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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!
ursulamonarch's review against another edition
I love the concept of this book.
Unfortunately I didn't like the book itself, but that was more me than the book.
Unfortunately I didn't like the book itself, but that was more me than the book.
hell_doe's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
mfarrari's review against another edition
4.0
So many stories in this book evoked summer, is it really was a perfect summer read. I could feel the stickiness of a humid day in the South in much of the book. I felt a real sense of nostalgia for many of these stories, and I liked how much they varied in style, length, subject, etc. Loved the list of inspirations at the end too. This really was a “love letter” to women (for both the good and the bad). Not 5 stars because some of the stories felt like they were just the beginning of an idea and could have been fleshed out more (though maybe that was the point?)
goddessreads's review against another edition
2.0
This wasn't what i expected. I only enoyed like 3 pieces. 😫 it was disappointing.
beccacm's review against another edition
3.0
I won a copy of this book from a Goodreads giveaway.
This book was a bit of a frustrating read, because there were a lot of elements I liked mixed with parts that I felt limited the book.
I really liked the writing style. There are some beautiful and unexpected descriptions, and each story was pleasant to read. However, since so many of the stories had pretty much the same theme, it came to feel a bit cliched. You can only hear about lipgloss flavors or floral scents so many times, you know?
I also liked how some of the stories connected to each other. It made them feel more whole. However, many of the stories without those continuations felt far too short, like they lacked detail. So many felt like the beginning to a good story, but were cut off before anything truly interesting happened. And without enough information to truly care about the characters, the small snippets of their interior lives that we get don't feel impactful.
Overall though, there were definitely some really good stories in this collection (my favorite was "Crepuscular") and it's a fairly quick and entertaining read.
This book was a bit of a frustrating read, because there were a lot of elements I liked mixed with parts that I felt limited the book.
I really liked the writing style. There are some beautiful and unexpected descriptions, and each story was pleasant to read. However, since so many of the stories had pretty much the same theme, it came to feel a bit cliched. You can only hear about lipgloss flavors or floral scents so many times, you know?
I also liked how some of the stories connected to each other. It made them feel more whole. However, many of the stories without those continuations felt far too short, like they lacked detail. So many felt like the beginning to a good story, but were cut off before anything truly interesting happened. And without enough information to truly care about the characters, the small snippets of their interior lives that we get don't feel impactful.
Overall though, there were definitely some really good stories in this collection (my favorite was "Crepuscular") and it's a fairly quick and entertaining read.
emzireads's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
molsbymoonlight's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
megtristao's review against another edition
5.0
It took me a few stories to get into this collection, but once I did, I was hooked! Lately I've been trying to mark my favorite stories when I read a collection, but I realized I was marking about half of these stories, so I stopped. :) I will say I loved the way some characters showed up again in the later stories, and one of my favorite stories ("You Should Love the Right Things") is only two sentences, so I think that tells you something about Cross-Smith's writing. Some of the longer stories featured characters about whom I would definitely read a whole novel, so I hope that means Cross-Smith will be releasing a full-length novel for us soon! (If you haven't read her debut, Whiskey & Ribbons, it was one of my favorite books of 2018.)
I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
storiesandcoffee's review against another edition
4.0
Big thanks to Grand Central Publishing for the gifted book. All opinions are my own.
I can’t think of a better book to read during Women’s History month than So We Can Glow. This collection of short stories celebrates women in all stages of life, reminding us of our first love, first loss, first heartbreak, first spark of desire.
Leesa Cross-Smith writes beautiful prose, sensual and poetic in the way she describes life in the south, the lives of bored housewives, the lives of struggling mothers. You can practically taste the cherry-flavored lipgloss worn by her teenage characters. You can practically smell the beer-drenched breath of the hardened men that bring pleasure and pain to their women. You can practically picture the summer days of your youth as a hot, sticky, pink-colored time when life was as good as it was ever going to get.
So We Can Glow is an anthology that discusses all the ways women need to be set free. All the ways women need to come into their own, accept their own sexuality and desires, and admit what they really want in order to let their own light shine—in order to glow. Some of the stories were a bit too short, but I was able to really connect with the longer ones, especially the stories that were revisited later on in the book. (Here are a few of my favorites: Chateau Marmont, Champagne, Chanel, Some are Dark, Some are Light, Summer Melts, Get Rowdy and And Down We Go!)
For me, So We Can Glow felt like a conversation with Taylor Swift, Carrie Bradshaw, and Elizabeth Taylor. It was like openly discussing all the secrets you’ve always kept hidden in the walls of your mind because you were afraid of facing judgment if they were ever to be set free. So We Can Glow is an honest exploration of the fears and longing women feel but don’t always feel comfortable vocalizing.
I can’t think of a better book to read during Women’s History month than So We Can Glow. This collection of short stories celebrates women in all stages of life, reminding us of our first love, first loss, first heartbreak, first spark of desire.
Leesa Cross-Smith writes beautiful prose, sensual and poetic in the way she describes life in the south, the lives of bored housewives, the lives of struggling mothers. You can practically taste the cherry-flavored lipgloss worn by her teenage characters. You can practically smell the beer-drenched breath of the hardened men that bring pleasure and pain to their women. You can practically picture the summer days of your youth as a hot, sticky, pink-colored time when life was as good as it was ever going to get.
So We Can Glow is an anthology that discusses all the ways women need to be set free. All the ways women need to come into their own, accept their own sexuality and desires, and admit what they really want in order to let their own light shine—in order to glow. Some of the stories were a bit too short, but I was able to really connect with the longer ones, especially the stories that were revisited later on in the book. (Here are a few of my favorites: Chateau Marmont, Champagne, Chanel, Some are Dark, Some are Light, Summer Melts, Get Rowdy and And Down We Go!)
For me, So We Can Glow felt like a conversation with Taylor Swift, Carrie Bradshaw, and Elizabeth Taylor. It was like openly discussing all the secrets you’ve always kept hidden in the walls of your mind because you were afraid of facing judgment if they were ever to be set free. So We Can Glow is an honest exploration of the fears and longing women feel but don’t always feel comfortable vocalizing.