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lamplightlibrary's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
spellboundliz's review against another edition
4.0
Average rating: 3.25/5
My rating: 3.5/5
I went into this anthology wanting to like it and expecting some up and downs from both the nature of the format and the reviews I had seen from some Goodreads friends. Overall, I was not disappointed. I could have done without the two stories I rated 2/5, but I'm glad I read all the others. Sometimes you just need a cute, self-contained little love story to get you through the day and to make you smile and this anthology provided. There were a few shining stars that I was really impressed with including Oomph, Print Shop, and The Unlikely Likelihood of Falling in Love.
I was excited to find that there were four, yes FOUR, f/f romances represented in this anthology, and one trans character. This is particularly important because of the dearth of f/f and trans contemporary stories in YA. I was kinda disappointed that there was no m/m romance represented, though. I also wish there were more perspectives from male characters to even out the perspectives a bit. Perhaps a transgender boy? All of the authors are women and as great as that is, I think I would have liked to see at least male author present a romance for this anthology.
I also used this anthology as a sampler to read works by some authors who I've been meaning to check out and see if I like their writing styles. After reading this I plan to read other works by Ibi Zoboi, Katharine McGee, Dhonielle Clayton and Julie Murphy.
Here are my specific thoughts on each of the 14 stories:
(LGBT stories are denoted with a 🏳️🌈 emoji!)
Siege Etiquette by Katie Cotugno - 2.5/5
This first story was not what I was expecting... and maybe not in a good way. The use of second person was hard to grasp at first and I didn't really understand the choice to use it, but it wasn't as disorienting as I first thought. I also didn't connect to the characters all that much. This was an odd start to a pretty good anthology and I wish they had made a better choice in a first story.
Print Shop by Nina LaCour - 4.5/5 🏳️🌈
Wow wow wow. This made me want to grab the closest Nina LaCour book and devour it. I absolutely loved this story - from the aesthetics and the setting of the Print Shop, to the writing style and the characters. Nina built a little piece of the world I want to live in, in just a few short pages. This story is perfectly queer and just what I wanted from this anthology.
Hourglass by Ibi Zoboi - 3/5
This one really left me wanting more. I was so disappointed when I flipped to the next page and saw there wasn't anymore of it. Still, I thought this story did a good job of tackling issues regarding body image, poverty, college, etc, but I really wish we had met the other character before the 3rd to last page. Regardless, I am definitely going to check out America Street by Zoboi now!
Click by Katharine McGee - 4/5
This was a very cute story! It was nice and consice and felt wrapped up by the end. I enjoyed the premise of the not-so-far-away dating app and the not-too-distant-future setting. I might check out Katharine McGee’s other work after reading this.
The Intern by Sara Shepard - 3/5
This one was nice, but not much more than that. I liked the exploration of grief but I didn’t feel very compelled by the characters or the couple. It also felt a bit rushed at the end. I did like the settings and the element of the psychic and the idea of the record label, but they could have been explored a bit more. Overall, it was just okay.
Somewhere That’s Green by Meredith Russo - 3.5/5 🏳️🌈
Initially I wasn’t sold on this story. I was hesitant to read a story that was partially from the POV of a transphobic person, even though I liked that the other main character was a trans girl and the transphobic character turned out to be a closeted lesbian. The story dealt with this transphobia, though, in a mostly positive way and despite not directly addressing certain micro-aggressions (like repeatedly calling the trans character “the transgender”, etc) I think the story did a good job touching on a significant issue for trans people. The f/f romance was cute and I really liked that the story was about characters being in a musical, but I felt that the musical theatre element was more intriguing in other stories in this anthology; it was just lacking for me. I also believe the character Nia is a WoC because she is said to look like the model Arisce Wanzer, and it’s nice to see a trans WoC represented.
The Way We Love Here by Dhonielle Clayton 4.5/5
I love the setting and world-building the author managed to create in just a few short pages. I also really liked the character of Viola and Sebastien was cute too! I like that we got to spend so much time with the characters even thought it was a short story. I also found the magical element of the story to be very compelling.
