Scan barcode
bizzybee429's review against another edition
4.0
Average Rating: 2.96 (but I raised it to four because I do what I want)
No, but in all seriousness, I think when people say they hate love triangles what they mean is they hate poorly written love triangles. Because for every series with an excellently crafted, satisfying love triangle…….., there are ten that are so terrible that the two crappily written romances take away from what would otherwise be a good book.
But, largely, this anthology largely contains stories from the first category. The stories were heartwarming, funny, well-written, from a variety of different genres, and you know what? they. had. love. triangles. And I loved it! I’m part of the group that loves a good triangle in fiction, and so this book was so fun for me! Not to mention that literally every single story had at least one poc main character, and the vast majority had lgbt characters. So awesome!
”Riddles in Mathematics” by Katie Cotugno: ★★★★
This may have not been the best story to start the collection off with—I didn’t really enjoy it as much as I did some of the others – but I felt the chemistry between Ro and the other two members of the love triangle. This one was interesting because it was kind of two love triangles in one, with Steven/Taylor/Ro and Taylor/Ro/Mariette and I really connected with Ro’s character. I would totally read this book, if it were a full novel and not just a short story. It was super cute!
”Dread South” by Justina Ireland: ★★★★★
Holy crap. If [b:Dread Nation|30223025|Dread Nation|Justina Ireland|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1497900615s/30223025.jpg|50676909] wasn’t already one of my most hyped releases for 2018, it would be now. Justina Ireland is a genius. There’s no other way to put it. Black Civil-War era zombie hunters is the kind of concept and idea that I’m sure is going to spark movie and video game adaptations of Dread Nation, and “Dread South” was an amazing sneak peek into the alt-history timeline that will be released next year. Plus it was sapphic. This story, alone, was worth the cost of this anthology, and if you take one thing from this review, it should be go pre-order Dread Nation right now. Stop reading this. Go go go
”Omega Ship” by Rae Carson: ★
if I could describe how I feel about this short story in one picture it would be this:
”La Revancha Del Tango” by Renée Ahdieh: ★
WTF THIS WAS SO RANDOM and it wasn’t even a love triangle??? Also, the guy was kinda strange and annoying and crusty and gross. I wasn’t a fan. There was no chemistry, no plot, and no characters I liked.
”Cass, An, and Dra” by Natalie C. Parker: ★★★★★
Holy cow. I don’t even want to talk about the plot because I want it to be a surprise for readers, but this one wrenched my heart back and forth and back and forth. I thought the title was a little weird, but I suppose I can forgive. This is another one of my favorites – I reread it as soon as I finished it. The ending absolutely ruined me and I’m sitting here like “wtf just happened to me.”
”Lessons for Beginners” by Julie Murphy: ★★★
I wasn’t feelin’ this one as much as I thought I would!! It was cute, but nothing stood out to me, and it felt largely plot-driven instead of character-driven. I probably would have given it two stars if not for the stunning diversity! I think this was another story that would have benefitted from being a full-length novel rather than a short story, and I want to check out some books by Julie Murphy because the cuteness made me “awwww.”
”Triangle Solo” by Garth Nix: ★
This is so bad it’s almost funny except for it’s not because it was kinda gross. Utterly horrible. The plot is this: Everyone lives on Mars. Suddenly a hot girl reappears in class and everyone falls instantly in love because she is HOT and she is BEAUTIFUL and no one even knows her personality but everyone falls in immediate love because she is HOT and BEAUTIFUL. Both of the guy characters have personalities, so can someone please explain to me how the only girl character has less personality than the instrument that the guys are so pissy about? And one quote that really annoyed me was, ”Relationships aren’t just all about charm and good looks.” and I mean, out of context it wouldn’t even be annoying, but there’s a conversation between Connor and Anwar before this part where Anwar was like “yeah Kallie was pretty cool in seventh grade but she wasn’t HOT or BEAUTIFUL but now that she is back and HOT and BEAUTIFUL I really want to date her” and Connor agreed. So why is it that the guys are seen as more than their par, or sub-par looks but when it comes to Kallie, all that matters is that she’s hot?? the answer is this: misogyny
”Vim and Vigor” by Veronica Roth: ★★★★★
Veronica Roth has officially changed my views on her writing from “meh/subpar” to “murders me every time I think about it” with one short story. What’s she doing writing dystopia?? Come over and write soft sci-fi contemporaries. I would totally read those. This was the second story in a row I laughed at the end of, though in this one it was a good way, because that trope subversion and twist full-on surprised me. This was a cute and fun-to-read story that made me laugh and cry.
”Work in Progress” by E.K. Johnston: ?????
Gonna be real here: I saw that this was written in second person and immediately skipped it because I was too tired for that crap. No rating because I literally read one sentence.
”Hurdles” by Brandy Colbert: ★★
Listen – I love Brandy Colbert’s writing style, and her stories are always beautifully diverse, but this is the second piece I’ve read by her (the first being [b:Little & Lion|25062038|Little & Lion|Brandy Colbert|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1494949090s/25062038.jpg|44745282]) where the main character emotionally cheats on her significant other. That alone lowered the rating for me. The ending was also really unsatisfying – open endings are great when they work, but it just did not work for me.
”The Historian, The Garrison, and the Cantankerous Cat Woman” by Lamar Giles: ★★
This one honestly just bored me to death. I skipped a large chunk in the middle because it was so bleh. Two stars instead of one because I liked the creativity of the footnotes, and the title makes me smile.
”Waiting” by Sabaa Tahir: ★★★
THIS MADE ME SO MAD and the reason for that is both from a personal standpoint and an objective standpoint. Be ready for a rant under the spoilers.. The writing was good and two of the characters were well-developed, but the ending just made me so angry that I’m doing 3.5 stars instead of 5. I’m petty,
”Vega” by Brenna Yovanoff: ★
At the risk of sounding like an idiot: I don’t understand the ending of this story. The writing was wayyy too flowery and I wasn’t really paying attention, and I literally have no idea what happened. This also wasn’t even a love triangle, and I legitimately don’t understand how it has a place with the rest of these stories.
”A Hundred Thousand Threads” by Alaya Dawn Johnson: ★
I’m sorry, but I could just not get into this one. At all. I’ve never really been able to read books that are made of blog posts and interviews and such – I could never get into [b:Illuminae|23395680|Illuminae (The Illuminae Files, #1)|Amie Kaufman|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1443433956s/23395680.jpg|26653661] or anything written the same way, because I kind of like to…. not have to pay a ton of attention to what I’m reading. That’s just me though, and I’m sure that this one was really awesome for other people! Just not me.
