Not everyone's a fan of reading and that's okay, I get it, big books with hundreds of pages and not enough time to consume it all. I used to be an avid reader from the age of seven and every two weeks I'd rush to the closest library and take out like ten to 15 books at a time — and that's an actual estimate, not even joking here. However, that all ended once I got closer to my senior year of high school and was nearing graduation, I started reading less, because I had less time. I still had an intense thirst for literature though, so one thing that came in handy then were short stories. They're all collected and placed in a book roughly around the same size and length of a regular novel, the only difference is each story takes about 15 to twenty minutes max to finish. So, it was like I was actually reading ten books in one — kinda like a cheat day, even. Plus, each one would have a different take or perspective on one topic, thus making the stories that much more interesting.
So, here are some of my favorite short story collections and the best mood to read them in.
1. "The V-Word - True Stories About First-Time Sex" by Amber J. Keyser
Mood: You want to get your freak on...or, you're a bit hesitant and want to know what others before you have experienced. Maybe you're too shy to ask your friends or too embarrassed to go to your parents or counselors.
Do you remember your first time? No one knows what their first time having sex is going to be like. Everyone has so many questions — Will it be as fun as they say it is? Will it be perfect? Will it be with the right person? Will I enjoy it? What if I hate it? If you've ever felt that way, or you want to know what others' first times have been like, Amber J. Keyser puts together a collection of 17 first time stories written by all females, both straight and queer, some enjoyed, some not, some unforgettable, some totally awkward, all in all, they're completely relatable.
Similar to this title is "Losing It," which is another collection of short stories about author's and their first times, except this one includes a male's perspective as well. If virginity tales aren't your thing, there's also a collection of first kiss stories called "First Kiss (Then Tell): A Collection of True Lip-Locked Moments."
2. "21 Proms" by David Levithan
Mood: Yay, prom night's almost here! Similar to losing your virginity, prom only comes around once in your lifetime, well unless you go as a date to others, but your night will come once, so you best be prepared. And similarly, you must have a ton of questions, most of them being similar to the questions asked above.
Ah, prom night. It's gonna be a night, oh you know it, to remember for all time. And yes, that was a High School Musical reference. Though the collection of stories in "21 Proms" aren't real stories, they're definitely ones to remember. David Levithan has gathered 21 of the funniest, most imaginative writers today to create their own kind of prom stories. Packed with the usual drama of high school events and mixed in with some hilarious situations, you'll have the night of your life while reading through these short stories.
Similar to this is Meg Cabot's collection of "Prom Nights From Hell" where the prom meets paranormal and results in five magically hell nights.
3. "Dear Teen Me: Authors Write Letters to Their Teen Selves" by E. Kristin Anderson
Mood: When you're feeling hopeless and lost and wishing you could grow up already.
Do you have any advice you wish you could share with the younger version of you? Well, so do these 70 authors. The letters cover a wide range of topic including physical abuse, body issues, bullying, friendship, love, and teenage insecurities, to name a few. From diary entries and handwritten letters to poems and comics, there's no way you won't enjoy this.
Similar to this is "Dear Bully," which is a collection of stories a group of authors have written for the bullies that have tormented them while growing up or the bullies they've watched tormenting others. Full of fear, anger, regret, sadness and forgiveness, I can guarantee at least one of these stories will hit you right in the feels.
4. "The New Kids: Big Dreams and Brave Journeys at a High School for Immigrant Teens" by Brooke Hauser
Mood: When you notice that shy looking kid sitting all by themselves, looking a little foreign, feeling a lot lost and you're unsure of whether or not to go over to them, give them a helping hand or a warm welcome.
The stories included in this collection are just amazing and simply out of this world. Children being forced to make tough decisions, being separated from their parents and loved ones, traveling hundreds of miles (one kid was even locked in a suitcase for twenty-four hours just so he could make it to the other side!) to get a second chance at living their lives. Written solely by Brooke Hauser, this book tells the story of five extraordinary International High School students pursuing the American Dream over a one year period. I bet you after reading their stories, you'll be rooting for them and for the countless other immigrants and refugees that have joined the nation over time.
Similar to this is "First Crossing: Stories About Teen Immigrants," which is a collection of stories by 11 well-known authors that tell the stories of teen immigrants that have crossed the border and are just trying to make it day by day, in a new country, following new rules, and having to make do and never knowing what their future might hold.
5. "Does This Book Make Me Look Fat?" by Marissa Walsh
Mood: When you feel like you're not enough or could be better, prettier, liked more if you were just thinner or shaped a certain way.
