4.3⭐️

Duck for Cover & Other Tales by Barbara Venkataraman is a delightful collection of fourteen short stories! These stories revolve around friendships, family , community and so much more and touch upon varied themes such as revenge, love, deception and ageing among others. Some of these stories will surprise, some will make you laugh out loud and some will leave you pondering over the message they convey.

I absolutely loved this collection as a whole but will mention that “A Dish Best Served Cold” (we follow two warring neighbors as the tensions escalate) , “Duck For Cover” (a man’s unfortunate experience with the ducks roaming his neighborhood has ramification on all other aspects of his life), “The Yes Man” (a life lesson to a son from his father who is suffering from dementia),”The Devil’s Workshop” (detailing a juvenile offender’s experiences during his period of community service and restitution), “My Canadian Girlfriend” (a long-distance romance that ends not quite predictably) , “See You at The Movies” (a grandson’s tribute to his movie loving grandfather), “Brave New World” (cash or card?- an elderly woman’s dilemma) “Every Age All At Once” (an ode to lifelong friendships) are among my absolute favorites ( 5/5)! The story Living My Best Life (4/5) revolves around an aging rock star and his legacy. “I'll Drink to That”, “Whatever The Widget”, “Thicker Than Blood”, “That Daring Young Man” and ”From the Jaws of Victory” are also decent reads ranging between ratings of 3 to 3.5.

Overall this is a quick, entertaining read that is perfect for a change of pace between more serious reads or when you are craving a short light read that will make you smile. The stories are crisp, concise and very enjoyable. This is my first time reading this author’s work but definitely not my last.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of the book. All opinions expressed are my own. ( )