Review: Short story: "The Wizard Who Kept Himself Suspicious" by Scott Lynch

The Wizard Who Kept Himself Suspicious by Scott Lynch
Published July 2026 via Amazon Original Stories

Every thirteen years, a conclave of wizards meet on a magical beach. They catch up, they argue, they show off, and then they go away again and plan to meet up in another thirteen years. But this year, something goes wrong.

This is one of a set of short stories about magic and, often, mayhem; certainly there's some of both here. (Mostly mayhem.) The protagonist of sorts is a wizard who does no magic, at least none that his fellow wizards can see; he has his motivations, but he keeps those to himself.

I liked the quirkiness of this story. At times I did want more context—e.g., it was a surprise to find that there was one character whom a lot of the other characters couldn't stand, and even at the end of the story I didn't know much about who was who or why they were there. Offhand this doesn't look like a spinoff of something else (searching for Shiverick, anyway, didn't turn anything up), but I wonder if I would have gotten more out of it if I knew more about the characters and the world.

Thanks to the author and publisher for providing a review copy through NetGalley.

Review: Short story: "A Labyrinth of Honeybees" by Heather Fawcett

A Labyrinth of Honeybees by Heather Fawcett
Published July 2026 via Amazon Original Stories

The gods are going to do what the gods are going to do. In this short story, a priestess-come-groundskeeper is faced with an unexpected challenger—the king's inquisitioner, who wants access to the goddess's temple. And that's <i>before</i> things get complicated.

I've said this before, but I'll say it again: Short stories are a great way to try out an author I'm not familiar with. I don't read tons of fantasy, but it's fun to drop into a world like this, one with twisting hedge mazes and buzzing bees and, oh, just a little bit of danger. Our narrator knows her role, and if her nerves aren't made of steel, well, she hides it well.

The story feels about the right length, though what I'd really like is to read a full-length book from the princess's point of view (actually...will have to check the author's backlist to see if that exists already). Lots of complex characters here, and lots of competing priorities. Short and satisfying.

Thanks to the author and publisher for providing a review copy through NetGalley.

Review: Short story: "The Cairndale Orphan" by J.M. Miro

The Cairndale Orphan by J.M. Miro
Published July 2026 via Amazon Original Stories

Something is wrong in London, and Bromley knows it. A friend is missing, a school up north has burned down, and a child has turned up looking for help. Bromley just doesn't know how complicated things might get before they improve.

This is one of a collection of stories full of mysteries and magic and, in this case at least, monsters. It's been interesting to see some of the differences and similarities across the stories; they're all by different authors and with different settings (some more overtly magical than others, some more contemporary than others); this and another one both feature animal herds at crucial moments.

I like the complexity built in here, including that one character is queer. It's a time and place that is not so kind to queerness, but it stays a mostly understated part of the story (acknowledgement of potential for danger, but the focus stays elsewhere), which is nice. If I understand correctly, though, this is a standalone story set in the established world of the author's other books, and though it can comfortably be read without having read those books (I am living proof!), I think I would have enjoyed this more with that deeper history and context. A decent quick read, but one best enjoyed as part of a larger parcel.

Thanks to the author and publisher for providing a review copy through NetGalley.

Review: Short story: "Battle of the Round House" by Tananarive Due

Battle of the Round House by Tananarive Due
Published July 2026 via Amazon Original Stories

If they can just make it to Zipporah Ranch, Lucy and her family will be safe—that's what her parents are clinging on to, anyway. As free Black people in the 1870s, nowhere is entirely safe, and unscrupulous people are on their tail.

Due says in a note at the end that this is based on a true story, and frankly, how wonderful to think that there have been these pockets of resistance and resilience, of community banding together, since...well, I suppose as long as human battle for power has been around. Lucy is a fierce heroine here: She's only ten, but if her family is threatened, she wants to be part of the solution, whether as a witness or as an active participant.

It's too bad not to have more time to spend with these characters and on Zipporah Ranch (the downsides of short stories), but this story is on the longer side, leaving room for a bit of quirk and a bit of description. Lean close. Maybe you'll hear a whisper.

