Katherine Heiny does short stories and relationships really well. Her new collection of short stories Games and Rituals focuses on relationships of all sorts, whether it be coworkers, friends, strangers, lovers, parents, or exes. The vast majority of these stories are both intriguing and engaging, which is vital if a short story is going to grab the attention of the reader and keep them hooked. My favorites from this collection are “Chicken Flavored and Lemon Scented” and “Turn Back, Turn Back.” Both of these stories surprised me in in ways that I did not see coming, much like real life.

A fun collection of short stories. Heiny’s characters are great- from the drivers test examiners to the depression line operators or the woman emulating Marie Kondo as she reaches perimenopause. Each story delves into relationships really well and in such a short time the reader is connected to them.

I now want to go look at what else Heiny has written. I’m intrigued.

Pick this up for a great short story collection

I love Katherine Heiny- unfortunately I think I’m just not a short stories fan. I need more time to know the characters and be invested, and it always ends up that one or two stories hook me and I wish I had the full length, but that I don’t like any of the others. While I love her writing, this wasn’t for me.

This was my first Katherine Heiny and certainly won't be my last. Her ability to write on the page exactly what I'm feeling with a humorous and poignant perspective is immaculate.

I did not connect with this collection of stories at all. I liked the writing but I could not connect to the collection as a whole or individual stories.

This was a fun anthology of stories. Katherine Heiny writes great characters. I really enjoyed all of the stories. I would love a longer time with the road test workers in the first story - Chicken Flavoured and Lemon Scented. Who knew cars became confessionals in these road tests? Overall all the characters are flawed, but likeable in every story. A quick, fun read.

This was honestly the first short story collection I’ve read in a really long time where I genuinely enjoyed every single story.

‘Games and Rituals’ by Katherine Heiny is a short story collection following the lives of ordinary people dealing with life and the funny, sad, inconvenient, and chaotic situations life puts us in such as breakups, infidelity, being stuck at an airport with strangers, the ebbs and flows of marriage, dealing with parents and more.

Just as one story would end and I would think, I don’t know if I can connect to the new story, but within minutes I’d be absorbed. I usually don’t gravitate toward short stories because I am often left feeling unfinished, but this time I had the exact opposite experience. She has a great way of making every character feel real with quirkiness, sarcasm, and heartfelt moments.

While I enjoyed all the stories, the standouts for me were -
‘Chicken Flavored and Lemon Scented’
‘CobRa’
‘561’
‘Sky Bar’
‘Twist and Shout’

5/5⭐️

Thank you so much for the ARC!!

"Games and Rituals" by Katherine Heiny presents a collection of short stories that delves into the intricacies of human relationships. While the book showcases moments of sharp wit and relatable characters, I found its overall impact to be somewhat uneven.

First, the positives. Heiny's ability to uncover humor in everyday scenarios and her skillful portrayal of authentic dialogue are evident throughout. Some stories truly excelled in their exploration of human vulnerability and the nuances of connection. I found myself completely drawn in by Heiny's engaging storytelling and perceptive observations. Overall, this is the book's biggest strength: its ability to unveil both the humor and poignancy within ordinary situations.

That being said... the narrative falters in maintaining a consistent level of engagement. Moments of insight are counterbalanced by instances where the emotional connection wavers. I felt the overall collection lacked a steady pacing that would allow the stories to fully resonate.

Overall, I enjoyed the major themes of the collection and lighthearted tone while still offering points for self-reflection.

This is a collection of short stories about daily life. Nothing about anything remarkable, nothing mysterious, nothing shocking. Sometimes I appreciate reading about normal things that I can relate. Not everything has to have a "happily ever after" ending or everything ended up the way people hope it to.

I think this was the first short story collection that I didn't read thinking it's a collection. It followed very well and didn't feel disjointed. I'll recommend this book to anyone who like short stories.

This was so good! Such a breath of air was in this book and I am waiting for her next novel. I read this so quickly because I was eagerly awaiting the ending

I love Katherine Heiny's writing and this collection of short stories was thought provoking, interesting, and overall a literature experience I won't forget.

This was such an incredible book! I was hooked from the start—really enjoyed the storytelling, I couldn’t put it down and can’t recommend it enough!

This collection of short stories is fun, quirky and digs into seemingly ordinary relationships with a slight twist. From roommates to bridesmaids, office coworkers, extra-marital affairs and ex-spouses - the character development is incredible. Some I absolutely loved, others not so much. Short stories have a tall order to accomplish in a minimal number of pages - and I find that when they are done well, they can be better than a full novel. Sometimes the author takes a risk that doesn’t pay off and it falls flat. These were definitely worth reading!

I loved this short story collection, but I couldn’t immerse myself into the content. It was like I was reading mindlessly, but the writing is great and easy to read.

Thank you Knopf for the gifted ebook!

Katherine Heiny is one of the best contemporary authors working today. Her books start of low-stakes and you eventually get lost in the world she creates. Even though this is a short story collection, this statement remains true. Each of these stories is rich, funny and oddly relatable.

Katherine Heiny has done it again with another hilarious and heartfelt collection. She is our modern day Anne Tyler and Nora Ephron, making the ordinary extraordinary.

Special thanks to Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage and Anchor and NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

As a lover of short stories, I was stoked of course to get this book. As in ALMOST ALL short story book, their are some hits and some .issues. a couple of the stories endings just didn't do it for me, but I did appreciate that Katherine Heinz stayed true to her unmistakable, funny, quirky characters in real life dilemmas.

For .e .ore .issues than hits I'm so sorry to say.

I appreciated the writing. However, I felt I was missing the point of each story. The slice of life was interesting, and again, I enjoyed the writing, but I felt like I only just got into the flow then it was over.

This was not for me! I started all of the stories and none of them really caught me and kept my attention.

I can see many patrons liking this collection.

For me, it feel a bit short. The writing is easy to read, and the voice is pretty solid. However, the stories lacked emotional depth, a depth that would've made them stronger overall. At the end, they are not memorable, and while I don't regret reading it, I can't imagine wanting to pick it up again.