Wowza, some of these stories are not good for reading when you aren't at peace of mind. Read with care. They all revolve around sickness and how we navigate through it, how it influences our actions and thoughts. I enjoyed most of the stories—of course within a short story collection, they can't all be winners.

An interesting read of a compilation of stories regarding people either faced with illness or providing care for someone with a chronic illness. The underlying message throughout the book was the resilience and hope that everyone radiated, regardless of the illness. The human spirit is truly amazing when faced with adversity!

I thank the publisher, author and Netgalley for my ARC of this book.

I would give Signs of Life 3.5/5 stars. While this was an amazing story regarding caregiving and how our health can affect the ways we live, I couldn't find myself completely engaged. There were times when it was difficult for me to continue reading, but this may not be for me.

An interesting and unique collection of short stories from the point of view of patients, care givers and relatives (often relatives ARE the care givers) that seek to answer the question:

"How do experiences of sickness or incapacitation change our bodies, who we are, and how we see the world? And how do they affect the people around us?"

Some of the stories are excruciating to read, and others are funny or at least a bit more upbeat. All are difficult stories with fresh, insightful perspectives. This anthology takes you on a bit of a roller coaster ride that might not be for the average reader, but is for those of us who are experiencing illness around us, or have experienced traumatic illness in the past.

There are some gorgeous passages such as the following from a story called Transcendental Numbers:

"Showing off useless knowledge was our means of flirting. If he recited Pi to the ten-thousandth digit, I would quote the entirety of Othello in return. That was how we loved."

"Signs of Life: An Anthology" is a collection of stories (both fiction and memoir), each unique in tone and in the type of illness (physical, mental, emotional, etc.) covered. Some of the stories also delve into issues relating to care-giving.

I typically enjoy this type of anthology, especially since I kept a blog for several years while undergoing chemo, and am familiar with telling one's medical story to the public. I appreciate the vulnerability required to tell these stories, even when uncomfortable and perhaps embarrassing.

This was a quick read for me. As with any collection of stories by different writers, there were some that I really enjoyed and some that were just ok. But, I did find something of value in each of them.

I'd give this a rating of 3.5, and suggest it to anyone interested in the many different ways that health can affect our lives.

Thank you to Netgalley and MoshPit Publishing for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

In the description, it says "This book is not about death and dying," which is true. This book is about different experiences that different people go through. Death is just one of the experiences, that we all happen to share. The one story about Pi really touched my heart, it was so touching.

Signs of Life - an anthology, edited by Sarah Sasson, is a fascinating collection of memoir and fictitious essays dealing with mental and physical health issues. Far from being a collective downer, these stories tell of hope, humanity, and the care giving that comes from a place of love. I was left to reflect on the universality of health and care giving, and I believe that there is something relatable in each of these well-written, compassionate essays.

Many thanks to NetGalley and MoshPit Publishing for an ARC.