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Sour Heart
Sour Heart: Stories | Jenny Zhang
A debut collection of stories that plunge readers into the tender and chaotic hearts of adolescent girls growing up in New York City, from celebrated poet and National Magazine Award nominee Jenny Zhang
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traa
Sour Heart: Stories | Jenny Zhang
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kera_11
Sour Heart: Stories | Jenny Zhang
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A collection of short stories told through the perspective of adolescent Chinese American girls growing up in NYC. Some were more engaging than others but I enjoyed these.

3 likes1 stack add
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Hooked_on_books
Sour Heart: Stories | Jenny Zhang
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Bailedbailed

I read the first story in this collection quite some time ago and enjoyed it, but it spurred me to pick up another book. It went into hibernation for a LONG time (hm, a clue!) and I just started to read it again but am finding it needlessly provocative, not in a thought-provoking way but in a slap you in the face way. I should have bailed on this one long ago.

#doublespin #bookspinbingo

Megabooks I can see this. I read it, but I can definitely see why you‘d bail for this reason. 4y
TheAromaofBooks Sometimes a book just isn't the right fit!! 4y
40 likes2 comments
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Bevita
Sour Heart: Stories | Jenny Zhang
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Bailedbailed

Short stories about the daughters of Chinese immigrants. Couldn‘t get through the first one and never went back. May try it another time

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Tonton
Sour Heart: Stories | Jenny Zhang
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Pickpick

The Chinese immigrant struggle and experience from the point of view of adolescent daughters caught between two cultures、 languages、the American dream、school、and family. My experience is not the same、 but yes、 I know about the monster guilt trips, and wanting to escape and be selfish. Reading this makes me sad and regretful I didn‘t talk with my mother more. Uncomfortable a bit, stories made me think and feel, and that is what good writing does.

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erzascarletbookgasm
Sour Heart: Stories | Jenny Zhang
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‘Once our most vital physiological needs have been satisfied, a sense of belonging quickly becomes the most critical necessity for human fulfilment.‘ Maslow.

Jenny Zhang‘s debut collection of short stories explore one of the most fundamental human needs – a sense of belonging.

Book on my tbr. #marchintothe70s #hungryheart

Cinfhen I‘ve seen this book floating around before... looks good. I‘m just not super into short stories 6y
92 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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tholmz
Sour Heart: Stories | Jenny Zhang
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Pickpick

It took me longer than it should have to get through this which is maybe not a great sign but I did really enjoy this. Jenny‘s writing style is up my alley.

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cariashley
Sour Heart: Stories | Jenny Zhang
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Pickpick

Finished my second read of #24in48! I really liked these stories, which featured immigrant narratives (some subtlety disturbing) of various young girls in the outer boroughs of NYC. Zhang is about my age and I grew up in Queens, so it was an interesting experience to be familiar with some references/places but wholly unfamiliar with others. I got to meet her and get my book signed at a literary dinner with Reads over the winter, she‘s fantastic.

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cariashley
Sour Heart: Stories | Jenny Zhang
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I signed up for #24in48 a while back but have been so crazy I never planned for it. Nevertheless I woke up this morning and figured I‘d give it a shot. I have a ton of other stuff to do so expectations are low!

Of course, the second I put my book down #SullivanCat plops down on it 🙄 #percycat in back!

DGRachel 😂😂 #KAL Such a cute kitty! 6y
Lcsmcat 😻😻😻 6y
cariashley @DGRachel how did I not know about #KAL?! Best hashtag ever 😹 6y
RadicalReader @cariashley Sullivan is absolutely sensationally adorable without a doubt deserving of the hashtag #CatsofLitsy 6y
cariashley @RadicalReader thanks he‘s definitely a handful! Can‘t believe I forgot to put the #catsoflitsy hashtag! 6y
68 likes5 comments
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ElishaLovesBooks
Sour Heart: Stories | Jenny Zhang
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My last day of school celebration 🎉🌟💫 #VodkaTonic and a #BookHaul 🍸📚 A perfect way to end the school year and welcome summer!! ☀️🌱🌿

#ItsAboutTime

LiteraryinPA Congrats on making it to the summer!! 7y
ElishaLovesBooks @LiteraryinLititz Thank you! There were some times I wasn‘t sure I was going to make it! 😂 7y
Nerdgirl_Ms_Sorrells Nice job pulling through!!! Enjoy the summer! 7y
See All 8 Comments
ElishaLovesBooks @Nerdgirl_Ms_Sorrells Thank you!! I can‘t wait to read and relax! 😊 7y
emilyhaldi I love love love this book! Enjoy!! 🥂 7y
ElishaLovesBooks @emilyhaldi Yay!! These books were such good deals I couldn‘t resist! 7y
BarbaraBB I loved both Hausfrau and The Luminaries. Good times ahead for you 💕 7y
ElishaLovesBooks @BarbaraBB Yay! I‘m excited! 7y
78 likes8 comments
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mhippo
Sour Heart: Stories | Jenny Zhang
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Pickpick

The little truth bombs about family and marginalization scattered all over this book really captivated me-- on a narcissistic grandmother Zhang writes, "she had to adopt a confidence that was embarrassing to witness." There is an element of repetition in this collection of stories, but that just makes it seem all the more real and alive with the tensions and frustrations of her characters. Loved this one.

