Title: Pretty Monsters: Stories
Author: Kelly Link
Category: Fiction, Young Adult
Rating: 4/5
Summary: A collection of nine short stories covering pressing matters such as Tennessee Fainting Goats, a boy named Onion, and of course, monsters.

Review: This Indie Next pick did not disappoint. I’m not usually a short story reader—they tend to be a little too symbolic for my literal disposition—but this gorgeous cover stopped me in my tracks at the library.

When I flipped the book over, first I saw a quote from Libba Bray, whose books I absolutely adore. And then I saw this:

“…an alchemical mixture of Borges, Raymond Chandler, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer.” — Laura Miller, Salon

I’m a sucker for a Buffy compare, so I added it to my teetering stack of books to check out. And I am so glad I veered out of my comfort zone because this book frickin’ ROCKS.

Between these two gorgeous covers are stories to make you laugh out loud. Stories to make you wonder. Stories to make you look over your shoulder and swear to never go camping again.

This book is weird, but in a good way. A little taste for you:

But Jake didn’t try to kiss me. Instead he just gave me this really big hug. He put his face in my hair and he sighed. We stood there like that, and then finally I said, “What are you doing?”

“I just wanted to smell your hair,” he said.

“Oh,” I said. That made me feel weird, but in a good way. I put my nose up to his hair, which is brown and curly, and I smelled it. We stood there and smelled each other’s hair, and I felt so good. I felt so happy.

Jake said into my hair, “Do you know that actor John Cusack?”

I said, “Yeah. One of Zofia’s favorite movies is Better Off Dead. We watch it all the time.”

“So he likes to go up to women and smell their armpits.”

“Gross!” I said. “That’s such a lie! What are you doing now? That tickles.”

“I’m smelling your ear,” Jake said.

And then:

Jake’s hair smelled like iced tea with honey in it, after all the ice has melted.

Borrow: Your local library | Swap
Buy: Your local bookstore | Powell’s | Amazon

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