Thanks to the author and publisher for providing a review copy through NetGalley.

Review: Short story: "The Lion's Tusk" by Robert Jackson Bennett

The Lion's Tusk by Robert Jackson Bennett
Published July 2026 via Amazon Original Stories

It's the biggest wedding of the year—until everything goes horrible wrong.

This is one in a collection of stories about magic and, well, occasionally mayhem. Each is very different in feel (though I'm interested to note that two of the four stories I've read so far mentione Abilene, Texas, and the other two feature relics); this one is something of story within a story. We don't learn too much about the storyteller, or why this particular story interests him (or, for that matter, too much about the listener), but it's clear that it's a story that he knows well and has opinions about. His asides are probably the best part of the story, but waiting for what happens next isn't so bad either. Let's just say that there are layers of who might want to be involved, and why.

So far this collection has been full of pleasant surprises—each story taking a different angle and attitude, and each with something to show for it.

Thanks to the author and publisher for providing a review copy through NetGalley.

Review: Short story: "Miss Gentle and the Case of the Very Flat Monk" by Travis Baldree

Miss Gentle and the Case of the Very Flat Monk by Travis Baldree
Published July 2026 via Amazon Original Stories

The monks have a problem: One of them is dead, and they don't know whodunnit. Luckily Miss Gentle is on the case...but the monks might be a little more comfortable if she weren't quite so singular. That, and if she weren't demanding as payment something that they cannot replace.

This was an odd and fun little story: a touch of the absurd, a mystery, a final reveal (or two!) to keep things lively. I haven't read anything else from Baldree, but this piqued my interest. I'm not sure I have it in me to read orc romance (see: Baldree's full-length books), but a mysterious investigator dressed in a suit of armor...I don't know; I wouldn't mind reading more.

A satisfying bit of summer fluff. Definitely recommended if you have Kindle Unlimited.

Thanks to the author and publisher for providing a review copy through NetGalley.

Review: Short story: "The Wednesday Witches Book Club" by Sarah Beth Durst

The Wednesday Witches Book Club by Sarah Beth Durst
Published July 2026 via Amazon Original Stories

The worst part of Ashley's divorce was losing her book club, but now she's found a new one...maybe. Hopefully. If they can just figure out the problem with the cats...

I don't want to say too much here, as this short story is over almost as soon as it starts (so, limits to how much plot can be discussed without spoilers), but this makes for such a cozy, bookwormish world. Is all well in this book club...? No. That's clear from early on. But this world is great: magic directly linked to books, cats perhaps a little cannier than humans might think, and hey, a library with a rolling staircase. Yes please.

The conflict here is limited and the whole vibe, again, cozy. A short form makes a lot of sense here, but frankly I wouldn't mind something longer-form either. I'm still marvelling at how different the two of Durst's books I've read (The Lake House and The Faraway Inn) were; this is definitely in the latter camp. Is it time to read Durst's Spellshop books...?

Thanks to the author and publisher for providing a review copy through NetGalley.

Review: Short story: "Heat Trap" by Ellery Lloyd

Heat Trap by Ellery Lloyd
Published July 2026 via Amazon Original Stories

It's time for the annual girls' trip, this time to France. Lizzie's done the legwork, as usual, and if she isn't sharing all the details...well, there are reasons for that. But this is the first year she's brought a romantic partner with her. Mal is a dream boyfriend...except he isn't sharing all the details either.

This is relatively long for a short story, and it's satisfying. Too often stories with this general premise (group of friends off for a weekend) go off on a predictable route of "everyone is horrible to the point that the reader is happy when they start dying", but these friends are actually friends—maybe they take each other (or at least Lizzie) a bit for granted sometimes, but they genuinely want to spend this time together. This shouldn't be a surprise in this kind of story, and yet it was...and a pleasant surprise at that.

Another nice thing: There's a villain, but honestly a fairly run-of-the-mill one rather than an Evil Villain Who Is Evil. There's villainy, but it's an appropriate amount for this length of a story; I enjoyed that the story briefly got my pulse up without tipping over into caricature.

