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1.04k reviews for:
All Out: The No-Longer-Secret Stories of Queer Teens throughout the Ages
Saundra Mitchell
3.92 AVERAGE
1.04k reviews for:
All Out: The No-Longer-Secret Stories of Queer Teens throughout the Ages
Saundra Mitchell
3.92 AVERAGE
While not my favorite anthology ever, I absolutely love how this is based around queer teens throughout history. Like normal anthologies, there were a couple of stories I really enjoyed but it felt like the rest were very forgettable. Plus it felt like half of the authors in here are ones that either I've read before and haven't enjoyed or I've never heard of them... awkward.
I'm just gonna go through my top three real quick: Walking After Midnight, The Dresser & The Chambermaid, and Roja. Honorable mention to The Sweet Trade though as is was about two girls in 1717 Virginia colony running away on the day of their weddings to become pirates and I have to stan.
Walking After Midnight by Kody Keplinger is about a past child actress in the 50s. Her fame is fading as she grows up so she moves from Hollywood to NYC to work in a play. Her train to NYC is delayed and she spends the night talking with a waitress named Laura who fears she'll never leave her small town. They are ADORABLE together and it was such a sweet story. My favorite out of the entire anthology.
The Dresser & The Chambermaid by Robin Talley takes place Kensington Palace, 1726 about a girl named Mary who becomes a princess's dresser. The princess's chambermaid, Susanna is quickly fed up with Mary because Suzanna wanted to be the dresser and Mary has no idea what she's doing. Weirdly unnecessary multiple mentions of the princess using chamber pots aside, I really loved Mary and Susanna together and the other servants we get to meet.
Roja by Anna-Marie McLemore, I haven't liked this author's writing in the past (and I still can't say I particularly like it here) but I did love this story and what she did with it. It's a Red Riding Hood retelling that takes place in 1870 Mexico about a girl that has poison in her blood who rescues the French solider she has fallen in love with. It was SO badass and the love interest was trans and everything was well done. I wouldn't have been mad at a full length novel of this.
I'm just gonna go through my top three real quick: Walking After Midnight, The Dresser & The Chambermaid, and Roja. Honorable mention to The Sweet Trade though as is was about two girls in 1717 Virginia colony running away on the day of their weddings to become pirates and I have to stan.
Walking After Midnight by Kody Keplinger is about a past child actress in the 50s. Her fame is fading as she grows up so she moves from Hollywood to NYC to work in a play. Her train to NYC is delayed and she spends the night talking with a waitress named Laura who fears she'll never leave her small town. They are ADORABLE together and it was such a sweet story. My favorite out of the entire anthology.
The Dresser & The Chambermaid by Robin Talley takes place Kensington Palace, 1726 about a girl named Mary who becomes a princess's dresser. The princess's chambermaid, Susanna is quickly fed up with Mary because Suzanna wanted to be the dresser and Mary has no idea what she's doing. Weirdly unnecessary multiple mentions of the princess using chamber pots aside, I really loved Mary and Susanna together and the other servants we get to meet.
Roja by Anna-Marie McLemore, I haven't liked this author's writing in the past (and I still can't say I particularly like it here) but I did love this story and what she did with it. It's a Red Riding Hood retelling that takes place in 1870 Mexico about a girl that has poison in her blood who rescues the French solider she has fallen in love with. It was SO badass and the love interest was trans and everything was well done. I wouldn't have been mad at a full length novel of this.
First, let me just tell you how weird it is to see my name in one of the characters. (It's rare for me).
Second, it's my first time reading a book all about Lgbt and I love it.
Third, let's just review:
1. Roja by Anna-Marie McLemore: 4.5 stars (Anna-Marie Mclemore's writing is so beautiful and magical)
2. The Sweet Trade by Natalie C. Parker: 3 stars (I liked it but didn't enjoyed it)
3. And They Don't Kiss at The End by Nilah McGruder: 3.5 (It was too short for me, I really wanted more)
4. Burnt Umber by Mackenzi Lee: 4.5 stars (Oh My God, this made me laugh, I loved the characters so much, pity the story was too short)
5. The Dresser and the Chambermaid by Robin Talley: 2.5 stars (I didn't enjoyed it, to be honest I didn't care for the characters at all however the setting was interesting)
6. New Year by Malinda Lo: 3 stars (It was ok)
7. Molly's Lips by Dahlia Adler: 3.5 stars (This was really sweet and cute)
8. The Coven by Kate Scelsa: 2 stars (It was too boring)
9. Every Shade of Red by Elliot Wake: 5 stars (LOVED IT, I want a full book about this, they can't leave me like this)
10. Willows by Scott Tracey: 2 stars (I hope I'm not the only one that didn't understand nothing about this)
11. The Girl With the Blue Lantern by Tess Sharpe: 4 stars (the writing style and the story were amazing)
12. The Secret Life of a Teenage Boy by Alex Sanchez: 3 stars ( I liked the story but at the same time I didn't. It made me feel uncomfortable and happy. Can someone please explain my feelings?)