Oomph by Emery Lord - 5/5 🏳️🌈
Oomph is right! This story was pretty much perfect and exactly what I wanted from this collection. I really loved the f/f airport meet cute; it felt very natural and well-paced. As much as I’d like a full novel on this couple, I think I’ll survive just imagining their future together in NYC.
The Dictionary of You and Me by Jennifer L Armentrout - 2/5
I had to speed-read this one because it was just not good. The premise was kinda cute but the execution was way off. I hated the writing and really disliked the characters. Just, no thanks.
The Unlikely Likelihood of Falling in Love by Jocelyn Davies - 4.5/5
Hypothesis: Low probability of me liking this story because of the premise of falling in love at first sight on the subway. Results: I actually loved it. Analysis: The writing and the characters really sold the premise for me. I loved the structure of the story, and the main character, her drive, and her love for statistics. She was just as skeptical as I was about her meet cute, and that made it very believable. I was almost late for class because I was glued to this book and couldn't wait to see how it ended. Conclusion: Surprisingly wonderful!
Something Real by Julie Murphy - 4/5 🏳️🌈
This was so cute, it had me smiling like an idiot! The reality show/date with a celebrity premise could have gone really gone awry in the wrong hands, but it was handled very well and turned out to be a wonderful meet cute. The ending this was very satisfying and the f/f romance was precious and believable - it definitely felt like something real. 😉 I’ve been interested in reading Dumplin’ and Ramona Blue by Julie Murphy and after reading this I will be sure to check them out!
Say Everything by Huntley Fitzpatrick 2/5
I’ve been trying to figure out what the opposite of a meet cute is; whatever it may be, that word would define this story. It’s unromantic, forced, awkward, stilted and overall just left me asking: why? I think the idea of the “Book of Lost Things” would be cool if approached differently, but this was lackluster at best.
The Department of Dead Love by Nicola Yoon - 4/5
The world-building in this story was pretty incredible and had me totally captivated. The relationship that the main character is trying to get over resonated with me a lot (to be honest I was almost in tears at one point) so this story might have spoke to me more than it does to others. The budding romance felt a little weak though, but I was pretty impressed. A strong and emotional ending to this anthology!
Those are my thoughts on Meet Cute. Overall I really enjoyed it and I'm glad I got to try something new with this review format. I don't think I've read an anthology like this before, so I'm also glad I tried that too! If you like anthologies I think this is a great one to pick up, as long as you expect both highs and lows. The diversity was probably the most enjoyable aspect, as I tended to rate the f/f romances the highest, because, of course.
It would be remiss of me not to credit Cece (ProblemsofaBookNerd) with the idea for this review format. Check out her review here.
My rating: 3.5/5
I went into this anthology wanting to like it and expecting some up and downs from both the nature of the format and the reviews I had seen from some Goodreads friends. Overall, I was not disappointed. I could have done without the two stories I rated 2/5, but I'm glad I read all the others. Sometimes you just need a cute, self-contained little love story to get you through the day and to make you smile and this anthology provided. There were a few shining stars that I was really impressed with including Oomph, Print Shop, and The Unlikely Likelihood of Falling in Love.
I was excited to find that there were four, yes FOUR, f/f romances represented in this anthology, and one trans character. This is particularly important because of the dearth of f/f and trans contemporary stories in YA. I was kinda disappointed that there was no m/m romance represented, though. I also wish there were more perspectives from male characters to even out the perspectives a bit. Perhaps a transgender boy? All of the authors are women and as great as that is, I think I would have liked to see at least male author present a romance for this anthology.
I also used this anthology as a sampler to read works by some authors who I've been meaning to check out and see if I like their writing styles. After reading this I plan to read other works by Ibi Zoboi, Katharine McGee, Dhonielle Clayton and Julie Murphy.
Here are my specific thoughts on each of the 14 stories:
(LGBT stories are denoted with a 🏳️🌈 emoji!)
Siege Etiquette by Katie Cotugno - 2.5/5
This first story was not what I was expecting... and maybe not in a good way. The use of second person was hard to grasp at first and I didn't really understand the choice to use it, but it wasn't as disorienting as I first thought. I also didn't connect to the characters all that much. This was an odd start to a pretty good anthology and I wish they had made a better choice in a first story.