2 likes1 stack add
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hanseatic
Sour Heart: Stories | Jenny Zhang
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Pickpick

Finished Sour Heart on the plane back from Barcelona. Even though I found some of the stories a bit tedious, I liked the overall concept and feel of Zhangs short stories.
I'd rate the whole book with 4 out of 5.

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hanseatic
Sour Heart: Stories | Jenny Zhang
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Probably my favorite story so far.

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hanseatic
Sour Heart: Stories | Jenny Zhang
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Already intrigued by the first story.

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ClairesReads
Sour Heart: Stories | Jenny Zhang
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Hitting up my first event at #AWF18 the best weekend in my calendar

Redheadrambles Oh enjoy!! 7y
ClairesReads @Redheadrambles thank you! She was SO interesting 7y
ephemeralwaltz Enjoy! 😍😍🙏 7y
See All 8 Comments
Neale Very jealous!😊 7y
ClairesReads @Neale she was so interesting! 7y
Redheadrambles @ClairesReads hope your having a great time there - what else is on the schedule? 7y
ClairesReads @Redheadrambles day off today- but saw Jane Harper and Karl Ove Knausgard Yesterday 7y
27 likes8 comments
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AlizaApp
Sour Heart: Stories | Jenny Zhang
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Pickpick

Short stories that are all variations on a theme: a young Chinese immigrant girl in America, caught between two worlds in Shanghai and New York. The families are close, the narrators all uncanny observers of their surroundings. They all understand more than their parents might have wished.

34 likes2 stack adds
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Bertha_Mason
Sour Heart: Stories | Jenny Zhang
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-"My Days and Nights of Terror"

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Bertha_Mason
Sour Heart: Stories | Jenny Zhang

"When I got home, I started a fight with Eddie, telling him that I needed to draw a picture of his butt on his bedroom wall for my science class because we had to come up with a hypothesis that could be tested out, and I wanted to test out my hypothesis that if I drew a picture of my brother‘s butt on his wall then his real butt would disappear."

-"The Empty the Empty the Empty"

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chexala
Sour Heart: Stories | Jenny Zhang
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Mehso-so

I took a long time listening to this one. I stopped after each story to let them sit apart from each other, but by the end, they all blurred together into one story anyway. I can't figure out if that was on purpose or not. No obvious faults in the writing leap out at me, but I feel like I should have liked this more than I did.

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cariashley
Sour Heart: Stories | Jenny Zhang
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Had a fantastic time last night at a literary dinner in Brooklyn with Jenny Zhang, hosted by Reads (a book subscription company) and Stet magazine. The Chinese vegetarian feast was delicious too! Here is the lovely Zhang reading from her short story collection, Sour Heart. Can‘t wait to read it!

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Megabooks
Sour Heart: Stories | Jenny Zhang
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Pickpick

This book presents a different Chinese immigration story than the one I‘ve read more often. It follows the daughters of families that live in multi-family hovels and finally reach middle class houses. The book focuses on intra-family dynamics and occasionally wanted and unwanted friendships.

Overall, I enjoyed the book, but the rambling stories lacked punch. 3.5⭐️ TW in spoiler tag

Don‘t forget to enter the #12kgiveaway See my page for details!

Megabooks In the second story, a child gets gang raped by other children. I skipped the end because of that. Very disturbing. 7y
Pee These sweets look yummy, and the colour is incredible🍭🍬 7y
Megabooks @Deidre-Dee-OfficialBookworm I love them! Wish I could take credit for the photo, but it‘s a screen grab from Pinterest. 7y
120 likes1 stack add4 comments
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Megabooks
Sour Heart: Stories | Jenny Zhang
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It‘s a #CheerwineAndABook kind of Friday night! Got a few I‘m working on using #Overdrive on my iPad. #LitsyLovesLibraries 😃😃

FYI Cheerwine is a delicious cherry soda available in the South 🍒🥤😋 Hopefully it will keep me awake 😂😂👍🏻

