This collection is one that depicts love and loss, suffering and hope. It stresses how everyone deserves a second chance and not everyone has a happy ending. This novel is impactful. It touched all my emotions on a never ending emotional rollercoaster. Tobias touches on many traumatic events, so ensure that you are in a safe space so you are able to be mindful to your own triggers- take a break where needed. I definitely had to close this book to practise my own self-care, but this novel was beautiful. It tells the story of many individuals and the reality of life. Tobias ensured that this was written in a well mannered- respectful way.

This is a well-written collection of literary short stories.

Not every story in a collection is going to appeal to everyone, and there were certainly some in this that I didn’t get along with. I especially struggled to get through ‘What My Momma Knows Is True’ and ‘Under Her Cellophane Skin’, but I know there will be people who’ll love them.

However, I felt a connection with some of the stories and the characters, and it’s clear that the author truly puts a lot of care and thought into their writing.

‘Monarch’ and ‘Vida’ were the particular highlights for me.

I love the gritty way this book was written, but I ended up putting it down and struggled to pick it back up.

I felt a bit detached from the characters — it was incredibly illustrative and I could picture the scenes as if I was watching a show, but I had a harder time piecing together each snippet of the story to formed a fuller picture.

I enjoyed reading this book. It has a lot of promise and the prose was well written. I enjoyed flipping through the short stories, very much a summer read!

Loved this collection. Everything I needed from a book, it was dark, witty, smart and ethereal. Tobias writes in a similar way to Lisa Taddeo, both focusing on the marginalised, misfits, the similarities to Taddeo is probably why I loved this so much. It reads as authentic and raw and vivid, all great reading devices that are often difficult for writers to get right, and sometimes become awkward and give off the opposite effect. But this was not the case for Tobias.

This is a great collection of short stories. It will pull on all your emotions and you will become invested in the characters. So good.

The short stories within this debut collection are heart wrenching, honest, and full of hope. This is America in all its shades of trauma, grief, love, and transformation. As readers, we are transported to the "underbelly" and fringes of towns and communities: alleyways, bars, and fractured homes to name a few. Places and landscapes that are sorely misrepresented in literature. The women that these characters represent are often marginalized and cast aside, but these stories bring their voices to the forefront. I related to their struggles as they worked to heal their scars and find a new path forward. While these stories are inhabited by fictional characters, I feel as if they are real. They may be people I meet on the street, friends, and family members. I highly recommend this book to readers who appreciate thought provoking and character-driven stories.

Thank you to NetGalley, author and the publisher for an eARC.


Definitely one of my favourite books of 2024. All the stories in this book were a sweet ride of second chances, emotions, trauma, grief, heartbreak and so much more.

The author did an excellent job describing these emotions and making them relatable to the reader in a unique way. It will be over before you even realise it, which will leave you with a feeling of emptiness, longing and fulfillment at the same time.

Would’ve been a solid 5 ⭐️’s had it not been for 1-2 stories.

The stories in this collection take a look at American life through the eyes of those often dismissed or forgotten: the abused, the addicted, the grief-stricken, those struggling with eating disorders, mental health, and more. They are about love, transformation, and redemption.

We spend a very brief amount of time with each character in each story but somehow Tobias manages to pull on the heart strings of readers in that time. The stories are poignant, tragic, heart-wrenching, and yet, hopeful. After each story I needed to sit back and have a moment of reflection and a deep breath.

Thank you Grove Atlantic and NetGalley for the digital copy in exchange for an honest review. Available now!

Wow. This story cycle is actually brilliant. I swear that every word Tobias writes has its own heartbeat.

First of all, I’d like to thank NetGalley & the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review <3

Second of all, if you’re going to read this book, I’m issuing a fat trigger warning ahead of time. I had to take breaks because it’s extremely heavy material. However, these are very important stories that deserve to be felt in full. Take care of yourself first♥️

These are the stories that need to be heard, the stories we look away from, mock, hide our loved ones from, or banish from curriculums. These are truths that cannot be sugarcoated nor sanitized. I didn’t continue reading out of spite for my discomfort, in fact, I embraced it as I made my way through this stunning work. The fact that I was able to do this speaks

I should have more specific examples, but my head is still spinning from what I just read (& my pounding migraine 1!). All I can say is that each story stole my heart entirely. I was wrecked and made whole again more times than I could count. These stories made me feel it all.

The dreamlike style of writing perfectly captures this specific, American “branded” kind of suffering. It puts words to the many eerie components of American life and existence in general. And the fragmented writing conveys addiction & mental illness so well, you feel just as confused & dizzy as the characters do while trying to make sense of their stories.
Tobias’ writing is an utter stream of omnipresent consciousness that honestly takes some getting used to, but it’s fully worth it because you’re experiencing pure brilliance.

Tobias was raised in the American midwest and now lives in Southern California. The way she captures and releases hard fought words has a feel of that hardscrabble grit you used to associate with an essential Americanism. It’s all the more poignant that the characters in MONARCH are imperfectly real - addicts and sad girls, overwhelmed mothers and people whose tether to sanity has loosened.

