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narzibenoucdel's review
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
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
3.75
sweetrosegirl76's review
3.0
Imma go with 3-3.5. It wasn't bad! Some stories I love, others were boring and hard to read. My updates have individual story reviews.
dhishfish's review
3.0
Definitely loved Saundra Mitchel’s All Out compared to this. Some of the stories were cute and really great to read but others weren’t so overall it was just okay
jessicadoom's review
3.0
Kick. Push. Coast. - It was very short and sweet and a perfect way to start off the collection. It set the tone that it's alright to keep finding yourself while still remaining hopeful in the end.
What Happens in the Closet - There was a lot of backstory here, but I feel like the author provided it well without too much exposition. I do have to question, however, if a person would really. But that's just me thinking practically, not romantically.
Player One Fight! - I'm torn on whether I liked this story or not. I appreciated the protag's perspective; it was one I've not read before. But I felt like the ending wasn't really an ending? Nothing was resolved and it left me feeling like I missed out on any semblance of actual story.
Lumber Me Mine - Oh my gods, so adorable. I loved the way the relationship progressed in a natural, cutesy teenagery way. And I was so please to see Jasmine build herself up into the person she wanted to be.
Follower - It was...cute, I guess? Quite unrealistic, but cute.
Refresh - I was hardcore made at Rodrigo for a couple pages, but he came to his senses in the end. Once he did, I was glad to say I enjoyed the way things ended.
Victory Lap - So far, this one is my favorite. I mean, Star Wars references is enough to do it, really. And a supportive parent will always win over my heart. It was adorable and I want more.
A Road of One's Own - It was just kind of...there? It was alright. Nothing great, nothing terrible. Just alright.
Seditious Teapots - I like the concept of this story. I appreciate the visceral walk-through of this situation. What I don't like...was much more. My biggest complaint, however, was that they use the pronoun "they" just upon seeing the characters they use it for in their head. If this was the case, they should use "they" for every character they end up meeting for the first time, not just the masc-presenting ones. This just felt like a big mis-step to me. I also can't get behind authors who rush their characters who do not know one another through becoming one another's biggest confidants so fast. It's gratingly unrealistic, even and especially for a person looking for a place to belong.
Star-Crossed in DC - The idea was cute enough and I want to commend the MC's eventual bravery. But also...did she not know her father's politics before then??
Floating - I.... I'm not sure about this one? I think it was sweet. I think I was a little confused....
The Soft Place - This was different! I really enjoyed the idea of retrospective, drug-induced revelations. Not that I condone dropping acid to figure out your problems, but I felt like it was an unexpected story and I enjoyed that.
A Pound of Flesh - WHERE DO I BUY THE FULL NOVEL OF THIS STORY???? If the author never writes it, well then I might have to fanfiction the shit out of it.
One Spell Too Many - Aw, this was adorable. I was glad to see the MC reaped consequences of her reckless actions. I was even happier to see that things worked out for her in ways unexpected.
Far From Home - Initially, I was extremely confused. I think it was just the way it was all set up, intentionally mysterious and vague. But the more I read, the more enthralled I became. In the end, I really enjoyed this story and would also read a full novel about this escape!
The Coronation - World building of that size is no easy feat in such a small story! Near the beginning, once again, I found myself confused as everything was being set up. That mostly stemmed from the confusing changing of pronouns. But once I glimpsed what was going on, things became more clear. I didn't much care for the ending, though, as it just seemed...too perfect? But sometimes things do actually work out for people, so that's fine.
Once Upon a Seastorm - I felt like I was left with way more questions than answers here. I mean, I loved the concept, but was he a seal? Was he something else? Was this a world where magic was known to exist? What actually happened with the other boy? I just wish I knew....
What Happens in the Closet - There was a lot of backstory here, but I feel like the author provided it well without too much exposition. I do have to question, however, if a person would really
Spoiler
make out with their "enemy" while the danger of death by vampire looms just outside the doorPlayer One Fight! - I'm torn on whether I liked this story or not. I appreciated the protag's perspective; it was one I've not read before. But I felt like the ending wasn't really an ending? Nothing was resolved and it left me feeling like I missed out on any semblance of actual story.
