Short Fiction | Book Chatter

So Late In The Day: Stories of Women and Men
By Claire Keegan
Grove Press, 9780802160850, Nov 2023, 128 pp.

The Short of It:

There is something untapped when I read a Keegan book and it’s a tad exhilarating.

The Rest of It:

I recently read and reviewed Small Things Like These. It was a short novel that packed quite a punch but as soon as I was done reading it, I eagerly picked up another book by Keegan. Sue over at The Cue Card recommended this one to me and so I quickly found a copy and settled in.

This collection of stories is again, very brief. Only 128 pages. The three stories all deal with men and women and have a hint of something that sits just a little off kilter. You know what I mean? There is an uneasiness to the storytelling but it’s also just so compelling. There’s a little hint of danger, especially with the last story, Antarctica. The nuances of men interacting with women and the sharing of their internal thoughts, is riveting.

If you need a short, powerful, really well-written book to add to your end-of-the-year totals, make sure to add this one.

Source: Borrowed
Disclosure: This post contains Indiebound affiliate links.

You Like it Darker
By Stephen King
Scribner, 9781668037713, May 2024, 512 pp.

The Short of It:

A mix of tried and true King stories and some not so typical ones.

The Rest of It:

Readers always ask me what King book I recommend. Well, that is not an easy question to answer. When I was a pre-teen I started with his classics like Cujo, Salem’s Lot, Carrie and the like. Then I dabbled in his short story collections, and then hit the big guns like The Stand and IT. I hear over and over again that King’s work is too dark, too morbid, too graphic. Sometimes, yes. Most of the time though it’s solid storytelling, excellent character development and just enough plot and suspense to keep those pages turning.

That brings me to King’s latest, You Like It Darker. I had a hard time obtaining a library copy so with my premium Spotify account I get free audiobooks so I gave it a listen.

What an experience! The audiobook is read by Will Patton. He was the perfect reader for this collection. I could not wait to jump into the car for a listen. Some of the stories I absolutely loved and wouldn’t mind if they somehow expanded into a novel. King, are you listening?

My faves:

Two Talented Bastids (think other worldly)
Danny Coughlin’s Bad Dream (prophecy in the form of a dream)
Rattlesnakes (dead twins, snakes, ghosts)

There are a few stories that didn’t really fit the King mold but they were pretty short and since the three above were so strong I consider the collection a success overall. There is nothing like spending the summer with King.

If you are new to King, these stories will give you a good sense of his storytelling and all that King quirkiness that his readers have come to expect. PLUS, there are lots and lots of Easter eggs for his other novels in here. When I heard some of them I literally gasped out loud in the car! So fun.

Definitely recommend the audio.

Source: Borrowed
Disclosure: This post contains Indiebound affiliate links.

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