Milk Blood Heat

 Milk Blood Heat by Dantiel W. Moniz (2021) 202 pages

In this selection of short stories, the protagonists are often girls or young women of color. In "Feast," a woman cannot get past her miscarriage. In "Necessary Bodies," a young married woman is not sure if she will bring her pregnancy to term. In "Thicker Than Water," an estranged sister and brother drive their father's ashes to Santa Fe at the behest of their mother. In "Snow," one of my favorites, Trinity is a bartender who wonders if she will stay with her husband. At work one night, Trinity finds herself drawn to one of her customers, a woman named Snow. Snow has been dreaming of her Vietnamese father who had recently died, talking about how his death affected her, even though they were not close. In a few other stories, girls deal with serious issues at far too young an age. 

These stories are haunting, woven with deep meaning. I usually prefer a full novel to a short story, but it feels right to have experienced what these stories have to offer.