Print Shop by Nina LaCour - 4.5/5 🏳️🌈
Wow wow wow. This made me want to grab the closest Nina LaCour book and devour it. I absolutely loved this story - from the aesthetics and the setting of the Print Shop, to the writing style and the characters. Nina built a little piece of the world I want to live in, in just a few short pages. This story is perfectly queer and just what I wanted from this anthology.
Hourglass by Ibi Zoboi - 3/5
This one really left me wanting more. I was so disappointed when I flipped to the next page and saw there wasn't anymore of it. Still, I thought this story did a good job of tackling issues regarding body image, poverty, college, etc, but I really wish we had met the other character before the 3rd to last page. Regardless, I am definitely going to check out America Street by Zoboi now!
Click by Katharine McGee - 4/5
This was a very cute story! It was nice and consice and felt wrapped up by the end. I enjoyed the premise of the not-so-far-away dating app and the not-too-distant-future setting. I might check out Katharine McGee’s other work after reading this.
The Intern by Sara Shepard - 3/5
This one was nice, but not much more than that. I liked the exploration of grief but I didn’t feel very compelled by the characters or the couple. It also felt a bit rushed at the end. I did like the settings and the element of the psychic and the idea of the record label, but they could have been explored a bit more. Overall, it was just okay.
Somewhere That’s Green by Meredith Russo - 3.5/5 🏳️🌈
Initially I wasn’t sold on this story. I was hesitant to read a story that was partially from the POV of a transphobic person, even though I liked that the other main character was a trans girl and the transphobic character turned out to be a closeted lesbian. The story dealt with this transphobia, though, in a mostly positive way and despite not directly addressing certain micro-aggressions (like repeatedly calling the trans character “the transgender”, etc) I think the story did a good job touching on a significant issue for trans people. The f/f romance was cute and I really liked that the story was about characters being in a musical, but I felt that the musical theatre element was more intriguing in other stories in this anthology; it was just lacking for me. I also believe the character Nia is a WoC because she is said to look like the model Arisce Wanzer, and it’s nice to see a trans WoC represented.
The Way We Love Here by Dhonielle Clayton 4.5/5
I love the setting and world-building the author managed to create in just a few short pages. I also really liked the character of Viola and Sebastien was cute too! I like that we got to spend so much time with the characters even thought it was a short story. I also found the magical element of the story to be very compelling.
Oomph by Emery Lord - 5/5 🏳️🌈
Oomph is right! This story was pretty much perfect and exactly what I wanted from this collection. I really loved the f/f airport meet cute; it felt very natural and well-paced. As much as I’d like a full novel on this couple, I think I’ll survive just imagining their future together in NYC.
The Dictionary of You and Me by Jennifer L Armentrout - 2/5
I had to speed-read this one because it was just not good. The premise was kinda cute but the execution was way off. I hated the writing and really disliked the characters. Just, no thanks.
The Unlikely Likelihood of Falling in Love by Jocelyn Davies - 4.5/5
Hypothesis: Low probability of me liking this story because of the premise of falling in love at first sight on the subway. Results: I actually loved it. Analysis: The writing and the characters really sold the premise for me. I loved the structure of the story, and the main character, her drive, and her love for statistics. She was just as skeptical as I was about her meet cute, and that made it very believable. I was almost late for class because I was glued to this book and couldn't wait to see how it ended. Conclusion: Surprisingly wonderful!
Something Real by Julie Murphy - 4/5 🏳️🌈
This was so cute, it had me smiling like an idiot! The reality show/date with a celebrity premise could have gone really gone awry in the wrong hands, but it was handled very well and turned out to be a wonderful meet cute. The ending this was very satisfying and the f/f romance was precious and believable - it definitely felt like something real. 😉 I’ve been interested in reading Dumplin’ and Ramona Blue by Julie Murphy and after reading this I will be sure to check them out!
Say Everything by Huntley Fitzpatrick 2/5
I’ve been trying to figure out what the opposite of a meet cute is; whatever it may be, that word would define this story. It’s unromantic, forced, awkward, stilted and overall just left me asking: why? I think the idea of the “Book of Lost Things” would be cool if approached differently, but this was lackluster at best.
