Reviewed by Pikasho Deka for Readers' Favorite

La Fête de la Vie is a captivating collection of short stories and poems by Jaqueline Miller Bachar. The narrator is at her favorite restaurant in Paris while her mother is dying of cancer in America. A World War II veteran tries to fulfill the promise he made to his old friend, only for old age to derail their plans. A young woman puts her faith in God to escape a mysterious evil and surrenders to her fate. A mother waits for her son and her husband to return home during the American Civil War. With her father moving to a nursing facility, a woman finds value in his home and belongings. Two fiercely competitive talk show hosts try to outwit each other. A writer finds the inspiration to finish their story at a wake.

Author Jaqueline Miller Bachar explores various facets of life with this engrossing collection of short stories and poems. Themes of death, rebirth, old age, friendship, grief, loss, and the passing of generations are woven throughout the narratives of Bachar's short stories and poems. I found the short stories both emotionally powerful and thematically rich. They paint a colorful portrait of the human experience, offering readers a chance to look through the perspectives of a diverse cast of characters. Something about "The Palm Springs Girls" really made me laugh out loud. Bachar's poetry evokes a wide range of emotions as well. The verses are mesmerizing and fantastical. The author has a distinctive poetic voice and flair, which will definitely enthrall poetry lovers. If you enjoy short stories and poetry, La Fête de la Vie will be right up your alley.