In Elsie Chapman (A Thousand Beginnings and Endings) and Caroline T. Richmond's (The Darkest Hour) Hungry Hearts, 13 stories of how people show "love through food" unfold and intertwine in the neighborhood of Hungry Heart Row. Featuring tales told from diverse points of view that discuss loss, love, family and how food can bring people of all cultures together, this collection of connected short stories combines a number of different genres--fantasy, crime, mystery, magical realism, romance--to create a vibrant neighborhood and a vivid tapestry of experiences.
Hungry Hearts is filled to the brim with delightful surprises and deep familial bonds. In Karuna Riazi's "Hearts à la Carte," a mysterious boy falls from the sky "as harshly... and roughly... as a shooting star" and befriends Munira, a young woman who keeps desperately hoping adventure will find her. The spirit of a dead parent is brought back to life by the cooking of their favorite dish in Sangu Mandanna's "Rain." And "Panadería Pastelería" by Anna-Marie McLemore tells the enchanting story of a girl named Lila who has the magical ability to find and make pastries for those who need them most. Blended together, this baker's dozen of stories creates a multilayered and diverse neighborhood, its community brought together through their experiences with grief, love, intrigue, family and, of course, food. Each author creates an atmosphere that pulls at the heartstrings, the collection leaving a delightfully bittersweet taste in readers' mouths. --Tasneem Daud, blogger and booktuber, Nemo Reads