I really liked this! A handful of interconnected stories that require a slight suspense of disbelief, with a thread of loss and grief throughout. I particularly enjoyed Stephanie's story, which was the longest portion. Each story was unique but they tied together perfectly.

"This is one of the last good days that Anne remembers, and if memory is what we have left, when all is said and done, it may as well have happened at the very end." I loved this beautiful, strange book, which kept me my on the edge of my seat even when I couldn't make sense of it. Hilary Leichter bends the rules of time and space to create a story that is so heartbreakingly human.

Thank you to Ecco and NetGalley for sending me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

NOT MY FAVEE BUT I COULD SEE HOW OTHERS WOULD REALLY ENJOY IT THANK YOU SO MUCH TO NETGALLEY FOR THE ADVANCED READER COPY VERY COOL!

The nonlinear structure of this novel plus the elements of surrealism, made it unlike anything I'd ever read. The writing seems straight forward and yet it is also really beautiful. Such a joy to read, in particular from a craft perspective.

Terrace Story comprises four interconnected stories that are a cross of literary and speculative fiction. Hilary Leichter’s book is creative, quirky, full of interesting psychological observations and beautifully written – in other words, exactly my type of book! Plus, the first speculative fiction element involves a young couple who discover a beautiful terrace hidden in their closet whenever their colleague comes over to visit. Was this written for me?! A millennial who just moved into a small studio because of its beautiful terrace. Must be!

This book is not about concrete answers, or even understanding exactly how the connections between these stories work. But if you read for character and imagination, I think you may fall for this lovely, poignant book as well.

Thank you to Ecco and NetGalley for the gifted copy!

Hilary Leichter's "Terrace Story" is a captivating exploration of time and love, delivering an intimate story for a world grappling with heartbreak. The discovery of a hidden terrace in Annie, Edward, and Rose's cramped apartment sets off a seismic chain of events, transforming not just their home but the very fabric of their lives. Leichter weaves a mesmerizing tale that stretches across generations, contemplating the expanses of the mind in search of the lost, and grappling with emotions that transcend the boundaries of life and death. Magical Realism doesn't always work for me, but this was so strange and beautiful and lovely. With profound storytelling and innovative flair, "Terrace Story" is a poignant meditation on loss, offering a roadmap for navigating the complexities of love in the face of looming uncertainties.

If you want to disappear into a book, TERRACE STORY is for you. Clever and magical, Hilary Leichter’s novel is closer to a set of interconnected short stories than a novel.

We are invited into the lives of four characters over the course of several generations. It begins during an impromptu dinner party when a secret terrace is discovered by a young family in their cramped apartment. The thing about this beautiful terrace is that it only appears sometimes - and leaves the family perplexed and desperate. After that, a surreal, poetic, and often unsettling tale unfolds that explains just how this secret terrace came to be, and what it means for the people who experience it.

I’ve been reluctant to review this book because it defies any kind of analysis. It’s a story about identity, about family, about grief. More than anything, it’s a story about the space we take up, the space we deserve, and the space that is taken from us. It’s not a book for everyone, and that’s okay. I loved every word. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance review copy. All opinions here are my own.

I think I was not in the right space mentally to enjoy this book. I enjoyed the idea of grief and emotions altering the space we exist in, but reading it was a bit tedious. Some of the themes of loss and the deep emotions relating to that made me uncomfortable at times and I just was not prepared for this book.

It is also highly strange and a bit mind-bending at times. This was not at all what I expected when I picked up this book and I don't feel that my review could properly represent the work done by the author.

A couple and their young daughter are just trying to get by in their cramped, little apartment. One day, they open the closet door to find a beautiful terrace, bringing fresh air and space and peace. The catch-it’s only there when a certain friend visits. But with each trip to the terrace, it causes a shift in the world around them, setting a chain reaction off in others’ lives. This story explores the impact on everyone around them, complete with love and grief.
I found the story to be just long enough, though still felt confused at parts with some of the changes in POV and the timeline. Still a unique piece of storytelling though.
Thank you to Ecco for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I could totally change my rating after sit and think on it longer. It is a slim book and I appreciate that Ms. Leicester didn’t waste our time, but, I would have liked something a bit more with story 2. Maybe I just need to read it again. I am open to that. Thanks to Net Galley for the ARC

This was a quirky collection of short stories that are interconnected in subtle ways. Terrace and Fortress were my two favorite pieces of this collection but the book as a whole is quite strong. The writing draws you in and keeps you deeply entrenched in the worlds Leichter has built. The minute details and the depth of the feelings that Leicheter captures are worth sticking with this even if it is not your thing. a solid three star read that will stick with you long after you've finished reading it.

I really enjoyed the formatting of this novel and how 4 individual stories tied together in the end. It was different than anything I've read in a while. At first, I found it difficult to follow but I'm glad I stuck with it.

