The Patron Saint of White Menageries: Stories

by Lauren T.Davila

In her debut magical-realism collection The Patron Saint of White Menageries, Pushcart-nominated author Lauren T. Davila cracks Los Angeles open to reveal a kaleidoscope of unlikely heroines, talents, and dreams.

In a sticky diner, a waitress fits wisps of cloud into coffee mugs, trying to solve her patrons' problems. A motherless girl defies her father's rules, rubbing fish scales from her eyes and learning her mother's half-remembered Spanish. Spectral ballerinas haunt alleys and dance studios, and red bumps rise on the arms of an assistant whose employer has been alive too long. The prophet Cassandra, exhausted from reincarnating and never being believed, tries one last time to escape her fate.

For lovers of White Cat, Black Dog and whoever haunts the Pacific Coast Highway, The Patron Saint of White Menageries is a guide to magical LA by one of its native daughters.

Genres: Short Stories, Fantasy, Fiction

264 pages, Paperback

Expected publication September 1, 2026

About the author

Lauren T. Davila is a Pushcart-nominated, Latina author, anthologist, and acquisitions editor.

Her debut magical realism short story collection, THE PATRON SAINT OF WHITE MENAGERIES, is forthcoming from Creature Publishing on September 1st, 2026 2026.

She has edited multiple short story anthologies. including TO ROOT SOMEWHERE BEAUTIFUL: AN ANTHOLOGY OF RECLAMATION (Outland Entertainment 2024) and WHEN OTHER PEOPLE SAW US, THEY SAW THE DEAD (Haunt Publishing 2022)

Her poetry and short fiction has appeared online at Granada Magazine, The Paragon Journal, Ghost Heart Literary Magazine, Peach Velvet Mag, Voyage Journal, Second Chance Magazine, Headcanon Magazine, In Parentheses, and Poets Reading the News.

Lauren has an MA in English from Claremont Graduate University and an MFA in Fiction Writing from George Mason University. Besides her personal creative work, she is the Acquisitions Editor at Inked In Gray Press and is actively acquiring genre fiction from historically marginalized writers. She is also the Assistant Director at PocketMFA, an online writing and mentorship program.

She lives in the greater Los Angeles area where you can find her swimming, walking her golden retriever, and drinking one too many lattes.

You can find her on Instagram and Threads @laurentdavila.

For inquiries regarding invitations to anthologies, international rights, or IP work, please reach out to her literary agent– Susan Velazquez Colmant at JABberwocky Literary: https://awfulagent.com/agents/susan-v...

Reviews

[Rachel Lea · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very fun and digestible read! I received the ARC on a long drive home from vacation and ate it all up in one sitting. Each story was unique and a very fun individual ride. The writing is really beautiful without being too much or over-flowery. If there were standalone specifically written for the 2nd and 3rd story I would devour them!

[Lilah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you very much to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Patron Saint of White Menageries is an anthology of ten short stories leaning into speculative fiction and magic realism. All of the stories are set in Los Angeles, and all of them feature women protagonists. It also features retellings and reinterpretations of popular stories and themes, such as Giselle, the myth of Cassandra, and the Hotel California.

I would like to preface by saying that I’ve always been fond of magic realism; it was a genre I studied all too briefly at university and one that has always permeated my thoughts. To me, these stories were as true as any other account, simply because there will always be a woman whose imagination connects her so strongly to the invisible that it becomes her reality.

Author Lauren T. Davila is an expert at combining brilliant imagination with excellent writing technique. Her dedication to the craft of writing is palpable in how deliberately she employs all the tools in her arsenal: syntax, vocabulary, tense, and even form, among many others. With this anthology, she showcases the beautiful power of short fiction. It takes immense skill to make full use of the required brevity and work with it, not against it, to truly enchant a reader.

Overall, this anthology was a delight to read. It honoured womanhood and girlhood in equal measure; it depicted vulnerability, pain, and suffering with no judgement or contempt. The women in this anthology are all united in their womanhood. Some are differentiated by their upbringing, others by social class or time period. All of them are women, and all of them are connected by an invisible string that transcends time and space.

Below are my (brief and spoiler-free) reviews of each short story.