Lreads Isn't that tablet cover beautiful? I just got one in that pattern for my tablet. 😊 7y
HollyB3 That iPad cover is gorgeous! Where can I get one? 7y
Bookcation74 Am I the only one who thinks of Bring it On when I hear about Cheerwine? 7y
See All 15 Comments
Tamra I bought the same cover for my Kindle, so cheery! 7y
TheResistance Beautiful tablet cover! 7y
Megabooks @QuietlyLaura @Tamra I love it! Very fun. 7y
Megabooks @Bookcation74 Loved that book! 7y
Megabooks @TheResistance Thank you 😊 7y
kezzlou85 I have that cover for my kindle it's so gorgeous 💖 7y
Megabooks @kezzlou85 👍🏻👍🏻😊 7y
Bostonmomx2 Ive seen that Cheerwine before but haven‘t bought it. I think I should!! 7y
kspenmoll Love your cover. Cheerwine introduced to us by a neighbor who grew up in Alabama. She gives us a six pack every Christmas. A treat! 7y
Megabooks @Bostonmomx2 You definitely must! 7y
Megabooks @kspenmoll Thanks! That sounds like a great tradition. 7y
146 likes15 comments
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Megabooks
Sour Heart: Stories | Jenny Zhang
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I‘ve been on the fence about this one for awhile. I‘ve passed up buying it several times, but with the PEN/Faulkner win, I had to check it out from the library. Anyone else reading it? #shortstories #yearofshortstories

cariashley I just bought tickets for a dinner/literary event with her in a couple weeks and will be getting the book then! 7y
Reviewsbylola Lol now I‘m curious what the loan limit is! 7y
Megabooks @cariashley That sounds wonderful!! 7y
Megabooks @Reviewsbylola 7 so maybe doable?? 7y
91 likes2 stack adds4 comments
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cariashley
Sour Heart: Stories | Jenny Zhang
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My two favorite things, books and food, combined?!?? 🤗🤗 This is so awesome. I will probably try to drag my husband with me but if any other #nyclittens are interested, we should link up! It‘s $100 a ticket which is steep, but includes a 3 course dinner, cocktails AND the book!

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/march-literary-dinner-with-special-guest-jenny-zhan...

IamIamIam ooooOOOOOooooo!!!!! 7y
cariashley Also tagging @NCNY!! 7y
Notafraidofwords Ooohhhhh!!! I‘m gonna look into it. 7y
See All 11 Comments
Cinfhen Thanks for the tag! Sounds awesome but I‘ll be in Miami for a wedding that night!!!! I get to NY on Thursday evening March 8 7y
mrozzz Whoa! Thanks for thinking of me! 7y
cariashley @Cinfhen ah ok I knew you‘d be here the following weekend but wasn‘t sure when you‘d arrive! 7y
PirateJenny sadly that's too pricey for me right now. But it sounds fantastic so anyone who goes, let us know how it is! 7y
LeahBergen That sounds amazing! 7y
JanuarieTimewalker13 Wow!!! This does sound amazing!! Thank you for tagging me!! I‘m lazy until about May, but maybe one of these days I would do it !! 7y
NCNY Very cool idea! Can't make this one. Hope you enjoy! 7y
Lmstraubie Sounds fantastic! Thank you for the tag ☺️ I'm going to have to miss this one, but please keep sharing!! 7y
43 likes1 stack add11 comments
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CaseyTheCanadianLesbrarian
Sour Heart: Stories | Jenny Zhang
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Pickpick

Definitely not a book for everyone, but I quite enjoyed this collection of interconnected short stories about second generation Chinese American girls and young women. It's quite dark; Zhang doesn't blink an eye and looks at the dirty, brutal reality of living in the US in poverty, the cultural revolution era in China, and the cruelty of children. It felt like Zhang was deliberately pulling away from the stereotypes of demure, polite Asian women.

40 likes3 stack adds
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CiViiLy
Sour Heart: Stories | Jenny Zhang
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Mehso-so

I definitely loved some of the short stories in this collection. I really connected to some, and saw my own history and experiences represented in them. Zhang brings to light in this collection the hardship and the trials and tribulations that comes with being immigrant and being the children of immigrants living in the US. It's definitely a difficult book to read in some instances but it's very real & raw.

12 likes1 stack add
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Mrsjarv
Sour Heart: Stories | Jenny Zhang
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Time for a different genre. Mind is empty going in to this and no expectations. Let‘s see!

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Nitpickyabouttrains
Sour Heart: Stories | Jenny Zhang
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Pickpick

These interconnected stories about Chinese immigrant children were great. There was a trail from one story to the next, but still new characters and situations and ideas.

