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danikaellis's review against another edition
“Death and the Maiden” by Tara Sim was probably my favourite story in the collection. This is a Hades and Persephone f/f retelling–perfect for fans of Sarah Diemer’s The Dark Wife. This time it’s Parvani who goes into the underworld, though, making this not only a queer retelling but also a switch of cultural context. This is a rich, encompassing fantasy world that made me wish that it was a full novel. The relationship between Parvani and Hades is much more consensual than most depictions of this myth, and I liked how it built. Parvani also goes through a lot of growth and change. This was an exceptional story.
...
Honestly, I think this collection is worth picking up just for “Death and the Maiden” if that story interests you, and I’m sure McLemore and Silvera’s contributions are great. But for all the stories averaged out, this was not a favourite of mine.
Full review at the Lesbrary.
...
Honestly, I think this collection is worth picking up just for “Death and the Maiden” if that story interests you, and I’m sure McLemore and Silvera’s contributions are great. But for all the stories averaged out, this was not a favourite of mine.
Full review at the Lesbrary.
acqua's review against another edition
4.0
Color Outside the Lines is an anthology about interracial relationships across time and genres. It's about the ways these relationships are both different and the same as the ones that aren't interracial; it doesn't only talk about love, culture, and prejudice, but also about family, friendships, communication, expectations and legacies, from many different points of view.
I thought this was a solid anthology. As usual, I didn't like every single story, but while the ending was a bit weak, I found some favorites in here.
Turn the Sky To Petals by Anna-Marie McLemore - 5 stars
This might be my favorite McLemore short story? I've loved Roja from All Out and Glamour from The Radical Element too, but not as much as this one, and I don't think this even had magical realism elements - the atmosphere and themes made this perfect and just as magical as her stories that actually had magic in them.
It's a story about a Romani boy who once played the cimbalom and a Latinx girl who liked to dance, brought together by their experiences with chronic pain. They meet while they're helping their town to prepare for a rich man's wedding, and said wedding includes the most beautifully described rain of flowers ever.
TK by Danielle Page - no rating, not in the review copy
What We Love by Lauren Gibaldi - 2.5 stars
This story is about a Jewish girl and an Indian boy, and it talks about what it's like to not fit in and be othered, and how people who are from different backgrounds can experience this in different yet similar ways. It also talks about familial expectations and about legacies - the focus on what we leave behind was what I appreciated the most about this story (and: if you like Star Wars references, read this). However, I found this story disappointing, because the antagonist is the stereotypical Blonde Mean Girl Who Wears Revealing Dresses (she's wearing a short, tight dress and grinding on a boy!). It's not that racist bullies who are also attractive white girls don't exist, but the problem is that she's racist and a bully, not her clothes.
Giving Up the Ghost by Tarun Shanker and Kelly Zekas - 2 stars
This is the story that worked for me the least. It's about a world in which everyone has a ghost who is one of their ancestors, and it follows a South Asian boy (I think?), whose ghost is probably the most successful pirate in history, Ching Shih. I loved the worldbuilding here and how it talked about communication and history, but sadly the fearsome Ching Shih read like a bratty ten-year-old and this ended up not being enjoyable at all.
Your Life Matters by L.L. McKinney - 4 stars
The first f/f story! It's about a black superheroine, her white girlfriend/sidekick, the Black Lives Matter movement, and people changing for the better. It deals with some heavy themes - like police violence and dating someone from a racist family - and at its heart is an hopeful story, which I really appreciated. It made me want to try McKinney's novels, even though Alice in Wonderland retellings have never been my kind of thing.
Starlight and Moondust by Lori M. Lee - 5 stars
This is one of the most beautiful things I've ever read. It follows Hlee Khue, a Hmong girl, and it's a story about stories (I always love those). It's not just about Hlee, even though she's the main character: it also talks about an old woman who is a healer, and a boy with a mysterious past. It talks about the way non-western stories and beliefs are held to different standards from western ones, seen as sillier/more absurd just because they're not western.
It's a magical story full of beautiful descriptions (the atmosphere! the food! the dragons!) and now I want to read more from Lori M. Lee, since I never had before.