Of Oil and Seafoam
The first story is a heart-wrenching and profoundly layered exploration of grief, the desperate need for stability, and the lengths we’d go to if only to avoid losing any more than we already have. Perhaps the speculative aspect was a little too vague for my preference, but that’s a subjective matter. The father was beautifully written, and even after finishing the anthology, this story was the one that stayed with me the most.

Of Gold and Ghosts
This story is a beautiful examination of how cycles can be broken and how some bonds are stronger than blood. I found some parts slow and others rushed. I would have liked for the spectral aspects to be introduced a little sooner to allow them more room for expansion and to be more present (perhaps even as present as they were in Of Satin and Daisies!).

Of Hemlocke and Marble
This is an excellent retelling of Cassandra’s myth. Many women readers will find mirrors of themselves in Cassandra or Elaine, and the ending is as brilliant as the concept. I’m personally unfamiliar with US university culture so I can’t speak for how realistic the depictions are, but my one gripe was that Brad was a bit too caricatured in his introduction and design. While the plot twist surrounding him was certainly much more insidious than I’d expected, I am curious if the choice to make him such an obvious jerk (in lieu of being a seemingly doting and respectful partner in public) was deliberate.

Of Blood and Lace
As a mystery, I really liked this story. The clues are laid out neatly, and I appreciate the role of intuition and instinct in the story. Its structure truly is impeccably executed. The ending, however, seemed somewhat abrupt for my tastes. The location at which Vera decided to make her big decision/change of heart seemed weak and could’ve packed a bit more of a punch, in my opinion. That said, I very much liked the blend of folkloric themes, particularly those surrounding doctors.

Of Satin and Daisies
This is a beautiful retelling of Giselle that plays very nicely with the phrase, “protect your heart.” The story is simply heartwarming, demonstrating the awkwardness and vulnerability that comes with being a young adult. Its endearing characters and sweet story more than make up for the few instances of stilted dialogue. The protagonist in this story showed incredible wisdom and compassion, and I absolutely adored the more comedic scenes with the ghosts.

Of Clouds and Venom
I’ll admit the very last part of the ending on this one confused me a fair bit. I’m not quite sure what to make of it, but the rest of the story was a sweet and whimsical take on life as a barista in a small town café. I enjoyed it, and it was short and sweet, but I did feel like it could have been a little more. Nevertheless, episodic style of the earlier portion, wherein each client was served differently, was beautifully done and very enjoyable.

Of Keys and Colitas
I really like how the author reimagined the Hotel California in this story. The idea itself is beautifully novel. That said, the story felt drawn out and didn’t feel as deliberately written as some of the others. It was good, but it could have been significantly better, in my opinion. The conversations between Bianca and Sebastian felt overlong while I would have loved for Peg to be more fleshed out.

Of Fire and Poppies
This is a beautifully surreal yet somehow completely natural tale. The story is structured wonderfully, and the fire is as much a powerful character as any other. A breathtaking spin on the phrase, “from ashes to ashes; from dust to dust.” The stylisation of journal entries may seem an optional aspect, but the difference in sentence length and structure between entries is deeply evocative.

Of Metal and Citrus
I thoroughly enjoyed and related deeply to this story. The slow, gentle pacing mirrors how the world seems to turn for the protagonist, and so it places the reader firmly in her shoes. It’s rare for stories to depict matters of race with such nuance and care. There’s a specific kind of alienation that comes with being the only person of colour in a group of White people; a shame, an ingrained need to conceal and shrink that which is foreign. This story does a brilliant job of illustrating that feeling, and how internalised shame can become a lingering, eternal weight, alleviated only by the joy of knowing that someday, we won’t be quite so ‘foreign’ anymore.

Of White Menageries
The anthology ends with a lovely story that sums up what it is to be a modern girl: to seek freedom and fear it, to struggle and navigate and long for nature, to beckon that which may never heed the call, and in the end, to hope. Some women find freedom, others remain captive to free more women. All of them are beautiful. This story also features masterful employment of tense as a narrative tool; the alternation between past and present is masterfully executed and prevents any confusion in the reader when going between flashbacks and current events.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a powerful collection of short stories of amazing women.

Each one felt beautiful, somehow nostalgic and were oddly comforting to me, due to their low stakes and hopeful, albeit abrupt endings.

My absolute favourites were "Of Satin and Daisies", "Of Keys and Colitas", and especially "Of Metal and Citrus". These stories are surely going to be in my mind for a very long time.

