Cover Image: Beautiful, Complicated Family

Beautiful, Complicated Family

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Member Reviews

These stories were quick reads and yet thought provoking. Lee did a wonderful job in putting this together.

I received a complimentary copy of this book and was not required to write a favorable review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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An interesting flash-fiction collection that tackles the subject of family, and all the complexities that go with it. These are quick reads (think 5 minutes each), so you'll be able to fly through this pretty quickly, or read whenever you get a few minutes and don't want to have to stop mid-chapter. Family is one of those difficult things, with people you might love, hate, or both. Even though these are extremely short, Lee does a great job of evoking emotions in each story. I look forward to volume 2!

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I often do not like short stories, but these were interesting and enjoyable.
But i wish it was more meat to the bone too..

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“Didn’t you tell me he doesn’t like surprises?
🦄🦄🦄
Beautiful Complicated Family by Rosey Lee is a collection of 5 short stories.
This particular book is the first volume.
These stories are short, hilarious and sad and has something for everyone.
My absolute favorite is the one of the 2 best friends because the endingng was unexpected and hilarious.
If your looking for a fast but good read I would recommend this book.
🦄🦄🦄
Rated 100/100.

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This was my first experience with flash fiction. From the moment I started reading these stories, I was drawn in and connected with the characters. This is the best kind of writing for me. Getting lost in a book and feeling like you are right in it with each character is why I enjoy reading so much. There is a volume 1 and volume 2 in the Beautiful, Complicated Family. Both are collections of short stories (hence the name flash fiction). Both are great reads!

My only issue is the genre! I wanted more when I was done with each story and each book. I can say with certainty, Rosey's writing is wonderful and warm and inviting even while dealing with some challenging and emotional situations. Reading her stories was a joy for me. However, I do not like flash fiction. It left me wanting lots more.

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This was my favorite. It’s part of a series and I would recommend reading all of them. Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review!

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Beautiful, Complicated Family by Rosey Lee is the second book in this beautifully written series of short stories of Complicated family series. This short collection contains five stories that are fiction and they explore the connections of family life and the things that old them together and that can tear them apart. These stories are very short but strong and they made me think about my family especially as I could relate to some of these stories.
The saying "Life is so short before you know it it may all change!" It like this book by Rosey Lee..........Before you know it things around you can all suddenly change!
This book and the first volume contain short stories and each read is about five minutes. These are perfect for all readers who enjoy woman's fiction novels and only have a short time to read them.

Big Thank you to Netgalley and to the author Rosey Lee for this second volume of stories in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own

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This is a collection of short stories about relationships within different families.

Quick reads, simple, beautiful and I’m amazed that the last two stories had made my heart ache. An unexpected reunion and a relationship between mother and daughter who misunderstood about each other. The stories that Rosey Lee writes it does happened in real world, we just missed it sometimes. I honestly wasn’t expecting to like this type of writing,

I thank you to NetGalley and BookGoSocial for the ebook provided. Thank you Rosey Lee for the beautiful stories.

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This was a nice change of pace from longer story formats. I appreciate the author's attention to detail in these short and sweet stories. I'm just a "big books" kind of girl!

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Beautiful, Complicated Family is a splendid collection of flash fiction; five short stories that really pack a lot of punch and will really giver readers cause to think. The stories take you through a range of circumstances and emotions – some will make you laugh, and some will make you well up with tears. Stories covering love, loss and heartbreak; they are all wonderfully written, so good you will wish they were longer reads.

I’m not used to quick, short reads but this was an ideal introduction and will now be something I will seek more of, especially at Rosey’s hand.

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Earlier this year, I was approached by author Rosey Lee about reading and reviewing her upcoming fast fiction novels: Beautiful, Complicated Family, volumes 1 and 2. I enjoy helping new authors, especially authors of color get exposure, so I eagerly agreed.

Volume 1 is 33 pages, and Volume 2 is 29 pages. I had never read the fast fiction genre until reviewing these books. Fast fiction is just what it indicates ... fast. Both books could probably be read in an hour or less by a dedicated reader. However, because of the short and fast-paced nature of the books and the short stories contained within them, the reader should not mistake this for light content. Rosey Lee tackles tough topics that we might all find familiar being part of complicated, and maybe even dysfunctional, families. Her writing style is quick but engaging and the stories leave you thinking and wanting more from the characters.