The Department of Dead Love by Nicola Yoon - 4/5
The world-building in this story was pretty incredible and had me totally captivated. The relationship that the main character is trying to get over resonated with me a lot (to be honest I was almost in tears at one point) so this story might have spoke to me more than it does to others. The budding romance felt a little weak though, but I was pretty impressed. A strong and emotional ending to this anthology!
Those are my thoughts on Meet Cute. Overall I really enjoyed it and I'm glad I got to try something new with this review format. I don't think I've read an anthology like this before, so I'm also glad I tried that too! If you like anthologies I think this is a great one to pick up, as long as you expect both highs and lows. The diversity was probably the most enjoyable aspect, as I tended to rate the f/f romances the highest, because, of course.
It would be remiss of me not to credit Cece (ProblemsofaBookNerd) with the idea for this review format. Check out her review here.
ajtibbitts0's review against another edition
5.0
“Cute” definitely covers it
As with any group of short stories, some were better then others. But overall they were cute and inclusive and thought provoking in the best way that leaves warm and fuzzies in your chest. It is definitely worth the read!
As with any group of short stories, some were better then others. But overall they were cute and inclusive and thought provoking in the best way that leaves warm and fuzzies in your chest. It is definitely worth the read!
kara44212's review against another edition
5.0
I am a hopeless romantic. I love love. This book was perfect for me.
Bite sized short stories from different authors with differing points of view about different people falling in love in different universes in a variety of ways; from the mundane to the sci-fi inspired, or as my fellow fan fiction enthusiasts would say, its a whole bunch of meet cutes in a bunch of different AUs.
Some stories were more entertaining and better than others, but I loved them all. After all, I love love, right?
There were more lesbian stories than I was expecting, which was a refreshing surprise; it wasn’t just a bunch of stereotypical straight people meeting in stereotypical straight ways. The diversity was awesome.
Overall this book was adorable, easily digestible, and a pure and innocent way to spend a day of reading. I loved it.
Bite sized short stories from different authors with differing points of view about different people falling in love in different universes in a variety of ways; from the mundane to the sci-fi inspired, or as my fellow fan fiction enthusiasts would say, its a whole bunch of meet cutes in a bunch of different AUs.
Some stories were more entertaining and better than others, but I loved them all. After all, I love love, right?
There were more lesbian stories than I was expecting, which was a refreshing surprise; it wasn’t just a bunch of stereotypical straight people meeting in stereotypical straight ways. The diversity was awesome.
Overall this book was adorable, easily digestible, and a pure and innocent way to spend a day of reading. I loved it.
whatbluereads's review against another edition
4.0
There are some books that you can't help the blush that spreads from your cheeks to your neck. How your heart flutters every-single-time characters kiss for the first time, and most importantly, how you squeal like a maniac because that is your ship and it is the best goddamn ship ever. Well, basically, that's how I felt the entire time I was reading Meet Cute.
The word that I can use to describe this book is definitely CUTE. It is so cute my brain can't process it yet. I'm still trying to get over it, but I keep smiling when I think about how all of these characters met and how the stars aligned for them. Of course, whenever one of the short stories ended, I would wale, because I wanted more, I needed more. It was like my life depended on it.
I can't pick a favorite story, it is incredibly impossible to do so, because they are all so perfect in their own way. As you read along, you get to discover the different types of writing techniques each author has, but it somehow flows well together, and it is pure magic. I am obsessed. I am in love. My pores are clear, and I am ready for the future, guys. This book is the kind of book you keep talking about and reminiscing for a while.
From your modern love story to a 'we might be going to Mars' love story, and other amazing ones, you will surely find a story that will make you want to squeal. Trust me, I yelled and squealed and it was totally liberating.
The word that I can use to describe this book is definitely CUTE. It is so cute my brain can't process it yet. I'm still trying to get over it, but I keep smiling when I think about how all of these characters met and how the stars aligned for them. Of course, whenever one of the short stories ended, I would wale, because I wanted more, I needed more. It was like my life depended on it.
