I knew I was going to love this short story collections as soon as I saw the cover art last fall. Wow. Just look at it. The cover really sets a mood. Lena Valencia is a fantastic storyteller. Her prose is funny, profound, and delightfully creepy. I truly enjoyed ALL 10 stories, but my top 5 are: "Dogs", "Trogloxene", "The Reclamation", "Clean Hunters", and "Vermilon". A lot of the stories takes place in the desert, which give the stories a cinematic/atmospheric feel. This book made me smile and definitely got me out of a reading slump. If you like eerie stories, then "Mystery Lights" will terrify you to bits. I will definitely read more from this new author in the future. These stories felt so personal, engaging, and wholeheartedly entertaining. I highly recommend it!

Thank you, Netgalley and Tin House for the digital ARC.

The stories in Mystery Lights absolutely knocked me out. As a desert girl through and through, I am so grateful for this collection.

With short story collections, I'm always afraid they're going to be shallow or one-note, but I really enjoyed this collection. It was cohesive but never repetitive. The recurring subjects (ghosts!!! aliens!!! motherhood!!! the desert and its endlessness!!!) felt fresh every time. I was fully immersed in every story and committed to these characters and their worlds. The atmosphere of each narrative was palpable. And while most of these characters are people I wouldn't relate to in real life, I found myself empathizing with them every time. I think, ultimately, that's the sign of a good story. The ghosts and the aliens and the desert just made it even better.

I loved and was very impressed by this short story collection. It´s spooky and unnerving and compelling, covering all forms of mystery and violence, with women as both victims and perpetrators. The title story, Mystery Lights, is a definite favorite, appealing to X-file fans as well as Twin Peaks. I loved how much of this book takes place in the desert, how people survive in the southwest and what it means to live in a barren landscape that is perhaps uninhabitable. These stories manage to cover everything from grief to sexual violence to aliens to sister bonds (and betrayals) and fledgling 20-somethings in Brooklyn. It´s GIRLS meets Alice Munro meets Roswell, which is another way of saying this collection is haunting in the best ways.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC!

This was well done! As in most short story collections, there were some that I enjoyed more than others, a few stand outs and a majority that kind of lagged behind. I thought it captured the energy of "women hood" that is so varied and unique. I think it's hard to put your finger on, and some were more successful than others.

"Mystery Lights" by Lena Valencia shares some DNA with Kelly Link's otherworldly stories; all are bite-sized introductions to worlds that are recognizably our own, with slight variations. Brief, tightly written, and determinedly strange, the stories in "Mystery Lights" follow women in various positions of anxiety: from a marketing stunt gone wrong, to a college student trying to evade a mysterious abductor on her campus. I enjoyed each story, truth be told - Valencia is great at drawing you in and teaching you the "rules" of her weird worlds - but my primary complaint is that a lot of these felt unfinished, and unresolved. As if she were confident of her premise but had no idea how to wrap things up.

Still, these show a lot of promise - I'd recommend them to anyone who enjoys weird little tales that briefly let journey through odd worlds alongside their characters.

Have you ever felt like an alien or an outsider? Ever wonder what monsters lurk beyond city lights, deep within the depths of the desert and even within your own walls? Then these stories are for you!

“Mystery Lights" is a riveting collection that grips you from the first page and refuses to let go. It's like stepping into a surreal dreamscape where reality blurs with the unknown, leaving you breathless and on the edge of your seat.

With a keen eye for human complexity, Lena delves into the tangled web of mother-daughter relationships, the ache of grief, and the unsettling feeling of being an outsider in one's own skin.

Each story is a haunting exploration of the human psyche, wrapped in prose so beautiful it's practically poetry dipped in darkness. Every word dripping with tension and raw authenticity.

Lena had me gasping and clutching my pearls as she masterfully wove tales of White Places, Mystery Lights, and Bright Lights, Big Deal. Each story is a universe unto itself, with characters that leap off the page and into your very soul.

“Mystery Lights" is a must-read masterpiece that will linger in your mind long after you turn the final page.

Lena, consider me your forever fan. 10 out of 10 would read again and recommend without hesitation.

Thanks to NetGalley and Tin House, the publisher, for the ARC in exchange for an honest review :)

A great collection of stories. I enjoyed all of them and it would be very hard to pick a favorite. I definitely will be buying this one.

This was very good writing but nothing really happened in any of these. the premises in the description are exciting but none of the characters actually react to their circumstances so it falls flat. max story was cool though!

thanks to netgalley and tin house for the arc!!

This was a good book. I really love the world building and the characters. The pacing was really good and it was an interesting story to read