Honestly, my only complaint? I would have liked to read a version of this as a full-length book. And that's not much of a complaint at all.

Thanks to the author and publisher for providing a review copy through NetGalley.

Review: Short story: "Twice in a Blue Moon" by Jess Lourey

Twice in a Blue Moon by Jess Lourey
Published June 2026 via Amazon Original Stories

Magic is a way of life for the Blackthorn women—but magic doesn't always make their lives easier.

This is something of an oddity of a short story (not a bad thing), drifting from one sister to another, to a woman who is part villain and part wronged, letting the story expand and contract as needed. When the story opens with Helena forgetting to put the window up at the car wash and simply accepting that she (and the interior of her car) will get drenched as a result, you know this is not going to be entirely normal; when a woman appears at their doorstep, painful tattoos appearing one after another across her skin, and nobody seems terribly alarmed—well, it keeps things interesting.

I'm intrigued here by the moral ambiguity; there are mentions of past events that will make a lot of readers unhappy, but I really do appreciate it when moral ambiguities are presented neutrally, in a matter-of-fact way, largely setting aside right and wrong and moving forward anyway because humans are, by and large, morally ambiguous creatures. I don't think I'll read the full-length book that is connected to this short story, but it was an interesting deviation.

A note: Goodreads has this listed as a new edition of "Seven Daughters", but I think it may have had significant revisions, as some of the things mentioned in the description of "Seven Daughters" (think: snakes) aren't present in this story, and there's a significant page difference—but if you've previously read "Seven Daughters", you might find it interesting to make a comparison.

Thanks to the author and publisher for providing a review copy through NetGalley.

Review: Short story: "Julia at the Drive-In" by Rainbow Rowell

Julia at the Drive-In by Rainbow Rowell
Published June 2026 via Amazon Original Stories

Julia was invisible until Chloe came along—came along and made her over and treated her like someone worth talking to, worth listening to. But Julia still feels like her old self, and when the boy she likes starts talking to her at the drive-in, she's afraid to ask: does he recognize her?

I've read and liked a few of Rowell's full-length books, and honestly, I would follow these characters into a full-length book. Julia is insecure but practical; she knows she's third-wheeling on her friend's date, and she's fine with that to a point, after which she's well prepared to go, ah, un-third-wheel herself.

Most of the story is about Julia's interaction with her crush (and whether it will go anywhere, and whether he knows she's the same girl who used to be invisible), but I was most interested in the friendship part of things. Because: Whether Chloe is in fact a supportive friend could go either way in this story, and we don't really know until the end. Does she only like Julia when Julia does what Chloe says? Does she notice when Julia's not there? How much will she prioritize her date (or perhaps we should say hookup) over her evening with her friend? And ultimately, if this were something longer (though the story feels complete as it is), it's that look at friendship that would keep me reading.

Thanks to the author and publisher for providing a review copy through NetGalley.

Review: Short story: "Safe Harbor" by Nicola Yoon and David Yoon

Safe Harbor by Nicola Yoon and David Yoon
Published June 2026 via Amazon Original Stories

Isabel isn't sure of much, but she is sure that she doesn't want to be at the Safe Harbor therapy program. Her parents' divorce is bad enough; having to discuss it with other teenagers whose families are going through divorce is adding insult to injury.

The authors do a good job of differentiating the various characters throughout the story, which is impressive given the length of the story and that almost all the characters are introduced pretty much all at once at the beginning. I'm not wildly impressed by the therapist in the story; on the one hand, she's human, which is great (I do not stan Miracle Therapists in books), but on the other hand, I found her pretty unprofessional. Nice to see the teenagers connecting anyway, and finding ways to bring their walls down a bit.

Reading short stories from this collection has been super interesting, because many of the authors are ones whose books I've seen but not (yet) read; nice to get a chance to try them out.

Thanks to the authors and publisher for providing a review copy through NetGalley.