Tobias plays with language and voice to raise her characters into existence.The title story stopped my breath and as I read, I had the distinct sense that Tobias was gleefully playing with her words, stretching out each sentence to its limit, a fullness like the protagonist’s intentional weight gain

MONARCH: Stories is a remarkable debut by Emily Jon Tobias. It is a collection of short stories told from the perspective of several different characters in America. Tobias focuses on the misfits and the marginalised. People who are often not heard or ignored - their grief, trauma, love and loss and all the messy growth that happens along the way. A rich, intimate portrayal of the intricacies of human emotion.

Each story was wonderful in its own right, and I was amazed at how skilfully Tobias was able evoke such deep emotions in a very short amount of time. I cared about these characters and their lives like they were my close friends. Each voice crafted is so unique, so distinct and feels truly authentic. It’s like Tobias has lived the lives herself, they are that vivid.

Every time I started a chapter, I found myself making sure I had zero distractions and enough time to finish it so I could let myself be as emerged as possible. Vida was a standout and a story I did not want to leave. This is not a book I was able to pick up and put down casually - it was too hauntingly divine, demanding my full attention in the best way possible.

Some favourites:

‘I feel everything after so long of feeling nothing at all’ from Vida

‘Making mistakes is not the same as being one’ from Under Her Cellophane Skin

‘I will do worse than die on you, she thought’ from Lucky Penny

I don’t re read many books, but I will re read this. Brilliant work and I look forward to anything Emily does in the future.

Thank you Black Lawrence Press and NetGalley for my ARC.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC.

“MONARCH: Stories” by Emily Jon Tobias is a debut collection that delves deep into the American psyche through a tapestry of troubled souls and emotional character studies. The stories are set against a backdrop of city scars, alleyways, and the open road, where characters grapple with their wounds and seek transformation amidst their struggles.

The collection opens with “Nova,” where we meet Bettie, a character whose fixation on her enigmatic companion, Jones, leads us down a path of violence and discovery. Tobias’ prose is unflinching, capturing the raw essence of Americana in a manner reminiscent of “Wild at Heart” or “Thelma and Louise.” The narrative is gritty, yet there’s an underlying tenderness—a testament to Tobias’ ability to balance toughness with empathy.

In “Red Cardboard Hearts Hanging From Strings,” we encounter Liza, who navigates the complexities of love and loss, reflecting on a miscarriage as she steps into a new chapter of marriage. The story is a poignant exploration of the human capacity for change and resilience.

“Under Her Cellophane Skin” introduces us to Lemon, a heroin addict whose interactions with a lonely old man in a Seattle bar are as heartbreaking as they are illuminating. Tobias doesn’t shy away from the darker corners of the human experience, instead, she shines a light on them, offering a chance for understanding and connection.

The title story, “Monarch,” is a standout piece that encapsulates the collection’s theme of transformation. Georgia, the protagonist, is described with visceral intensity, her pain and anger palpable. Yet, it’s this very suffering that softens her, allowing her to carry on and fight another day.

Tobias’ writing is at its most potent when it’s blunt and direct, yet she never loses sight of the love she holds for her characters. Each story is a testament to the belief that everyone, regardless of their circumstances, has the opportunity to grow and evolve.

The collection includes a reader’s guide with prompts intended to inspire discourse, making “MONARCH: Stories” is a bold, inclusive invitation to witness the lives of those on the fringes, often ignored but here given a voice that resonates with the fierce rhythm of current culture.

Overall, “MONARCH: Stories” is a powerful debut that promises to leave a lasting impression. It’s a celebration of the human spirit’s indomitable will to heal and transform, even in the face of the harshest realities.

Thank you, NetGalley, and thank you, Black Lawrence Press for the ARC.

I always enjoy a good debut short story collection - and that is exactly what Monarch is! The stories are emotional and well-written. You can tell Emily Jon Tobias has a lifetime of stories to share. I hope this is the first of many collections.

MONARCH: Stories by Emily Jon Tobias is a wonderful example of writing about characters without judgement. So many of the characters in MONARCH are struggling, or have struggled, with powerful issues like addiction, abuse, and/or decisions that have cost them everything. The characters and situations are gritty and believable; they feel real. I enjoyed this collection and appreciated how cohesive it felt.

There is no depth to the characters in these stories. They react to things and are affected by things-people they come onto contact with but it is all fleeting and takes place on the surface. It’s a type of writing that is popular but doesn’t appeal to me. Too many of these stories are fleeting moments with very little commitment or engagement by the author.

Unfortunately, I did not like this collection of stories. I think I was clearly missing the bigger picture because this just felt like a trauma fest to me. Some chapters were far stronger than others, but I did not enjoy this read.

Thank you to NETGalley for this ARC.

I enjoyed some of these short stories and then didn’t enjoy others as much from this collection.
They were all very tragic to me, and sometimes I like to read that, but most times I don’t like to put myself in that head space.
Either way, these were well written and I enjoyed reading most of them.
Thank you netgalley for the ARC!

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Monarch - Emily Jon Tobias

Monarch is a collection of short stories that examine different people in the city. It shows how love can heal, loss can transform and how everyone deserves a second chance. The characters in this book are the marginalised and downtrodden members of society, skulking through the sewere, alleyways and bars.

I found this book really confusing. I think the writing was quite poetic which I struggled to understand at times. I think the book would be beautiful but it just wasn't for me at this time. I think I might go back to it at another time and see how I feel about it a second time around.

I loved this collection! Can't wait to read more from the author, the range of topics was great and I really enjoyed everything here.