Brittany Micka Foos isn't just channeling Lucia Berlin; she's refracting her through a distinctly modern lens. Like Berlin, Micka Foos excels at excavating the raw, often unsettling beauty within the mundane. She captures the jagged edges of domestic angst with a dark, almost gleeful humor, setting her stories in wonderfully unexpected landscapes. From the surreal spectacle of a cosplay convention to the tense space of a Canadian border crossing, Micka Foos proves she's a master of finding the extraordinary in the ordinary.

Her prose is vivid and deeply moving, evoking the most visceral emotions with startling clarity. Consider this passage from "Thumb Stump": "Polly’s body was rolled into the OR for an emergency C-section, which Polly experienced as a waking autopsy. She thought she had died on the operating table. Afterwards, she couldn’t explain this continued conviction that her body was a shattered, glasslike object, and not the malleable lump of flesh her rational mind knew it to be." This isn't just a description; it's a plunge into the disorienting depths of trauma, a moment where the physical and psychological become inextricably intertwined.

Micka Foos doesn't shy away from the messy realities of life. She confronts them head-on, with a sharp eye and a relentless honesty that leaves the reader both shaken and strangely exhilarated. She doesn't offer easy answers or tidy resolutions. Instead, she invites us to sit with the discomfort, to acknowledge the inherent absurdity and fragility of existence. In a literary landscape often saturated with saccharine narratives, Micka Foos offers a bracing antidote. She reminds us that even in the midst of chaos and uncertainty, there is a strange, undeniable beauty to be found. And for that, her work is utterly essential.

This book doesn't pull any punches when it comes to tough situations for women and mothers. I kept putting myself in to these women's situations which was uncomfortable but powerful. The reason for the three stars is because each story felt incomplete. I kept hoping we would get some kind of resolution (good or bad) for each story but that never happened. I was also hoping for the stories to weave together at some point but they never did which was kind of jarring. The author is a strong writer and I look forward to seeing what else they write in the future.

These short stories felt completely random and incomplete. They did not grab my attention or have anything intriguing that left me thinking about it once I finished. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC, but this book was not for me.

This collection looks into the various layers of human relationships, societal expectations and personal struggles.

The Experiment: sets the tone with Leah, who keeps chickens as a substitute for a second child, despite her not liking eggs.

It’s No Fun Anymore: we look at a couple engaged in cosplay, presenting a unique take on escapism and the complexities of intimacy.

From the Waist Down: the story powerfully captures the emotional turmoil of a woman awaiting surgery while celebrating her daughter’s birthday. The symbolism of the pin the tail on the mermaid poster reflects the mother’s own struggles, as the mermaid's missing lower half parallels her health challenges.

Estate Sale: explores the aftermath of Alzheimer’s and the family.

The New Jenny: tells the story of a woman reclaiming her identity after her husband leaves her by purchasing a gun. An act of empowerment.

A Safe Haven for Writers: the anuthor introduces an intriguing dynamic as a woman embarks on a writing retreat, only to confront strange occurrences that blur the line between reality and paranoia.

Thumb Stump: offers a moment of realisation as a new mother reconciles with her changing body post-C-section.

Border Crossing: takes a darker turn, exploring themes of trust and betrayal as a wife receives a message about her husband.

Overall, this collection portrays stories of victimisation, trauma and vulnerability, showcasing how abuse can manifest in various forms across different characters.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC

This book shares 8 essays about women and the trauma they all share. I related to a few of these stories, from not being taken seriously to generational trauma. This book does a great job at making you feel all the emotions from immense anger to sadness to doubtfulness.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC. Due to be published June 17, 2025.

In this collection of short stories, the author explores the complex and often painful journey of women as they navigate the shifting landscapes of identity, shaped by both personal and societal forces. Each story delves into the roles women are expected to play, from those imposed upon them by a patriarchal system to those they struggle to define for themselves. The characters wrestle with the weight of internalized misogyny, confronting the subtle and overt ways it affects their self-perception and relationships. Through poignant, nuanced narratives, the book highlights how women both lose and grow into their identities, often contending with the contradictions of societal expectations and personal desire. The stories offer a deeply resonant portrayal of the ways in which misogyny permeates the fabric of daily life, affecting not just the outward roles women take on but the very core of who they are.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

What a strong collection. I was pleasantly surprised to find that this collection exceeded my expectations. Lots of stories about motherhood and struggling partnerships. I was reluctant going into this, as I like short story collections but find many of them to be random and meandering, and I'm kind of burnt out on the topic of motherhood in literature.

Overall, the collection feels focused and the voice confident and fresh. Partway through the first story I forgot it was a short story - I would've been happy to read more of it. What an exciting debut!

One note - I don't feel like the cover accurately conveys the tone of the book? The cover feels like a classic horror, and while some stories were horrifying in a way, they're definitely not Halloween-spooky like the cover implies.

This book is a collection of short stories with most characters being women who seem to be looking for fulfilment in their lives one way or another. These stories tend to be centred around straight married couples who clearly need therapy or to separate. I personally had a hard time with this one. I found it to be slightly dry and I didn’t really relate at all. Which I mean makes a ton of sense as I am queer and think most people should probably dump their crappy boyfriends/husbands. This was not a bad book by any means and I think it would resonate with others it just was not for me. I probably would not really recommend this to people but again I think this is just because the content is not much for me/those around me.

to begin, i will mention that this is not my typical read, but the description was intriguing and i wanted to know more. here are some of my thoughts:
first, i am giving this book 3 stars, even though i wasn’t able to finish the whole book. now let me explain—these short stories were written beautifully, and the author did an incredible job. this book is a compilation of short stories describing the effects of trauma on women, and each story explores how each woman finds meaning through her journey. it’s truly a very interesting read. however, i struggled with the decisions of some of the women and how different their decisions are to my own. but, i understand that’s the point of these stories—to make the reader feel uncomfortable while also learning to understand the situation these women were in.
some of the short stories i needed to skip for my own mental health. there were other stories like the new jenny and thumb stump that really stuck with me.

I don’t want to give this a star rating, I just. Dont know how to rate this (not in a bad way). This is a short story collection exploring victimisation and politics relating to women’s bodies, and how women may try to gain meaning from their suffering.

This was so well written. It isn’t something I’d usually pick up but it was on Read Now and I was curious. Rating as 5 stars on here, but will not be including a star rating elsewhere