”Before She Was Bloody” by Tessa Gratton: ★★★★★
uhhhhh this was awesome and a little terrifying. The world-building reminded me a lot of [b:Reign the Earth|25566671|Reign the Earth (The Elementae, #1)|A.C. Gaughen|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1495476215s/25566671.jpg|45365178], and the characters were the kind of anti-heroes that I love to read about. Though it was a little confusing at times, that was probably my fault and not the stories lol. I really want to see this one as a full-length novel.
”Unus, Duo, Tres” by Bethany Hagen: ★★★★★
WOWWWW. This was such a strong, heartbreaking ending. This broke my heart. I’ve never really been a fan of vampires because blood makes me a little queasy, but this short story completely won over my heart. It made me tear up. It was beautiful, diverse, and so well-written. Another one of my favorites.
In conclusion, this anthology rocked my socks off. Even though there were a,,,, lot more stories than I previously thought there were that didn’t really sit well with me, the ones that did work blew me away with amazing characters, awesome writing, and sick world-building. This is a wonderful addition to and reader’s library – both those who are a fan of the love triangle, and even those that will never be a fan.
No, but in all seriousness, I think when people say they hate love triangles what they mean is they hate poorly written love triangles. Because for every series with an excellently crafted, satisfying love triangle…….., there are ten that are so terrible that the two crappily written romances take away from what would otherwise be a good book.
But, largely, this anthology largely contains stories from the first category. The stories were heartwarming, funny, well-written, from a variety of different genres, and you know what? they. had. love. triangles. And I loved it! I’m part of the group that loves a good triangle in fiction, and so this book was so fun for me! Not to mention that literally every single story had at least one poc main character, and the vast majority had lgbt characters. So awesome!
”Riddles in Mathematics” by Katie Cotugno: ★★★★
This may have not been the best story to start the collection off with—I didn’t really enjoy it as much as I did some of the others – but I felt the chemistry between Ro and the other two members of the love triangle. This one was interesting because it was kind of two love triangles in one, with Steven/Taylor/Ro and Taylor/Ro/Mariette and I really connected with Ro’s character. I would totally read this book, if it were a full novel and not just a short story. It was super cute!
”Dread South” by Justina Ireland: ★★★★★
Holy crap. If [b:Dread Nation|30223025|Dread Nation|Justina Ireland|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1497900615s/30223025.jpg|50676909] wasn’t already one of my most hyped releases for 2018, it would be now. Justina Ireland is a genius. There’s no other way to put it. Black Civil-War era zombie hunters is the kind of concept and idea that I’m sure is going to spark movie and video game adaptations of Dread Nation, and “Dread South” was an amazing sneak peek into the alt-history timeline that will be released next year. Plus it was sapphic. This story, alone, was worth the cost of this anthology, and if you take one thing from this review, it should be go pre-order Dread Nation right now. Stop reading this. Go go go
”Omega Ship” by Rae Carson: ★
if I could describe how I feel about this short story in one picture it would be this:
which sucks because the first few paragraphs sucked me right in!! but, really, this one was just weird and I think its issue is it has the same amount of world-building that a regular book would have, but as a short story it just didn’t work. Too much info-dumping. I also disliked all of the characters. I feel as though this one was, like, aiming for a feminist story, but I felt as though that decision Eva made was waaaaaaayyyyyy idiotic. An alternate title for this story could be “A Lesson in Hetero- and Cis-normativity.” All in all, I was not a fan.
”La Revancha Del Tango” by Renée Ahdieh: ★
WTF THIS WAS SO RANDOM and it wasn’t even a love triangle??? Also, the guy was kinda strange and annoying and crusty and gross. I wasn’t a fan. There was no chemistry, no plot, and no characters I liked.
”Cass, An, and Dra” by Natalie C. Parker: ★★★★★
Holy cow. I don’t even want to talk about the plot because I want it to be a surprise for readers, but this one wrenched my heart back and forth and back and forth. I thought the title was a little weird, but I suppose I can forgive. This is another one of my favorites – I reread it as soon as I finished it. The ending absolutely ruined me and I’m sitting here like “wtf just happened to me.”
”Lessons for Beginners” by Julie Murphy: ★★★
I wasn’t feelin’ this one as much as I thought I would!! It was cute, but nothing stood out to me, and it felt largely plot-driven instead of character-driven. I probably would have given it two stars if not for the stunning diversity! I think this was another story that would have benefitted from being a full-length novel rather than a short story, and I want to check out some books by Julie Murphy because the cuteness made me “awwww.”
”Triangle Solo” by Garth Nix: ★
This is so bad it’s almost funny except for it’s not because it was kinda gross. Utterly horrible. The plot is this: Everyone lives on Mars. Suddenly a hot girl reappears in class and everyone falls instantly in love because she is HOT and she is BEAUTIFUL and no one even knows her personality but everyone falls in immediate love because she is HOT and BEAUTIFUL. Both of the guy characters have personalities, so can someone please explain to me how the only girl character has less personality than the instrument that the guys are so pissy about? And one quote that really annoyed me was, ”Relationships aren’t just all about charm and good looks.” and I mean, out of context it wouldn’t even be annoying, but there’s a conversation between Connor and Anwar before this part where Anwar was like “yeah Kallie was pretty cool in seventh grade but she wasn’t HOT or BEAUTIFUL but now that she is back and HOT and BEAUTIFUL I really want to date her” and Connor agreed. So why is it that the guys are seen as more than their par, or sub-par looks but when it comes to Kallie, all that matters is that she’s hot?? the answer is this: misogyny
”Vim and Vigor” by Veronica Roth: ★★★★★
Veronica Roth has officially changed my views on her writing from “meh/subpar” to “murders me every time I think about it” with one short story. What’s she doing writing dystopia?? Come over and write soft sci-fi contemporaries. I would totally read those. This was the second story in a row I laughed at the end of, though in this one it was a good way, because that trope subversion and twist full-on surprised me. This was a cute and fun-to-read story that made me laugh and cry.
”Work in Progress” by E.K. Johnston: ?????
Gonna be real here: I saw that this was written in second person and immediately skipped it because I was too tired for that crap. No rating because I literally read one sentence.
”Hurdles” by Brandy Colbert: ★★
Listen – I love Brandy Colbert’s writing style, and her stories are always beautifully diverse, but this is the second piece I’ve read by her (the first being [b:Little & Lion|25062038|Little & Lion|Brandy Colbert|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1494949090s/25062038.jpg|44745282]) where the main character emotionally cheats on her significant other. That alone lowered the rating for me. The ending was also really unsatisfying – open endings are great when they work, but it just did not work for me.
”The Historian, The Garrison, and the Cantankerous Cat Woman” by Lamar Giles: ★★
This one honestly just bored me to death. I skipped a large chunk in the middle because it was so bleh. Two stars instead of one because I liked the creativity of the footnotes, and the title makes me smile.
