This is a very diverse collection of short stories that range from very personal and intimate stories (including three of the author’s suicide notes) to funny and outlandish stories such as stories about aliens aiming to eliminate all cats, a twist on the beauty and the beast tale, and a story about killer space ghosts. I really appreciated the amount of stories included in this collection and the variety of tales. There’s definitely something for everyone!

Unfortunately the writing of this one did not work for me. I found the majority of the stories to fall flat and be forgettable. There were definitely a few standouts for me including First Date #5, Stockholm Syndrome: A Love Story, Ghosts Everywhere, and Vibrationis Vibrissae.

I think this collection will work for a lot of people and I’m sad I did not connect more to it!

Thank you to NetGalley and Querencia Press for access to this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

I loved this book! The author was amazing and I loved the stories. The author was very raw and authentic and it was very emotional at times. I liked that they were as short as they were, it made it easy to put down and pick up without forgetting where I was.

This was emotionally hard to read. Knowing parts were authentic and autobiographical made it even more vulnerable. I think sharing this type of heartbreak is admirable. It did feel off kilter, but I feel as though that's because it is short, chapter-length stories.

3⭐️, This book is a collection of short stories (and maybe poems) about all different things but they all (most) have a futuristic or mystical vibe to them, I did enjoy that and the authors note was really brave/touching.

The end of the authors note says “this one’s for the weirdos” and I think it’s very fitting in the best way, the writing style was very poetic and I think I would read more from this author especially an extension on some of the short stories in this book.

This was ok.....i liked a couple stories but it basically just annoyed me.......................................................................................................................................................................

I tried to give this one a go, but I just honestly couldn't get into it. Not my cup of tea. I wanted to like it so bad because this seems like several people enjoyed it.

I have never read something by this author before and so maybe I went into this expecting the wrong things? Either way I found myself disappointed throughout most of the collection. This is probably because this 212 pages collection features 38 seperate pieces, including stories/poems/little essays and the longest piece is around 40 pages, so you can imagine what that means for the remaining 37.
There were some short stories I liked such as the 3 Suicide Notes included, which were emotional and beautiful, full of pain and love and hate and both heartbreaking and interesting to read. The lenght also worked for them. I also enjoyed Schrodinger's Cat, a haunting short story about what to do if your cat ran away into a parallel universe and your girlfriend went after it to bring it back and explores the question of if you can be sure who returned. I also enjoyed Chasing Bill, where a sentient mannequin foils the terrorist plans of a med student. And lastly I enjoyed Help Us, a very short but interesting look into a world ravaged by a virus and two young lovers, who seem to be immune, it gets quite dark towards the end and I enjoyed that! This is one of the short stories that worked really well, despite being so short.
Unfortunately the number of stories I didn't really connect to (mostly due to lenght (or you know, the lack thereof)) is a lot higher than the number of stories I enjoyed. There's a story in there that just feels like a retelling of Cabinet Man by Lemon Demon. But set in a museum. There's many stories about abusive man, lost and hurt women, a variety of ghosts (also ghost pirates in space!) that should have made me feel more than they did, but just didn't work for me due to being so incredibly short that I just couldn't really feel anything for the characters. Often the ends were abrupt, the stories low on detail and very dialogue heavy and the characters thus often stereotypical or underdeveloped.
And then there where two stories I disliked, including "Stockholm Syndrome A Love Story" a trite beauty and the beast retelling where the beast turns out to be abusive afterwards as well. It doesn't add anything to the genre and was incredibly boring and predictable. I also disliked "Adam's Apple", where a virus is spread through contaminated toilet paper that turns humans uncaring and is currently causing the apocalypse through turning them into stereotypical stoners. This would be no problem, if it didn't also include the fatphobic stereotype of "humanity grows fat and lazy and that's why they go extinct".
All in all I do believe that some of these short stories could have done better if they had been extended and there are quite a few promising ideas in here, but I think that throwing all of them into one collection together did them a disservice. I really did love the idea of ghost pirates. In Space! But I didn't connect to the story a lot due to it being so short and low on detail. I do think that the writing and the plot ideas have a lot of potential though and if you are interested in flash fiction you might get more out of this collection than I did.

Trigger warnings for suicide, rape, domestic abuse, suicide, medical abuse, vomiting, fatphobia and ableism.

Publishing date: 28.06.2024
Thank you to Netgalley and Querencia Press for the ARC. My opinions are my own.

The book as a meal: I treated myself to a chocolate pudding cup today, but I accidentally dropped it
The book left me: Thinking "what the hell?" and "hell yeah" at the same time

Negatives:
Somewhat sudden endings to each story

Positives:
Surprisingly thought provoking
Feels like a safe space
Kept and fulfilled its promises

Features:
It is indeed filled with losers and freaks, "I choose the bear" embodied in a book, real suicide notes, poems and short stories

Why did I choose this one?
Can we just appreciate the gorgeous cover for a moment? Alright, moving on. I was really captured by the title and description here. Just mad enough to really get me excited to read it. It promised a lot of stuff that is right up my alley.