I have to say that is probably my main criticism with these compilations. They are just a little too short for me. Rosey Lee teases the reader with some intriguing content and just when I was getting invested, the stories abruptly ended. I'd love to see the author flesh out some of these stories in to full fledge novels. I think the characters deserve that, and I definitely think Rosey Lee has the talent to write a more traditional-sized novel.

Recommendation: With such a short bit of content, my review is also short. I definitely think the books are worth the read, and I hope to see more from this author in the future. If you have an hour or so of free time, why not download the books ... for free ... using the "buy now" links below. Until next time ... Read on!

Thanks to Fiction Physician, LLC and Netgalley for the advance readers copy of these books. Regardless of whether I purchase a book, borrow a book, or receive a book in exchange for review, my ultimate goal is to be honest, fair, and constructive. I hope you've found this review helpful.

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Beautiful, Complicated Family by Rosey Lee is a collection of five flash stories that tell us about a different set of characters and their relationships. Though I do enjoy a quick glimpse into the life of people, I feel that this was just too short for me overall. This is my first foray into flash fiction so I was not entirely sure what to expect but just as I was getting into the stories, they would stop. Just a couple of pages extra on each would have been better for me. Lee does know how to stir up some feelings with these though.

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Beautiful, Complicated Family Volume 1 is like a book of poetry. Crafting flash fiction is an art, and the author chooses each word with care and precision. All of the pieces were excellent, but my heart was particularly moved by "Wind Chill," and "Gran's Return."

Each piece in this collection packs a powerful punch and there is so much emotion in each story. In "Wind Chill," the author uses literary allusions to Gone with the Wind in order to inspire the reader to think more deeply about issues related to race and social class. The piece "Gran's Return," tugged on my heartstrings because I also have a love of gospel music and a deep respect for my grandparents. All of the pieces were powerful, and the surprise ending to the final piece inspired me to immediately click through and read the second volume. 

Note: I received a free copy of each of these books in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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I read these out of order, so I read book 2 before book 1, and I have to say, I appreciate both all the more. Lean, complex, with good layers, and great style both books are well worth a look.

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I wasn’t expecting to like this type of writing! I tend to lean towards books that are hundreds of hundreds of pages so this was a nice change of pace. Be warned they’re quick reads, but I enjoyed them just the same :) looking forward to finding volume 2!

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Flash Fiction is new to me. The definition is that its fiction of a type characterized by being very short, typically consisting of only a few hundred words. I normally read novels along with a few novellas but I found flash fiction very enjoyable.

All of these stories are quick reads some of them will make you laugh out loud and some will bring tears to your eyes. I highly recommend these flash fiction stories for you to read when you don't have a lot of time. I'll definitely search for more of these types of stories.

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A varied collection of short stories that make the reader consider the dynamics of family life and the affects that different events may have. I enjoyed each story as each made me reflect on what my own relationships with family and friends were and how they were similar or different to those reflected in the stories.

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These were thought-provoking short stories that really made me think about the relationships in my own life. This collection was well written and an enjoyable read.

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As a compelling collection of 5 flash fiction stories exploring the familial connections, each story has its own complications, yet is portrayed so beautifully. This collection truly lived up to what the insight the description provided!

The Reverse Escape: It surrounds two best friends and a truth which might end their friendship or make their bond stronger than ever. I loved how this story revolved around the theme: acceptance.
Gran's Escape: This take is set with two granddaughters looking after their gran after a terrible incident. This began sadly but ended with hope. The hope of revival. The hope of return.
Wind Chill: This tale surrounds a family and their baby sitter who is now, a renowned chef. Its theme is based on forgiveness and I loved the confident tone in this story.
To Establish Care: Possibly my favourite in this collection and a tale which surrounds between a mother whose has to give up on her baby and a doctor who has to go through foster homes yet succeeded by being her own cheerleader. I just loved this one so much.
Vocal Rest: This is about a relationship with a mother and daughter. This one was good but I felt it was slightly off but the end really made me happy.

Each story takes max. 5 minutes and for me, this healed my book slump. I didn't realise until I am writing this review that I was having an episode of a book slump. This collection will always be cherished!

Recommendation: This heartfelt and heart-warming collection is a must-read to anyone questioning their relationship with family or knows the true essence of having a family. Anyone looking for an emotional light read this book is perfect for them!

Thank you NetGalley and Publisher for providing me with a review copy.

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Nice collection of short stories. Very quick but enjoyable read! This is perfect for days when you don't want to get into a long book or are short on reading time.

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