This book deals with an intimate exploration of time , a fable about love, an epic daydream for a broken hearted world. This family has a dinner guest and all the sudden a terrace appears. Great and wonderful things happen on the terrace until one day they discover it is not true. The book leaves you feeling good and sad all at the same time.

I had a hard time getting motivated to continue this book. I liked the stories but maybe being short and somewhat unresolved made me feel less engaged. The book is good, but probably not my preferred style!

I really wanted to get to this one, as it seemed interesting. This was requested when I first found out about NetGalley and I had requested so many ARCs that I could not get to all of them before they were archived. If I can find this somewhere for a reasonable price, I will try to get it!

odd book, which i usually like, but this left me feeling more stupid than compelled. i loved the story structure but i felt like i would need an academic level of focus to plunge through this one. DNF at 30%, though i certainly wouldn't recommend against it.

Happy contented, grateful, thankful Wednesday!

Happy Thanksgiving Eve for those of you that celebrate!

This time of year always makes me a mushy mess. I look for books with that captivate me. Books that make me feel. That make me inspired and my heart full. That bring goodness to my days and introduce me to characters I won’t soon forget. That make me thankful for my friendships and family, and all the little things that make my life have so much meaning.

Both of these books left an impact. They made me smile and also made me cry. This time of year always makes me reflect on so much and I am filled with so much contentedness. I can’t express enough how much being a part of this amazing community means to me. I may never have been introduced to these stories or had the courage to recommend these books to others if it weren’t for all of you amazing humans.

I think if you celebrate, you should spend Thanksgiving reading one of these amazing stories. They will make you feel and that's always why I recommend the books I do.

As with all my favorite reads, here are a few of my favorites quotes. I hope they make you feel something magical in your heart, like they did for me.

Both 4.5 stars
“They were cramped, Edward said, but in a way that felt familiar and warm, no? Yes, Annie agreed. Secretly, she felt that their lack of space probably signaled her lack of promise, a final judgment on her poor priorities and half-hewn choices. But it was a judgment that, in her deepest heart, had grown commonplace and comfortable, only jabbing its elbow of discontent at moments that found her particularly low. They were lucky in so many ways. They were healthy and happy and fine.”

“The mind corrects for inconsistencies so that living can continue.”

“If you sit on the edges of your own universe, you still might have been the center of someone else’s.”

“The future and the past were on either side of a bridge, and no matter which way Rosie walked, the sun was in her eyes.”

Terrace Story by Hilary Leichter is a book divided into 4 chapters. Each chapter is a self-contained story by itself. Together, however, the 4 chapters come together to tell one big story. The 1st chapter tells the story of Edward & Annie, a young couple who have dreams of how they'd like to live, but not enough money to achieve them. They move into a tiny city apartment with their baby daughter, Rose. Annie has been on maternity leave from her sales job. Her friend & co-worker, Stephanie, has taken on Annie’s clients while she is off work.

One day, Annie invites Stephanie to come over for dinner. When Stephanie arrives she asks Edward & Annie if they'd prefer to eat out on the terrace. The apartment doesn't have a terrace, but before they can explain this, Stephanie opens the closet door only to find a beautiful terrace. Edward & Annie are bewildered. They wonder if they somehow overlooked the terrace when they moved in. They join Stephanie on the terrace & have a lovely evening. After Stephanie leaves, they try the closet door themselves but this time when they open it, there is only the closet. Over the course of days, they try various ways of opening the closet in order to get to the terrace, but no matter what they try they only have a closet. No terrace. They invite Stephanie over another evening &, again, Stephanie suggests they go out on the terrace. She opens the closet door, & the beautiful terrace has reappeared. Why does the terrace only appear when Stephanie opens the door?

The 2nd chapter tells the story of George & Lydia. The 3rd chapter is about Stephanie. The 4th is set on an interstellar suburb as humanity migrates into outer space. In this story, Rose meets with a woman who is her grandaughter.

Themes explored in the book are loneliness, longing, loss, death, & extinction. The book is well written & the story is engaging. Each chapter of the book offers different ways of exploring the themes, & together they are a powerful meditation on them.

I found this book to be slightly confusing, but in a fun and thought provoking way. It seemed to follow the magical realism genre, which I thought was very fun, as that is not typically a genre I read very often. The story purposefully left some holes for the reader to fill -- some of which I enjoyed, some of which I found to be slightly too confusing for me.

I found the first story much more interesting than the second story, but I liked that it all wrapped up by the end. I can't say I came away with a solid understanding of this book, but I think that is part of the fun.

3.5 stars rounded up!

I'll start off by saying that I don't typically read magical realism. When I read the description of the book I hadn't realized it was magical realism, but shortly into reading it I realized what it was. It took me a bit to get into it, and I'll admit I was a little confused at first, but ultimately I ended up liking it. I still don't fully understand how everything worked (which might be the point, I'm not sure), but I liked how full circle things ended up being. I would definitely recommend this book, but to people who already like magical realism. I'd be curious to know their thoughts on the book. Thank you to NetGalley and Ecco for this ARC.