Five Times Shiva Met Harry by Sangu Mandanna - 4 stars
A not-always-lighthearted but cute story about an Indian girl and a white boy who start dating almost by accident. It's about how sheltered, privileged people can grow up without ever challenging racist and imperialist assumptions - but they can also change once that's brought to their attention. I liked how this story casually mentioned that Shiva's brother is dating a boy who is Zimbabwean-American.
The Agony of a Heart's Wish by Samira Ahmed - 4 stars
This was heartbreaking. It's a story about colonialism, following an Indian girl and an Irish boy as they meet on a train in colonial India, and bond over Yeats' poems. They never meet again, but meeting each other changed their lives.
The Coward's Guide to Falling in Love by Caroline Tung Richmond - 4.5 stars
Not a Romeo and Juliet retelling!
I loved the setup in this one, the themes, and the main character's voice. It's the kind of lighthearted contemporary I love - fun and never lacking in depth. It follows a Chinese-American girl who has a crush on a boy of Montenegrin descent. I remember that I also really liked another short story by this author a few years ago, The Red Raven Ball from A Tyranny of Petticoats, so I can't wait to read her story in Hungry Hearts too.
Death and the Maiden by Tara Sim - 5 stars
An f/f Hades and Persephone retelling with an Indian main character! This story was beautifully written and it made me want to read more of Tara Sim's books even though I didn't love Timekeeper. This had the best aesthetics, atmosphere (the writing reminded me of Strange Grace, which is one of the most atmospheric books I've ever read), themes I loved - it's about life, death, and growth. I want this to become a full-length so badly.
Faithfull by Karuna Riazi - 3.5 stars
A story about a girl and her complicated relationships with her self-absorbed mother, who is now marrying a Moroccan man. This is mostly about friendships, food (so many food descriptions!) and what makes a family. I didn't feel strongly about it but I liked the message.
Gilman Street by Michelle Ruiz Keil - 3.5 stars
This is a story about self-discovery following a biracial, bisexual Mexican girl as she meets a biracial boy who is Filipino, kisses a Mexican girl, and discovers that some people are better left behind. This is historical fiction - set in 1980, I think - and now I want to see what the author will do with her debut novel this year, as I've heard it's historical fiction too.
The Boy Is by Elsie Chapman - 3.5 stars
This is about dating as a Chinese-American girl. It talks about the conflicting expectations of family members, yellow fever, and... pros and cons. It was an interesting read, if really short. Elsie Chapman was also a new-to-me author, and I think I like her writing, so maybe I'll try her novel Caster when it comes out.
Sandwiched in Between by Eric Smith - 3 stars
I don't think Eric Smith's writing is for me, and that's the main reason I'm not rating this story high - I like what this said about family, adoption, communication and "colorblindness", but I just can't get into his books.
Yuna and the Wall by Lydia Kang - 3.5 stars
A fantasy story following the daughter of a poisoner and a boy who is hated for his scars. It's about people finding each other when society doesn't accept them; I liked its message and what I saw of this world. Like Kang's Toxic, this story almost read like middle grade, but this time I didn't have any problems with that because I expected it.
TK by Adam Silvera - no rating, not in this copy
My average rating is 3,80, which is pretty good for an anthology (and I think that if the Adam Silvera story had been there, the rating would have been even higher).
I thought this was a solid anthology. As usual, I didn't like every single story, but while the ending was a bit weak, I found some favorites in here.
Turn the Sky To Petals by Anna-Marie McLemore - 5 stars
This might be my favorite McLemore short story? I've loved Roja from All Out and Glamour from The Radical Element too, but not as much as this one, and I don't think this even had magical realism elements - the atmosphere and themes made this perfect and just as magical as her stories that actually had magic in them.
It's a story about a Romani boy who once played the cimbalom and a Latinx girl who liked to dance, brought together by their experiences with chronic pain. They meet while they're helping their town to prepare for a rich man's wedding, and said wedding includes the most beautifully described rain of flowers ever.
TK by Danielle Page - no rating, not in the review copy
What We Love by Lauren Gibaldi - 2.5 stars
This story is about a Jewish girl and an Indian boy, and it talks about what it's like to not fit in and be othered, and how people who are from different backgrounds can experience this in different yet similar ways. It also talks about familial expectations and about legacies - the focus on what we leave behind was what I appreciated the most about this story (and: if you like Star Wars references, read this). However, I found this story disappointing, because the antagonist is the stereotypical Blonde Mean Girl Who Wears Revealing Dresses (she's wearing a short, tight dress and grinding on a boy!). It's not that racist bullies who are also attractive white girls don't exist, but the problem is that she's racist and a bully, not her clothes.
