These stories reveal the hidden, sometimes painful, and sometimes beautiful facets of women and girls' lives. A woman escapes her suffocating grief by living in a fantasy world. A cult member extols the passion of the same man. In So We Can Glow, Leesa Cross-Smith captures the magic of summer nights and the bonds between women and girls. She evokes the darkness of loss and motherhood, the ecstasy of being female, and the headiness of desire.

So, We Can Glow is a collection of stories that explores what it means to be a woman. From the good to the bad, it shows how women can transform themselves and how they can become the best they can be. The collection begins with a bang, with We, Moons, a two-and-half page paragraph that describes the female experience. Its powerful to open a book and see how deeply we all feel about each other. Cross-Smith shows us that growth is one of the most important parts of being a woman.

Both stories are about people who use their bodies as payment for their debts. They are both about growing up and overcoming obstacles that stand in the way of achieving success. Cross-Smith has created a collection of beautiful feminist stories. Thank you, Grand Central Publishing for the gifted copy via net galley.

3.5 stars. Short stories aren't my favorite because too often I'm left wondering what the point was, but I enjoyed every moment where I was able to go "oh these relate to each other!" Also important to note that this was something I picked up and put down a lot, not because I wasn't interested, but just because that's how I like to read collections and you might have a different experience if you read all of them together.

Thanks to Grand Central for my copy to review.

Leesa Cross-Smith: A Short Story Writer's Novel Successes
I first encountered Leesa Cross-Smith's writing via her 2020 story collection, So We Can Glow. How could I not pick up a book that Roxane Gay called (in a quote on the cover) "unapologetically for women, about women, a love letter to who we are, the best and worst of us, held high and true, so we can glow as brightly as we dare"? Besides loving the cleverness of Gay managing to use the collection's title as praise for the book, I also couldn't resist the idea of stories that celebrate women at their highs and their lows--and the 42 tales in So We Can Glow (Grand Central, $15.99) do precisely that, with a depth of emotion and contexts that show off Cross-Smith's skill as a story writer.

That skill comes through in Cross-Smith's novels as well, delivering the same emotional depth via a different vehicle. Her debut novel, Whiskey & Ribbons (Hub City Press, $16), centers on the death of a Black cop killed in the line of duty. With first-person narration from three narrators, the novel weaves between perspectives (like many of the best short story collections) to coalesce in a moving work about grief and loss, family and love.

While Whiskey & Ribbons moves back and forth in time, the core of Cross-Smith's second novel, This Close to Okay (Grand Central, $27), is set during one long weekend. The novel promises the story of two strangers--a therapist and the man she pulls from the side of a bridge during a rainstorm--and looks like it will pack just as much punch as the stories that drew me into Cross-Smith's oeuvre to begin with. --Kerry McHugh, blogger at Entomology of a Bookworm

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!

Short stories are often hit-or-miss for me, but this collection is a definite hit. The writing was top-notch from beginning to end, and there was not a story I didn't connect with on some level. Look forward to more like this.

Recommended for purchase by the Scottsboro Public Library.

4.5 star read for me! I’ve always loved Leesa’s writing and this collection of story stories is no different. I could see myself in so many of the women written about in these stories. Love, wonder, heartbreak, adventure. Everything it means to be a woman.

I also loved how many of the stories intertwined and circled back to characters that were previously mentioned. Beautifully written collection.

So We Can Glow is a lyrical collection of short stories, a few of which play with form. Some of the stories are quite short, others a bit longer, but I couldn't help feeling that each just gives you a taste. I wouldn't call any of them satisfying - Cross-Smith reels you in, then drops you back on into the water, over and over again.

My favorite aspect of these were that some of the (42!) stories were linked (i.e. featuring the same characters you'd already met). That helped me to get my bearings a bit. Often, though, I struggled to connect with this (very good!) collection. Frequently it felt like, just when I'd get into a story, it'd be time for a new one! And then I wouldn't have the easiest time getting into the following story, because my brain/heart wouldn't be done with the previous one.

