I have read all of Katherine Heiney's short stories and novels. I find her wriitng hilarious and love the characters and situations she creates.

A charming battery of stories of all different moods. I really enjoyed the sheer normal, messy humanity of it. I was charmed for almost all the stories. Would read more by this author.

Katherine Heiny, where have you been all my reading life? Right under my nose, that’s where. I just never thought to give you a read.

Heiny’s first-ever collection of short stories, "Games and Rituals," spoke to me. Comprised of eleven stories all about love – whether it be romantic, familial, or platonic – there’s not a bad one in the bunch.

Each story is a current snapshot of a character’s life. Clearly there’s been life messiness before the stories begin, with more to come after they end, but Heiny doesn’t concern herself with that. She writes about the now.

And the snapshots she gives us are all relatable situations starring normal, everyday people. I saw something of myself in every story; a small part of me understood each character. Plus, I couldn’t get enough of Heiny’s tongue-in-cheek style of storytelling. There’s a slyness to her writing, a wry humor and warmth to it, and I was drawn to it like a moth to a literary flame.

It’s difficult to pick my favorites from the collection because, again, all the stories are fantastic. But since my arm is twisted …

"Chicken-Flavored and Lemon-Scented," where a driving examiner finds herself in a similar situation as one of her test-takers.

"Damascus," where a mother worries about her teenage son making the same mistakes as she did.

"Turn Back, Turn Back," where a wife learns something about her husband.

"Bridesmaid, Revisited," where a woman wears an old bridesmaid dress and recalls memories she’d rather stay buried.

I haven’t read many short story collections this year, but of the few I've read, "Games and Rituals" is one of the best. Heiny's way with the mundane is just so damn good.


My sincerest appreciation to Katherine Heiny, Knopf, and NetGalley for the digital review copy. All opinions included herein are my own.

Games and Rituals is a collection of short stories. The stories each had their own interesting set ups and cast of characters. In one, we find out about a cheating spouse all through telling a bedtime story to their child. In another, a mother's son is making some pretty big mistakes, so it seems, but is he really? Most of them were fairly enjoyable and none of them were too long.

Overall, this wasn't necessarily my type of book, but I can see it being wonderful for people who tend to like short stories. I just kept finding myself wanting more out of each story and wanting to know what happened next. That's just my personality.

I've read several Katherine Heiny books but this one might be my favorite. I always think that I am not a short story person...until I read a book of perfectly written short stories and I have to rethink this idea! Fast and enjoyable read. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

really did enjoy this book a lot i love the short stories and find that those kinds of books hold my attention a lot more

I am a huge Katherine Heiny fan and I'm thrilled to report that this collection of short stories did not disappoint. No one captures the very humanness of characters like Heiny does. Ordinary becomes extraordinary in her hands.

Katherine Heiny does short stories and relationships really well. Her new collection of short stories Games and Rituals focuses on relationships of all sorts, whether it be coworkers, friends, strangers, lovers, parents, or exes. The vast majority of these stories are both intriguing and engaging, which is vital if a short story is going to grab the attention of the reader and keep them hooked. My favorites from this collection are “Chicken Flavored and Lemon Scented” and “Turn Back, Turn Back.” Both of these stories surprised me in in ways that I did not see coming, much like real life.

A fun collection of short stories. Heiny’s characters are great- from the drivers test examiners to the depression line operators or the woman emulating Marie Kondo as she reaches perimenopause. Each story delves into relationships really well and in such a short time the reader is connected to them.

I now want to go look at what else Heiny has written. I’m intrigued.

Pick this up for a great short story collection

I love Katherine Heiny- unfortunately I think I’m just not a short stories fan. I need more time to know the characters and be invested, and it always ends up that one or two stories hook me and I wish I had the full length, but that I don’t like any of the others. While I love her writing, this wasn’t for me.

This was my first Katherine Heiny and certainly won't be my last. Her ability to write on the page exactly what I'm feeling with a humorous and poignant perspective is immaculate.

I did not connect with this collection of stories at all. I liked the writing but I could not connect to the collection as a whole or individual stories.

This was a fun anthology of stories. Katherine Heiny writes great characters. I really enjoyed all of the stories. I would love a longer time with the road test workers in the first story - Chicken Flavoured and Lemon Scented. Who knew cars became confessionals in these road tests? Overall all the characters are flawed, but likeable in every story. A quick, fun read.

This was honestly the first short story collection I’ve read in a really long time where I genuinely enjoyed every single story.

‘Games and Rituals’ by Katherine Heiny is a short story collection following the lives of ordinary people dealing with life and the funny, sad, inconvenient, and chaotic situations life puts us in such as breakups, infidelity, being stuck at an airport with strangers, the ebbs and flows of marriage, dealing with parents and more.

Just as one story would end and I would think, I don’t know if I can connect to the new story, but within minutes I’d be absorbed. I usually don’t gravitate toward short stories because I am often left feeling unfinished, but this time I had the exact opposite experience. She has a great way of making every character feel real with quirkiness, sarcasm, and heartfelt moments.

While I enjoyed all the stories, the standouts for me were -
‘Chicken Flavored and Lemon Scented’
‘CobRa’
‘561’
‘Sky Bar’
‘Twist and Shout’

5/5⭐️

Thank you so much for the ARC!!

"Games and Rituals" by Katherine Heiny presents a collection of short stories that delves into the intricacies of human relationships. While the book showcases moments of sharp wit and relatable characters, I found its overall impact to be somewhat uneven.

First, the positives. Heiny's ability to uncover humor in everyday scenarios and her skillful portrayal of authentic dialogue are evident throughout. Some stories truly excelled in their exploration of human vulnerability and the nuances of connection. I found myself completely drawn in by Heiny's engaging storytelling and perceptive observations. Overall, this is the book's biggest strength: its ability to unveil both the humor and poignancy within ordinary situations.

That being said... the narrative falters in maintaining a consistent level of engagement. Moments of insight are counterbalanced by instances where the emotional connection wavers. I felt the overall collection lacked a steady pacing that would allow the stories to fully resonate.

Overall, I enjoyed the major themes of the collection and lighthearted tone while still offering points for self-reflection.

This is a collection of short stories about daily life. Nothing about anything remarkable, nothing mysterious, nothing shocking. Sometimes I appreciate reading about normal things that I can relate. Not everything has to have a "happily ever after" ending or everything ended up the way people hope it to.

I think this was the first short story collection that I didn't read thinking it's a collection. It followed very well and didn't feel disjointed. I'll recommend this book to anyone who like short stories.

This was so good! Such a breath of air was in this book and I am waiting for her next novel. I read this so quickly because I was eagerly awaiting the ending

I love Katherine Heiny's writing and this collection of short stories was thought provoking, interesting, and overall a literature experience I won't forget.

This was such an incredible book! I was hooked from the start—really enjoyed the storytelling, I couldn’t put it down and can’t recommend it enough!

This collection of short stories is fun, quirky and digs into seemingly ordinary relationships with a slight twist. From roommates to bridesmaids, office coworkers, extra-marital affairs and ex-spouses - the character development is incredible. Some I absolutely loved, others not so much. Short stories have a tall order to accomplish in a minimal number of pages - and I find that when they are done well, they can be better than a full novel. Sometimes the author takes a risk that doesn’t pay off and it falls flat. These were definitely worth reading!