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3.58 AVERAGE
3.58 AVERAGE
slow-paced
I find it hard to accurately review a book of short stories. That’s because while all the stories had the same basic theme, each one had a completely different vibe, trajectory and of course, characters. Standing back and looking how I felt about all of them I’d have to say the ones I really liked were outnumbered by the ones I found to be just okay. The most standout chapter to me was The Department of Dead Love by Nicola Yoon. Innovative and creative, I would have loved for that chapter to be a standalone.
I didn't mean to finish my first book of the year on the same day we received a letter about "how some people have a convenient excuse to never set their eyes on physical books for good," but it sure felt like a call-out when I know I've been meaning to read more books and only just finished one two months into the year hahaha I swear it was just coincidental though. All that aside, I enjoyed many stories in this anthology, specifically "Oomph" by Emery Lord, and "Print Shop" by Nina LaCour. The book's a good mix of queer stories and hetero stories, so it's a fairly balanced salad I suppose, not to mention one of them is literal straight-bait, as in from the get-go, the audience are tricked into thinking it's another hetero story but towards the middle while we are starting to get to know the characters we begin rooting for the two women to get together instead, and that's exactly what we get. There are some stories here that felt less like a complete one-shot story and more like a first chapter of a long book, which I did not appreciate since the challenge of shortform fiction is writing a complete story with very little space. That's to say, it should leave the audience wondering what happens next after, but the themes introduced in the beginning should've already been addressed by the end, and not feel like a cheap "cliffhanger" for the sake of leaving the audience hanging. Thankfully only a small percentage of the stories here did that, most authors adhered to the shortform format which made for a satisfying and diverse reading experience overall.
Spoiler
Something Real by Julie Murphy
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
4/5 stars! I’m so glad HMH teen gave me this book at yallfest! I started it as soon as I got home Saturday and I flew through it. The only reason it didn’t get 5 stars is because the first 2 were not for me at all. But if you want a pick me up, please read this January 2nd, when it is released!
An easy, fun roundup of short stories- perfect to read in feel-good chunks before bed.
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
My review of the book in general is on my Instagram: @sannareads ❤️
(1) Siege Etiquette - Katie Cotugno: ⭐️⭐️
(2) Print Shop - Nina Lacour: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
(3) Hourglass - Ibi Zoboi: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
(4) Click - Katherine McGee: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
(5) The Intern - Sara Shepard: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
(6) Somewhere that’s Green - Meredith Russo: ⭐️⭐️
(7) The Way we Love - Dhonielle Clayton: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
(8) Oomph - Emery Lord: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
(9) The Dictionary of You and Me - Jennifer L. Armentrout: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
(10) The Unlikely Likelihood of Falling in Love - Jocelyn Davies: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
(11) 259 Million Miles - Kass Morgan: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
(12) Something Real - Julie Murphy: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
(13) Say Everything - Huntley Fitzpatrick: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
(14) The Department Of Dead Love - Nicola Yoon: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
(1) Siege Etiquette - Katie Cotugno: ⭐️⭐️
(2) Print Shop - Nina Lacour: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
(3) Hourglass - Ibi Zoboi: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
(4) Click - Katherine McGee: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
(5) The Intern - Sara Shepard: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
(6) Somewhere that’s Green - Meredith Russo: ⭐️⭐️
(7) The Way we Love - Dhonielle Clayton: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
(8) Oomph - Emery Lord: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
(9) The Dictionary of You and Me - Jennifer L. Armentrout: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
(10) The Unlikely Likelihood of Falling in Love - Jocelyn Davies: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
(11) 259 Million Miles - Kass Morgan: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
(12) Something Real - Julie Murphy: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
(13) Say Everything - Huntley Fitzpatrick: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
(14) The Department Of Dead Love - Nicola Yoon: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thirteen different short stories about love. Whether it be found at a party hiding out from the police, being stuck in an airport or an interview before going mars, love is always around. This is very similar to Stephanie Perkins Summer days and Summer Nights and My True Love Gave to Me: Twelve Holiday Stories.
I liked almost all of the stories, sometimes too much—getting into the characters and plot and then it ended, leaving me wanting more. Found a few new authors to follow, though!