This summer, if you’re looking for a quick read or a dash of poetic flare, pick up one of these beautiful collections of short stories and poetry. From some truly horrific Stephen King tales to impactful poems on race and mental health, these books are the perfect bedside reads for the season.

My First Book by Honor Levy (5/14)

Unanimously hailed a Most Anticipated Book of 2024, My First Book by Honor Levy is a collection of stories set to delight and enthrall. The author dives into what it’s like living in a web-drenched world as a coming-of-age Gen Z individual, riding the line between reflection and surrealism. These stories range from finding God in an arcade to helping a woman with too many teeth through an abortion, encountering themes of love, faith, and the fantastical.

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You Like It Darker: Stories by Stephen King (5/21)

From the literal KING of storytelling comes some of King’s never before publisher short fiction, along with some of his best work. In this collection, King delves into the darkest parts of life and ourselves, both metaphorically and literally. Come face to face with ideas of fate and mortality, life and death, with the same rich and riveting appeal that have made his novels legendary.

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Coexistence: Stories by Billy-Ray Belcourt (5/21)

Billy-Ray Belcourt’s debut story collection offers superbly rendered portraits of modern indigeneity, exploring themes of grief, love, freedom, and haunting through a diverse array of Indigenous voices and experiences, all infused with philosophical depth and poetic flair. The author of A Minor Chorus harnesses their acclaimed voice to deliver new perspective on boundaries both physical and mental.

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I’m a Fool to Want You: Stories by Camila Villada (5/28)

Solidifying herself as one of the most original and powerful voices in today’s literature, Camila Sosa Villada has created nine stories that speak to the human experience by blending life and magic, creating realities that are strange and extravagant yet profoundly human. In these stories, Nuns, grandmothers, children, and dogs are never what they seem.

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We Alive, Beloved: Poems by Frederick Joseph  (6/11)

Some of the best poetry out there seeks to find the joy in difficult moments, which is precisely what NYT bestselling author Frederick Joseph’s new collection achieves. Whether reflecting on experiences of being a child, of being Black, or navigating a mental health path, Joseph guides his readers to see the beauty in simply being alive, even when the world feels dim.

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Her, Him & I: Poems by Christian Weissmann (6/11)

The complexities of love are examined in this collection of poetry by Christian Weissmann, a bisexual man who is on a journey of self-discovery. The book is written as refined journal entries, bringing us along as Weissmann experiences what it’s like to love different genders, different people, all while finding ways to love themselves.

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You Are the Snake: Stories by Juliet Escoria (6/18)

You Are the Snake delves into the lives of characters navigating the boundaries of societal norms, from a community college student to a young woman exploring gardening, all while subverting traditional narrative expectations. Juliet Escoria’s collection of short stories offers vivid and honest portrayals of girlhood and womanhood, challenging conventional expectations and showcasing her electric prose in a new format.

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Craft: Stories I Wrote for the Devil by Ananda Lima (6/18)

Are you a fan of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue? This story collection might be right up your dark, haunted alley. In Ananda Lima’s set of fiction you’ll find a fresh yet wise new voice that tells the story of a writer who sleeps with the devil, then writes him stories for years and years to come. Through stories such as “Rapture” and “Rent”, Lima transports readers to surreal realms in the United States and Brazil, exploring modern immigrant experiences and the fluid nature of storytelling and belonging.

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The White Guy Dies First: 13 Scary Stories of Fear and Power by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé et al (7/16)

A terrorific lineup of writers contribute to this collection of scary stories that merges legendary horrors with today’s villains, but this time –  the white guy dies first. From killer clowns to friendly cannibals, the dead don’t always stay dead in these 13 tales from 13 authors of color. Edited by Terry J. Benton-Walker, this anthology features stories from bestselling, award-winning, and fresh new voices including Adiba Jaigirdar, Alexis Henderson, Chloe Gong, Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, H. E. Edgmon, Kalynn Bayron, Karen Strong, Kendare Blake, Lamar Giles, Mark Oshiro, Naseem Jamnia, and Tiffany D. Jackson.

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