Lumber Me Mine - Oh my gods, so adorable. I loved the way the relationship progressed in a natural, cutesy teenagery way. And I was so please to see Jasmine build herself up into the person she wanted to be.
Follower - It was...cute, I guess? Quite unrealistic, but cute.
Refresh - I was hardcore made at Rodrigo for a couple pages, but he came to his senses in the end. Once he did, I was glad to say I enjoyed the way things ended.
Victory Lap - So far, this one is my favorite. I mean, Star Wars references is enough to do it, really. And a supportive parent will always win over my heart. It was adorable and I want more.
A Road of One's Own - It was just kind of...there? It was alright. Nothing great, nothing terrible. Just alright.
Seditious Teapots - I like the concept of this story. I appreciate the visceral walk-through of this situation. What I don't like...was much more. My biggest complaint, however, was that they use the pronoun "they" just upon seeing the characters they use it for in their head. If this was the case, they should use "they" for every character they end up meeting for the first time, not just the masc-presenting ones. This just felt like a big mis-step to me. I also can't get behind authors who rush their characters who do not know one another through becoming one another's biggest confidants so fast. It's gratingly unrealistic, even and especially for a person looking for a place to belong.
Star-Crossed in DC - The idea was cute enough and I want to commend the MC's eventual bravery. But also...did she not know her father's politics before then??
Floating - I.... I'm not sure about this one? I think it was sweet. I think I was a little confused....
The Soft Place - This was different! I really enjoyed the idea of retrospective, drug-induced revelations. Not that I condone dropping acid to figure out your problems, but I felt like it was an unexpected story and I enjoyed that.
A Pound of Flesh - WHERE DO I BUY THE FULL NOVEL OF THIS STORY???? If the author never writes it, well then I might have to fanfiction the shit out of it.
One Spell Too Many - Aw, this was adorable. I was glad to see the MC reaped consequences of her reckless actions. I was even happier to see that things worked out for her in ways unexpected.
Far From Home - Initially, I was extremely confused. I think it was just the way it was all set up, intentionally mysterious and vague. But the more I read, the more enthralled I became. In the end, I really enjoyed this story and would also read a full novel about this escape!
The Coronation - World building of that size is no easy feat in such a small story! Near the beginning, once again, I found myself confused as everything was being set up. That mostly stemmed from the confusing changing of pronouns. But once I glimpsed what was going on, things became more clear. I didn't much care for the ending, though, as it just seemed...too perfect? But sometimes things do actually work out for people, so that's fine.
Once Upon a Seastorm - I felt like I was left with way more questions than answers here. I mean, I loved the concept, but was he a seal? Was he something else? Was this a world where magic was known to exist? What actually happened with the other boy? I just wish I knew....
sglance9's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
vizira's review against another edition
4.0
A really nice collection. There were a handful of stories that I didn't care for, but I still thought they were fairly well-written, just not for me.
Thanks Netgalley for the arc.
Thanks Netgalley for the arc.
agent_kay's review
4.0
This collection features a wide variety of LGBTQ+ identities and genres. While there were some great stories included (my favorites were Kick. Push. Coast. and Floating), others in the fantasy realm were not really my cup of tea.
briannareadsbooks's review
3.0
ARC provided by the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
When it comes to anthologies, they're always so hard to rate. Some stories I really enjoyed and some I basically hated, so it makes it hard to judge the entire book. I'm also starting to realize after a few tries that anthologies and short stories typically aren't for me, as I find it really hard to see a story fleshed out in such a short amount of time. However, there were some stories in this book that really made it work!
Kick. Push. Coast. by Candice Montgomery: 1 star, Dustyn is in love with a girl at a skate park, but is also very confused about their gender and sexuality. This story just seemed really short for something so important.
What Happens in the Closet by Caleb Roehrig: 4 stars, Austin is trapped in a supply closet with a boy he hates when vampires attack their high school dance. I thought it was super sweet and funny, plus I love vampires.
Player One Fight by Eliot Schrefer: 2 stars, Blake is a gamer who compares his love life to a video game. It just wasn't all that interesting to me.
