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jencunn2024's review against another edition
5.0
This is one of the best anthologies I’ve read in quite sometime. What a talented group of young authors and a fantastic project! The stories are interesting and diverse. Experiences shared range from being surrounded by people different than their protagonists to declaring individuality and breaking the mold of traditions. The coming-of-age stories are a wealth of learning, understanding, and figuring out who these characters are.. While all the stories shared here have an importance and something to share, I did feel a lack of representation for more gritty urban neighborhoods and backgrounds as well as kids trying to explore through music and sports; there was some but not as much as I expected. i enjoyed every story but some of my favorites were: Half A Moon by Renee Watson, Black Enough by Varian Johnson, warning: Color May Fade by Leah Henderson, Out of the Silence by Ketla Magoon, Oreo by Brandy Colbert, Samson and the Delilahs by Tochi Onyebuchi, whoa! By Rita Williams-Garcia, Gravity by Tracey Baptiste, and The Trouble with Drowning by Dnonielle Clayton.
yellowswagger's review against another edition
5.0
This book is a beautifully crafted collection of stories reminding us all that the black experience is not a monolith. I wish a teenage version of myself had this book. For any young black kid, teen, or adult who has ever felt like they’re not “black enough,” this one is for you.
ani_a_1's review against another edition
i read this for an english class. got bored. didnt read enough of it. but from what i could tell it wasn’t what what i thiught it would be. not enough of what its like being black. you just sorta happen to be black. but two stories actually delve into the racism of it and struggle.
mdevlin923's review
4.0
I generally don't like short stories, but this was a great collection. The varied voices were distinct but the common thread of Black Pride was wonderful.
tiffanykhyla's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25
I couldn't finish "Gravity." It felt too real, and it hurt.
chrissiewithanie's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
tatyanavogt's review against another edition
4.0
I liked all of the stories in this book and REALLY liked a majority of them. A lot of the stories were nice and relatable, short and sweet and pleasant. Nothing was too heavy or too hard but they didn't ignore or avoid serious topics. Nice balance.
I did struggle a little bit with the fact that it was a collection of short stories. I was reading it for #buzzwordathon so I wanted to get through the book but I felt like this was the type of book that is better savored. A slow read that you take a few stories at a time when you're in the mood for something quick. Each time I finished a story I wanted to move on to something bigger and longer. But regardless I still really enjoyed it.
I did struggle a little bit with the fact that it was a collection of short stories. I was reading it for #buzzwordathon so I wanted to get through the book but I felt like this was the type of book that is better savored. A slow read that you take a few stories at a time when you're in the mood for something quick. Each time I finished a story I wanted to move on to something bigger and longer. But regardless I still really enjoyed it.
josiereadz's review against another edition
adventurous
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
The stories were very mixed, some were quite interesting and enjoyable, while others were very boring. The main problem I faced was, that once I started to enjoy a story the story ended. If you like reading short stories this is definitely something for you to check out.