”Waiting” by Sabaa Tahir: ★★★
THIS MADE ME SO MAD and the reason for that is both from a personal standpoint and an objective standpoint. Be ready for a rant under the spoilers.
Spoiler
SAM PICKED THE WRONG GUY AND I AM SO ANGRY ABOUT IT. But, honestly, I would have been able to deal with that had the E N T I R E story not been building up she and Felix’s relationship, only to pull the rug out from under the reader and be like you like this guy?? You think they’d be cute together?? Too bad. the story did nothing to build up the relationship between Sam and whats-his-face (I can’t even remember his NAME) and it was a poor choice, writing-wise, to have her end up with a guy who hadn’t been present for the first twenty pages of the novella. It was so bait-and-switch and seemed to be solely for the purpose of surprising the reader. I was not a fan”Vega” by Brenna Yovanoff: ★
At the risk of sounding like an idiot: I don’t understand the ending of this story. The writing was wayyy too flowery and I wasn’t really paying attention, and I literally have no idea what happened. This also wasn’t even a love triangle, and I legitimately don’t understand how it has a place with the rest of these stories.
”A Hundred Thousand Threads” by Alaya Dawn Johnson: ★
I’m sorry, but I could just not get into this one. At all. I’ve never really been able to read books that are made of blog posts and interviews and such – I could never get into [b:Illuminae|23395680|Illuminae (The Illuminae Files, #1)|Amie Kaufman|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1443433956s/23395680.jpg|26653661] or anything written the same way, because I kind of like to…. not have to pay a ton of attention to what I’m reading. That’s just me though, and I’m sure that this one was really awesome for other people! Just not me.
”Before She Was Bloody” by Tessa Gratton: ★★★★★
uhhhhh this was awesome and a little terrifying. The world-building reminded me a lot of [b:Reign the Earth|25566671|Reign the Earth (The Elementae, #1)|A.C. Gaughen|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1495476215s/25566671.jpg|45365178], and the characters were the kind of anti-heroes that I love to read about. Though it was a little confusing at times, that was probably my fault and not the stories lol. I really want to see this one as a full-length novel.
”Unus, Duo, Tres” by Bethany Hagen: ★★★★★
WOWWWW. This was such a strong, heartbreaking ending. This broke my heart. I’ve never really been a fan of vampires because blood makes me a little queasy, but this short story completely won over my heart. It made me tear up. It was beautiful, diverse, and so well-written. Another one of my favorites.
In conclusion, this anthology rocked my socks off. Even though there were a,,,, lot more stories than I previously thought there were that didn’t really sit well with me, the ones that did work blew me away with amazing characters, awesome writing, and sick world-building. This is a wonderful addition to and reader’s library – both those who are a fan of the love triangle, and even those that will never be a fan.
missprint_'s review against another edition
4.0
Every reader has an opinion on love triangles. Some avoid them at all costs. Others, including myself, are happy to read them provided they are done well. (You can also check out the defense of love triangles and instalove that I put together on Veronica's blog for Contemporary Conversations: “Bad” Romance: In Defense of Love Triangles and Insta-Love.)
As a fan of love triangles in a variety of genres, I was excited to check out Three Sides of a Heart: Stories about Love Triangles (2017) a short story collection edited by Natalie C. Parker. This collection features a variety of authors and offers a fairly inclusive group of voices among the authors and characters. The stories cover a variety of love triangle configurations with male, female, and gender fluid characters of varied sexual orientations. The stories also exhibit a diversity of incomes and lifestyles and cover themes of mental illness as well. (It's worth noting that physical disabilities are not featured in this collection.) Most importantly, these stories cover a variety of genres spanning the spectrum from straight contemporary to hard sci-fi and high fantasy.
Read more for my short reviews of the individual stories:
Riddles in Mathematics by Katie Cotugno : Rowena is newly out to her family and friends and still figuring out if she fits into her family the way she did before. She's also still dealing with a painful and all-encompassing on her brother Steve's best friend Taylor--the girl everyone is pretty sure Steve is going to marry one day. This story is cute but I never connect with Cotugno's writing and this story was no exception. Ro's relationships with Steve and Taylor were sweetly handled and the story resolves neatly if abruptly.
Dread South by Justina Ireland : This story is set in the same world as Ireland's forthcoming novel Dread Nation. The story follows white, southern teen Louisa as all hell breaks loose and she is saved repeatedly from zombie hoards by Juliet--a Negro girl trained in combat to protect useless girls like Louisa. The triangle here is interesting and, of course, being from Justina Ireland it offers a smart and incisive look at race relations as well as Louisa's white privilege. How you feel about this one may depend a lot on how you feel about zombie stories.
Omega Ship by Rae Carson : A lot of reviewers are citing this story as a standout in the collection and I'm still not sure why. Carson is a very hit or miss author for me. I love her Gold Seer trilogy but The Girl of Fire and Thorns left me cold. I liked this story even less. Eva, Dirk, and Jesse are the last three survivors from Earth. Meant to travel to a new planet on the Omega Ship these three teens were part of a mission to colonize and save humanity. Then the ship crashes and everyone else dies leaving Eva as the only woman capable of saving humanity--provided she wants to spend the rest of her life in an endless cycle of childbirth. It turns out Eva doesn't want that but you'll have to read the story to see what she does about it. My biggest issue with the story: the ship's mission timeline has to be sped up and everything is too heavy. Rather than lose arts and culture the colonists decide to give up clothes.
La Revancha del Tango by Renee Ahdieh : This story was a bit of a surprise since I know Ahdieh more for her fantasy novels and expected more of the same here. Instead we get a contemporary story about a girl traveling on her own to Buenos Aires the summer before college. Nothing is quite as she expects including the snobby English boy with the terrible beard that she meets at her youth hostel.
Cass, An, and Dra by Natalie C. Parker : Cass can see into the future whenever she makes a decision. And for as long as she can remember her present and her future have always included An. When Cass looks ahead and sees a future with Dra it shakes everything Cass thought she knew about who she is and who she wants to be with. In addition to have a f/f relationship in the triangle Dra is genderfluid too making this a really nice addition to an already inclusive collection.
Lessons for Beginners by Julie Murphy: Ruby isn't just a great kisser, she's a great kissing teacher--something that has led to plenty of business for her and her friend/manager Paul. When Ruby gives lessons to her childhood friend Annie and her boyfriend it sparks new chemistry between the girls. The premise, for me, was totally bizarre here but Murphy's writing is super cute. I liked the way everything was handled here, so much so that I might be picking up Ramona Blue soon.