Overall, this collection was a beautifully strange and memorable read.

Thank you to NetGalley and creature Publishing for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

[Alu · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Patron Saints of Menageries is a collection of weird short stories. Each one felt beautiful and called out to me. Lately, I have been reading books about magical realism and weirdness, and this book presented me with what I enjoy the most.

The author's writing style was bewitching and carried a surreal quality. I also loved how each of the stories revolved around women finding themselves despite the strangeness that surrounds them.

Of Oil and Seafoam - 4 This story is written in 2nd POV, which I feel added depth to the strangeness. The story is similar to The Song of the Sea movie. The story is about a girl who feels the most at home in the ocean and swears there is a huge whale near the shore, and maybe her mother might not even be human.

Of Gold and Ghosts - 5 I liked this one a lot. It's about a woman who is given custody of her friend's daughter after the friend dies. She soon finds that her friend's grandfather is a famous film star, and the friend's family might have secrets.

Of Hemlock and Marble - 5 I loved it. The story follows Cassandra, the cursed Oracle. Cassandra has been living different lives to make people believe her visions of the future. However, her curse prevents people from doing so. Tired of this endless cycle of lives, her brother decides to call it quits and enjoy a normal life. Can Cassandra make people believe her visions without his help?
I loved that this was based on Greek mythology, and I think this would have been a great standalone book.

Of Blood and Lace - 4 The story felt similar to something I read long ago, but this was still good. Vera is broke and she needs money—a lot of it, if possible—so when she sees a mysterious job on Craigslist, she jumps into it, unaware that she is going to suffer from possible mosquito bites and maybe even death.

Of Satin and Daisies - 3 This might be my least favourite. It is about a girl who sees the ghosts of women who died of failed love. Are the ghosts here to take her, or are they here to make her see that her childhood crush is not unrequited?

Of Clouds and Venom - 3.5 This is a feel-good story about a girl who can call down clouds and make coffee with them. But she could never bring down a cloud for herself. Maybe to bring one down, all she needs is a story about someone she saved years back.

Of Keys and Colitas - 5 I loved this one so much. It's about a girl who works at a magical and magnificent hotel for the dead. It has become her home even though it's been years since she felt another human touch. Is she living her life here, or is she trapped?

Of Fire and Poppies - Another 5 stars Surely one of the best. The story is told in the form of journal entries by a woman who inherits a lodge from a mysterious benefactor. However, there are some strange things, like poppies turning up everywhere and those dark watchers outside the lodge who seem to be watching her.

Of Metal and Citrus - 5 Wow, loved it so much. It's about this girl who gets stuck on a bench and stuck in time after a breakup. She has been in the same position for years, even after the sea rose and swallowed her and everything around her. Will she ever be able to move from that bench and grow old?

Of White Menageries - 3.5 This story was good. Adriana's best friend is missing, other students in her school are avoiding her, and the school is overrun by peafowls. Adriana questions her future and her freedom. Sometimes, being a peafowl is much better than being a human.


Overall, this collection was a beautifully strange and memorable read.

[Joyce · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC*

What an absolute ode to Los Angeles and Southern California.

Not the version sold on postcards or tucked behind Hollywood lights, but the one stitched together by the people who breathe life into it every single day. The one that smells like saltwater and citrus, where folklore lingers just beneath the pavement and magic slips so effortlessly into the ordinary that you stop questioning where reality ends and wonder begins.

This collection felt like wandering through a city with your heart wide open.

Lauren T. Davila understands something that I think the very best magical realism always knows…magic isn’t there to distract us from being human. It’s there to reveal the parts of ourselves we’ve been carrying all along. Every story reaches into something achingly familiar, grief, longing, identity, motherhood, memory, belonging, love, and gently turns it until it catches the light in an entirely new way.

I found myself slowing down as the stories bloomed quietly. They ask you to notice the small things. A glance, a neighborhood, and a family tradition. A ghost that feels no less real than the person standing beside it. There is something deeply comforting about a world where the impossible exists simply because someone’s heart needed it to.

What I loved most was how fiercely this collection celebrates people. Women from different backgrounds, different cultures, different histories, all carrying their own quiet universes. No two stories feel the same, yet they’re connected by invisible threads that remind us we’re all searching for many of the same things: to be seen, to belong, to be loved without having to become someone else first. One more time for those in the back- WITHOUT HAVING TO BECOME SOMEONE ELSE FIRST.

