I had a quiet weekend, so I fell into this book headfirst and barely looked up until it was finished. Rachel Harrison’s Such Sharp Teeth is a blast. It’s got great characters, witty dialogue, low-key drama, high-stakes drama, werewolves… obviously. I mean this in a good way—it’s like Vampire Diaries but with werewolves and for adults who’ve paid off at least one car.

But this book also has its serious side, and that what makes it hard to put down. Aurora “Rory” Morris (how’s that for a cool nickname from a cool name?) is back in her hometown (from NYC) to help out her twin, Scarlet, who is very pregnant and not very sure how she feels about it. Rory is barely settling in when, yep, she gets attacked by a werewolf, and yep, becomes one. That’s not a spoiler. But I will tell you, the way Rory comes around to the realization of what has happened to her is good stuff. Even better is how everything comes together in a perfect whirlwind — Rory glimpsing for the first time how different her life could be with a little domesticity — and how different it could be as a truly wild thing. Can’t say more, read it yourself.

The drink is one of the many microbrews on tap at the Underground Public House. It’s from B. Nektar Meadery in Michigan—it’s their Orange Cream Delight, a mead with orange and vanilla. Delish.

Coolest American Stories 2023, edited by Mark Wish and Elizabeth Coffey is an eclectic, exciting collection of stories. It’s their second of what’s becoming an annual anthology—they are accepting stories for the 2024 version as I’m writing this. Read their About section to understand fully what they’ve got going on with this book, but basically, they want stories that make you say, “Wow, that was a cool story,” when you finish it. They are literary stories, but accessible literary stories.

So, meet a celebrity stalker who knows how to take advantage of a situation, a woman trying to fulfill her mother’s puzzling last wish, a high school girl trying to stay true to herself in the face of deception and jealousy, and (the story that probably hit me most personally), a woman thrust into the role of grandmother, and then confronted with a devastating choice. It’s a fantastic collection.

The drink is a nice dry Chardonel at Feather Hills Vineyard & Winery. Check out the cypress tree in the background.

What are you reading, and where are you reading it?
#nerdinabarwithabook