Review: Short story: "Winter Breakage" by David Levithan

Winter Breakage by David Levithan
Published June 2026 via Amazon Original Stories

It's winter break, and Eric is meeting up with his college friends in New York. He likes them (mostly), but he still feels like an odd one out...like maybe none of them has quite seen him yet.

This makes for a sweet and very relatable short story. I wonder how many people have felt just the same way as Eric—these are sort of his friends by default, and he's not sure if he really fits in, if they actually like him or if he's just the one tagging along. And that feeling when you think you've finally found someone you actually click with!

I quite liked the sense that there could be something romantic or there could be something platonic—or, I guess that's not entirely accurate; maybe it's more the reminder that a fledgling friendship can feel as exciting and daunting as a fledgling romance. This felt just right for a short story, too; satisfying without inspiring a wish that it were longer.

Thanks to the author and publisher for providing a review copy through NetGalley.

Review: Short story: "The Price of Admission" by Dustin Thao

The Price of Admission by Dustin Thao
Published June 2026 via Amazon Original Stories

Evan's life isn't easy, but he makes do: between scholarships and part-time jobs, he's confident that he can move up in the world and fulfill his mother's dreams for him. And there's a boy—one who comes from an entirely different world, but who seems to see Evan for who he is...at least, behind closed doors.

This is one in a collection of coming-of-age stories, and one of the most interesting things about it is the ambiguity of the role of Dalton, that boy from a different world, for so much of the book. Evan is not ashamed of who he is or who his family are or the world he comes from (immigrant background, tight financial situation), but he's aware that Dalton might have reservations about their different financial backgrounds, and he responds accordingly, bending over backwards to fit better into Dalton's world. I wondered, for much of the story, how far he might be willing to go to excuse Dalton's behaviour, and at what point one of the boys would have to change their tune.

The telling is a little bit removed—the story isn't long, but it covers a significant chunk of time, so a lot of the events of the story are told through summary rather than scene. I think I might have preferred to see fewer events, but in more detail; or maybe just a longer work where the individual elements of the book could be given a bit more room to breathe. (Also interesting, in the end, who Evan chooses to criticise, and what type of work he chooses to pursue in the long run; I'd have loved to see that explored more.) Still, it explores interesting themes and allows most of the characters to have some complexity.

Thanks to the author and publisher for providing a review copy through NetGalley.

Review: Short story: "Back to You" by Ann Liang

Back to You by Ann Liang
Published June 2026 via Amazon Original Stories

Allison has done all the "right" things—competitive degree, high grades, prestigious job...and she's miserable. And maybe she wouldn't act upon that, but then there's a little incident with a late-night snack, and suddenly she finds herself with a chance to redo things...

I've read a few of Liang's novels, so it was interesting to pick up this short story for a change. For a moment I thought the book would be adult fiction, as, when the book opens, Allison is working her first job out of college...but then we got back into a more YA feel. It has a bit of a sliding-doors sense, or at least a do-over sense.

One quibble: Allison never really questions her do-over. This makes some sense in a short story (there's only so much room to figure out what might happen if two different timelines), but as someone who really loves a sliding-doors story (or, for that matter, a do-over story!), I would have liked to read something longer with this same premise. What if she had to choose? What if she didn't have to choose, but she did have to give up things she loved? What if her do-over were more temporary? Still cute, but I'd be really curious to see a longer-form version.

Thanks to the author and publisher for providing a review copy through NetGalley.

Review: Short story: "Three of Hearts" by Katie Cotugno

Three of Hearts by Katie Cotugno
Published June 2026 via Amazon Original Stories

Ellery's ready to pack it in and transfer to a college closer to home—until she meets Camp and Danny. She was one, but now they're three, and suddenly New England seems a bit more manageable. Except...maybe things aren't that easy.

This is a quick one—at something like forty pages, I read pretty much the whole thing over dinner. And between this and "Julia at the Drive-In", it's been nice to see some short stories aimed at a YA audience; I don't read a ton of short stories (I read quickly, so short stories feel over almost before they've begun), but I like the chance to dip into a new-to-me author and see what kind of story only needs a few dozen pages.

