Published By: Bloomsbury
Pages: 240
Released On: 14/06/2022
Behind anonymous screens, an army of cool and beautiful girls manage the dating service Ghost Lover, a forwarding system for text messages that promises to spare you the anguish of trying to stay composed while communicating with your crush.
At a star-studded political fundraiser in a Los Angeles mansion, a trio of women compete to win the heart of the slick guest of honour.
In a tense hospital waiting room, an inseparable pair of hard-partying friends crash into life’s responsibilities, but the magic of their glory days comes alive again at the moment they least expect it.
In these nine riveting stories, Lisa Taddeo brings to life the fever of obsession, the blindness of love and the mania of grief.
*****
Thanks to NetGalley and Bloomsbury for the advanced copy of this title in return for an honest review.
I own Lisa’s two previous books – Three Women and Animal – and yet, no matter how many rave reviews I see, I’ve not actually read either of them, but I know she’s a popular writer.
I have made no secret of my general dislike of short styles, but 2022 might be the year that finally sways me, with a collection read by Maggie Shipstead and now Lisa Taddeo.
They are beautifully written. Obviously there are some I liked more than others, as is probably quite normal, but overall they’re probably the best collection of short stories I’ve come to read. They’re raw and ugly and shows humanity at its worst – and occasionally, their best.
My main issue with short stories is they’re never long enough to get your teeth into and they seem a bit wishy washy. But Lisa has found a nice balance between giving enough plot but it doesn’t drone on. She’s stripped it to the bare bones of what is necessary for the characters and storyline.
They are very adult, definitely NSFW. There is definitely an obvious theme running through them all, and for me, that’s the theme of female age, and feeling worthy or too old for a man’s love, which is fascinating for a younger person to read.
There was one story I couldn’t finish, it just didn’t hold my attention, but surprisingly – given my general dislike of the medium – I enjoyed the others. My favourite was definitely the first story, the eponymous Ghost Lover, it had a bit of everything and flowed really well.
If I’m honest, I’m not going to go out and buy up all the short stories, they’re still not my favourite type of story, but I’m not completely afraid of them now, which is a triumph in my eyes.
Books By Your Bedside 