjure by Alice Hoffman
Pianos and Flowers: Brief Encounters of the Romantic Kind by Alexander McCall Smith
Synopsis "Pictures capture moments in time, presenting the viewer with a window into another life. But a picture can go only so far. Who are the people in the image? What are their fears? What are their dreams? The fourteen captivating tales in this collection are all inspired by photos from the Times of London … Continue reading Pianos and Flowers: Brief Encounters of the Romantic Kind by Alexander McCall Smith
The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
Charlotte Perkins Gilman's The Yellow Wallpaper was first published in the New England Magazine in 1891. It is a classic short story that, when I first read it, totally and completely freaked me out. I have thought about it often over the years and decided to revisit it this week. I found a copy of the story … Continue reading The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
Short Story Sunday: Unaccustomed Earth
For this week's Short Story Sunday, I'll be taking a look at "Unaccustomed Earth" by Jhumpa Lahiri, from her short story collection of the same name. In "Unaccustomed Earth" we meet Ruma, a young mother living in Seattle with her three-year-old son Akash and husband, Adam, who travels frequently for work. We learn that Ruma's … Continue reading Short Story Sunday: Unaccustomed Earth
The Cape Cod Masquerade by Mary Higgins Clark
The Cape Cod Masquerade by Mary Higgins Clark was one of my favorites from Clark's Death Wears a Beauty Mask and Other Stories that I read a few weeks ago. Alvirah and Willy Meehan are visiting Cape Cod in search of some peace and quiet. Their neighbor, a young woman staying alone, seems a little odd and against … Continue reading The Cape Cod Masquerade by Mary Higgins Clark
The Stowaway by Mary Higgins Clark
A long time ago (maybe two years, ha) I was obsessed with short stories. I shared dozens of them right here and most were science fiction, you might recall, as I was on a bit of a kick at the time. I thought it might be fun to start sharing short stories again in a … Continue reading The Stowaway by Mary Higgins Clark
Death Wears A Beauty Mask & Other Stories by Mary Higgins Clark
Death Wears A Beauty Mask & Other Stories is a collection of short stories by Mary Higgins Clark. Of all the books checked out at the library where I work, 90% of them are mysteries. I rarely read this genre (unless the author is named Robert Galbraith) and was feeling more than a little left out! … Continue reading Death Wears A Beauty Mask & Other Stories by Mary Higgins Clark
Headlife by Margaret Atwood
Inspired by Ray Bradbury's The Illustrated Man "Headlife" by Margaret Atwood is one of many fantastic short stories from Shadow Show. This story is great because you know exactly what is going to happen but you don't know how, so the anticipation grows with each paragraph. Quentin is the creator and owner of Hither! Ltd., a … Continue reading Headlife by Margaret Atwood
Hannah's Library 