You Have a Friend in 10A is a sharp, emotionally rich collection of stories that explore identity, memory, and human connection. Maggie Shipstead writes with wit and insight, moving through settings as varied as cults, ski slopes, and Olympic villages. Each story feels distinct yet deeply human, with moments that quietly linger.

Thank you for approving me for this title. After some thought, I’ve realized it’s not quite the right fit for me personally, so I won’t be able to provide a full review. I appreciate the opportunity to access it and wish the book great success.

I really like Maggie Shipstead's writing! Some of these stories hit a little harder than others but that always tracks for me with collections.

I value the opportunity I was given to read this in advance, but it has been three years and I still haven't read this. With so many books ahead of me, I cannot return to this title.

something about Maggie Shipstead's writing really engages me whether in long form or, in this case, short form.

Short stories from the master herself? Yes, please! Engaging, unexpected, emotional, and energetic — these short stories are the perfect bedside book.

As is usual with a short story collection, I liked some more than others. All of them really focus on introspective main characters trying to get through life.

Thanks to NetGalley and Alfred A Knopf Publishing/ Borzoi Books for the ARC to read and review.

Shipstead is a fantastic author but this collection is hit and miss. There are a lot of great stories in here but others just were not as compelling. It is rare to find a story collection that is 100% phenomenal. I would say that about 75% of these stories are excellen and the rest mediocre, which is a pretty good percentage as far as literary short story collections go. So, I am giving this four stars because the ones that are good are really food.

I enjoyed some of these stories, but I did not enjoy the first one, which made it harder for me to continue on with the book.

While Maggie is a favorite, I think I prefer her in long form. That being said, I still find myself remembering some of these stories and considering their implications.Maybe her novels are setting the bar too high.

You Have a Friend in 10A is a well-written and funny collection of short stories taking place in myriad locations with characters who deal with loss, relationships, and navigating new spaces. A majority of the relationships in the novel felt inappropriate, whether it was due to a large age gap or a power dynamic, yet each relationship was central to the story. The highlights were certainly Angel Lust, La Moretta and the titular story, with Company and In the Olympic Village being skimmable. I am used to long Maggie Shipstead books with tremendous character development, so this was certainly something new from her. Unlike many short stories, I didn’t find myself yearning for more. She accomplished what she set out to accomplish in each story and they all felt finished.

I truly enjoyed The Great Circle. This book of collected short stories - not so much. I could not relate to any of the stories and there seemed to be such an overall feeling of bitterness and negativity. We all know life is not fair, life is not pretty, but in almost every instance there is some redeeming feature about any individual. Perhaps Shipstead might have looked closer to find the positive, instead of dwelling on the negative.

Nice little short stories by the author of one of my recent favorite books, Great Circle. She's just one of those writers that's always good.

First off, You Have a Friend in 10A by Maggie Shipstead has one of my favorite covers of 2022. Fabulous design!

I am also a big fan of short story collections, so this slightly weird and wonderful compilation was my vibe.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for sharing this book with me. All thoughts are my own.

DNFed this book at about 30%. I loved the cover but this collection was not for me, perhaps it it not something I am interested in now. I also tried to utilize the audiobook for it and I just couldn’t do it.

I loved this weird fun little short story collection. The cover just fits this book so well. Thanks to Doubledayfor the arc for my honest review.

I absolutely loved this book of short stories. I will be buying it for everyone I know. Shipstead has such a unique cast of characters in her stories that each one is completely different

I wanted to like this and found that the stories were interesting, but I wanted more from the collection. I felt that the stories, although great, needed something a bit /more/ to give it that extra push.

One of my favorite short story collections ever. I can't even pick a favorite story — they were all so alive and so beautifully written, with so many detestable characters you can't help but obsess over. I read each story on my phone over the course of a week and I felt like it was WITH me in every sense of the word. Will have to check out Maggie Shipstead's other books now!

Tried reading You Have a Friend in 10A multiple times and I could never get into it. Ultimately decided to DNF.