“‘Everything is as it is,’ my mother said. She smiled at me and it reached her eyes too. There was something dark there, something true. ‘You learn to be who you are, or you die as someone else. It’s simple.’”

In her debut, Milk Blood Heat, Dantiel Montiz thoughtfully and cleverly gives us a well-written and remarkable dark collection of stories that focuses on the interwoven stories of girls who early are are forced to face mortality and the women they become. I enjoyed how these connections flowed and while each story settled in its own darkness, there was still light beckoning throughout that was almost soothing and definitely balancing.

These were stories about self-identity, family trauma, tragedy, healing, forgiveness, and love. Some of which were heartbreaking and yet written with a boldness that I simply could not ignore. This is a debut you’ll definitely want to add to your shelves. Montiz is an author to look forward to.

4.5 stars.

I received a digital copy of this book courtesy of NetGalley and Grove Atlantic in exchange for an honest review.

Milk Blood Heat is a stunning story collection by Dantiel W. Moniz. The stories are set in the 'burbs and cities of Florida, most feature young women coming face to face with a difficult choice in their lives. The characters are dealing with racial differences, loss, miscarriage, religious zealotry, sex/power dynamics and more. The stories all expose a truth about our world. I loved the writing and will definitely keep my eye out for more from this author She definitely packs a punch with a sly eye towards society. I listened to the audiobook which was narrated by Machelle Williams and I'd give it two thumbs up.

Short stories are not generally my thing, but being a Floridian, I couldn't resist this book. The darkness wasn't necessarily something I needed in the world we're currently living in, but the worlds Moniz expertly built across each chapter felt true to the Florida I know. It's critical that stories like these are told, that stories like these are allowed to be viewed as snapshots without resolution, that characters like these feel like real people. Because even though we may not know them, they are.

In "Milk Blood Heat: Stories," Dantiel Moniz offers eleven fervid, acutely observed tales set in the hot, strange world of Florida. Quotidian and shocking events share the platform, relationships morph and fester, hearts explore and break. In the title story, two teenage girls mess with notions of death until tragedy strikes. "Feast" puts us in the mind of a woman recently miscarried, unable to let go, at odds with her husband, a strongly imagined situation that brings back decades-old memories to me. The man at the heart of "The Loss of Heaven" heaves with conflicting emotions at the dying of his wife, until his world shifts. The grotesque "Exotics" short-short is predictable but sweetly penned. I doubt I can ever appreciate short stories as much as novels, but reading cohesive, evocative tales such as in Milk Blood Heat is surely beneficial.

The title story is one of the best stories I have ever read. The writing throughout the collection is just incredible. beautiful, emotional stories that now live within me.

Short story collections aren’t typically my cup of tea, but this one is absolutely an exception. Each story packed an incredible punch and moved me deeply. Even if you don’t love short stories, I recommend trying this one!

These dark, emotional stories show a variety of characters at critical moments in their lives, all filled with a kind of heat and desperation. Moniz focuses particularly on the crossroads of girlhood, and her stories refuse to provide neat, tidy endings.

This is the kind of book that makes me remember what I love about short story collections. Every. Single. ONE. hit me right in the ribs. Gripping characters, perfectly balanced and timed stories, each one unforgettable. I can't wait to see what Moniz writes next.

Milk Blood Heat by Dantiel W. Moniz is a fascinating, eloquent, and affecting collection of short stories. The stories are largely about black women and girls in Florida on the precipice of a life change. Each mesmerizing story exposes a lived experience, emotion, and vulnerability. The stories detail romantic and often complicated family relationships, race, and class. I listened to the audiobook, which was masterfully narrated by Machelle Williams, whose soothing voice embodied the range of characters she represented. I was entranced by this collection and it is truly one of the best short story collections I have ever read.

Thank you Grover Atlantic / HighBridge Audio and NetGalley for providing this ebook and audiobook ARC.

Milk Blood Heat by Dantiel W. Moniz is a collection of mesmerizing short stories that explore a variety of topics such as grief, suicide, miscarriage, and rape, through the lens of children, women, and men. I thoroughly enjoyed so many of these essays. The writing is compelling yet lyrical, creating beauty out of even the dark. The first essay Milk Blood Heat captures your attention immediately on the darkness inside even among sweet adolescent girls. The author puts words to a confusing experience of feeling misunderstood and alone.