Triangle Solo by Garth Nix : I will read anything that Garth Nix writes and am happy to report that I loved this one just as much as I expected too. Connor and Anwar are both percussionists in the school orchestra. Anwar hates playing the triangle beyond all reason but Connor refuses to play the triangle for Anwar because he wants attractive and charming Anwar to have some things that don't go his way. When Connor's childhood friend Kylie shows up back on Mars, Connor is pretty sure she'll end up dating Anwar. Why wouldn't she? Which makes Connor even more determined that Anwar will play this next triangle solo--that is until he realizes who is behind this new composition. This was really cute sci-fi that felt like contemporary. I'd expect nothing less from Nix.
Vim and Vigor by Veronica Roth: I can't confirm but I have a sneaking suspicion that this story is set in the same world that Roth created for her short story in the Summer Days and Summer Nights anthology. Edie is horrified when two boys ask her to prom. After an unexpected reunion with her estranged friend, Kate, Edie uses Kate's father's decision making machine to see who she should choose. The answer isn't entirely what Edie expects. This was a pretty charming story that reminds readers that sometimes the right choice can be no one.
Work in Progress by E.K. Johnston : I loved this story and honestly, I feel like I could write an entire blog post just about this one story. It’s really nine stories in one about storyteller Alex, quick thinking Tab, and street smart CJ. This is written in second person so the characters are all genderless. In version 1.0 readers get a sci-fi story following three friends trying to survive as mutineers overtake the crew of their space ship. Will they stay together? Will they survive? Choose. 2.0 is contemporary. Three friends at a lake house every summer. Again the same questions. Will they stay together? Should they? Choose. 3.0 is high fantasy. Alex is a knight embarking on a quest with Mage Tab who is chronicling the venture and thief CJ who is there to keep them alive. The three are stronger together. But only if they continue to choose each other. The format and structure here are so clever and inventive. I also appreciated the idea of a love triangle that might be more of a friend triangle. i’d love to hear more about Johnston’s thought process and inspiration and intent for this story. This is the first story in the collection where I said to myself “Wow this should really be a full novel.”
Hurdles by Brandy Colbert : My main takeaway from this story is that I really need to read some Brandy Colbert novels because this (like every short story I've read by her) was excellent. What happens when the thing that makes you YOU stops being the thing you love? A young track star isn't sure and struggles to balance pressures from her coach father with her own needs and maintaining her relationship with her boyfriend. That all goes out the window when the love of her life comes back from rehab and asks her to run away with him.
The Historian, the Garrison, and the Cantankerous Cat Woman by Lamar Giles: If you like Buffy the Vampire Slayer you are going to love this story. Nothing is quite as it seems here and, honestly, I can't tell you more without ruining the story's payoff. This wasn't a favorite of mine but I definitely enjoyed it enough that I'll be keeping my out for some of Giles' novels at the library.
Waiting by Sabaa Tahir : Another surprise contemporary story from a fantasy author. Ani is waiting to start at Stanford. Waiting to leave her small town. And waiting for her best friend Sam to get out of prison and tell her what that kiss between them meant. While Ani waits she starts an unexpected friendship with Félix--a boy she never thought she could befriend forget possibly care about. Is Félix being there when Ani needs him enough to justify a relationship? Is Sam really worth the wait? You'll have to read this one to find out. This is the kind of story where I am having as much fun imagining possible outcomes for these characters down the line as I did reading it. Such a pleasant surprise. I don't think the writing will be in the same style but I'm definitely considering picking up Tahir's fantasy series now.
Vega by Brenna Yovanoff : I love everything Yovanoff writes and this was no exception. A love triangle between a girl, a boy, and the city the girl loves—the same one that is slowly killing the boy. This story is evocative and eerie and sizzles as much as Vegas' summer heat. It was also quite the nailbiter as I worried that Elle might let Vegas' glitter distract her from Alex. (Don't worry, all ends as it should. Phew!) This story is easily my favorite of the collection.
A Hundred Thousand Threads by Alaya by Dawn Johnson : At first I thought this story was a gender-swapped futuristic Zorro. In retrospect I think it's actually more The Scarlet Pimpernel although maybe they are ultimately the same thing. Either way this story is set in the future in Mexico City with a complicated love triangle between a somewhat clueless boy, a savvy girl, . . . and the girl's secret identity as a vigilante/spy/hero. Johnson has been hit or miss for me in the past so I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this story. It's a lot of fun and really pushes the limits of what short stories can do. I'll definitely be giving Johnson's novels a second chance.
Before She Was Bloody by Tessa Gratton: Gratton's writing is intense and sexy as Safiya struggles with her desires for both her body double and a strange soldier as well as her duties as the Moon God's mistress. Being a story from Tessa Gratton this story also has incredibly intricate world building to the point that I was convinced there must be some historical basis to the characters and belief system (there isn't, the writing is just that good). I once heard author Sarah Rees Brennan talk about how love triangles rarely resolve in favor of Team Naughty Threesome. THIS IS THAT STORY.
Unus, Duo, Tres by Bethany Hagen : Enoch is sure that he and Casimir can be happy together forever--or as happy as vampires can be. Then a new student discovers the boys together and it changes everything. I like a very specific type of vampire story. This wasn't that kind of story although it was another interesting spin on the love triangle.
Any anthology runs the risk of being uneven--not every story or author can be for every reader, after all--but I have to say that for the most part Three Sides of a Heart is one of the most solid short story collections I've read. A must read for fans of love triangles and an excellent introduction to some the hottest names in YA right now. Recommended.
You can find this review and more on my blog Miss Print
As a fan of love triangles in a variety of genres, I was excited to check out Three Sides of a Heart: Stories about Love Triangles (2017) a short story collection edited by Natalie C. Parker. This collection features a variety of authors and offers a fairly inclusive group of voices among the authors and characters. The stories cover a variety of love triangle configurations with male, female, and gender fluid characters of varied sexual orientations. The stories also exhibit a diversity of incomes and lifestyles and cover themes of mental illness as well. (It's worth noting that physical disabilities are not featured in this collection.) Most importantly, these stories cover a variety of genres spanning the spectrum from straight contemporary to hard sci-fi and high fantasy.
Read more for my short reviews of the individual stories:
Riddles in Mathematics by Katie Cotugno : Rowena is newly out to her family and friends and still figuring out if she fits into her family the way she did before. She's also still dealing with a painful and all-encompassing on her brother Steve's best friend Taylor--the girl everyone is pretty sure Steve is going to marry one day. This story is cute but I never connect with Cotugno's writing and this story was no exception. Ro's relationships with Steve and Taylor were sweetly handled and the story resolves neatly if abruptly.
Dread South by Justina Ireland : This story is set in the same world as Ireland's forthcoming novel Dread Nation. The story follows white, southern teen Louisa as all hell breaks loose and she is saved repeatedly from zombie hoards by Juliet--a Negro girl trained in combat to protect useless girls like Louisa. The triangle here is interesting and, of course, being from Justina Ireland it offers a smart and incisive look at race relations as well as Louisa's white privilege. How you feel about this one may depend a lot on how you feel about zombie stories.