21 likes1 stack add
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LonesomeReader
Sour Heart: Stories | Jenny Zhang
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These short stories are disarmingly frank & brutal but cut right through to the meaning of family and home.

12 likes2 stack adds
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RedbagReadbooks
Sour Heart: Stories | Jenny Zhang
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Mehso-so

3/5⭐️.
Mah. They were good.
That is all......

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Spiderfelt
Sour Heart: Stories | Jenny Zhang
This post contains spoilers
show me
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Bailedbailed

The sample story I read grabbed my attention, but as so many have said, the voices were repetitive and ultimately I couldn't get past the story where two pre-teen girls try to incite a boy to rape one of their classmates. While I value reading a variety of voices, dipping my toe in this book was sufficient to understand the enormous challenges faced by this cultural group at this point in this part of NY.

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Bookalong
Sour Heart: Stories | Jenny Zhang
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Panpan

**NO SPOILERS**
🌟🌟/5
I had high hopes for this one. I did enjoyed a couple of the stories in this collection. But overall was disappointed. I found it a little repetitive and uninteresting at times. I am not a big fan of story collections though.
Have you read it? Thoughts?
Do you enjoy story collections?
📚
#storycollection #sourheart #bookreview #bookish #bookworm #booklover

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Jenjamin
Sour Heart: Stories | Jenny Zhang
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Scored a 99¢ ARC copy of Sour Heart from the thrift store! I'm going to try not to let my complicated feelings about Lena Dunham get in the way. #thriftscore

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MrBook
Sour Heart: Stories | Jenny Zhang
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#TBRtemptation post 5! I'll let the fine folks at Book Culture also briefly describe this book in the blurb as well. 😁 #blameLitsy #blameMrBook 😎

58 likes8 stack adds
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kbuggle
Sour Heart: Stories | Jenny Zhang
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Mehso-so

Things I enjoyed and things I didn't here. It's fierce, for sure, and all of the stories are told from the point of view of young girls that are all the children of Chinese immigrants. The narratives are also all loosely tied together. I can see why this was chosen as the debut for the Lenny imprint; there is dark humor flavored with tenderness.

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hinsbug
Sour Heart: Stories | Jenny Zhang
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I think I need to start reading better books, because this is like nothing I've ever read, and I want to read it forever

4 likes1 stack add
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BooksForEmpathy
Sour Heart: Stories | Jenny Zhang
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Pickpick

Between a so-so + pick for me, but the perspective of a daughter (or daughters) of Chinese immigrants throughout childhood/young adulthood ultimately won me over. I'm not sure how much is fiction or memoir, and I loved how Jenny Zhang didn't mind this grey area and I was consistently surprised by where she took me. It's graphic and odd and a reminder to stay aware and curious of others' hidden traumas, especially when they belong to our parents.

96 likes2 stack adds
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BooksForEmpathy
Sour Heart: Stories | Jenny Zhang
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Lunch today and my newest audiobook. I have the hard copy but like listening to short stories on audio. Jenny Zhang has a great interview on Lit Up and I am loving this collection of Chinese immigrant experiences. This is my favorite type of book: one that examines the relationships between children and parents, especially when they have such different world views.

Cinfhen I'm sorry but I'm completely focused on your salad!!!! YUM 7y
MrBook That looks like a most excellent salad! 👍🏻👍🏻 7y
Soubhiville I'm ogling your salad too! 7y
97 likes2 stack adds4 comments
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kbuggle
Sour Heart: Stories | Jenny Zhang
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Getting started on this Lenny imprint debut🍇

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razmanda
Sour Heart: Stories | Jenny Zhang
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Alright, littens, I need your help. I really enjoyed the first story in this collection but the second has left me profoundly disturbed and disappointed. Keep going or call it now? I'll add more detail in a hidden comment below.

razmanda The second story ends with two children tying up another girl and trying to get a third child to rape her. The scene ends abruptly and without resolution. 7y
britt_brooke @razmanda OMG. I think I'd bail. 7y
ReadingEnvy The second destroyed the entire book for me, I raced to be done, but sour taste in my mouth forever. It doesn't get worse but.... 7y
See All 6 Comments
razmanda @ReadingEnvy good to know. I'm going to read the third story and if it's not love, I'm out. Why she thought childhood sexual abuse was compelling in that way is deeply concerning. 7y
razmanda I've decided not to finish. There are too many books I'm excited to jump into to stick with one that made me nauseated. 7y
ReadingEnvy @razmanda seriously, I couldn't believe what I was reading 7y
17 likes1 stack add6 comments
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spanda84
Sour Heart: Stories | Jenny Zhang
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So excited to start reading this collection of short stories from Jenny Zhang! It has been promoted in #LennyLetter. Does anyone else subscribe to Lenny?
#currentlyreading #shortstories #librarybook #ilovethelibrary

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theshrinkette
Sour Heart: Stories | Jenny Zhang
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Pickpick

A short story collection depicting the lives of Asian immigrants in New York living under particularly brutal circumstances - the stories are pretty graphic, and it was hard to read some of the brutality and violence, but Zhang's writing is unique and she delivers sheer deadpan humor that cuts through the grittiness of it all. I really enjoyed this one.

