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Rules for Loving Haunted Girls: A Sapphic Urban Fantasy Collection
Werewolves sharing early morning conversations with waitresses. Phantoms reappearing and disappearing in wild lavender fields. A coming-of-age story of a paper delivery girl discovering the secrets of a house-bound stranger. Sapphic love stories of the odd, strange, and utterly lovely.
Three urban fantasy novellas infused with humor, tenderness, and wonder: The Waitress and the Werewolf, The Phantom in the Lavender Fields, and Paper Girl. A werewolf and a waitress connect after the wolf comes in starving from her transformation and the waitress tries to figure out what the muddy, shoeless stranger is doing there each month. A phantom reappears and disappears in the wild lavender fields and a woman at rock bottom accidentally incites her haunting. Finally, a paper delivery girl uncovers the mystery surrounding a strange house and the girl inside who never seems to leave in a friends-to-sweethearts story.
Rules for Loving Haunted Girls is a series of otherworldly love stories about breaking our own rules to find each other. The night is dark and full of teeth, but surely, we must leave our house to find a home.
Three urban fantasy novellas infused with humor, tenderness, and wonder: The Waitress and the Werewolf, The Phantom in the Lavender Fields, and Paper Girl. A werewolf and a waitress connect after the wolf comes in starving from her transformation and the waitress tries to figure out what the muddy, shoeless stranger is doing there each month. A phantom reappears and disappears in the wild lavender fields and a woman at rock bottom accidentally incites her haunting. Finally, a paper delivery girl uncovers the mystery surrounding a strange house and the girl inside who never seems to leave in a friends-to-sweethearts story.
Rules for Loving Haunted Girls is a series of otherworldly love stories about breaking our own rules to find each other. The night is dark and full of teeth, but surely, we must leave our house to find a home.
203 pages, Paperback
Published October 1, 2021
12 people are currently reading
299 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
November 1, 2021
This is a wonderful collection, and I wish I could read it for the first time again.
I was settling into a candlelit bubble bath late Saturday night when I got a notification from Apple Books that a book I had pre-ordered (and promptly forgotten about) was now available. I’d had a kind of meh day and was overjoyed at the good fortune of a sapphic surprise!
I immediately dove into the first story and fell in love with Lyon’s writing. I finished The Waitress and the Werewolf with pruned toes, a craving for pancakes, and a full heart.
I forced myself to pace my reading of the next two a little bit, and didn’t finish them all in one night, but I was sorely tempted.
Each work invokes a different set of yearnings, all tied together with evocative language and sometimes painfully relatable characters.
I will be seeking out Lyon’s previous works, and keeping an eye out for future ones for sure!
I was settling into a candlelit bubble bath late Saturday night when I got a notification from Apple Books that a book I had pre-ordered (and promptly forgotten about) was now available. I’d had a kind of meh day and was overjoyed at the good fortune of a sapphic surprise!
I immediately dove into the first story and fell in love with Lyon’s writing. I finished The Waitress and the Werewolf with pruned toes, a craving for pancakes, and a full heart.
I forced myself to pace my reading of the next two a little bit, and didn’t finish them all in one night, but I was sorely tempted.
Each work invokes a different set of yearnings, all tied together with evocative language and sometimes painfully relatable characters.
I will be seeking out Lyon’s previous works, and keeping an eye out for future ones for sure!
October 31, 2021
I absolutely loved reading this collection - and will probably be seeking out the author's previously published collection soon. The first story was good, the second wonderful, and the third had me in tears. I enjoyed the characters and watching their relationships develop along unique paths. The writing itself was beautiful, and I think became increasingly powerful over the course of the collection. (I might also reread the first story, now that I have the rhythm of the author's writing, to see if I enjoy it even more the second time around) I will definitely be recommending this book to my friends!
November 22, 2021
*sighs romantically*
A wonderful little collection of stories 💜 it was insane how perfectly tailored the waitress and the werewolf was, like the author had reached into my silly gay head and pulled out all of my werewolf/small town diner waitress fantasies and put them down on paper in a way that made sense. Seriously, such a fun collection, highly recommended. I’m definitely gonna check out the other works by this author.
A wonderful little collection of stories 💜 it was insane how perfectly tailored the waitress and the werewolf was, like the author had reached into my silly gay head and pulled out all of my werewolf/small town diner waitress fantasies and put them down on paper in a way that made sense. Seriously, such a fun collection, highly recommended. I’m definitely gonna check out the other works by this author.
August 20, 2024
These are beautiful sapphic fantasy stories. I really enjoyed the time I spent reading them. This is my first time reading anything by Jacquelynn Lyon and it certainly won't be the last.
November 17, 2021
I’m tearing up at 8 in the morning goddamn it
August 8, 2023
I really enjoyed the three stories in this collection. The ideas were great and Lyon excels at creating characters who feel real and part of their world. While we dip into particular moments of their lives, there is always a sense that they have lived lives and have families, pasts and hopes and interests outside of their love story.
Some lines of description in this collection made me take a beat because they were stunning! Lyon's overall style is beautiful and well-paced. She also creates some great, vivid settings giving each story a strong sense of place.
