I READ A BOOK: Things We Lost in the Fire by Mariana Enriquez

Mariana's collection of short stories - THINGS WE LOST IN THE FIRE - give you a slice of life into the streets of Argentina. I hardly know anything about living in Argentina, but the author did a wonderful job taking me on my first journey there. But I didnt go to the touristy spots, she took me to the streets. These stories give us social commentary on the area as well. She displays good people going up against bad systems.

Most of the characters are female, young, and discontent. 

And most of the stories are dark, realistic, and horror-lite. There are no ghosts or demons or murderers, but we can't ever say they don't exist for sure in the world she builds for us. And I think that's the beauty of short stories - you don't have enough time for the author to spell everything out for you. You get the slice of life, the moment, the feeling, and then you move on.

THE DIRTY KID: a young female living in the sketch part of buenos aires encounters a homeless kid

THE INN: after her father gets let go from his job, the daughter reluctantly goes along with her friend to the inn he worked at. 

THE INTOXICATED YEARS: a group of friends grow up together through drugs and a government enforced blackout

ADELA'S HOUSE: a girl and her brother become friends with adela who is missing an arm. 

AN INVOCATION OF THE BIG-EARED RUNT: a guy runs a "serial killer tour" for tourists and becomes peculiarly engrossed with one of the stories. 

SPIDERWEB: a woman and her drab husband visit her aunt and uncle. they also go on a day-trip with her favorite cousin, who the husband dislikes. 

END OF TERM: "She was shamelessly breaking down right in front of us, and we were the ones who were embarrassed." 

NO FLESH OVER OUR BONES: a woman becomes obsessed with a skull she finds. 

THE NEIGHBOR'S COURTYARD: a couple moves into a new house and the woman tries to convince her husband something strange is going on with the neighbor. 

UNDER THE BLACK WATER: a DA investigates a case about bodies of local thugs thrown into a spooky river. 

GREEN RED ORANGE: a woman's husband locks himself inside a room of his mother's house and refuses to leave. 

THINGS WE LOST IN THE FIRE: women set themselves on fire to protest violence against women.