Omega Ship by Rae Carson : A lot of reviewers are citing this story as a standout in the collection and I'm still not sure why. Carson is a very hit or miss author for me. I love her Gold Seer trilogy but The Girl of Fire and Thorns left me cold. I liked this story even less. Eva, Dirk, and Jesse are the last three survivors from Earth. Meant to travel to a new planet on the Omega Ship these three teens were part of a mission to colonize and save humanity. Then the ship crashes and everyone else dies leaving Eva as the only woman capable of saving humanity--provided she wants to spend the rest of her life in an endless cycle of childbirth. It turns out Eva doesn't want that but you'll have to read the story to see what she does about it. My biggest issue with the story: the ship's mission timeline has to be sped up and everything is too heavy. Rather than lose arts and culture the colonists decide to give up clothes.
La Revancha del Tango by Renee Ahdieh : This story was a bit of a surprise since I know Ahdieh more for her fantasy novels and expected more of the same here. Instead we get a contemporary story about a girl traveling on her own to Buenos Aires the summer before college. Nothing is quite as she expects including the snobby English boy with the terrible beard that she meets at her youth hostel.
Cass, An, and Dra by Natalie C. Parker : Cass can see into the future whenever she makes a decision. And for as long as she can remember her present and her future have always included An. When Cass looks ahead and sees a future with Dra it shakes everything Cass thought she knew about who she is and who she wants to be with. In addition to have a f/f relationship in the triangle Dra is genderfluid too making this a really nice addition to an already inclusive collection.
Lessons for Beginners by Julie Murphy: Ruby isn't just a great kisser, she's a great kissing teacher--something that has led to plenty of business for her and her friend/manager Paul. When Ruby gives lessons to her childhood friend Annie and her boyfriend it sparks new chemistry between the girls. The premise, for me, was totally bizarre here but Murphy's writing is super cute. I liked the way everything was handled here, so much so that I might be picking up Ramona Blue soon.
Triangle Solo by Garth Nix : I will read anything that Garth Nix writes and am happy to report that I loved this one just as much as I expected too. Connor and Anwar are both percussionists in the school orchestra. Anwar hates playing the triangle beyond all reason but Connor refuses to play the triangle for Anwar because he wants attractive and charming Anwar to have some things that don't go his way. When Connor's childhood friend Kylie shows up back on Mars, Connor is pretty sure she'll end up dating Anwar. Why wouldn't she? Which makes Connor even more determined that Anwar will play this next triangle solo--that is until he realizes who is behind this new composition. This was really cute sci-fi that felt like contemporary. I'd expect nothing less from Nix.
Vim and Vigor by Veronica Roth: I can't confirm but I have a sneaking suspicion that this story is set in the same world that Roth created for her short story in the Summer Days and Summer Nights anthology. Edie is horrified when two boys ask her to prom. After an unexpected reunion with her estranged friend, Kate, Edie uses Kate's father's decision making machine to see who she should choose. The answer isn't entirely what Edie expects. This was a pretty charming story that reminds readers that sometimes the right choice can be no one.
Work in Progress by E.K. Johnston : I loved this story and honestly, I feel like I could write an entire blog post just about this one story. It’s really nine stories in one about storyteller Alex, quick thinking Tab, and street smart CJ. This is written in second person so the characters are all genderless. In version 1.0 readers get a sci-fi story following three friends trying to survive as mutineers overtake the crew of their space ship. Will they stay together? Will they survive? Choose. 2.0 is contemporary. Three friends at a lake house every summer. Again the same questions. Will they stay together? Should they? Choose. 3.0 is high fantasy. Alex is a knight embarking on a quest with Mage Tab who is chronicling the venture and thief CJ who is there to keep them alive. The three are stronger together. But only if they continue to choose each other. The format and structure here are so clever and inventive. I also appreciated the idea of a love triangle that might be more of a friend triangle. i’d love to hear more about Johnston’s thought process and inspiration and intent for this story. This is the first story in the collection where I said to myself “Wow this should really be a full novel.”
Hurdles by Brandy Colbert : My main takeaway from this story is that I really need to read some Brandy Colbert novels because this (like every short story I've read by her) was excellent. What happens when the thing that makes you YOU stops being the thing you love? A young track star isn't sure and struggles to balance pressures from her coach father with her own needs and maintaining her relationship with her boyfriend. That all goes out the window when the love of her life comes back from rehab and asks her to run away with him.
The Historian, the Garrison, and the Cantankerous Cat Woman by Lamar Giles: If you like Buffy the Vampire Slayer you are going to love this story. Nothing is quite as it seems here and, honestly, I can't tell you more without ruining the story's payoff. This wasn't a favorite of mine but I definitely enjoyed it enough that I'll be keeping my out for some of Giles' novels at the library.
Waiting by Sabaa Tahir : Another surprise contemporary story from a fantasy author. Ani is waiting to start at Stanford. Waiting to leave her small town. And waiting for her best friend Sam to get out of prison and tell her what that kiss between them meant. While Ani waits she starts an unexpected friendship with Félix--a boy she never thought she could befriend forget possibly care about. Is Félix being there when Ani needs him enough to justify a relationship? Is Sam really worth the wait? You'll have to read this one to find out. This is the kind of story where I am having as much fun imagining possible outcomes for these characters down the line as I did reading it. Such a pleasant surprise. I don't think the writing will be in the same style but I'm definitely considering picking up Tahir's fantasy series now.
Vega by Brenna Yovanoff : I love everything Yovanoff writes and this was no exception. A love triangle between a girl, a boy, and the city the girl loves—the same one that is slowly killing the boy. This story is evocative and eerie and sizzles as much as Vegas' summer heat. It was also quite the nailbiter as I worried that Elle might let Vegas' glitter distract her from Alex. (Don't worry, all ends as it should. Phew!) This story is easily my favorite of the collection.
A Hundred Thousand Threads by Alaya by Dawn Johnson : At first I thought this story was a gender-swapped futuristic Zorro. In retrospect I think it's actually more The Scarlet Pimpernel although maybe they are ultimately the same thing. Either way this story is set in the future in Mexico City with a complicated love triangle between a somewhat clueless boy, a savvy girl, . . . and the girl's secret identity as a vigilante/spy/hero. Johnson has been hit or miss for me in the past so I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this story. It's a lot of fun and really pushes the limits of what short stories can do. I'll definitely be giving Johnson's novels a second chance.
Before She Was Bloody by Tessa Gratton: Gratton's writing is intense and sexy as Safiya struggles with her desires for both her body double and a strange soldier as well as her duties as the Moon God's mistress. Being a story from Tessa Gratton this story also has incredibly intricate world building to the point that I was convinced there must be some historical basis to the characters and belief system (there isn't, the writing is just that good). I once heard author Sarah Rees Brennan talk about how love triangles rarely resolve in favor of Team Naughty Threesome. THIS IS THAT STORY.