This one covers a fair amount of time, so there's also a fair amount of the story skimming over time. These are characters I wouldn't mind following throughout a full-length book; we learn more about Ellery and Camp than we do about Danny (or, for that matter, about Ellery's roommate), but they all feel pretty solid.

This is a romance, but only after a fashion. It became clear not too far in that it wasn't going to be a romance in the conventional sense, and there were a couple of ways it could go. And that turned out to be...well, no spoilers, but it was one of the outcomes I thought most likely, but not in the way I expected. A fun quick read.

Thanks to the author and publisher for providing a review copy through NetGalley.

Review: Short story: "Famous Once" by Jane Green

Famous Once by Jane Green
Published February 2026 via Amazon Original Stories

In another life, Astrid Lane was a model married to a rock star. Then things came crashing down—his affairs, mostly, but also a mysterious death with numerous open questions. Decades later, Astrid is living a much quieter life, working as a caterer and struggling to pay the bills...but when even her daughter starts asking questions, Astrid can't help but get involved.

This short story made for a very quick read, though in a way that also felt a bit rushed. We learn a bit about Astrid's earlier life (meeting her rock star husband, flashing forward to the relationship not working out as she hoped) plus of course the present day. A lot less about the mysterious death; the woman who died is little more than a name. There's a brief threat against Astrid, a briefer worry about what uncovering the past might lead to; and then basically a jump to the conclusion. Ultimately I think the brief length of this story is working against it; there's enough time to get interested in the various threads of the story but not enough time to explore any of them in depth.

I'm also, if I'm honest, uncomfortable with the way Astrid's (ex) husband, Callum, is portrayed so positively. When Astrid first has a conversation with him (in the backstory part of things), his manager has just sexually assaulted Astrid. Callum's reaction boils down to "yeah, he's an asshole but good with money, so I keep him around", and...I guess Callum's non-apology is supposed to be enough to make it okay that he willingly associates with this abusive sleazeball. (As I write this, the news is full of revalations from the Epstein files. Callum isn't responsible for somebody else's actions, no, but who one willingly associates with—and what one knows about one's associates' actions—is telling.) And yet Callum is portrayed throughout as someone who is still dynamic, whose fatal flaw is that he's not faithful; he's portrayed of someone deserving of sympathy for eventually being held ever so slightly accountable for his ongoing relationship/friendship with the manager.

So...has its moments but did not have the substance or space to be really satisfying.

(One thing I did find funny: When Astrid's daughter discusses where an article could be published, she mentions <i>The New York Times</i>, <i>The Sunday Times</i>, and <i>The Daily Mail</i>...how the NYT has fallen, to be mentioned in the same breath as a rag like <i>The Daily Fail</i>!)

<i>Thanks to the author and publisher for providing a review copy through NetGalley.</i>

Review: Short story: "The Last Father-Daughter Dance" by Lisa Wingate

The Last Father-Daughter Dance by Lisa Wingate
Published January 2026 via Amazon Original Stories

A love story, after a fashion: Kalista has taken a break from her California life to help out her father, who is in desperate need of a heart transplant...but who might or might not get that transplant. With the long-term future up in the air, they decide to make the most of the immediate future.

Always nice to see short stories (and longer works, but this is a short story, so...) focusing on non-romantic relationships. There are characters here beyond Kalista and her father, yes, and there is potential for a romance to develop, but mostly this is about family, and what is important, and to a certain extent how you carry on anyway. I'm not sure I needed Kalista-as-Olympian (it adds to the backstory, but something else could easily have been substituted without changing the trajectory of the story), and I will say that any side character who is so blatantly uninterested in a main character's desire for privacy is not going to last in that main character's life. (Said character is not written to be a bad person, but ooof. "Let's capitalize on the family trauma your family wants to keep private" is never a good look.)

At any rate, it's a quick read and a sweet one.

Thanks to the author and publisher for providing a review copy through NetGalley.