However, there were also a few moments where I felt the collection could have used just one more round with an editor. E.g. there were a couple of typos. I also felt that she overused adverbs which took me out of reading, but this could just be my personal preference!
The last story, Paper Girl, was my favourite. I loved it. I teared up reading. Spot on. Brilliant. Its going to haunt me for a while.
My second favourite was the phantom. There are a lot of unanswered questions, and I could easily see how this short story could become novel length (same as the first story). I think it worked though and I enjoyed dipping into the intriguing world. I didn't NEED more.
My least favourite, though I still enjoyed it, was the first werewolf story. The opening was really strong, but I think the world building needed some more unpacking. I could follow fine, but not fully knowing/seeing the stakes possibly diminished the ending for me. Still a good time though! Still a fun short story. Characters were great!
I'd recommend Lyon to anyone who enjoys sapphic fantasy short stories and will happily go back and read more of her work. I very much look forward to seeing what she will do next!
Some lines of description in this collection made me take a beat because they were stunning! Lyon's overall style is beautiful and well-paced. She also creates some great, vivid settings giving each story a strong sense of place.
However, there were also a few moments where I felt the collection could have used just one more round with an editor. E.g. there were a couple of typos. I also felt that she overused adverbs which took me out of reading, but this could just be my personal preference!
The last story, Paper Girl, was my favourite. I loved it. I teared up reading. Spot on. Brilliant. Its going to haunt me for a while.
My second favourite was the phantom. There are a lot of unanswered questions, and I could easily see how this short story could become novel length (same as the first story). I think it worked though and I enjoyed dipping into the intriguing world. I didn't NEED more.
My least favourite, though I still enjoyed it, was the first werewolf story. The opening was really strong, but I think the world building needed some more unpacking. I could follow fine, but not fully knowing/seeing the stakes possibly diminished the ending for me. Still a good time though! Still a fun short story. Characters were great!
I'd recommend Lyon to anyone who enjoys sapphic fantasy short stories and will happily go back and read more of her work. I very much look forward to seeing what she will do next!
January 15, 2022
I was very excited to read this new collection by the same author who wrote The Soft Landing Collection, which I enjoyed reading last year. The stories in this collection are longer, which gives the author more room for plot and character development. I especially loved the very last story in this collection. Almost brought a tear to my eye. Great sophomore effort!
June 13, 2024
I loved these short stories! They were exactly the right mix of bittersweet and magical that I enjoy. I can’t wait to read more by this author.
January 1, 2023
A short stories collection set in urban fantasy. Simple stories about love and to pass the time ...
October 14, 2022
Overall this book has nice themes and I like that it features sapphic stories , but these stories seem unfinished and under developed.
Werewolf story: this one felt random and didn’t make sense. I liked the two main characters love, but the rules of the world were not explained and so the stakes were not there.
Phantom : this one I loved the concept the most and thought it really could go somewhere, but there were so many unanswered questions that could’ve added depth to the story. Like how does the mom know her why was she sorry. What is this other realm people can slip into. There was a lot that could’ve been done and had a great set up but an bad payoff
Papergirl: this one is the most cohesive out of the three. Although I felt the beginning was too long and the end was too short. I wish there had been more bread crumbs dropped along the way instead of it all at once at the end.
Werewolf story: this one felt random and didn’t make sense. I liked the two main characters love, but the rules of the world were not explained and so the stakes were not there.
Phantom : this one I loved the concept the most and thought it really could go somewhere, but there were so many unanswered questions that could’ve added depth to the story. Like how does the mom know her why was she sorry. What is this other realm people can slip into. There was a lot that could’ve been done and had a great set up but an bad payoff
Papergirl: this one is the most cohesive out of the three. Although I felt the beginning was too long and the end was too short. I wish there had been more bread crumbs dropped along the way instead of it all at once at the end.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 8, 2025
5 stars. Holy hell OUCH! What a way to end this collection. I genuinely loved all three stories in this. All three are so unique and different with different things to say. But there was just something about the last one 'Paper Girl' that just about wrecked me. It's a coming of age story in a way following Seiko and the friendship that she makes with a girl named Annalise. It was a wonderful read with a gut punch of an ending. It hurt but it's fucking beautiful. Lyon's writing is absolutely gorgeous and engaging and I'm in awe of it every time I read something by her. This was fantastic and I'm glad that I picked it up though now I only have one more book from her left to read and that thought makes me super sad.
December 12, 2024
If you are anti gay, please don’t bother reading this book. It might convince you that lesbians have just the same need for connection and joy that you have. And, with a twist, as it’s also about the “other” other side….. the occult/fantasy one.
March 19, 2024
4.5
Jacquelyn has a wonder-inducing, captivating way of expressing imagery. Such cute stories. The last one made me cry.
Jacquelyn has a wonder-inducing, captivating way of expressing imagery. Such cute stories. The last one made me cry.
December 20, 2024
This book was amazing! I read it in one sitting and loved each and every story. By the time I finished the last story, I was an emotional mess.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews