Short Story Advent Calendar Unveiling: December 21 and 22

Here we go-only three days left after today!

I blew through this short story collection in a few days (it’s true, check my goodreads status!), because the stories were great, the characters were interesting, and the collection wasn’t too long. It’s obvious Banks didn’t struggle to fill the pages in A Permanent Member of the Family; each story is succinct, enjoyable to read…
Short stories aren’t for everyone, I realize that. In my personal experience, only the dedicated book lovers can really grow attached to short stories. They’re rarely on the best-seller list, and Indigo doesn’t really push them, so many publishers are reluctant to publish them for fear that they won’t sell well. Which, quite honestly, they…
Oh jeez guys, oh jeez. I seem to have been on a streak lately, reading books about children dying, being kidnapped, and other horrible things. Billie Livingston’s The Crooked Heart of Mercy continues this terrible theme as it begins with the accidental death of a two year-old, while he is at home with him Mom…

As promised, below is my first vlog marking December 1,and the beginning of my advent calendar unveilings. These are short and sweet videos so they won’t take long to watch every day-because yes, I’m doing this every day until December 25! I forgot to mention this in my video, but the lovely Laura from Reading…

Its fabulous title originally drew me to the short story collection Not the Apocalypse I Was Hoping For by Leslie Greentree, but the fact that it’s a locally published and authored work, right here in Calgary at the University of Calgary Press, was reason enough for me to read this one; I love a book…

It’s been awhile since I’ve posted to booktube, so I got my butt in gear and filmed another review full of ‘ums’ for you all to cringe through*. The Child Finder by Rene Denfeld is everywhere right now, I believe it’s currently at the top of the Canadian bestseller list, and I recall seeing a…
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My husband and Kitty came to watch the videos! Anne, we’ve been blog friends so long that you had a kid, made another kid, carried it for 9 months, gave birth, and now the kid is 7 months old. Hooray to friendship!
hooray!!!!
December 21, The One Who Is: So much going on in such a short story. Wonderfully rich. It conjured so many emotions. A lump in my throat, a tear to my eye. (Your baby had a lot to say about it, too :).)
haha yes it was very complex, I struggled finding an appropriate way to talk about it, which is probably obvious in the video LOL
December 22, Returning to the Problem: This story was too freakishly timely given the state of affairs in the world today. It was a difficult read, though. The author called it a “frankenstory” in his Hingston & Olsen interview (https://www.hingstonandolsen.com/2018/22/eugene-lim-returning-to-the-problem), and I think that pretty much sums it up. I can’t say I found it an entertaining read, but there were some interesting tidbits in there (and only 1 footnote). Today’s cover reminded me of a prison. Coincidence? I think not. I, too, honed in on the line you referenced.
Hmm glad i wasn’t alone in that! And I just received a Donald Trump mask in a holiday gift exchange (sigh)
I love your gold scrunchie!
These stories sound intense. Yay for epidurals!
It’s a bummer about the chocolate advent calendar. Maybe next year you should just go nuts and buy a new kind of chocolate treat for every day in December. 🙂
thanks-the scrunchie is fun right? I love it too. And yes, very intense story today :)
I think you should let Arthur review the next one! The second one sounds as if you found it really thought-provoking, which isn’t always easy in a short story. Maybe next year you should MAKE a chocolate advent calendar where you choose all your own favourite chocolates…
I was thinking I should force my husband to make me a chocolate advent calendar LOL