As someone who grew up surrounded by cultures, stories, and traditions that were woven into everyday life, this collection felt wonderfully familiar. It understands that myths don’t always live in books. Sometimes they live in families. In neighborhoods. In recipes. In the stories we’re told as children that somehow become the truest things we know.

And Los Angeles itself… it isn’t simply where these stories take place, it feels alive. The city breathes alongside every character until it becomes one of them, flawed, beautiful, sprawling, contradictory, and endlessly alive.

This is the kind of book that reminds me why I love magical realism so much. It gives language to things that reality alone sometimes can’t hold. It reminds us that there is extraordinary beauty tucked inside ordinary lives if we’re willing to look closely enough.

The Patron Saint of White Menageries quietly reminds you that the world has always been a little more magical than we’ve been taught to believe.

[Josie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC.

"The Patron Saint of White Menageries" is a short story collection that centers women and their curiosity, freedom, choice, and more. This collection took me by surprise, and only in a good way.

Each story was enjoyable to read, and not a single one bored me. A select few stood out to me, such as "Of Gold and Ghosts", about a woman who ends up adopting her secretive college roommate's daughter (may have made me tear up), "Of Hemlock and Marble", where the prophetess Cassandra lives multiple lives only to give warnings always gone unheard, and "Of Keys and Colitas", a fun spin on the Hotel California and how a girl navigates her life there.

Being a woman is hard. Expectations are set upon us from childhood, choices are made for us without our input, our own bodily autonomy is always under scrutiny, and yet we persevere. I guess what I'm trying to say is that even throughout all that women endure, hope is always held in our hands, and this book gave me that exact feeling as I read it.

While this is obviously a collection of short stories, some still felt a bit rushed in their conclusions. I would have loved to see some fleshed out a bit more, but that may just be a personal wish as someone who usually doesn't dabble too much in collections. Even so, I thought this was a joy to read and I ate it up.

4.25/5 stars. This is one I'll be revisiting when a man yet again tries to tell me I can't do something because of my gender :-)

[Tinashe · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC received from NetGalley

A 'menagerie' is a collection of captive animals, often rare or foreign, kept for display.

That definition perfectly captures this collection of stories, both literally and metaphorically. Each story felt like a psychedelic ride because there was no way of predicting what strange, fantastical, or otherworldly occurrence would come next. Every time I thought I had a grasp on where a story was heading, it surprised me.

My favorite stories were Of Clouds and Venom and Of Keys and Colitas, both of which stayed with me long after I finished reading.

The magical realism was one of the strongest aspects of this collection. It blended the ordinary with the extraordinary so seamlessly that even the most bizarre events felt believable within the worlds the author created. There was a dreamlike quality to the stories that made them immersive, unsettling, and fascinating all at once.

While some stories resonated with me more than others, I appreciated the creativity and imagination woven throughout the collection. Overall, it was a unique reading experience that constantly kept me curious about what would happen next.

[ava · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really really loved this collection of short stories. They were lyrical with rich settings, deep characters, and complexly unique plots.

Each story was unique in its own melancholic way, and though a lot of endings were ambiguous, they still felt complete. These short stories make you reflect on your identity, nostalgia, and how you interact with your environment. They added tension and lyricism in the right places without feeling too heavy or drawn out. Added onto the feelings of surrealism and deep, emotional descriptions leads to a wonderful read.

I especially appreciated how each story featured a woman of color and her journey through life. This anthology shows women in all walks of life, of different backgrounds and upbringing, and with varying levels of their own personal magic. These stories excelled at not making these women victims despite their circumstances. There’s an overarching theme of independence and redemption despite the darker tones.

I want to read this one again and again and again. Highly recommend.

* I received an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

[✩｡°⋆ Lala ⋆｡°✩ · Rating 4 out of 5]

•ARC 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝘄•

[Patron Saint Of White Menagerie]
🔥 Release Date: [Sep 01 2026] 🔥
Thank you to Creature Publishing, Lauren Davila, and NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!
★★★★½

Patron Saint of White Menagerie is such a strong, imaginative collection. I really enjoyed the variety here. Every story feels distinct, and Lauren Davila’s writing is consistently sharp, atmospheric, and emotionally layered. Even the pieces that didn’t hit quite as hard for me were still unique and interesting in their own way.