I'd recommend this collection to anyone who's a fan of metaphors in particular or Sally Rooney's books in general. I also had a much more enjoyable reading experience when I blew through half of it in a day - I know short stories can often be read in isolation, but I think this one works best if you read it in big chunks.

(One caveat: The publisher blurb says that the stories "drench readers in nostalgia for summer nights and sultry days" and I think that's true. I read this collection while staying at home during the coronavirus outbreak. It's possible I'd have loved it, had I not felt so separated from summer nights as they used to be.)


Content warnings: cutting, death of a teenager, prostitution, cigarette smoking, reference to man who gambled and was killed in prison, reference to brother who hanged himself (and grief), miscarriage/grieving over that, unintentional pregnancy, reference to abuse, cheating

Just a sparkler of a short story collection. So many stores about vivid, interesting, intelligent women.

Forty-two short stories about female desire and obsession. Cross-Smith shows a stunning amount of range in these stories. I'm blown away by how quickly she can introduce a character and situation - some as short as only a couple of pages, but still so robust. It's so easy to get lost in these stories, from a grocery store flirtation to an obsession with a TV animal show host to teenage girls sneaking out together. Each story was intriguing and left me wanting more, which made me the woman obsessed. Can't wait to read more by Leesa Cross-Smith!

Unfortunately, this short story collection didn’t really work for me. Each story felt hyper-focused on the narrator’s attraction to men, but to a degree where it didn’t seem like there was anything else to say. I really wanted to enjoy this collection but it dragged for me.

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!

Leesa Cross-Smith knows how to write a helluva romance. Many of the pieces in So We Can Glow were so genuine and really did justice to what love and heartbreak look like for women who love men.

While it sounds ambitious and intriguing in theory, however, writing a collection that contains 42 different stories leaves a lot of room for hits and misses. I especially loved the stories where there was a continuation, but a lot of the shorter and more abstract essays fell flat for me. Additionally, quite a few of the stories were pretty similar, to the point where I had trouble distinguishing between them and trying to keep names and narratives straight, especially when I realized that some characters would be popping up again.

While this wasn't the complete package for me, I'm definitely intrigued by Cross-Smith's writing and want to take a look at her other books, particularly her other short story collection.

4.5 stars! Leesa Cross-Smith’s book of short stories centers around the lives of women and their complex inner worlds. Each story was personal and vulnerable, and reminded me of all the overthinking we, as women, do on a daily basis. SO WE CAN GLOW peels back the intricate layers of women and powerfully affirms their tendencies to give their whole, entire selves for those they love. Stand out stories included We, Moons; Pink Bubblegum And Flowers; You Should Love The Right Things; and Cloud Report.

Anthologies can be such hits or misses with each story greatly varying. This one was a huge miss for me. I thought having one author would make it more cohesive but for the most part it was a mess. I actually skimmed a few of the stories because they were so drab. Some stories were like bad poems while some were fully fleshed out. I went into this anthology with the wrong expectations. I expected a good anthology filled with enjoyable stories about black women embracing their desires and passion. Instead it felt very white and even the stories that weren't about teens had school girl crush type longing. And some of these stories felt like prompts. The beginning was there but the middle and end was missing or just lacked. I couldn't connect to most of the stories.

I received a complimentary copy of SO WE CAN GLOW by Leesa Cross-Smith for an honest review. Thank you to Grand Central Publishing!

SO WE CAN GLOW is a book of short stories that I first heard about on the Reading Women Podcast’s most anticipated reads episode. I was in the process of looking for my next short story collection, so I immediately requested a copy from the publisher.

This is a collection of short stories, varying in length from a couple sentences to several pages, but all really take the “short” in short stories to heart. These are all stories which center on women, whether it be young girls to older women. They are going through various phases of life with complicated relationships from young crushes to good and bad marriages to divorce. The settings vary a lot too, from midwest to California, though all are primarily contemporary. The most unique settings, like a produce aisle or a stuck elevator, can lead to a great story!