Review: "Tales of Enchantment" by Shanna Swendson

Tales of Enchantment by Shanna Swendson
Published August 2023
★★★★

Enchanted, Inc. is one of my all-time favorite chick lit series, and I do not use "all-time favorite" lightly. In Tales of Enchantment, Swendson adds a few short (and not so short) stories to the mix, fleshing out the series with moments that didn't fit into the main event.

I've read two of these before, as the stories featuring Sam were also published separately, but the others were new to me. The ones that resonated most were those about Owen and Rod, before the series starts (not sure why, but they felt the most playful), but most of all I loved the short essays and commentary from Swendson—a bit of background on each given story, some cultural context, etc. My poor little millennial brain can't really wrap itself around the idea that younger readers need reminders that there was a time when you couldn't just whip out your cell phone and call someone (or look something up), but here we are. My least favorite story was probably the last one, narrated by Katie's grandmother, I think just because the voice didn't feel as distinct...but that's a pretty minor quibble.

As ever, reading anything by Swendson is a reminder to reread the whole Enchanted, Inc. series...especially as it's been a decade since I last read the earliest books. Will this finally be the thing that pushes me to give the German versions a go? Only time will tell.

Review: Short story: "The Kill Clause" by Lisa Unger

The Kill Clause by Lisa Unger
Published December 2025 via Amazon Original Stories

It's the holidays, but Paige is at work. That's not a big deal—but there's just one problem. Her job is a contract kill, and her target's daughter is unexpectedly at home. The rules of the game dictate one thing...but Paige's conscience dictates another.

This is my second short story from Lisa Unger, both of them dark and brief. The Kill Clause has shades of Mr. & Mrs. Smith—which is to say that, fear not, it's a different story with a different plot and different characters, but when you have various assassins running around and having romances, it's hard not to make a connection.

The strength of the story is in its red herrings...and perhaps also in the sense of cat and mouse, and of cat becoming mouse. (And also: the part of me that enjoyed watching Mr. & Mrs. Smith also really enjoys the occasional light read about assassins.) The weaknesses are twofold—first, the limited motivation and character development we get from the story's baddie, and second, Paige's inability to see what's right in front of her, which seems ever so slightly crucial for someone with her role. But collectively it makes for a nice snappy story with a bit of holiday and a bit of horror. More impetus to pick up one of Unger's full-length books at last!

Thanks to the author and publisher for providing a review copy through NetGalley.

Review: Longform essay: "Sarah's Riches" by Tonya Bolden

Sarah's Riches by Tonya Bolden
Published October 2025 via Amazon Original Stories

Sarah Rector was an unlikely oil magnate—a young Black child born to a poor family in Oklahoma in 1902, there was probably no expectation that she would have options other than to get a basic education, maybe marry young, maybe someday have a slightly easier life than her parents did. But her Muscogee Creek background entitled her to land under the Treaty of 1866, and though that land at first seemed worthless, it eventually paid out in unexpected dividends and then some, in the form of a gush of oil money.

This is a book partly about Sarah Rector, of course, but just as much it's about early 1900s racism, legal and otherwise. As a minor child, Rector was appointed guardians for her money; as a Black minor child, her parents were not allowed to serve as those guardians (decisions would almost certainly have been different for a White child who came into unexpected money). Bolden is quick to note the ways in which Rector's unexpected wealth made a tremendous difference in her life her family's lives, but just as quick to note the ways in which it didn't make a difference—money didn't change one's rights in the face of Jim Crow laws, and it exposed Rector to all sorts of threats that the average person didn't (and doesn't) face. I'd never heard of Rector before reading this essay, and without knowing her fate I found myself anxious to see what would happen next, whether enough people with Rector's best interests in mind would be, and stay, involved to keep her safe from predators. (No spoilers, but it is kind of telling just how much relied on the good intentions and knowhow of a very few people.)

Sarah's Riches is a little unusual as far as these Amazon Original Stories go, but I'd love to see more in this vein—it's a little slice of history that I might never have come across otherwise.

Thanks to the author and publisher for providing a review copy through NetGalley.