" Before thirteen, she hadn’t realized empty was a thing you could carry. But who put it there? Sometimes she wonders if she will ever be rid of it, and other times she never wants to give it back. It is a thing she owns." STUNNING.

The author quietly explores how race influence our experiences through the small encounters such as how parents approach to mental health varied between races to the conflict of experiencing compliments in the form of micro-aggressions yet somehow feeling validated from the compliment. This book explores the dichotomy in people - the good and the bad, the light and dark, the chaste and sinful, it is masterful. That said there are some essays that did not necessarily connect as much with me but I think many would enjoy these essays. I enjoyed this book and recommend readers to pick it up and savor each essay to get the best experience.

Please note that there are so many content warning: suicide, suicidal ideation, racism, miscarriage, abortion, rape, child sexual abuse, cannibalism.

I have mixed feelings on this book. The book is laid out well, and the stories are well written. I could not connect with any of the content. However, I do advise one to try this book out for them selves as it could just be my lack of liking short stories. I feel short stories, tend to be rushed and it leaves me wanting to know more than the story allows. I did find this book to have some religious aspect to it as well. In the Summary it did say faith aspects were a part of the book, But for me, I found Milk, Blood, Heat to bring a fair amount of religious beliefs into the book.

Such a stunning short story collection. Dantiel W. Moniz's writing style is so lyrical, witty, and deeply emotional. The title story was my favorite. It made me tear up. About 2 best friends who feel alone in the world.. "Tongues", "The Loss of Heaven", "The Hearts of Our Enemies", "Necessary Bodies", and "Thicker than Water" were also the gems of this collection. Honestly, I enjoyed all 11 stories. This book was hard-hitting which is important when it comes to short stories. They should be memorable and make an impact. Some of the subject matter might be triggering for some, including: suicide, miscarriage, sexual and physical abuse, cancer, and drug use. All the stories take place in sunny Florida, and include multi-racial characters. A lot of these stories felt real because Moniz's character felt so real. I'm so glad I got an opportunity to read this. Highly recommended!

Thank you, Netgalley and Grove Atlantic for the digital ARC.

Happy Publication Day!!

This is a wonderful debut collection set in Florida. I am not one to reread a book but I will be revisiting this one very soon. I loved it so much and sat with it for a while, taking each story in slowly.
These stories were raw, impactful and I saw myself in so many of its characters. It should be on everyone's radar.
Some of my favorite stories: Tongues, Snow, The Hearts of Our Enemies and Necessary Bodies.

Milk Blood Heat
Short Stories
by: Dantiel W. Moniz

Published: out today

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

A little honesty here. I sometimes struggle with #shortstories. I like to jump into a book and hang out there awhile, immerse myself in the world, get to know the characters, ponder a bit.

And I feel like sometimes short stories are just too short to accomplish all of the things needed in order for the story to feel complete.

However, I love #shortstorycollections where the stories are in some way tied together. One great example of this is HER BODY AND OTHER PARTIES by Carmen Maria Machado.

Back to #milkbloodheat
MILK BLOOD HEAT weaves a ribbon through each story with the same continuous tone regardless of subject matter. I felt the bridge from one story to the next was seamless.

The writing was superb. The passages were introspective and thoughtful. I ended the book feeling like I had found a new voice I wanted to hear more from.

I highly recommend this in both #ebook and #audiobook format.

Thanks to #netgalley #highbridgeaudio #groveatlantic #grovepress #dantielwmoniz
For the copies of this book in exchange for my review. It was a pleasure!

O primeiro conto da coleção foi como um soco no estômago, foi chocante com aquele leve gosto amargo na boca no final, porém marcante. No entanto, sinto que foi perdendo o impacto com o passar dos contos, chegando a perder o interesse nas historias.
As narrativas da autora no geral são marcantes e encantadoras, ela tem potencial, só sinto que deveria ter selecionado melhor quais contos utilizar.