I can't pick a favorite story, it is incredibly impossible to do so, because they are all so perfect in their own way. As you read along, you get to discover the different types of writing techniques each author has, but it somehow flows well together, and it is pure magic. I am obsessed. I am in love. My pores are clear, and I am ready for the future, guys. This book is the kind of book you keep talking about and reminiscing for a while.
From your modern love story to a 'we might be going to Mars' love story, and other amazing ones, you will surely find a story that will make you want to squeal. Trust me, I yelled and squealed and it was totally liberating.
ajb24's review against another edition
3.0
Begrudgingly I officially rate this 3 stars, but it's really a 2.5. There were a couple stories that I thought were really cute: "Oomph" (very adorable and got me to really like the "meet cute" premise) and "Click" (thought it was a cool concept). The rest were fine, but none particularly stood out (unless I thought they were really annoying/eye roll-inducing *cough* "The Intern" *cough*) .
I know the premise is "meet cute" so like, instalove is a primary feature. And yet, so many of these stories moved too fast to be believable to me. Especially the ones that ended where the two love interests kiss after knowing each other for like, maybe 24h. The only story I give a pass to on that front is "Click" since it started out as an arranged date, so kissing at the end of the night is not like, so weird.
Anyways, I'd only recommend reading "Oomph" and "Department of Dead Love" (cool concept). The rest are :/ unless you're dying to read not-so-memorable instalove.
I know the premise is "meet cute" so like, instalove is a primary feature. And yet, so many of these stories moved too fast to be believable to me. Especially the ones that ended where the two love interests kiss after knowing each other for like, maybe 24h. The only story I give a pass to on that front is "Click" since it started out as an arranged date, so kissing at the end of the night is not like, so weird.
Anyways, I'd only recommend reading "Oomph" and "Department of Dead Love" (cool concept). The rest are :/ unless you're dying to read not-so-memorable instalove.
nicolemhewitt's review against another edition
5.0
I'm going to write a short review for each of these as I read, so I'll remember my thoughts:
"Siege Etiquette" by Katie Cotugno: 4 stars
This little story was a surprise, told in second-person POV. The story centers around two characters who've known each other their whole lives but find a connection while hiding out from the police at an underage party (in the bathroom). The story was a lot less "cute" than bittersweet, but I loved how much story Cotugno managed to stuff into such a small package!
"Print Shop" by Nina LaCour: 3 stars
This story again has a second-person element to it at the beginning and the end, since the main character is describing to her girlfriend the circumstances around how they met. The MC goes to work at a print shop because she loves the art behind it, but ends up in a job handling social media (not what she expected) and then gets embroiled in a customer service issue. This story was cute, but I didn't feel a terrible connection between the MC and the love interest since the MC basically fell for her Facebook profile. Still a fun read, though!
"Hourglass" by Ibi Zoboi: 2.5-3 stars
I really loved this story at first, but then it just didn't seem to really go anywhere. Plus, very little of the story was actually spent on the MC meeting the romantic interest---it kind of felt just added on at the end. But I liked the fact that the story dealt with a girl who feels like she doesn't fit the mold when it comes to body image and her quest to find a dress that fits her, not just physically, but also fits her true image of herself.
"Click" by Katharine McGee: 4.5 stars
This was my favorite up till this point. We got dual POV's from a couple on their first date after using a somewhat futuristic dating app to meet their ideal match. Things don't go as planned when Alexa loses her phone and they end up on a wild goose chase to find it. Alexa is also dealing with loss, and there are some other hints of future tech elements to the story (though, actually not that futuristic because the tech referenced already does exist in some forms).
"The Intern" by Sara Shepard: 3 stars
This was another bittersweet story. I liked it, but it didn't stand out in my mind all that much. Honestly, even though I didn't read this one all that long ago, I'm struggling to even remember it.
"Somewhere That’s Green" by Meredith Russo: 4 stars
This one had a transgender main character and a main character who was struggling with her sexuality due to her religious beliefs (or, perhaps more accurately, struggling with how she thought others would perceive her sexuality). I really enjoyed the story, though I thought the ending felt a little too easy and didn't give quite enough weight to Lexie's decision at the end. (But that's kind of what happens with short stories).