Pick-up-able? Put-down-able?
In between. The different length of these stories could both drag and speed up my progress in the book. It was best enjoyed over a couple of days I feel, then I could absorb the different stories and get really into them.

What was the vibe and mood?
Black Mirror and Twilight Zone combines. This is a very creative book with widely different stories. What got me and kept me comforted was the fact it felt like a safe space. This book is the bear, and I willingly chose it. This is the "conversation with your best friend in a coffee shop" kind of book. This is gossip in book form. It is insane, sad, comforting, and absolutely bonkers all at the same time.

Final ranking and star rating?
4 stars, A tier. What an acid trip of a book. This has left me shooketh. This is such a cool and creative collection of stories and I don't quite know what to do with all of them in my head. There are stand outs here (see the final story), and there are some forgettable stories. I have dropped it by a single star simply because I have forgotten most of the stories by this point. Otherwise, a stunner. Will recommend, might even buy for my shelf.

Favorite stories:
STOCKHOLM SYNDROME: A LOVE STORY
BULLYING 101
CHASING BILL
ARCHER'S PARADOX
FIRST LAST TIME
THIS HAPPENED #3 (BECHDEL TEST)
ONE LAST STOP
BORN MEAT

I am giving this 4 stars but for me it is 4.5.

This is an amazing selection of short stories. For once I haven't ran into the issue of finding I only like a few of the stories which meant I was able to enjoy the whole book. I found this collection rather humorous and thought provoking throughout.
I love the play on 'losers' and 'freaks' because that is my community.

I am fanatical about fantasy so this was right up my street.

This book is the bear. It's the safe space in the world for women where we can talk about the experiences we have and it's safe and be a little weird while doing it.

C.E. Hoffman writes a collection of short stories that range from fantasy, to sci-fi, to raw suicide notes. The stories are all short and only take a few minutes to read, which gives the reader a casual, delightful read that never feels like you're rushing to the finish line. The stories all have a Twilight Zone vibe, but all carry that underlaying secret that all women know.

The style of writing is unique and conversational, and the whole book feels like having a conversation with a close friend where you both have inside jokes and your own slang. Each story has it's own little twist, which feel familiar and foreign all at once.

This was my first C.E. Hoffman book, and I really can't wait to read another.


#LOSERSANDFREAKS #NetGalley

So I do not usually read short stories. Before this I had not heard of this author and I have to say this did not disappoint me . I really enjoyed the different stories. I love the fantasy world of the stories. The different “freaks” all had a specific sense of humor that I really enjoyed . Some of the humor can be dark but that is my favorite kind of humor. This is my first time reading her work and I am wanting to read the other collections. I found that each story kept you engaged and I really flew through it the minute I picked it up. This collection was so unique and I think almost everyone could find that most stories had relatable characters. It truly was a one of a kind piece.

This is a very poetic, almost fable worthy collection of short stories and while I'm still collecting my thoughts I'm not sure how I feel about it.

All of the stories are extremely short and I felt very nostalgic as I was reminded of CreepyPasta's back in the day. That being said, there was nothing creepy about any of the stories and I was hoping for a bit more of a creepy, thought provoking anthology, when all I really was left wondering was 'what do I even rate this?'

The endings to most of the stories was extremely anti climactic and underwhelming and unfortunately, this book wasn't for me.

For the right audience, this book would probably be akin to a few Black Mirror episodes, but personally I didn't get along with it.

Using fantastical and bizarre examples, this book explores the life of outcasts. This collection of stories is engaging, entertaining and are both humorous and heartwarming.

Losers and Freaks: Short Stories by C.E. Hoffman
Rating: 4/5
Release Date: 28 June 2024

LOSERS AND FREAKS, a 45,000-word #OwnVoices short story collection, delves into the intricacies of outcasts, exploring their psychology and humanity. In this anthology, a pixie and a werewolf conspire against a foretold prophecy, while a medical mannequin strives to thwart a viral attack. Meanwhile, a young girl forms an unlikely friendship with a spider, a janitor embarks on a mission to confront a ghost, and Cupid's misstep leads to deadly consequences.

I thoroughly enjoyed this collection of short stories; it kept me entertained from start to finish. This was my first experience reading C. E. Hoffman's work, and I am now eager to delve into their previous book, Sluts and Whores.

The stories in this collection are beautifully written, showcasing Hoffman's talent for crafting engaging narratives with a seamless flow. Each story strikes a perfect balance between humour and heartfelt moments, making the reading experience both enjoyable and emotionally resonant. The characters are well-developed and relatable, allowing me to connect with their struggles and triumphs on a deep level.

Hoffman's ability to take readers on unexpected journeys is truly remarkable. Each story offers a unique and surprising twist, keeping me on the edge of my seat and eager to see what happens next. The themes explored in these stories are both thought-provoking and poignant.

By the end of the collection, I felt a profound sense of being understood and seen in a positive light. Hoffman's writing not only entertained me but also left a lasting impact.

I highly recommend this collection to anyone looking for a captivating and meaningful read, and I can't wait to see what else C. E. Hoffman has in store.

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Querencia Press, and the author, C.E. Hoffman, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest and fair review.