I really loved this collection of stories. This was my first read of Leesa Cross-Smith’s writing and I am blown away by how much emotion and information she can convey even in the shortest of stories. Her descriptive language is wonderful as well! As I think is the case with any short story collection, some stories resonated with me more than others, but I really loved the entire collection!

While these are all stories that stand alone, there also are connections between several stories where familiar characters make another appearance. I loved this and it also says a lot about the strength of the writing that I remembered the characters from earlier stories so well even as I did spread out my reading of this one over the month as is my norm for story collections.

I definitely recommend this one to the short story fans fans! SO WE CAN GLOW is out on March 10, 2020!

Whiskey & Ribbons and local Kentucky author Cross-Smith adds a second collection of short stories to her repertoire with So We Can Glow.

There are forty two short stories in her collection, and so many of them made me wish they would continue into their own novels. I would fall into each page, only to quickly resurface, take a breath, and then fall again. Cross-Smith's contemporary prose brings many social issues to life, placing the reader into the mind of the narrator for a brief period of time, but allowing them to feel and see though their eyes. Topics such as relationships, miscarriage, depression, race are told from a variety of women. 

Cross-Smith's format style also varies throughout, and while most follow the traditional prose style, there are a few stream of consciousness pieces that I didn't think I'd enjoy as much as I did. I LOVED her "Girlheart Cake with Glitter Frosting" piece, and was so inspired by it... what makes up my own girlheart? I'm not sure who inspired Cross-Smith for that one, but I honestly wished I could print it out and hang it in my house as wall art. 

It was hard to choose favorites in this collection though, and that's always a good sign to me. I highlighted so many phrases and quotes. Cross-Smith has such a lovely way with words, and easily stirred an emotional connection from me to her pages. After publication day, I'll come back to this review and share some of my favorite quotes, but take my word for it- there are many, and they are beautiful.

*This review will be posted on my blog on 3/5/2020 at www.thelexingtonbookie.com.*

Short stories aren't really my thing, but "So We Can Glow" is DEFINITELY my thing. Every woman will find something to connect to in at least several of these stories. It also has me yearning for summer!

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I’m not usually a short story reader, so I wasn’t sure how I’d respond to reading a collection. While I didn’t enjoy all the stories equally, I did really appreciate the variety of female experiences and characters represented in this volume. These stories seemed to encapsulate the complexity of many female experiences.

I also really loved it when some of the stories connected to each other and how I could see what happened to some of the characters later on in their lives. I found each of those stories to be fun, surprising discoveries.

This book definitely made me curious about other short story collections, so it may be a genre that I add to my repertoire.

Romance short stories that also have a perfectly rendered Southern lit focus, yes please! While not every story in here worked for me (I definitely gravitated to enjoying the longer stories, and didn’t get on with those super short ones), I loved the range of content covered and experimentation with form. THE GREAT BARRIER REEF IS DYING BUT SO ARE WE stands out for me, and really set my expectations for the rest of the collection. I also think this would be a great entry point into the romance genre for readers that have yet to dip their toe into lusty waters.

Just finished SO WE CAN GLOW and my heart is full and my skin is clear and my soul is light. You know that feeling you get when you finish a book and you know you found a new author to add to your favorites list and you immediately look to see what else she has written and how you can get your hands on it? Yep, that’s Leesa Cross-Smith. Her stories are beautiful drops of unexpected surprises. The women in them are richly developed, nuanced yet expansive, and you feel like you have met them as they jump off the page (even when they are only with you for a few pages total.) The stories in this collection are short (mostly flash fiction) but they are all memorable and heart-stopping. I gush, but this book deserves it. It’s for all the girls and women, this one. I can’t recommend it enough. If she made any one of these into a full novel, I would be ecstatic!