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A review by alannashelfhelp
So We Can Glow: Stories by Leesa Cross-Smith
5.0
You know why I picked this one up? I’ll give you my selling points: A) it’s short stories and B) Roxane Gay recommends. And that should be all you need to be convinced to read this one too. My work here is done.
Oh, what’s that? You wanted an actual review? Seems pretty needy, but sure. Know that the stories vary in length—from traditional short story to more flash style fiction of a page or two. The settings move all across the US—the south, the unnamed desert highway, the California sunshine—you’re going on a road trip with this book. We’ve got a couple both convinced the other is cheating. We’ve got a bunch of teenage girls sneaking out to shoot their shot with the boys at the railroad tracks. A waitress at a roadside diner just itching to know what’s going on with the mysterious trucker that shows up on occasion few and far between. A couple that is only a couple in the hotels they fly to meet up in. Some best friends that’d rather be kissing each other than the boys they’re supposed to want. We’ve got pop culture and celebrity references. Lusting over the people we want and can or cannot have. Lots of mention of particular songs you can almost hear playing in the background as you read—I recommend actually playing said songs. You’ll kinda just want to throw on Neil Young and imagine that you plan to book it outta this town, never to be seen again.
Oh, what’s that? You wanted an actual review? Seems pretty needy, but sure. Know that the stories vary in length—from traditional short story to more flash style fiction of a page or two. The settings move all across the US—the south, the unnamed desert highway, the California sunshine—you’re going on a road trip with this book. We’ve got a couple both convinced the other is cheating. We’ve got a bunch of teenage girls sneaking out to shoot their shot with the boys at the railroad tracks. A waitress at a roadside diner just itching to know what’s going on with the mysterious trucker that shows up on occasion few and far between. A couple that is only a couple in the hotels they fly to meet up in. Some best friends that’d rather be kissing each other than the boys they’re supposed to want. We’ve got pop culture and celebrity references. Lusting over the people we want and can or cannot have. Lots of mention of particular songs you can almost hear playing in the background as you read—I recommend actually playing said songs. You’ll kinda just want to throw on Neil Young and imagine that you plan to book it outta this town, never to be seen again.