If you've been by Gin and Rhetoric before, you might know that I have a soft spot for short stories … especially quirky ones, so when I saw Jessica Westhead read from And Also Sharks a few months ago, I knew that I had to read it. And Also Sharks contains 15 short stories, each one telling the story of outsiders, misfits or weirdo's. People who just don't quite fit in to the established social norms. People that I like to call 'socially retarded'. Not bad people, just awkward, uncomfortable people. People like Eunice, the cat lady, and Shelly, who takes kleptomania to a whole new level. Like Dean who believes he can heal by touch and Marv and Deb who just don't know when to stop being neighborly. When I was reading And Also Sharks, I found that I couldn't wait to see what the next story was going to entail. I had to know what new and bizarre character would be born.

What I found really and truly endearing about Jessica Westhead's stories was her ability to be write these characters that are very genuine and relate-able, but at the same time absurd … almost ridiculous. I found myself laughing at their quirks and the circumstances that they put themselves in, then the next moment grieving with them or feeling horribly embarrassed for them or filled with compassion for them. In essence, Jessica Westhead has created damn good characters. They're real in ways that you can't even imagine, which is a great accomplishment.

If you enjoy a good short story as much as I do, I'd definitely recommend picking up And Also Sharks. It's well worth the read, and the excellent characters and pacing will keep you turning the pages (or tapping the screen, whatever your taste may be).