Professional poker player and author (Eating the Cheshire Cat) Ellis's latest is a collection of delightful short stories that turn the stereotypical housewife ideal on its head. Each one centers on the trials and tribulations of a particular housewife, whether she is hunting for yard sale treasures on reality television, conversing with the dead in her haunted luxury apartment, or literally battling neighbors over the decor of a hallway common area. Many of the characters are writers launching comebacks, or those coming to peace with their lack of writing while embracing a twist on domesticity. VERDICT Each story is lively and active. The hilarity of each premise will pull in readers, and the twists will keep them glued to the pages. Anyone who has ever contemplated having a drawer specifically for glitter or has felt awkwardly settled into the domestic life will appreciate this not-to-be-missed collection.—Mara Dabrishus, Ursuline Coll. Lib., Pepper Pike, OH