“Original, deftly crafted, emotionally engaging.” - Midwest Book Review
“A warm, funny, and quietly heartbreaking look at one woman’s struggle to see herself as worthy.” - Manhattan Book Review
Fireflies in a Jar
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“Fireflies in a Jar isn’t just about romance, it’s about learning to unlearn the wrong lessons your past taught you, and trusting that you’re more than the labels you’ve been given.”
“Who are you, Sam?” Unfortunately for Sam, the answer is: a lonely, single, closeted, mid-thirties woman with no interests, no close friends, and no romantic prospects. Like a passenger along for a ride, she watches everyone around her move forward, while she remains completely stalled in her own life. Despite longing for fulfillment and companionship, she doesn’t know where to start.
For most people it’s the 2010’s, but for Sam, it’s 1991, 1997, 2000, or any other painful moment from her past. At any given minute, her memories rear up and seize her, paralyze her, and force her to relive an endless loop of the worst times of her life. For decades, Sam’s inability to come to terms with her past has immobilized her, leaving her isolated, unfulfilled, and longing for change while navigating past traumas and current family crises.
Desperate, Sam tries to change her own life for the better, but her actions have unintended consequences for herself and for her family. Luckily for Sam, as she works to overcome her past, she finds help waiting for her from unexpected people in her present.
A mid-life coming of age story for anyone who has ever felt like they don’t fit in, don’t have everything figured out, or haven’t hit the milestones expected of them.
This novel is ideal for book clubs and classroom discussions and includes recommended questions for facilitators.
What Critics Are Saying
Manhattan Book Review
4 Stars | ”The beauty of Fireflies in a Jar is how it balances these heavier moments with humor and hope.
By the end, there’s no sudden, sweeping transformation. Instead, Wueste leaves us with something more believable: a woman beginning to believe she might deserve to be loved for exactly who she is.”
Midwest Book Review
"Fireflies in a Jar showcases author Beka Wueste's genuine flair for the kind of narrative driven storytelling style that raises her novel to an impressive level of literary excellence.
Especially and unreservedly recommended for community and college/university library Contemporary American Literary Fiction collections”
- Midwest Book Review
Readers’ Favorite Book Reviews
4 Stars | “Witnessing Sam’s journey to becoming the most authentic version of herself was a treat.
Finding oneself isn’t easy, and I found myself rooting for Sam with every step forward she took, reclaiming her truth and herself.”
- Readers’ Favorite Book Review