Unus, Duo, Tres by Bethany Hagen : Enoch is sure that he and Casimir can be happy together forever--or as happy as vampires can be. Then a new student discovers the boys together and it changes everything. I like a very specific type of vampire story. This wasn't that kind of story although it was another interesting spin on the love triangle.
Any anthology runs the risk of being uneven--not every story or author can be for every reader, after all--but I have to say that for the most part Three Sides of a Heart is one of the most solid short story collections I've read. A must read for fans of love triangles and an excellent introduction to some the hottest names in YA right now. Recommended.
You can find this review and more on my blog Miss Print
seahorsemojinow's review against another edition
2.0
This was not pleasant for me to power my way through. I think if I had gone in with low expectations, I might have enjoyed some of these stories more. But as it is, I was looking for soothing polyamory representation, was promised exciting subversions of the love triangle trope, and almost none of these stories delivered either to me, unless you count women making a choice or gay people existing significant or exciting subversions. I don't!
The one thing across all the stories - even the two I enjoyed - that I realized was chafing me towards the end was the inevitability of it all. It was always deeply romanticized 'undeniable' attraction. All the characters can't help but love the people they love, and so the subversion becomes safe. I just would have enjoyed something different!
Overall, this was a surprisingly straight collection, which was disappointing. Also, I'm reminded of that tumblr post illustrating a love 'v' versus a love 'triangle' - if their isn't a third side, so that every point is connected to two others, then it isn't a triangle! & that held true for almost all of these stories.
The two stories I liked did avoid that misstep; they were the last two in the collection, as if rewarding me for listening to the book all the way through. My very favorite was second to last, about the Moon Eater's Mistress and the two who loved her. I thought the plot was engaging, and the writing really lovely. The final story was a pretty cheesy vampire plot, and that will get me every time. It also was the most I felt Represented in my gay experience.
Two stars because I obviously didn't hate it enough to stop reading. Each story was just so frustrating in how close it came to being what I wanted out of a deep dive into love triangles. But ending a story without finishing it is not, to me, an interesting subversion; it's the same sort of story but shorter. This kept me I think from fully enjoying the fresh and interesting narrative styles of some of the authors.
The one thing across all the stories - even the two I enjoyed - that I realized was chafing me towards the end was the inevitability of it all. It was always deeply romanticized 'undeniable' attraction. All the characters can't help but love the people they love, and so the subversion becomes safe. I just would have enjoyed something different!
Overall, this was a surprisingly straight collection, which was disappointing. Also, I'm reminded of that tumblr post illustrating a love 'v' versus a love 'triangle' - if their isn't a third side, so that every point is connected to two others, then it isn't a triangle! & that held true for almost all of these stories.
The two stories I liked did avoid that misstep; they were the last two in the collection, as if rewarding me for listening to the book all the way through. My very favorite was second to last, about the Moon Eater's Mistress and the two who loved her. I thought the plot was engaging, and the writing really lovely. The final story was a pretty cheesy vampire plot, and that will get me every time. It also was the most I felt Represented in my gay experience.
Two stars because I obviously didn't hate it enough to stop reading. Each story was just so frustrating in how close it came to being what I wanted out of a deep dive into love triangles. But ending a story without finishing it is not, to me, an interesting subversion; it's the same sort of story but shorter. This kept me I think from fully enjoying the fresh and interesting narrative styles of some of the authors.
ellieafterall's review against another edition
3.0
I think it's ironic that my rating for this book is 3 stars, just like 3 sides of a triangle, which is all this book is about. I was disappointed by so many in this - they fell flat, felt rushed, felt unbelievable in the worst way imaginable. However, I discovered some beautiful writers and that is enough, if only for now. Good things coming out of a mess doesn't meant it can't still be a good thing!!! anyway, let's get into the nitty-gritty details now :')
Key: ⭐️ = a star
🌟 = 0.5 stars
🌈 = the ell gee bee tees!
On the scale of how CRINGEY the love triangle is: 1 is not that bad, actually! and 10 is THE CRINGIEST.
Riddles in Mathematics by Katie Cotugno: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🌟 +🌈
Scale: 2
Whatever just happened here feels like a to-be-continued, a comma instead of a period. It feels like being suspended in the best part of a dream.
I LOVE Katie Cotugno's writing!! and oh my god, I'M SO HAPPY she wrote about gays. Please, please, write a full book of girls loving girls PLEASE @ katie cotugno i'm begging you i would love it so so much, i loved how adorable and connected i felt to the characters and how i just!!! ah!! adored it. my only problem was that it ended too soon i was like what do you mean the full book isn't this? :(
Dread South by Justina Ireland: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🌟 +🌈
Scale: 1
HOLY SHIT. That's all I have to say. I'd been wondering since I've heard of Justina Ireland how her writing would feel like, and it feels like holy shit. I devoured this one (ha, puns) again, only complain is ending. Please, please give me the full-length of this. I love the themes explored, both that are discussed and that are underlaid and just UGH. More, please. Please.
Omega Ship by Rae Carson: ⭐️
Scale: 10,000,000
. I don't even want to talk about this one. It was so cringey and honestly just plain weird and so odd to read about. I don't even - no. I'm never going to think about this gross heterosexual mess again.
Le Revancha Del Tango by Renée Ahdieh: ⭐️
Scale: 10
I can't even put into words how much Ahdieh disappointed me with this one, so I'll just say this: a whole line of her story was just the word #perfection. That was it. It's just so badly written? There were these random exposition dumps, like one paragraph where she's like "oh yeah my dad is dead" and then she just goes on. This doesn't develop the character. It just tells us about it, like it's a character sheet or whatever. IT WAS SO CRINGEY! One of the guys she doesn't like has a beard and so she decides she doesn't like him...because he has a beard. Yes. You heard that right. nope! not today.
Cass, An, and Dra by Natalie C. Parker: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ +🌈
Scale: 1
"Just because we choose one future doesn't mean the other one is forgotten."
It's a short story, but it has long fingers that have curled over my shoulders and throat since the first time I heard it.
Just when I think I'm going to hate this whole anthology, this woman's beautiful writing comes up. This one also has an open ending, but I loved reading this so much that I went and gave it 5 stars anyway. And again: MORE of this, please.
Lessons for Beginners by Julie Murphy: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 🌟+🌈
Scale: 5
I hate that I'm trying to convince her. I've never been the type to meet others any closer than the middle. But there's something about her that makes me want to meet her wherever she is.