I don't think there's anyone who is completely satisfied with the way they look, and if it seems like there is — you know, those popular girls with the "perfect" hourglass, size zero figure that gets all the hot guys and can eat anything they want and not feel guilty about it — chances are they feel the same way and are just better at hiding it than you think. In a world of media outlets and technological advancements, we are constantly surrounded and told that we should look a certain way — not too big, but not too thin either, just the right amount of curves and cleavage, show just enough to be noticed but make sure to leave some things to the imagination. It's ridiculous because there really is no in between or common line. In this collection, you will find eight powerful short stories and six moving personal essays from authors who have gone through similar feelings and have decided to take a stand against it.
A sort of similar book is "Such a Pretty Face: Short Stories About Beauty,"which tells the stories of characters defined by their extraordinary beauty but deal with insecurities just like the rest of us.
6. "Things I'll Never Say: Stories About Our Secret Selves" by Ann Angel
Mood: When you have a soul-eating, heavy-hearted, head-spinning secret that you can't tell anyone because you think it's is going to change what everyone thinks of you.
Did anyone else think about Avril Lavigne's song "Things I'll Never Say" when they saw that title or was it just me? That was actually the first Avril Lavigne song I heard and it got me automatically hooked to her. Well anyway, everyone's a got secret they're afraid to reveal to the world and in this collection, you can read a few of the common ones — hookups, hidden identities, family drama, etc. Ann Angel gathers a few of her fellow authors and together they create a collection of characters all hiding something from someone or themselves, creating stories that almost secret-keeper will be able to connect with.
7. "Every Man for Himself: Ten Short Stories About Being a Guy"
Mood: (If you're a girl) When you just can't understand why your brother, father, friend, crush, boyfriend, neighbor, or any guy on the planet is being so weird and difficult. (If you're a guy) When you feel like no one in this world understands you.
Everyone knows girls have it difficult from almost all aspects of their lives and growth — I won't go into detail about it because it would take too long — and sometimes we forget that guys have problems, too. They might not talk about it or voice their opinions much, unless they're being snarky, but they, too, have body issues, relationship problems, family shit and an uncertainty towards their future sometimes. In this collection, a group of male writers share stories of what growing up as guys have been like.
8. "Harmonious Hearts 2016 - Stories from the Young Author Challenge" by Anne Regan
Mood: When you feel like supporting the LGBTQ+ community.
Every year, Harmony Ink Press celebrates LGBTQ+ fiction by sharing short stories from up-and-coming young authors from the ages of 14 to 21. These stories feature all kinds of genres and have characters in all colors of the rainbow.
Similar to this is "How Beautiful the Ordinary: Twelve Stories of Identity,"a collection of a dozen authors getting together to describe the identities we all have within us, some we try to hide, some we are ashamed to express, some banned and put down by others, but in the end, all that make us who we are and beautiful that is.
9. "Three Sides of a Heart: Stories about Love Triangles" by Natalie C. Parker
Mood: You're in a love-triangle yourself and you're suffering, so why not read about others going through the same thing?
I've been in two love triangles thus far and they suck, but for some reason, I love reading about them, be it, "Twilight" or "The Hunger Games," I am down for it. Here are 15 stories with three characters each, resulting in forty-five characters to love or hate, pity or dread.
10. "Violent Ends" by Shaun David Hutchinson
Mood: When you feel like you don't make a difference, like your life doesn't matter to anyone and that no one would miss you if you were gone.
This last book is a unique one. I initially wasn't going to add it to the list, because it didn't quite fit, but this is a book that needs to be read. This book is about more than another school shooting and a public suicide, this book is about all the lives that were affected by the shooting and the death of the gunman, Kirby Matheson. His friends, his ex-girlfriend, the girl who harbored a secret crush on him, his parents, classmates, teachers, and the community were all affected by Kirby's decision and each of their stories is given a chance to be told here in their point of view by different authors — there's even a chapter written in the point of view of the gun that Kirby used to kill all those people and himself; the gun speaks for itself as it is passed down from its maker then sent around the world person to person, until it finally joins Kirby in his mission.
This book will give you chills and hopefully convince you that things will get better and that you're decisions always matter — YOU always matter, dead and alive.
So, still seem like too much reading for you? Well, don't fret. Just pick a topic, pick a mood, and pick an author. You don't have to read every single story — that's the best part of short stories, none of the chapters intersect together (well maybe except for the last one in this list), so you don't need to read the story before or after to understand the main plot or topic being discussed. I can guarantee that at least one of your favorite authors has participated in a short story collection and they've got a story (their first time, their first kiss, their first prom, their experiences in high school and while growing up, etc.) that you're dying to read and connect with. So, pick a story, any story and enjoy.
If you're interested in more collections, here are two Goodreads list with many more picks:
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