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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
There were some stories in here that stood out, but for the most part they blended together and all felt the same.
Anthologies are very often a crapshoot, and this was no exception. Some stories were excellent, some were abysmal, but it took me so long to get through the whole thing that I don't remember which ones I liked and which ones I didn't. It also doesn't help that I chose to read most of this while getting my sleeve tattoo done, which I'm sure took away from my focus. Over all, a solid meh. 3/5
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Overall a very good book and sweet collection of short stories - would definitely recommend. As with any collection, however, there were some stories I loved, and some that weren’t my cup of tea.
roja by anna-marie mclemore : ★★★★ 1/2
anna-marie mclemore already owns my ass we been knew but this was *chef's kiss* exquisite
the sweet trade by natalie c. parker : ★★
this one... ain't it, chief. it just didn't rouse any emotions in me at all??? and i thought the relationship was so rushed and not explained at all.
and they don't kiss at the end by nilah magruder : ★★★ 1/2
super cute and fluffy! LOVED the ace rep and the way it was handled, just wish there would've been more discussion between the mc and the love interest
burnt umber by mackenzi lee : ★★★★ 1/2
is anyone surprised that i adored this? mackenzi lee knows how to write and that's just the facts
the dresser & the chambermaid by robin talley : ★★★
this was good, but nothing really stood out to me as being spectacular
new year by malinda lo : ★★★ 1/2
really enjoyed this one, though i wish there was more resolution at the end? but overall i loved that it's just about a girl realizing there are people like her in the world who are proud of who they are
molly's lips by dahlia adler : ★★
meh. that's it. just meh.
the coven by kate scelsa : ★★
the potential in this was great but it was so wasted?! idk i just feel like this could've been a lot longer and dug a lot deeper and it just... didn't which is disappointing tbh
every shade of red by elliot wake : ★★★★★
THE FIRST FIVE, FOLKS! damn, this just *gutted* me in the best way. it's basically 'so you know robin hood? what if he was trans' and you know what? i LOVE THAT FOR US AS A SOCIETY
willows by scott tracey : ★
the first five followed by the first 1-star. i'm sorry, but what even was this. nothing was explained, there was talks of curses without any explanation, is the main character reincarnated or has multiple personalities, i don't know! it was just... beyond weird
the girl with the blue lantern by tess sharpe : ★★★★ 1/2
i adooooored this. like who doesn't want to fall in love with a water nymph and then make a home with her in the woods?! it was so beautifully written, too. ugh. i cannot
the secret life of a teenage boy by alex sanchez : ★★
this one wasn't it, either. idk if it was the age gap that bothered me (a 16 year old boy running off with some random college student he's known for like what, an hour?) or the general awkwardness of the story, but nothing was believable and everything felt super rushed
walking after midnight by kody keplinger : ★★★★
ADORABLE. a 1950s movie star falls for the cute small-town waitress over the course of a night?! there are a few other stories in this collection that tried to do the whole '1 day romance' thing and i wasn't convinced, but this one really sold it. i would read a whole book about betsey and laura.
the end of the world as we know it by sara farizan : ★★★
i think the biggest issue with this one was that the relationship between the two main characters was not fleshed out at all? why did katie drop ezgi? because she liked her and was afraid to admit it? that is what is implied, but it wasn't explicit enough and the random kiss at midnight had me going ??? because it was out of nowhere. overall, not a big fan but still i loved ezgi so it gets three stars overall
three witches by tessa gratton : ★★★★
oof. this was beautiful? basically a girl gets locked away in a medieval conversion camp run by nuns because she was found kissing a girl, but guess what? SHE AND ONE OF THE NUNS FALL IN LOVE. galaxy brain
the inferno and the butterfly by shaun david hutchinson : ★★★★
amazing gorgeous never been done
healing rosa by tehlor kay mejia : ★★★★★
THIS IS SUCH A GREAT ONE it portrays trauma as a demon that sits inside us and needs to be chased out by the light and it's so so beautiful
anna-marie mclemore already owns my ass we been knew but this was *chef's kiss* exquisite
the sweet trade by natalie c. parker : ★★
this one... ain't it, chief. it just didn't rouse any emotions in me at all??? and i thought the relationship was so rushed and not explained at all.
and they don't kiss at the end by nilah magruder : ★★★ 1/2
super cute and fluffy! LOVED the ace rep and the way it was handled, just wish there would've been more discussion between the mc and the love interest
burnt umber by mackenzi lee : ★★★★ 1/2
is anyone surprised that i adored this? mackenzi lee knows how to write and that's just the facts
the dresser & the chambermaid by robin talley : ★★★
this was good, but nothing really stood out to me as being spectacular
new year by malinda lo : ★★★ 1/2
really enjoyed this one, though i wish there was more resolution at the end? but overall i loved that it's just about a girl realizing there are people like her in the world who are proud of who they are
molly's lips by dahlia adler : ★★
meh. that's it. just meh.