Some stories absolutely stood out: Of Keys and Colitas and Of Clouds and Venom were my personal favorites, with Of Metal and Citrus close behind. Others landed a bit softer, but the collection as a whole never lost my attention. I loved how each story carried its own tone and texture while still feeling like part of a cohesive thematic world.

Overall, this was a beautifully written, compelling set of stories with a lot of range. I’m really glad I picked it up, and I’d happily read more from Davila!

[Huyen Tran · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fellow readers,

Be prepared for interesting premises, great hooks, and cozy endings. Davila's debut short stories collection is full of gems. At the center of each story, there lays an emotional core and relationship. Mothers and daughters, sisters and brothers, family that goes beyond blood and lifetimes. The dialogue is at times too on-the-nose, the descriptions occasionally too much or too little, but the emotional arcs are clear and compelling. The title and book cover is incredibly eye-catching and I loved the first story's use of second-person and the magic realism tone it immediately sets.

Across ten stories, I got to experience slices of life in California. The scent and sound of the sea, the palm trees and orange blossoms, the glamour and dark sides of being human. If this is Davila's debut, I'm looking forward to reading more of her work in the future.

Thank you to Netgalley and Creature Publishing for the Advanced Reader Copy. Thank you Lauren, looking forward to your next story.

[Lee · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the eARC.

2.5 stars rounded up to 3, which might seem low but that doesn't mean this is a bad collection. There was some really interesting ideas and a great sense of 'place' in the South Californian setting. I love the title! Other reviewers have mentioned some of the stories felt almost like traditional fairy tales, and I would certainly agree with that. As with any collection, some of the stories were more interesting and memorable than others. Many of the stories had low stakes and I found the writing style rather more cosy than I think magical realism should be. But it's a debut collection, and I expect the writer will grow more into her ideas. Ultimately it was rather more YA in tone than I was expecting.

[Bookish Londoner · Rating 4 out of 5]

A collection of tales with an almost eldritch vibe. The short stories complement each other well, with strong thematic coherence throughout, although each with its own unique magic flair.

All 10 stories have intriguing premises and plenty have ambiguous endings, leaving you longing for more, while others round off nicely in a full condensed storyline. You really cannot predict what the next story will be so for me it was a nice surprise each time. All do focus on an individual woman and their very intimate experience with some strange occurrence of the supernatural.

Very re-readable too, you can pick your favourite or try to understand a piece that didn’t quite resonate with you the first time, as it might surprise you!

[Sam Rude · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an unexpected treat! I really enjoyed the evocative writing style throughout this collection and the stories throughout. The stories kind of run the gamut inspiration-wise from Greek myths to Hotel California but the connective tissue is a delightful touch of whimsy throughout. I enjoyed them all immensely from plot to writing style. As an LA native I did also appreciate all the of the LA and SoCal moments but I think they can be enjoyed . I look forward to reading more from Lauren T. Davila in the future!

Thank you to NetGalley and creature Publishing for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

[Sadie Hartmann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lauren T. Davila’s debut unleashes a lyrical, feminist voice marked by intimate authenticity and fearless curiosity. Each woman's uncanny story threads evolution and transformation through a lens of magical realism and the raw beauty of California landscapes—the Pacific salt, tumbled sea glass, and earthy aromas of mole. I left this collection with an appetite for more - Sadie Hartmann, Bram Stoker Awards® winning author of 101 Horror Books to Read Before You’re Murdered

[DHMC45 · Rating 3 out of 5]

A collection of mostly magical realism stories (because calling it 'fantasy' would be too kind) with decent prose but barely any engaging narrative with most ending quite abruptly without resolution and the mystical aspects more of a window dressing than an additive element, along with a far more juvenile and YA tone that didn't quite fit some of the heavier elements it tries to tackle.

[Z · Rating 4 out of 5]

NetGalley ARC Review-

If I had to classify this book, I'd classify it as weird with a dash of dysmorphic horror. And of course true to horror genre, it does centre around women- particularly women whose suffering and want is swept under the rug but they refuse to fade away.

A good read if you're looking for something that will turn the gears in your brain a bit.