"The Way We Love Here" by Dhonielle Clayton: 4.5 stars
The first (only?) fantasy story of the bunch. I LOVED the unique world that Clayton created and I was amazed at how well she was able to flesh it out in just a short story. I would read a whole book about this world in a heartbeat.
"Oomph" by Emery Lord: 5 stars
This story was the height of adorableness, featuring two girls who meet in an airport. This one made my heart happy and felt like a true "meet cute."
"The Dictionary of You and Me" by Jennifer L. Armentrout: 4 stars
Again, a really cute story. This one felt a little more realistic than some of the others because the characters had a connection before they actually met (via months of phone calls). Plus, it involved libraries and cute words like "zazzy." How could you go wrong?
"The Unlikely Likelihood of Falling in Love" by Jocelyn Davies: 5 shining stars!
I don't know what it was about this story, but I ADORED it! The MC is a self-professed math geek and she is working out the statistical probability of meeting up with a boy she falls for literally at first sight (without ever having met him at all). This should have been a disaster of insta-love proportions, but Sam (the MC) is so highly engaging and likable that I loved every minute of her story. This one's all about fate vs. statistics, and you don't know where it's all going to lead. (Hint: It leads to a story that made me all sorts of happy.)
"259 Million Miles" by Kass Morgan: 3.5 stars
This story had an interesting premise---a guy trying to get into a program to head to Mars in order to escape from his public humiliation that was posted to YouTube. It was an interesting spin on the typical social media story---It almost felt like the Mars part was a backdrop to that. I liked it, but it wasn't as good as the ones preceding it, and it was hard not to compare.
"Something Real" by Julie Murphy: 3 stars
I might have liked this story more if I'd read it earlier in the book, but I sort of started to feel like the bittersweet story of a family member who had died was being overdone in this anthology, so I had a harder time connecting to it than I might have otherwise. I liked the fun spin on the non-ideal dating show situation (even though it was pretty obvious early on where the story was going). A cute story, but not my favorite.
"Say Everything" by Huntley Fitzpatrick: 2.5-3 stars
Surprisingly, another story told in second person POV. I usually love Fitzpatrick, but I just never quite connected with this story and I also never felt a true connection between the main characters. There was nothing wrong with the story in the least, but I wasn't terribly invested.
"The Department of Dead Love" by Nicola Yoon: 3.5 stars
The concept for this one was a complete win. It took place in a sort of fantasy (or sci-fi?) world where people's relationships are handled via bureaucracy. There are departments to handle all sorts of issues related to love, including people who want a do-over in their relationship. I thought this was a really fun idea, and I loved seeing it play out. The only thing that kept me from absolutely loving it was because I didn't really see the connection between the MC and the person he ends up with. Still, there was so much more going on with this story that it was great anyway.
***Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation was given and all opinions are my own.***
"Siege Etiquette" by Katie Cotugno: 4 stars
This little story was a surprise, told in second-person POV. The story centers around two characters who've known each other their whole lives but find a connection while hiding out from the police at an underage party (in the bathroom). The story was a lot less "cute" than bittersweet, but I loved how much story Cotugno managed to stuff into such a small package!
"Print Shop" by Nina LaCour: 3 stars
This story again has a second-person element to it at the beginning and the end, since the main character is describing to her girlfriend the circumstances around how they met. The MC goes to work at a print shop because she loves the art behind it, but ends up in a job handling social media (not what she expected) and then gets embroiled in a customer service issue. This story was cute, but I didn't feel a terrible connection between the MC and the love interest since the MC basically fell for her Facebook profile. Still a fun read, though!
"Hourglass" by Ibi Zoboi: 2.5-3 stars
I really loved this story at first, but then it just didn't seem to really go anywhere. Plus, very little of the story was actually spent on the MC meeting the romantic interest---it kind of felt just added on at the end. But I liked the fact that the story dealt with a girl who feels like she doesn't fit the mold when it comes to body image and her quest to find a dress that fits her, not just physically, but also fits her true image of herself.