Giving Up the Ghost by Tarun Shanker and Kelly Zekas - 2 stars
This is the story that worked for me the least. It's about a world in which everyone has a ghost who is one of their ancestors, and it follows a South Asian boy (I think?), whose ghost is probably the most successful pirate in history, Ching Shih. I loved the worldbuilding here and how it talked about communication and history, but sadly the fearsome Ching Shih read like a bratty ten-year-old and this ended up not being enjoyable at all.
Your Life Matters by L.L. McKinney - 4 stars
The first f/f story! It's about a black superheroine, her white girlfriend/sidekick, the Black Lives Matter movement, and people changing for the better. It deals with some heavy themes - like police violence and dating someone from a racist family - and at its heart is an hopeful story, which I really appreciated. It made me want to try McKinney's novels, even though Alice in Wonderland retellings have never been my kind of thing.
Starlight and Moondust by Lori M. Lee - 5 stars
This is one of the most beautiful things I've ever read. It follows Hlee Khue, a Hmong girl, and it's a story about stories (I always love those). It's not just about Hlee, even though she's the main character: it also talks about an old woman who is a healer, and a boy with a mysterious past. It talks about the way non-western stories and beliefs are held to different standards from western ones, seen as sillier/more absurd just because they're not western.
It's a magical story full of beautiful descriptions (the atmosphere! the food! the dragons!) and now I want to read more from Lori M. Lee, since I never had before.
Five Times Shiva Met Harry by Sangu Mandanna - 4 stars
A not-always-lighthearted but cute story about an Indian girl and a white boy who start dating almost by accident. It's about how sheltered, privileged people can grow up without ever challenging racist and imperialist assumptions - but they can also change once that's brought to their attention. I liked how this story casually mentioned that Shiva's brother is dating a boy who is Zimbabwean-American.
The Agony of a Heart's Wish by Samira Ahmed - 4 stars
This was heartbreaking. It's a story about colonialism, following an Indian girl and an Irish boy as they meet on a train in colonial India, and bond over Yeats' poems. They never meet again, but meeting each other changed their lives.
The Coward's Guide to Falling in Love by Caroline Tung Richmond - 4.5 stars
Not a Romeo and Juliet retelling!
I loved the setup in this one, the themes, and the main character's voice. It's the kind of lighthearted contemporary I love - fun and never lacking in depth. It follows a Chinese-American girl who has a crush on a boy of Montenegrin descent. I remember that I also really liked another short story by this author a few years ago, The Red Raven Ball from A Tyranny of Petticoats, so I can't wait to read her story in Hungry Hearts too.
Death and the Maiden by Tara Sim - 5 stars
An f/f Hades and Persephone retelling with an Indian main character! This story was beautifully written and it made me want to read more of Tara Sim's books even though I didn't love Timekeeper. This had the best aesthetics, atmosphere (the writing reminded me of Strange Grace, which is one of the most atmospheric books I've ever read), themes I loved - it's about life, death, and growth. I want this to become a full-length so badly.
Faithfull by Karuna Riazi - 3.5 stars
A story about a girl and her complicated relationships with her self-absorbed mother, who is now marrying a Moroccan man. This is mostly about friendships, food (so many food descriptions!) and what makes a family. I didn't feel strongly about it but I liked the message.
Gilman Street by Michelle Ruiz Keil - 3.5 stars
This is a story about self-discovery following a biracial, bisexual Mexican girl as she meets a biracial boy who is Filipino, kisses a Mexican girl, and discovers that some people are better left behind. This is historical fiction - set in 1980, I think - and now I want to see what the author will do with her debut novel this year, as I've heard it's historical fiction too.
The Boy Is by Elsie Chapman - 3.5 stars
This is about dating as a Chinese-American girl. It talks about the conflicting expectations of family members, yellow fever, and... pros and cons. It was an interesting read, if really short. Elsie Chapman was also a new-to-me author, and I think I like her writing, so maybe I'll try her novel Caster when it comes out.