[ABCme · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a compelling collection of stories set in the harsh California sun. Get to know modern day Los Angeles from a magical realism perspective. Think life on the beach, rags to riches, eternal youth, the hills, rockstars, hotel california and peacocks running wild.
Well written, deeply moving.

Thank you Netgalley and Creature Publishing for the ARC.

[Daniela Chisiu · Rating 4 out of 5]

4,25/5*

This book was a pleasant surprise! It is a beautifully written fantasy where magic blends with mystery. Emotional depths and good twists kept you engaged throughout.
A captivating read tha lingers long after the final page.

[L.L. Madrid · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ARC!

[★ molly ★]

e-arc received

[Kristin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a charming series of short stories. The author writes wonderfully gritty magical realism that is less like a Disney fairy tale and more like the old school humbling fairy tales where magic has a cost.

The stories are not interconnected, but contain a multitude of consistent threads throughout. One thread seems to involve the theme of identity for a first or second generation daughter of immigrants and the ingrained culture, but also the dissociation from your culture as time passes and the family unit becomes smaller. Another consistent theme involves the power, joy, freedom, and trials of womanhood. Also, all of the stories are vividly west coast centric.

This author does a tremendous job of creating a vivid world in a few short paragraphs. The stories are easily consumable and just long enough to give context, catalyst, and closure.

My favorite of the ten short stories was either Of Oil and Seafoam or Of Clouds and Venom….. or the namesake of the book, Of White Menageries. (Ok, fine. I’m terrible at picking favorites).

[Meghan · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5

[Marie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a review copy! This has in no way influenced my reading experience or opinions.

At its core, Lauren T. Davila’s The Patron Saints of White Menageries is a feminist magical realism short story collection about dreams, strong heroines, and magic set in the backdrop of Los Angeles. It’s also very much about relationships—family, friends, significant others—but mostly about female friendships and solidarity.

The writing was pretty simple, straightforward and easy to follow, but also incredibly versatile. Despite being the work of a single author, the collection feels varied, almost like the work of multiple authors. Lauren T. Davila experimented not only with perspective but also with pacing, structure, and form, incorporating varied narrative techniques that allowed each story to carve out its own identity. Thematically, however, the collection was cohesive and well-curated.

The Patron Saints of White Menageries likewise brought up important conversations I wish I had the courage to openly talk about with my family and friends. I felt targeted, but reading it was a cathartic experience. Many of the stories feel very cozy and oddly comforting to me, due to their low stakes and (mostly) hopeful, albeit abrupt endings. However, this, combined with conflicts that remain muted, resulted in stories that linger less for their resolutions than for their unrealized potential.

Unfortunately, I didn’t find most of the stories particularly interesting, and I struggled to finish the whole collection. While I’ve connected with all the stories at some point or another, only a few stood out the most to me. In particular, they are: Of Fire and Poppies, Of Blood and Lace, and Of White Menageries. I personally find them equally memorable, thrilling, and captivating to read out of all the stories in the collection. The plot, writing style, and narrative techniques used were also simply more up my alley. It’s all a matter of preference!

I also had to look up if Lauren T. Davila is a a Swiftie because there were too many references across different stories for it to be a coincidence. Turns out, I was correct! Of Hemlock and Marble features a modern day reincarnated version of the Greek prophetess Cassandra. Of Satin and Daisies is a ballerina x rockstar with dancing ghosts, and so so Enchanted-coded. Of Metal and Citrus feels heavily inspired by ‘right where you left me’. There’s even a Taylor Swift mention in Of White Menageries as well! There’s probably more, but these are the ones I could think of as I am writing my review.

While I am a casual Taylor Swift listener, and I enjoyed the references across the stories, I still felt a little disappointed that I didn’t like the overall collection better. I’ve read and loved To Root Somewhere Beautiful, one of the anthologies Lauren T. Davila had edited, so I somewhat had higher expectations. Nevertheless, I still plan on reading the rest of her anthologies, and I look forward to whatever she writes and/or curates next because she has some of the best ideas!

The Patron Saint of White Menageries is a somewhat solid debut collection. It just lacks a few things to me personally. While it may not have appealed much to me for now, I have a feeling I would want to revisit it someday and grow to appreciate it better.

[Nena Jo Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a powerful collection of short stories of amazing women. I think my favorite was the 2nd story of how the best friend stepped up and became a mother figure for her best friends daughter. I really enjoyed all of these collections.