Reviews

So We Can Glow: Stories by Leesa Cross-Smith

tenten's review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

kateyoutka's review against another edition

5.0

I'm not exaggerating when I say this is one of the best books I've ever read. This book was so inspiring for me as a reader, a writer, a woman. I want to reread it 100 more times and give it to every woman I know. Girlheart Cake with Glitter Frosting for everyone!

enyanyo's review against another edition

4.0

Loved this collection of short and even shorter short stories that centered such a diverse range of women’s voices. One of my favourite things in a short story collection is when different stories connect to each other, which she did here. It was a brilliant surprise halfway in.

sallynoble's review against another edition

4.0

I am not a huge lover of short stories and probably won't pick up another in a while BUT Leesa nailed it with this one. The variety of writing and storylines showed he incredible skills throughout. This book did have me hooked!

melanie_page's review against another edition

5.0

In the middle of one story, you are so present, but when you move on to the next story, you sort of set aside the previous story in your brain. What this means is that you may not “hold close” every piece, you may even forget many of them, but while you’re reading them, it’s an experience you’ll enjoy.

While I thought I would forget each flash piece after I had consumed it, I was pleased to realize that some stories brought back characters from 100 pages before — and I hadn’t forgotten how they “felt” in my mind. Such magic denotes Cross-Smith’s skill in both genres, flash fiction and slice-of-life. I never felt like I was missing out or needed more, and her stories often hinted at larger lives that I wouldn’t mind reading, but didn’t need to be satisfied.

Check out the full review at Grab the Lapels.

renee7995's review against another edition

5.0

This was a really good collection of short stories. The wide range of things that the author writes about was unlike anything I've ever read in a short story collection before (though with 42 stories in all, that's not too surprising). I really enjoyed this and look forward to reading more works by Cross-Smith in the future. Overall, I gave this 4.5/5 stars (rounded up to 5/5 stars).

annebogel's review against another edition

4.0

I thoroughly enjoyed this sophisticated short story collection, which takes the reader on quite a ride, emotionally speaking. My personal favorites are The Great Barrier Reef Is Dying And So Are We and Girlheart Cake with Glitter Frosting (I could have read ten more pages of that one!). Don't miss Leesa's acknowledgements, they're terrific and give such insight into her inspiration.

ebonyrose's review against another edition

3.0

Closer to 2.5 stars for me. I thought this collection of stories would be a slam dunk for me, the description was so captivating and sounded right up my alley. I'm sad to say that it was just an okay reading experience, though, and came nowhere near my expectations. While I think the author is undeniably talented in some respects (the imagery and metaphor in this collection was outstanding), the stories themselves really left a lot to be desired for me. Some of the longer stories were very good, but the vast majority (nearly all of the really short ones) were just...okay. They were beautifully written but didn't leave me feeling anything. They felt like sketches or beginnings of stories or ideas that needed a lot more fleshing out to be impactful. A lot of them just felt super unmemorable to me. That being said, I am still looking forward to this author's upcoming novel, and I am really hopeful that one works out better for me!

catherineelkhattabystrauch's review against another edition

emotional fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

acarter's review against another edition

funny hopeful lighthearted sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

A stunning, deeply feminine collection of stories from a wonderful author. So many of these were stand-outs that I can’t even choose a favorite!