13. Walking After Midnight by Kody Keplinger: 2 stars (cute, sweet and boring)
14. The End of the World As We Know It by Sara Farizan: 3 stars (It was ok)
15. Three Witches by Tessa Gratton: 4.5 stars (powerful story)
16. The Inferno & The Butterfly by Shaun David Hutchinson: 5 stars (Loved it!!!)
17. Healing Rosa by Tehlor Kay Mejia: 4.5 stars (dark and beautiful at the same time)
Second, it's my first time reading a book all about Lgbt and I love it.
Third, let's just review:
1. Roja by Anna-Marie McLemore: 4.5 stars (Anna-Marie Mclemore's writing is so beautiful and magical)
2. The Sweet Trade by Natalie C. Parker: 3 stars (I liked it but didn't enjoyed it)
3. And They Don't Kiss at The End by Nilah McGruder: 3.5 (It was too short for me, I really wanted more)
4. Burnt Umber by Mackenzi Lee: 4.5 stars (Oh My God, this made me laugh, I loved the characters so much, pity the story was too short)
5. The Dresser and the Chambermaid by Robin Talley: 2.5 stars (I didn't enjoyed it, to be honest I didn't care for the characters at all however the setting was interesting)
6. New Year by Malinda Lo: 3 stars (It was ok)
7. Molly's Lips by Dahlia Adler: 3.5 stars (This was really sweet and cute)
8. The Coven by Kate Scelsa: 2 stars (It was too boring)
9. Every Shade of Red by Elliot Wake: 5 stars (LOVED IT, I want a full book about this, they can't leave me like this)
10. Willows by Scott Tracey: 2 stars (I hope I'm not the only one that didn't understand nothing about this)
11. The Girl With the Blue Lantern by Tess Sharpe: 4 stars (the writing style and the story were amazing)
12. The Secret Life of a Teenage Boy by Alex Sanchez: 3 stars ( I liked the story but at the same time I didn't. It made me feel uncomfortable and happy. Can someone please explain my feelings?)
13. Walking After Midnight by Kody Keplinger: 2 stars (cute, sweet and boring)
14. The End of the World As We Know It by Sara Farizan: 3 stars (It was ok)
15. Three Witches by Tessa Gratton: 4.5 stars (powerful story)
16. The Inferno & The Butterfly by Shaun David Hutchinson: 5 stars (Loved it!!!)
17. Healing Rosa by Tehlor Kay Mejia: 4.5 stars (dark and beautiful at the same time)
One of my favourites were "The Girl with the Blue Lantern" by Tess Sharpe. It just gave such folktale vibes with a happy ending. My other favourite was "The Inferno & the Butterfly" by Shaun David Hutchinson. I just love circus (and circus-adjacent) settings.
A beautiful anthology. All hits no misses. My favorite stories are The Dresser & the Chambermaid by Robin Talley, a love story between the title characters in service to a princess, and Every Shade of Red by Elliot Wake, a lovely take on the legend of Robin Hood. Plus Secret Life of a Teenage Boy has a From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler reference that gave me joy.
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
Three stars for the three good stories by:
Malinda Lo
Robin Talley
Kody Keplinger
Want to put their names here so I can read other books by them. The rest were kind of sketches or just not good historical fiction. I liked the Malinda Lo story the best.
Malinda Lo
Robin Talley
Kody Keplinger
Want to put their names here so I can read other books by them. The rest were kind of sketches or just not good historical fiction. I liked the Malinda Lo story the best.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
I’m the problem here…I’m not the biggest fan of short stories. It’s just because it ends too soon for me and that’s literally the point of a *short* story. But I have to admit some of the stories were really cute.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A