Bites

by Julie Boe

Misfortune doesn’t knock, it kicks the door in. This mixed genre collection of micro-fiction, short stories, and prose poems peers into the gray area between where a dream ends and reality begins. Characters trespass into dangerous emotional and physical worlds, confronting loss, class divides, and the quiet collapse of moral certainty. As the world unravels around them, one question When the rules of society fall apart, what remains of humanity? In emotionally evocative bursts of narrative and lyrical reflection, the collection explores how we endure what the world offers and what it takes away.

93 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 16, 2025

About the author

Julie Boe is captivated by the power of micro-fiction and the emotional resonance that carefully chosen words can create. Through her writing, she aims for readers to reflect on morality and shine a light on the struggles faced by those less fortunate in society. She has a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from the University of San Francisco, which she still believes to be the best city in the world. She lives near the ocean with her husband Bryce and two young children. When she’s not writing stories, you can find her on the pickleball courts in sunny California or wine tasting in the Santa Ynez Valley.

Reviews

[Tiffany Brewer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay, so I picked up Bites by Julie Boe thinking I was just getting into a quirky little book—what I didn’t expect was to be both thoroughly entertained and slightly concerned about my new desire to be best friends with someone who might just write love letters to chaos.

This book? It bites in the best way. Julie Boe manages to serve up hilariously sharp little snapshots of life, love, loss, and whatever else pops into her wonderfully twisted mind. Each piece is like a literary snack—quick, flavorful, a little crunchy on the outside, soft and existential on the inside.

Some bites made me laugh out loud (and I mean real laughter—not the fake “LOL” we type when we’re actually dead inside), while others hit me right in the gut, which, frankly, felt rude—but also weirdly healing? She's got that magic where one paragraph has you giggling and the next has you staring into space like, “Am I okay??”

Julie’s writing is witty, honest, and just the right amount of unhinged. It feels like sitting at brunch with your funniest, most emotionally honest friend who might casually mention the apocalypse but then immediately distracts you with a killer one-liner and a mimosa.

10/10 would recommend for anyone who likes their literature a little weird, deeply real, and peppered with humor that sneaks up on you like a feral cat with wisdom to share.

In conclusion: Bites didn’t just nibble—it devoured me, and I liked it.

[Zach Hewitt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bites is a good name for the collection as each piece is very short and digestible. It shows a mastery of evocative, poetic language although occasionally I felt it had crossed the line into something excessively ornate that subtracted from the emotional impact of certain pieces.

Some of the best pieces ("Tic" or "Unfinished Business" were two of my favorite examples) feel like a fever dream in the best way. I think the biggest weakness throughout the collection, and one of the main reasons I cannot rate this 5 stars, is the dialogue - much of it came off as just a bit clunky and forced, which is something that can pretty quickly kill the vibe of a story. Overall though, I would certainly recommend this collection - it's short but there's enough in there that works that I think most readers could find something they resonate with.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Mala Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bites by Julie Boe is a collection of super short stories that pack a serious emotional punch. The stories touch on topics like love, death, mortality, and grief, and somehow make you feel everything in just a few pages. The writing is vivid and imaginative. Even though the stories are quick reads, they build tension in a way that keeps you hooked. I kept thinking, “just one more,” and ended up flying through the whole thing in one sitting. Definitely a must-read!

[George Bifano · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Bites" is unique. It makes you think outside your box.
Every "bite" in the collection gives you something to chew on.

Boe's style is concise, imaginative and compelling.
My read was over too soon, and a re-reading was mandatory for exploring the depths of the author's nuance.