Sandwiched in Between by Eric Smith - 3 stars
I don't think Eric Smith's writing is for me, and that's the main reason I'm not rating this story high - I like what this said about family, adoption, communication and "colorblindness", but I just can't get into his books.
Yuna and the Wall by Lydia Kang - 3.5 stars
A fantasy story following the daughter of a poisoner and a boy who is hated for his scars. It's about people finding each other when society doesn't accept them; I liked its message and what I saw of this world. Like Kang's Toxic, this story almost read like middle grade, but this time I didn't have any problems with that because I expected it.
TK by Adam Silvera - no rating, not in this copy
My average rating is 3,80, which is pretty good for an anthology (and I think that if the Adam Silvera story had been there, the rating would have been even higher).
divine's review against another edition
4.0
This book is a blessing and I never thought that I needed to read this until I did. While it depicts if not all, most of the facets of diversity, Color Outside the Lines blends in various narratives from acceptance, revenge, passion for the arts, kinship, familial matters, and a whole lot more!
I've read this anthology slowly from last month until this day, and I guess it's safe to say that it's by far my most favorite one of all time! PLEASE DO YOURSELF THE FAVOR OF READING THIS.
Here are all my mini reviews of each story, I also listed the reps here for reference!
Turn the Sky to Petals by Anna Marie McLemore
- 5 STARS
- Goddamit, this was beautifully written and is the perfect opening story!
- Lyrical writing, delves on the intensity of our passions and the great lengths we go through to achieve mastery, kindred spirits
Prom by Danielle Paige
- 2 STARS
- Hmmm, not gonna lie, Paige's stories always suck in every anthology I've read with her.
- high school sweethearts
What We Love by Lauren Gibaldi
- 2.5 STARS
- This just wasn't fit for my taste but some would probably love it though!
- Star Wars fans, Jewish rep
Giving Up the Ghost by Tarun Shanker and Kelly Zekas
- 5 STARS
- This was an absolute favorite! I really love the concept of this story and how things turned out by the ending.
- ghosts as guardians (every person has one!), childhood friends, witty banter
Your Life Matters by L.L. McKinney
- 3 STARS
- This was pretty great at first but I guess it just wasn't really my cup of tea. Nevertheless, it executed its message pretty well.
- Black lives matter narrative, LGBTQ+ rep
Starlight and Moonlight by Lori M. Lee
- 4 STARS
- Awww this was such an enchanting and lyrical tale!
- shamans and magic, myths
Five Times Shive Met Harry
- 4.5 STARS
- I really love how cute and simple this story was! I can't help but smile giddily while reading this.
- Indian rep
The Agony of a Heart's Wish by Samira Ahmed
- 4 STARS
- Another lyrical tale! It's set in a wartime era and has definitely a lot of historical romance vibes.
- Bittersweet love, South Asian rep
The Coward's Guide to Falling in Love
- 5 STARS
- AAAAAHHHH I REALLY ADORE THIS ONE. It's such a cute and carefree story and I really felt the tension bubble huhuh I pined so hard in this one.
- best friends, Asian rep
Death and the Maiden by Tara Sim
- 4 STARS
- Just imagine this: Hades as a sultry woman and Persephone as a South Asian. There you go!
- Revenge, South Asian rep, LGBTQ+ rep
Faithfull by Karuna Riazi
- 5 STARS
- I kind of teared up in this story tbh! I really love how this revolved more on the possibility of romantic love and more on friendships and family.
- Muslim rep, South Asian rep, traditional religion practices
Gilman Street by Michelle Ruiz Keil
- 5 STARS
- This one resonated so much for me more so because it dwelled with punk rock and the Riot Grrrl Revolution "GIRLS TO THE FRONT!". This is also very easy to read and quite lyrical in such a unique flavor.
- LGBTQ+ rep, Mexican rep, Filipino rep
"The Boy is" by Elsie Chapman
- 5 STARS
- I love Elsie so freaking much and this story is not an exception!
- Chinese rep, debunking tradition
Sandwiched in Between by Eric Smith
- 4.5 STARS
- This story made me crave for moussaka and hoagies. HAHAHAH
- Brown rep, Palestinian rep
Yuna and the Wall by Lydia Kang
- 5 STARS
- This is such a wholesome tale and kind of reminded me in a way the vibes of the first story. I really love how it wrapped up!
