Title: My Short Stories: Book One
Author: Anne Shier
Publisher: AuthorHouse
ISBN: 978-1456724931
Genre: Fiction
Pages: 176
Reviewed by: Ella Vincent
Awarded to books of excellent Merit
My Short Stories is an engaging collection of stories by Anne Shier that describes the everyday experiences of life. My Short Stories is a collection of short stories and unexpected life circumstances, some ripped from the headlines. In “A Marriage Made in Heaven,” Todd and Cheryl appear to have the perfect marriage until a surprise phone call changes their lives. Another story about addiction, “The Road to Nowhere,” details a woman struggling with addiction as her mother tries to save her life. While many of the stories deal with sex, marriage, and infidelity, such as the “ The Trust Factor,” there are also stories with a social commentary as well. “A Murderer Among Us” and “Let the Judge Be the Law” are cautionary tales about how a criminal justice system can be too lenient on violent criminals.
Shier’s writing is compelling, with the short stories making a large impact. In just a few pages, she conveys the range of human emotions. In stories about infidelity in a marriage, the characters go through a wide range of emotions, from embarrassed to enraged. She captures the full range of emotions with her straightforward and relatable dialogue. Stories about illness and death including “I Got You Babe” and “My Memories of Saz” are emotionally powerful as well, with the protagonists in the stories giving poignant recollections about loved ones.
My Short Stories has settings in the stories which are evocative as well. “On the Road Again” details the beauty of the Canadian scenery as the protagonist in the story travels around Canada on a road trip. The book would be best for readers who like stories about marriage and family, similar to Alice Walker’s short story collection about divorce, The Way Forward is with a Broken Heart. Shier’s haunting stories about murder would be perfect for fans of gothic short stories by authors like Flannery O’ Connor. The book could be used in college classes about short stories. My Short Stories could also be used in book club discussions about marriage, family, illness, and death.
My Short Stories is an engrossing and enlightening collection of tales that readers will love. Anne Shier has written a book that will have readers eagerly awaiting book two of her stories.