Title: When Love Fails

Author: Fizza Younis

Genre: Short Stories, Contemporary, Fiction

Release Date: 15th February 2021

Buy Links: Amazon US * Amazon UK * Amazon CA *Amazon AU * Amazon IN

Universal Link: https://books2read.com/u/4Dg1xr

About the Book

It’s a collection of short stories about love, heartbreak, second chances, and letting go of the feelings that weigh you down.

Some stories don't start well, but end with a happily ever after. Yet, sometimes happy beginnings are all we can get. When love fails, it leaves behind lost souls unable to find their way back to life. What happens then? And what if it wins?

The only certainty in life is that it's uncertain. No one knows what will happen next. How best you deal with the complications that ensue from your actions is what will define you and seal your fate.

About the Author

Fizza lives with her family and books. She has a Ph.D. in economics, but fiction is her first love. She is an avid reader who loves to write stories about interesting people and their misadventures. Books are the most important part of her life, and she cannot imagine living without them. She also enjoys painting and spending time with friends. She takes stories seriously because they are always telling us more than we’re ready to hear; reminding us we are not alone. She might just be an average person in the actual world, but in the world of the books, she is spectacular.

Amazon author page: https://amazon.com/Fizza-Younis/e/B00NC9JIR2

Find her at; Facebook * Twitter * Instagram * Goodreads

Title: When Love Fails

Author: Fizza Younis

Genre: Short Stories, Contemporary, Fiction

Release Date: 15th February 2021

Buy Link: https://books2read.com/u/4Dg1xr

About the Book

It’s a collection of short stories about love, heartbreak, second chances, and letting go of the feelings that weigh you down.

Some stories don't start well, but end with a happily ever after. Yet, sometimes happy beginnings are all we can get. When love fails, it leaves behind lost souls unable to find their way back to life. What happens then? And what if it wins? The only certainty in life is that it's uncertain. No one knows what will happen next. How best you deal with the complications that ensue from your actions is what will define you and seal your fate.

About the Author

Fizza lives with her family and books. She is an avid reader who loves to write stories about interesting people and their misadventures. Books are the most important part of her life, and she cannot imagine living without them. She also enjoys painting and spending time with friends. She takes stories seriously because they are always telling us more than we’re ready to hear. She is just an average person in the actual world, but in the world of the books, she is spectacular.

Find her at; Facebook * Twitter * Instagram * Goodreads

On the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month . . .

November 11, 1918. After four long, dark years of fighting, the Great War ends at last, and the world is forever changed. For soldiers, loved ones, and survivors, the years ahead stretch with new promise, even as their hearts are marked by all those who have been lost.

As families come back together, lovers reunite, and strangers take solace in each other, everyone has a story to tell.

In this moving, unforgettable collection, nine top historical fiction authors share stories of love, strength, and renewal as hope takes root in a fall of poppies.

Goodreads.com

A collection of World War 1 era stories featuring writers such as Lauren Willig, Jessica Brockmore (Letters from Skye), Beatriz Williams and Kate Kerrigan (Ellis Island)

The standout stories, for me:

* "An American Airman in Paris" -- Beatriz Williams' story of the secret of Octavian's photograph of Sophie Faninal, whom he liked to think of as his "girl back home"

* "Hush" by Hazel Gaynor: Midwife Annie Rawlins watched two of her sons march off to war. One has already been killed, Annie waits for news of the other. Meanwhile, the story focuses on Annie's struggle to save the life of a baby she's just delivered.

"Is he dead, Mrs. Rawlins?"

Annie wipes the sweat from her forehead. "No, Beth. He isn't. He just hasn't figured out how to live yet."

The newborn is the son of Tom Miller, the village station master, who now has conflicting emotions around his stance as a conscientious objector. He worries that his new son's fight to breathe is somehow karma for Tom not going off to fight.

Most of the other stories just fell sort of middle of the road for me, but I really liked these two. 

Per usual, some stories were delightful, some were good, and some were just okay.

Midnights by Rainbow Rowell (5 stars)-Wow. This one was a great set-up for the anthology. We get to read about two teens New Year's Eve through the years. You get to see their friendship turn to something more. 

The Lady and the Fox by Kelly Link (2 stars)-This felt endless. I liked the idea of a curse keeping a man from being part of our world unless it snowed on Christmas every year. But did anyone else get squicked out that the main love interest met this dude when she was a kid and he sees her grow up? I just could not. 

Angels in the Snow by Matt De Le Pena (2 stars)-I just didn't like the writing style in this one. Sorry. It felt broken up and I like I was missing something.This story actually caused me to put this down for a while since it just totally took me out of the wanting to finish anything.

Polaris is Where You'll Find Me by Jenny Han (5 stars)-Teen elves getting ready for the Snow Ball at the North Pole and a human called Natalie who has an interesting relation. I maybe laughed with delight with this story. It was so cute. And I could picture it in my head. I also thought it was super cute that elves don't really like to receive gifts, they by nature like to give things to other people. 

It's a Yuletide Miracle, Charlie Brown by Stephanie Perkins (3 stars)-We follow a character named Marigold Moon Ling (that's a mouthful) who is staking out a Christmas tree lot over a boy. Look, unless this guy looked like Chris Hemsworth I don't see it myself, but to each their own. This story dragged for me after reading the one prior to this.

Your Temporary Santa by David Levithan (3 stars)-Ehh, okay, didn't really thrill me. A Jewish guy pretends to be Santa to help out his boyfriend. It just....it made zero sense to me. I maybe felt uncomfortable for this fictional character. It just....no. I did laugh at him explaining how his parents told him that yes Santa did exist, but he had too much to do and couldn't stop at their house. This just didn't really seem realistic with this character dressing up as Santa for her boyfriend's younger siblings. Levithan can spin a tale though so I did laugh a few times while reading this. 

Krampuslauf by Holly Black (2 stars)-People dressing up like Krampus. The author also gives us some info dumps on Kraumpus. I get it, you have to explain it since this is a short story and many people may not know who this is. That just took up a lot of time setting the story though. This book also deals with ugliness among teens too. There is slut shaming (not by the main character) and she is dealing with things trying to help a friend. Just not very joyous in my mind. 

What the Hell Have You Done, Sophie Roth? by Gayle Forman (2 stars)-Story dealing with a main character, Sophie Roth, and her freshmen year of college. This one is actually fairly short and I just didn't care about Sophie and her love interest. 

Beer Buckets and Baby Jesus by Myra McEntire-(1 star) I can't even recall this one. And I refuse to look it up.

Welcome to Christmas, CA, by Kiersten White- (2 stars)-I just recall thinking it was hilarious there are many towns in the U.S. called Christmas. Other than that, didn't feel engaged with this one either.

Star of Bethlehem by Ally Carter (1 star) A girl switches tickets with someone called Hulda because she doesn't want to go and meet her boyfriend (Hulda doesn't) and then she pops up and meets Ethan (Hulda's boyfriend) and he kisses her and my brain went wait did they switch bodies? He should know it's not her? And then I stopped caring. Believe me the why behind this mess is so dumb. 

The Little Girl Who Woke the Dreamer by Laini Taylor (3 stars)-Apparently it's custom for young men to leave gifts for their sweethearts for the 24 days of Advent on the Isle of Feathers. Shrug, yeah, I don't know why either. This story follows a character named Neve who doesn't have a sweetheart so she doesn't expect gifts. Just an okay story. Not a strong finish to the anthology I thought.