"Click" by Katharine McGee: 4.5 stars
This was my favorite up till this point. We got dual POV's from a couple on their first date after using a somewhat futuristic dating app to meet their ideal match. Things don't go as planned when Alexa loses her phone and they end up on a wild goose chase to find it. Alexa is also dealing with loss, and there are some other hints of future tech elements to the story (though, actually not that futuristic because the tech referenced already does exist in some forms).
"The Intern" by Sara Shepard: 3 stars
This was another bittersweet story. I liked it, but it didn't stand out in my mind all that much. Honestly, even though I didn't read this one all that long ago, I'm struggling to even remember it.
"Somewhere That’s Green" by Meredith Russo: 4 stars
This one had a transgender main character and a main character who was struggling with her sexuality due to her religious beliefs (or, perhaps more accurately, struggling with how she thought others would perceive her sexuality). I really enjoyed the story, though I thought the ending felt a little too easy and didn't give quite enough weight to Lexie's decision at the end. (But that's kind of what happens with short stories).
"The Way We Love Here" by Dhonielle Clayton: 4.5 stars
The first (only?) fantasy story of the bunch. I LOVED the unique world that Clayton created and I was amazed at how well she was able to flesh it out in just a short story. I would read a whole book about this world in a heartbeat.
"Oomph" by Emery Lord: 5 stars
This story was the height of adorableness, featuring two girls who meet in an airport. This one made my heart happy and felt like a true "meet cute."
"The Dictionary of You and Me" by Jennifer L. Armentrout: 4 stars
Again, a really cute story. This one felt a little more realistic than some of the others because the characters had a connection before they actually met (via months of phone calls). Plus, it involved libraries and cute words like "zazzy." How could you go wrong?
"The Unlikely Likelihood of Falling in Love" by Jocelyn Davies: 5 shining stars!
I don't know what it was about this story, but I ADORED it! The MC is a self-professed math geek and she is working out the statistical probability of meeting up with a boy she falls for literally at first sight (without ever having met him at all). This should have been a disaster of insta-love proportions, but Sam (the MC) is so highly engaging and likable that I loved every minute of her story. This one's all about fate vs. statistics, and you don't know where it's all going to lead. (Hint: It leads to a story that made me all sorts of happy.)
"259 Million Miles" by Kass Morgan: 3.5 stars
This story had an interesting premise---a guy trying to get into a program to head to Mars in order to escape from his public humiliation that was posted to YouTube. It was an interesting spin on the typical social media story---It almost felt like the Mars part was a backdrop to that. I liked it, but it wasn't as good as the ones preceding it, and it was hard not to compare.
"Something Real" by Julie Murphy: 3 stars
I might have liked this story more if I'd read it earlier in the book, but I sort of started to feel like the bittersweet story of a family member who had died was being overdone in this anthology, so I had a harder time connecting to it than I might have otherwise. I liked the fun spin on the non-ideal dating show situation (even though it was pretty obvious early on where the story was going). A cute story, but not my favorite.
"Say Everything" by Huntley Fitzpatrick: 2.5-3 stars
Surprisingly, another story told in second person POV. I usually love Fitzpatrick, but I just never quite connected with this story and I also never felt a true connection between the main characters. There was nothing wrong with the story in the least, but I wasn't terribly invested.
"The Department of Dead Love" by Nicola Yoon: 3.5 stars
The concept for this one was a complete win. It took place in a sort of fantasy (or sci-fi?) world where people's relationships are handled via bureaucracy. There are departments to handle all sorts of issues related to love, including people who want a do-over in their relationship. I thought this was a really fun idea, and I loved seeing it play out. The only thing that kept me from absolutely loving it was because I didn't really see the connection between the MC and the person he ends up with. Still, there was so much more going on with this story that it was great anyway.
***Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation was given and all opinions are my own.***
franuary's review against another edition
4.0
More of a 3.5. As expected in a short story collection with multiple authors, some of these just didn't work for me. But about half were genuinely cute, and half of those were ones I'd want to read again. I loved the stories by Katharine McGee, Dhonielle Clayton, Emery Lord, Jocelyn Davies, Julie Murphy, and Nicola Yoon, but Nina LaCour's Print Shop was hands down my favorite. I read it again immediately after finishing (it also contained the cutest meet cute scenario imo)!