38 likes1 stack add
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AmbityScambity
Sour Heart: Stories | Jenny Zhang
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Hello, Monday. And so we meet again.

#booksandcoffee #mondaymorningvibes

Sydsavvy 😂😂😂 the coffee ☕️ ❣️ 7y
AmbityScambity @Sydsavvy Isn't it perfect? Especially for a Monday. 🤣 7y
25 likes1 stack add2 comments
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Rhondareads
Sour Heart: Stories | Jenny Zhang
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First book by this creative author.Adolescent New Yorkers each story a gem each an adventure.

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theshrinkette
Sour Heart: Stories | Jenny Zhang
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398.2 Love the tattoo! I have been thinking about getting a literary one. 7y
theshrinkette @398.2 Thanks! It's my fist and only one, but I have ideas for many more. 7y
40 likes3 stack adds2 comments
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BooksForEmpathy
Sour Heart: Stories | Jenny Zhang
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Mission burrito 🌯 tonight and staring at these new covers from Books Inc. that I purchased today! I am so excited for them... but I feel tied down to other books I need to finish. Gahhhh! Never enough time. How does everyone handle this!? Staying present with the books you are reading while so many good ones sit right in front of you?

Laalaleighh It's like the eternal struggle of my soul. 7y
TheBookStacker Sadly I just keep growing my TBR pile. But it's a good motivator to read faster! But then also I'm reading 4 books at one time! 7y
elkeOriginal 💕💕Books Inc 💕💕 7y
See All 7 Comments
emilyhaldi So hard... sometimes it makes me want to rush through my current read and I have to reel myself back in and enjoy! 7y
kgriffith It's impossible. Seriously. Especially working industry-adjacent, I brought home several dozen ARCs from ALAMW last year and I've still only read a handful of those. 7y
Kalalalatja It is really hard, especially if you don't read multiple books at the same time (which I don't). The struggle is real! 7y
Cinfhen OMG! I totally understand it's #BookFoMo 7y
116 likes7 comments
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bookloo
Sour Heart: Stories | Jenny Zhang
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Hmm. A short story that starts out with two female fourth graders convincing a fellow classmate to rape a girl? Yeah, I don't care about the metaphors or the "point" it's trying to make here. Too disgusting for me. DNF.

DivineDiana Thank you! I had no idea. Thought I wanted to read this. Changed my mind. 😕 7y
bookloo @DivineDiana You're welcome Diana! I had high hopes for this. 😕 7y
mrozzz WHOA 7y
See All 7 Comments
bookloo @mrozzz I know! 😔 7y
EvieBee My sentiments exactly. DNF'd. 7y
razmanda So glad someone else had this reaction. I loved the first story but reading the second one today turned my stomach. I can't decide if I'm going to keep going or not. 7y
bookloo @razmanda Yeah, I totally get it. I personally didn't continue because I actually didn't like the first story and then THAT happened and I was like "yeah, no. not worth it." But if you want to skip ahead and read the others to see if you're liking it, by all means! Each story is different but connected. ? 7y
11 likes7 comments
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bookloo
Sour Heart: Stories | Jenny Zhang
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Yay! 💜💜💜💜 My library got this quicker than I thought. Can't wait to read. 🤓

11 likes1 stack add
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MMFinck
Sour Heart: Stories | Jenny Zhang
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Totally forgot this was a short story collection - my fault completely - so my confusion when "chapter" one ended and the second one started, in retrospect, is hilarious. And somewhat embarrassing. ;) I kept flipping back and forth in the pages trying to find the connection. Lol. Silly woman. Good book.

13 likes1 stack add
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Bertha_Mason
Sour Heart: Stories | Jenny Zhang

I'm really excited to read Sour Heart, and have been since I heard about it back in January, but the cover blurbs from lena dunham and miranda july, two of the authors I have the least respect for, have dampened my excitement a bit. :/

mrozzz Ask opinions around Litsy. That's why we're here! Welcome!! 😄 7y
Bertha_Mason Thank you! :) 7y
2 likes2 comments