Lumber Me Mine by CB Lee: 3.5 stars, Jasmine is a Chinese-American girl dealing with a breakup from her ex-girlfriend over the summer and starts developing feelings for a girl in her woodshop class. I thought this was really cute but just a tad long!
Follower by Will Kostakis: 4 stars, Jason meets and Internet-famous celebrity on the beach in Australia. I love the concept of Internet fame in books and I thought it was really sweet. It always makes me wonder what I would do if I could spend a few hours with an Instagram influencer.
Refresh by Mark Oshiro: 4.5 stars, Rodrigo is about to meet a boy from an online dating app in real life for the first time and is feeling really self-conscious about his body. This story was SO sweet and the message of body positivity was amazing.
Victory Lap by Julian Winters: 3.5 stars, Luke needs to find a boy to take to the school dance and, at the same time, come out to his dad. This was also very sweet and I loved the love interest! He was so nerdy and cute, and the relationship Luke has with his father is so well-developed for a short story.
A Road of Ones Own by Kate Hart: 3.5 stars, Eliza struggles with her sexuality while on a roadtrip with her friends. The indigenous rep was surprising, and I loved her love interest, but Eliza's uncertainty and narration was a bit annoying.
Serious Teapots by Katherine Locke: 1 star, Rory is also struggling with their identity. This story was also quite boring for me, but I can see why people might like it!
Starcrossed in DC by Jessica Verdi: 3 stars, Savannah has to with her father, the US President, who is advocating for a bill that will make lives harder for LGBTQ individuals while being in the closet herself and in love with the daughter of the leader of the opposing political party. The State of Us and Red, White, & Royal Blue vibes!!
Floating by Tanya Boteju: 2 stars, Shanti is very restless and has a hard time concentrating until she meets a girl! I don't think I'm much of a fan of Tanya's writing.
The Soft Place by Hillary Monahan: 5 stars, Kimber takes drugs to deal with her breakup when she hallucinates the ghost of a lesbian who experienced the AIDS crisis. I actually cried reading this one.
A Pound of Flesh by Kosoko Jackson: 2.5 stars, Carson has been cursed by Aphrodite to be resurrected over and over again and to be forever in love with Ares. Some aspects of this story were confusing at times and I had a hard time connecting it to the secondary plot that was going on.
One Spell Too Many by Tara Sim: 5 stars, Anna is a kitchen witch who works at a bakery and has a crush on a trans boy named Noah. Her best friend (who is bi, like Anna) asks Anna to bake a cupcake with a love spell for her while Noah asks Anna to bake him a confidence spell. This story was everything I wished for, and probably my favourite. Bi witches and desserts and Noah and everything was so cute. I really loved it.
Far From Home by Saundra Mitchell: 3 stars, Wade is an alien who is being chased by the FBI in his car with his boyfriend, River, who doesn't know he's an alien. I thought the best friends-to-lovers romance was so cute and seeing love from an alien's POV, but I'm not all that into aliens if we're being honest.
The Coronation by Meredith Russo: 3 stars, McKenna lives in a post-apocalyptic world where the upcoming winter king and queen are sent out into the woods to make a sacrifice to complete a ritual.
Once Upon a Sea Storm by Fox Benwell: 3 stars, Theodora is a trans boy who gets pregnant and goes to the sea to figure things out. This story was a bit confusing for me. It sort of read like an adult book so it felt a bit out of place. I think discussing pregnancy amongst young trans boys if very important but I don't know if it really hit the mark for me! The storyline with the sea and selkies made me really confused.
Still enjoyed this book as a whole! The stories that were 4 stars and above for me will definitely be ones I remember for a while and made me really happy!
Follow My Bookstagram!
When it comes to anthologies, they're always so hard to rate. Some stories I really enjoyed and some I basically hated, so it makes it hard to judge the entire book. I'm also starting to realize after a few tries that anthologies and short stories typically aren't for me, as I find it really hard to see a story fleshed out in such a short amount of time. However, there were some stories in this book that really made it work!
Kick. Push. Coast. by Candice Montgomery: 1 star, Dustyn is in love with a girl at a skate park, but is also very confused about their gender and sexuality. This story just seemed really short for something so important.