Um, I'm really self-conscious so I don't really like reading about people watching our characters do something. I feel like I'M being watched. It's a weird feeling. sO yeah. the premise and everything was cute, just the guy was a douche and the ending reminded me a lot of the girls like girls music video by hayley kiyoko. cute!
Triangle Solo by Garth Nix: ⭐️
Scale: 9
This story and I didn't vibe at all. The humor, and now that I think about it, the characters went over my head. I was just not feeling the story at all, so obviously I didn't like it :(
Vim and Vigor by Veronica Roth: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ +🌈
Scale: 2
And it all came back in a rush, that breathless feeling when all the expectations and hopes and fears formed over years were balanced on a knife's edge. When you had loved something for so long and for so many reasons that all you wanted was for that love to expand inside you.
This was surprisingly cute. I'm not sure if I'm just reading subtext because we don't really know if Edie and Kate are into each other like for sure but it was cute and that's all i have to say.
Work in Progress by E.K. Johnston: ⭐️
Scale: ??
???? what was that?? what was happening??? what?? who?? why?? where - nevermind.
Hurdles by Brandy Colbert: ⭐️
Scale: 10,000 x 10
Girl likes two boys. One is sweet, respectful, adores her, is there when she calls in the middle of the night, parents approve of him. Other is an asshole, treats his little sister like shit because he's an alcoholic, asks her to run away with him, she says "he can't even take care of himself", wants her to leave everything behind. Who does she choose? *facepalm emoji*
The Historian, the Garrison, and the Cantankerous Cat Woman by Lamar Giles: ⭐️🌟
Scale: 5
This had potential, but was very confusing because we just don't get the fleshed-out story and the background. He tried to incorporate in between the romance stuff, but it just felt weird and out of place. Not my type of characters. Writing was decent, I loved the footnotes! The twist was cool. Sad that I didn't care enough about the characters to be truly shocked and betrayed etc.
Waiting by Sabaa Tahir: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Scale: 6
It's interesting to see writing from Sabaa that wasn't in a fantasy world. I was actually pleasantly surprised! The characters felt really underdeveloped, because most of this was letters and I felt like I had stumbled upon random letters and was reading them. It was like, I read it because it was there and that was all.
Vega by Brenna Yovanoff: ⭐️⭐️⭐️🌟
Scale: 2
The camera comes to rest on one small, knobby girl, so wild and electric she almost shines. The city is a promise. A fantastical landscape of winners, beauties, criminals. She will belong here forever.
I LOVED the writing in this, absolutely beautiful. Just didn't really care about the characters that much - the switch in POV took away more time with each one of them too. I really think I would love this if this was a full-length novel. I'm looking forward to checking this writer out!
A Hundred Thousand Nights by Alaya Dawn Johnson: ⭐️⭐️
Scale: 8
When I understood the story, I liked it. It was like tuning a radio, if that makes sense? You turn it once this way and that way and you get some transmissions sometimes, random messages and you listen to it, but none of it is connected and you're like ?? what? but sometimes one of them is actually decent and you're like, cool. So yeah it just felt all over the place.
Before She Was Bloody by Tessa Gratton: ⭐️🌟
Scale: ??
This writing was so weird and not for me that this story went over my head. Here are some quotes:
He was no devotee of our goddess! How intriguing! I mean, what?
I let my smile curve wickedly as I reaced out to welcome my brother, whose narrow face broke into a grin that matched. i'm sorry what was that?? it's kinda like overembellishment. it's like she just used fancy words for the sake of it and just, like, nope.
Uno, Duo, Tres by Bethany Hagen: ⭐️⭐️🌟 +🌈
Scale: 4
i'm tired but basically this story was boring and it was okay i guess. reading about vampires was weird in 2018. but i finished it i guess?
tl;dr: i don't know if this anthology is worth it as a whole, but there are some good ones. like, exactly 3. because the world loves irony :)
Key: ⭐️ = a star
🌟 = 0.5 stars
🌈 = the ell gee bee tees!
On the scale of how CRINGEY the love triangle is: 1 is not that bad, actually! and 10 is THE CRINGIEST.
Riddles in Mathematics by Katie Cotugno: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🌟 +🌈
Scale: 2
Whatever just happened here feels like a to-be-continued, a comma instead of a period. It feels like being suspended in the best part of a dream.
I LOVE Katie Cotugno's writing!! and oh my god, I'M SO HAPPY she wrote about gays. Please, please, write a full book of girls loving girls PLEASE @ katie cotugno i'm begging you i would love it so so much, i loved how adorable and connected i felt to the characters and how i just!!! ah!! adored it. my only problem was that it ended too soon i was like what do you mean the full book isn't this? :(
Dread South by Justina Ireland: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🌟 +🌈
Scale: 1
HOLY SHIT. That's all I have to say. I'd been wondering since I've heard of Justina Ireland how her writing would feel like, and it feels like holy shit. I devoured this one (ha, puns) again, only complain is ending. Please, please give me the full-length of this. I love the themes explored, both that are discussed and that are underlaid and just UGH. More, please. Please.
Omega Ship by Rae Carson: ⭐️
Scale: 10,000,000
. I don't even want to talk about this one. It was so cringey and honestly just plain weird and so odd to read about. I don't even - no. I'm never going to think about this gross heterosexual mess again.
Le Revancha Del Tango by Renée Ahdieh: ⭐️
Scale: 10
I can't even put into words how much Ahdieh disappointed me with this one, so I'll just say this: a whole line of her story was just the word #perfection. That was it. It's just so badly written? There were these random exposition dumps, like one paragraph where she's like "oh yeah my dad is dead" and then she just goes on. This doesn't develop the character. It just tells us about it, like it's a character sheet or whatever. IT WAS SO CRINGEY! One of the guys she doesn't like has a beard and so she decides she doesn't like him...because he has a beard. Yes. You heard that right. nope! not today.
Cass, An, and Dra by Natalie C. Parker: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ +🌈
Scale: 1
"Just because we choose one future doesn't mean the other one is forgotten."
It's a short story, but it has long fingers that have curled over my shoulders and throat since the first time I heard it.
Just when I think I'm going to hate this whole anthology, this woman's beautiful writing comes up. This one also has an open ending, but I loved reading this so much that I went and gave it 5 stars anyway. And again: MORE of this, please.
Lessons for Beginners by Julie Murphy: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 🌟+🌈
Scale: 5
I hate that I'm trying to convince her. I've never been the type to meet others any closer than the middle. But there's something about her that makes me want to meet her wherever she is.
Um, I'm really self-conscious so I don't really like reading about people watching our characters do something. I feel like I'M being watched. It's a weird feeling. sO yeah. the premise and everything was cute, just the guy was a douche and the ending reminded me a lot of the girls like girls music video by hayley kiyoko. cute!