- PWD rep
Something Gay and Magical by Adam Silvera
- 2.5 STARS
- I personally wish the anthology ended with the previous story since it circled back to the first one. While this was just pretty okay for me it felt a little lacking.
- LGBTQ+ rep
I've read this anthology slowly from last month until this day, and I guess it's safe to say that it's by far my most favorite one of all time! PLEASE DO YOURSELF THE FAVOR OF READING THIS.
Here are all my mini reviews of each story, I also listed the reps here for reference!
Turn the Sky to Petals by Anna Marie McLemore
- 5 STARS
- Goddamit, this was beautifully written and is the perfect opening story!
- Lyrical writing, delves on the intensity of our passions and the great lengths we go through to achieve mastery, kindred spirits
Prom by Danielle Paige
- 2 STARS
- Hmmm, not gonna lie, Paige's stories always suck in every anthology I've read with her.
- high school sweethearts
What We Love by Lauren Gibaldi
- 2.5 STARS
- This just wasn't fit for my taste but some would probably love it though!
- Star Wars fans, Jewish rep
Giving Up the Ghost by Tarun Shanker and Kelly Zekas
- 5 STARS
- This was an absolute favorite! I really love the concept of this story and how things turned out by the ending.
- ghosts as guardians (every person has one!), childhood friends, witty banter
Your Life Matters by L.L. McKinney
- 3 STARS
- This was pretty great at first but I guess it just wasn't really my cup of tea. Nevertheless, it executed its message pretty well.
- Black lives matter narrative, LGBTQ+ rep
Starlight and Moonlight by Lori M. Lee
- 4 STARS
- Awww this was such an enchanting and lyrical tale!
- shamans and magic, myths
Five Times Shive Met Harry
- 4.5 STARS
- I really love how cute and simple this story was! I can't help but smile giddily while reading this.
- Indian rep
The Agony of a Heart's Wish by Samira Ahmed
- 4 STARS
- Another lyrical tale! It's set in a wartime era and has definitely a lot of historical romance vibes.
- Bittersweet love, South Asian rep
The Coward's Guide to Falling in Love
- 5 STARS
- AAAAAHHHH I REALLY ADORE THIS ONE. It's such a cute and carefree story and I really felt the tension bubble huhuh I pined so hard in this one.
- best friends, Asian rep
Death and the Maiden by Tara Sim
- 4 STARS
- Just imagine this: Hades as a sultry woman and Persephone as a South Asian. There you go!
- Revenge, South Asian rep, LGBTQ+ rep
Faithfull by Karuna Riazi
- 5 STARS
- I kind of teared up in this story tbh! I really love how this revolved more on the possibility of romantic love and more on friendships and family.
- Muslim rep, South Asian rep, traditional religion practices
Gilman Street by Michelle Ruiz Keil
- 5 STARS
- This one resonated so much for me more so because it dwelled with punk rock and the Riot Grrrl Revolution "GIRLS TO THE FRONT!". This is also very easy to read and quite lyrical in such a unique flavor.
- LGBTQ+ rep, Mexican rep, Filipino rep
"The Boy is" by Elsie Chapman
- 5 STARS
- I love Elsie so freaking much and this story is not an exception!
- Chinese rep, debunking tradition
Sandwiched in Between by Eric Smith
- 4.5 STARS
- This story made me crave for moussaka and hoagies. HAHAHAH
- Brown rep, Palestinian rep
Yuna and the Wall by Lydia Kang
- 5 STARS
- This is such a wholesome tale and kind of reminded me in a way the vibes of the first story. I really love how it wrapped up!
- PWD rep
Something Gay and Magical by Adam Silvera
- 2.5 STARS
- I personally wish the anthology ended with the previous story since it circled back to the first one. While this was just pretty okay for me it felt a little lacking.
- LGBTQ+ rep
dany_ambivertwords's review against another edition
5.0
Review will be posted closer to the publishing date.
Buddy read !
*I got the e-copy of this ARC from Edelweiss and Soho teen in exchange of my honest opinion*
Buddy read !
*I got the e-copy of this ARC from Edelweiss and Soho teen in exchange of my honest opinion*
cozyink's review against another edition
4.0
I really liked this. Many of them could be extended into full novels. Some of them seemed to be written to make a point, which I didn't like. (Specifically the thanksgiving one.)
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