This was stunning. While I'm not usually an avid short story reader, Dantiel W. Moniz has just converted me to this genre. Milk Blood Heat is a collection of impeccably written, literary stories with a heavy focus on darkness and girlhood, something I could truly relate to at this moment.

It is, nonetheless, a pretty dark book, so heads up on that - it is heartbreakingly stunning.

Most importantly, I would recommend this collection to readers who yearn for deep, intimate connections with characters. Each of the stories presented concern a uniquely shocking event in the protagonist's life, making the reading experience deeply profound.

*Thank you to the Publisher for a free advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

"Trying to name it was like pulling up words from her belly, bucketful after bucketful, all that effort but they never meant what she wanted them to."
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"Sometimes you must consume the damaged body, digest it cell by cell, to taste the new beginning."
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Milk Blood Heat is a well-crafted collection that takes a deep-dive into the human psyche and unearths the dark and intimate. It is about womanhood, girlhood, loss and the challenges we face. It shows both the beautiful and the ugly in the most visceral way. Moniz's words are simply unfailing. It is a stunning and compelling debut collection not to miss.
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~ #fridayinaprilbookreviews
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I voluntarily read and reviewed a free copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Each story encapsulates everyday, ordinary people and moments juxtaposed with something not quite ordinary... something life altering, some challenge, some decision. But isn’t that true of life? I feel like I could read a novel length of each rather than 20-30 pages. Each story left me unsettled and wanting more - never quite wrapping up in a fully satisfying way.

I really enjoyed the first 2 stories of this book, but then I kept zoning out during the rest. I would skip to the next story in hopes of it being better, but then I lost track of what was going on again. So, this one was not for me.

This is a great first short story collection, filled with stories that are empathetic and deftly woven. They explore complex experiences and human relationships and the different ways they can impact someone. Each story takes place in Florida and centers around black protagonists. These characters all experience change in some form or another.
This collection starts with Milk Blood Heat, a story about a death-obsessed preteen girl who becomes aware of the differences between herself and her white best friend when an unexpected tragedy occurs. This story examines cultural differences in black girlhood and white girlhood.
Pregnancy and motherhood are common themes. In Feast, a woman miscarries a child and sees pieces of them everywhere. In Necessary Bodies, a young married woman contemplates whether to keep her unborn child, unprepared for the life change that motherhood would bring.
The relationship between mothers and daughters is another common theme. The Hearts of Our Enemies explores the strained relationship between a mother and her teenage daughter after the mother’s infidelity changes their family dynamic. An Almanac of Bones is about the relationship between a young girl and the mother who abandoned her.
Other common themes are the impact that strangers can have and the changing nature of relationships between people. In Outside the Raft, a young girl’s relationship with her cousin is changed after a near death experience. In Snow, a female bartender meets an intriguing woman named Snow who inspires her to reevaluate her marriage. The Loss of Heaven is about an aging man, distraught by his wife’s refusal to treat her advanced cancer. He finds solace as a regular at a bar where he meets a young stranger who is not what he seems. Thicker Than Water is about two estranged siblings forced to confront their relationships with their deceased father on a road trip with his ashes.
Exotics was the most unique story in the collection. It’s about Employees at an exclusive supper club that must cater to the increasingly outrageous cravings of the club’s wealthy clientele. This is the shortest story but it’s impactful; scary and socially conscious. Overall, this is a well crafted and enjoyable collection.

This collection was exactly what I go to short stories for: beautifully written deep dives into a person at a particular moment, without trying to tell a story. Moniz takes full advantage of the short story format to write incredibly rich and raw and moving prose, to the point where reading it felt like eating a bar of 90% cacao dark chocolate. It’s amazing and wonderful, but you only want to eat one or two squares at a time and then have a bit more tomorrow.

I thought the choice of the first story was highly effective on multiple levels - it was an incredible story, and made me instantly excited to see what was in store for me in the rest of the book, but it also established immediately that there are real stakes in these stories, so the stories that followed carried even more weight.

Finally, I really enjoyed how Moniz played with timing in these stories. The choices made in when to in the sequences of events to start telling a story or when to cut off the story were incredibly impactful.