Triangle Solo by Garth Nix: ⭐️
Scale: 9
This story and I didn't vibe at all. The humor, and now that I think about it, the characters went over my head. I was just not feeling the story at all, so obviously I didn't like it :(
Vim and Vigor by Veronica Roth: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ +🌈
Scale: 2
And it all came back in a rush, that breathless feeling when all the expectations and hopes and fears formed over years were balanced on a knife's edge. When you had loved something for so long and for so many reasons that all you wanted was for that love to expand inside you.
This was surprisingly cute. I'm not sure if I'm just reading subtext because we don't really know if Edie and Kate are into each other like for sure but it was cute and that's all i have to say.
Work in Progress by E.K. Johnston: ⭐️
Scale: ??
???? what was that?? what was happening??? what?? who?? why?? where - nevermind.
Hurdles by Brandy Colbert: ⭐️
Scale: 10,000 x 10
Girl likes two boys. One is sweet, respectful, adores her, is there when she calls in the middle of the night, parents approve of him. Other is an asshole, treats his little sister like shit because he's an alcoholic, asks her to run away with him, she says "he can't even take care of himself", wants her to leave everything behind. Who does she choose? *facepalm emoji*
The Historian, the Garrison, and the Cantankerous Cat Woman by Lamar Giles: ⭐️🌟
Scale: 5
This had potential, but was very confusing because we just don't get the fleshed-out story and the background. He tried to incorporate in between the romance stuff, but it just felt weird and out of place. Not my type of characters. Writing was decent, I loved the footnotes! The twist was cool. Sad that I didn't care enough about the characters to be truly shocked and betrayed etc.
Waiting by Sabaa Tahir: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Scale: 6
It's interesting to see writing from Sabaa that wasn't in a fantasy world. I was actually pleasantly surprised! The characters felt really underdeveloped, because most of this was letters and I felt like I had stumbled upon random letters and was reading them. It was like, I read it because it was there and that was all.
Vega by Brenna Yovanoff: ⭐️⭐️⭐️🌟
Scale: 2
The camera comes to rest on one small, knobby girl, so wild and electric she almost shines. The city is a promise. A fantastical landscape of winners, beauties, criminals. She will belong here forever.
I LOVED the writing in this, absolutely beautiful. Just didn't really care about the characters that much - the switch in POV took away more time with each one of them too. I really think I would love this if this was a full-length novel. I'm looking forward to checking this writer out!
A Hundred Thousand Nights by Alaya Dawn Johnson: ⭐️⭐️
Scale: 8
When I understood the story, I liked it. It was like tuning a radio, if that makes sense? You turn it once this way and that way and you get some transmissions sometimes, random messages and you listen to it, but none of it is connected and you're like ?? what? but sometimes one of them is actually decent and you're like, cool. So yeah it just felt all over the place.
Before She Was Bloody by Tessa Gratton: ⭐️🌟
Scale: ??
This writing was so weird and not for me that this story went over my head. Here are some quotes:
He was no devotee of our goddess! How intriguing! I mean, what?
I let my smile curve wickedly as I reaced out to welcome my brother, whose narrow face broke into a grin that matched. i'm sorry what was that?? it's kinda like overembellishment. it's like she just used fancy words for the sake of it and just, like, nope.
Uno, Duo, Tres by Bethany Hagen: ⭐️⭐️🌟 +🌈
Scale: 4
i'm tired but basically this story was boring and it was okay i guess. reading about vampires was weird in 2018. but i finished it i guess?
tl;dr: i don't know if this anthology is worth it as a whole, but there are some good ones. like, exactly 3. because the world loves irony :)
sandraselvas's review against another edition
3.0
Didn't particularly love this book but there were some interesting ones.
I will elaborate on each one BUT right now I just want to say: WHO GAVE YOU THE RIGHT, BETHANY HAGEN, WHO!?!?
I will elaborate on each one BUT right now I just want to say: WHO GAVE YOU THE RIGHT, BETHANY HAGEN, WHO!?!?
paperbackd's review against another edition
4.0
The love triangle. it’s possibly caused more fandom drama, broken friendships and teenage heartache than any other trope in existence. I remember spending hours typing out lengthy essays passionately supporting my ‘Team’ back in 2008 when love triangle fandoms were all the rage. The internet seemed to collectively breathe a sigh of relief when the tide turned and love triangles dwindled out of popularity. When I first heard about Three Sides of a Heart, I was skeptical - why would anyone want to read an anthology centred around one of the most universally hated tropes?
Turns out, when done well, love triangles can be pretty fantastic. Reading Three Sides of a Heart, I quickly forgot all the reasons why people dislike triangles. What I liked most about this collection was that it showed off just how versatile the love triangle trope can be - some stories were romances, some were about dealing with unrequited love, some were about learning to love yourself, and one or two were even about navigating polyamorous relationships. Some were set in space, some in the past, some in our world, some in a fantasy world. Many were queer love stories. No one author used the love triangle in the same way, and each brought something new to the trope.
Like all anthologies, some stories in this collection shine a little brighter than the others; in particular I loved Katie Cotugno, Justina Ireland, Rae Carson and E.K. Johnston’s contributions. This collection has put a lot of authors on my radar, but I’m especially looking forward to reading more from these four.
Many thanks to HarperTeen for providing a copy of Three Sides of a Heart. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.
Publisher: HarperTeen
Rating: 4 stars | ★★★★✰
Review cross-posted to Paperback'd Reviews
Turns out, when done well, love triangles can be pretty fantastic. Reading Three Sides of a Heart, I quickly forgot all the reasons why people dislike triangles. What I liked most about this collection was that it showed off just how versatile the love triangle trope can be - some stories were romances, some were about dealing with unrequited love, some were about learning to love yourself, and one or two were even about navigating polyamorous relationships. Some were set in space, some in the past, some in our world, some in a fantasy world. Many were queer love stories. No one author used the love triangle in the same way, and each brought something new to the trope.
Like all anthologies, some stories in this collection shine a little brighter than the others; in particular I loved Katie Cotugno, Justina Ireland, Rae Carson and E.K. Johnston’s contributions. This collection has put a lot of authors on my radar, but I’m especially looking forward to reading more from these four.
Many thanks to HarperTeen for providing a copy of Three Sides of a Heart. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.
Publisher: HarperTeen
Rating: 4 stars | ★★★★✰
Review cross-posted to Paperback'd Reviews
booksandpops4000's review against another edition
3.0
I will admit this was just not my favorite collection. I read all the stories of authors that i knew but did not read the final four stories. I thought some of them were fun but it was so hard to become emotionally invested in these short stories. I love a good slow burn romance and all of these I had to be invested from page one and these stories did not give me time to fall in love with these characters or choose a side. I will def. be reading more full length novels by this authors soon.
elliott_the_clementine's review against another edition
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25