What Happens in the Closet by Caleb Roehrig: 4 stars, Austin is trapped in a supply closet with a boy he hates when vampires attack their high school dance. I thought it was super sweet and funny, plus I love vampires.
Player One Fight by Eliot Schrefer: 2 stars, Blake is a gamer who compares his love life to a video game. It just wasn't all that interesting to me.
Lumber Me Mine by CB Lee: 3.5 stars, Jasmine is a Chinese-American girl dealing with a breakup from her ex-girlfriend over the summer and starts developing feelings for a girl in her woodshop class. I thought this was really cute but just a tad long!
Follower by Will Kostakis: 4 stars, Jason meets and Internet-famous celebrity on the beach in Australia. I love the concept of Internet fame in books and I thought it was really sweet. It always makes me wonder what I would do if I could spend a few hours with an Instagram influencer.
Refresh by Mark Oshiro: 4.5 stars, Rodrigo is about to meet a boy from an online dating app in real life for the first time and is feeling really self-conscious about his body. This story was SO sweet and the message of body positivity was amazing.
Victory Lap by Julian Winters: 3.5 stars, Luke needs to find a boy to take to the school dance and, at the same time, come out to his dad. This was also very sweet and I loved the love interest! He was so nerdy and cute, and the relationship Luke has with his father is so well-developed for a short story.
A Road of Ones Own by Kate Hart: 3.5 stars, Eliza struggles with her sexuality while on a roadtrip with her friends. The indigenous rep was surprising, and I loved her love interest, but Eliza's uncertainty and narration was a bit annoying.
Serious Teapots by Katherine Locke: 1 star, Rory is also struggling with their identity. This story was also quite boring for me, but I can see why people might like it!
Starcrossed in DC by Jessica Verdi: 3 stars, Savannah has to with her father, the US President, who is advocating for a bill that will make lives harder for LGBTQ individuals while being in the closet herself and in love with the daughter of the leader of the opposing political party. The State of Us and Red, White, & Royal Blue vibes!!
Floating by Tanya Boteju: 2 stars, Shanti is very restless and has a hard time concentrating until she meets a girl! I don't think I'm much of a fan of Tanya's writing.
The Soft Place by Hillary Monahan: 5 stars, Kimber takes drugs to deal with her breakup when she hallucinates the ghost of a lesbian who experienced the AIDS crisis. I actually cried reading this one.
A Pound of Flesh by Kosoko Jackson: 2.5 stars, Carson has been cursed by Aphrodite to be resurrected over and over again and to be forever in love with Ares. Some aspects of this story were confusing at times and I had a hard time connecting it to the secondary plot that was going on.
One Spell Too Many by Tara Sim: 5 stars, Anna is a kitchen witch who works at a bakery and has a crush on a trans boy named Noah. Her best friend (who is bi, like Anna) asks Anna to bake a cupcake with a love spell for her while Noah asks Anna to bake him a confidence spell. This story was everything I wished for, and probably my favourite. Bi witches and desserts and Noah and everything was so cute. I really loved it.
Far From Home by Saundra Mitchell: 3 stars, Wade is an alien who is being chased by the FBI in his car with his boyfriend, River, who doesn't know he's an alien. I thought the best friends-to-lovers romance was so cute and seeing love from an alien's POV, but I'm not all that into aliens if we're being honest.
The Coronation by Meredith Russo: 3 stars, McKenna lives in a post-apocalyptic world where the upcoming winter king and queen are sent out into the woods to make a sacrifice to complete a ritual.
Once Upon a Sea Storm by Fox Benwell: 3 stars, Theodora is a trans boy who gets pregnant and goes to the sea to figure things out. This story was a bit confusing for me. It sort of read like an adult book so it felt a bit out of place. I think discussing pregnancy amongst young trans boys if very important but I don't know if it really hit the mark for me! The storyline with the sea and selkies made me really confused.
Still enjoyed this book as a whole! The stories that were 4 stars and above for me will definitely be ones I remember for a while and made me really happy!
Follow My Bookstagram!
pierry's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
3.0
Überraschend viel Mystisches und Magical Realism Elemente in den Geschichten. Wenn ich darüber nachdenke, vielleicht aber doch gar nicht so überraschend.