the coven by kate scelsa : ★★
the potential in this was great but it was so wasted?! idk i just feel like this could've been a lot longer and dug a lot deeper and it just... didn't which is disappointing tbh
every shade of red by elliot wake : ★★★★★
THE FIRST FIVE, FOLKS! damn, this just *gutted* me in the best way. it's basically 'so you know robin hood? what if he was trans' and you know what? i LOVE THAT FOR US AS A SOCIETY
willows by scott tracey : ★
the first five followed by the first 1-star. i'm sorry, but what even was this. nothing was explained, there was talks of curses without any explanation, is the main character reincarnated or has multiple personalities, i don't know! it was just... beyond weird
the girl with the blue lantern by tess sharpe : ★★★★ 1/2
i adooooored this. like who doesn't want to fall in love with a water nymph and then make a home with her in the woods?! it was so beautifully written, too. ugh. i cannot
the secret life of a teenage boy by alex sanchez : ★★
this one wasn't it, either. idk if it was the age gap that bothered me (a 16 year old boy running off with some random college student he's known for like what, an hour?) or the general awkwardness of the story, but nothing was believable and everything felt super rushed
walking after midnight by kody keplinger : ★★★★
ADORABLE. a 1950s movie star falls for the cute small-town waitress over the course of a night?! there are a few other stories in this collection that tried to do the whole '1 day romance' thing and i wasn't convinced, but this one really sold it. i would read a whole book about betsey and laura.
the end of the world as we know it by sara farizan : ★★★
i think the biggest issue with this one was that the relationship between the two main characters was not fleshed out at all? why did katie drop ezgi? because she liked her and was afraid to admit it? that is what is implied, but it wasn't explicit enough and the random kiss at midnight had me going ??? because it was out of nowhere. overall, not a big fan but still i loved ezgi so it gets three stars overall
three witches by tessa gratton : ★★★★
oof. this was beautiful? basically a girl gets locked away in a medieval conversion camp run by nuns because she was found kissing a girl, but guess what? SHE AND ONE OF THE NUNS FALL IN LOVE. galaxy brain
the inferno and the butterfly by shaun david hutchinson : ★★★★
amazing gorgeous never been done
healing rosa by tehlor kay mejia : ★★★★★
THIS IS SUCH A GREAT ONE it portrays trauma as a demon that sits inside us and needs to be chased out by the light and it's so so beautiful
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
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:
N/A
Loved this colle tion of storirs. A great read. Available in Irish Libraries
All Out: The No-Longer-Secret Stories of Queer Teens throughout the Ages is the first in a series of its kind. A collection of short stories by queer authors about queer characters, it already holds a sense of importance. When I saw this book appear in my suggested reads in my reading app, and saw the list of advertised authors, I knew I had to read it. However, after reading it, I was left with mixed feelings.
A collection of ten stories from very popular and talented authors, I came to the table expecting something great—and I walked away having found something potentially mediocre. The quality of every story was good. They were well written, well edited, but some of them were not whole. Some of them felt flat, under developed, or difficult to connect to. I was most excited to see representation for asexual characters, and while there were stories that were suited to that, I found them not very representative and cliche in the tropes that it fell to.
However, for every story that I didn’t like, I can honestly say that I found one I loved. The collection was pretty evenly balanced. Half of the stories I really didn’t care for and found myself wanting to skim through, and half of the stories I immediately attached and gravitated for. Not necessarily for their representation of sexualities and genders necessarily, but because those stories were well written and well developed stories first. They didn’t get carried away with representation and themes of being queer, instead, they represented “real” people who just also happened to be queer.
While this collection certainly isn’t for everyone, and while—like me—you may not love every piece in it, I think there is certainly something to be said for quite a few of the stories in this collection and for anyone comfortable with reading stories of this topic, I would definitely recommend reading it. If you’re interested in claiming your own copy of All Out: The No-Longer-Secret Stories of Queer Teens throughout the Ages, you can do so on Amazon or wherever books are sold.
Some of the pieces that I loved in this collection include the following by notable authors including Anna-Marie McLemore, Natalie C. Parker, Malinda Lo, Elliot Wake, and Scott Tracey. (The following titles and clips appear in the order of my favorite to least favorite.)
(5 Stars) Willows (Scott Tracey) - “That is the secret to survival. Teach fear to those who taught you to be afraid.”
(4 Stars) Roja (Anna-Marie McLemore) - “We fled from the howls of men who wailed more for their pride than their bodies. We left them with the salt-sting memory of us, a brazen girl, and a boy with a heart so fearless wolves were his guardian saints.”
(4 Stars) Every Shade of Red (Elliot Wake) - “You can hurt a boy like me without speaking a single word aloud. All you have to do is hold it in your mouth.”
(4 Stars) The Sweet Trade (Natalie C. Parker) - “All my life, people have told me what to do or taken what’s mine. I’ve been raised among pirates who call themselves gentlemen. I’m ready to turn the tables. I’m ready to take what’s mine. And maybe a few things that aren’t.”
(3.5 Stars) New Year (Malinda Lo) - “Stop fighting possibility.”
A collection of ten stories from very popular and talented authors, I came to the table expecting something great—and I walked away having found something potentially mediocre. The quality of every story was good. They were well written, well edited, but some of them were not whole. Some of them felt flat, under developed, or difficult to connect to. I was most excited to see representation for asexual characters, and while there were stories that were suited to that, I found them not very representative and cliche in the tropes that it fell to.
However, for every story that I didn’t like, I can honestly say that I found one I loved. The collection was pretty evenly balanced. Half of the stories I really didn’t care for and found myself wanting to skim through, and half of the stories I immediately attached and gravitated for. Not necessarily for their representation of sexualities and genders necessarily, but because those stories were well written and well developed stories first. They didn’t get carried away with representation and themes of being queer, instead, they represented “real” people who just also happened to be queer.
While this collection certainly isn’t for everyone, and while—like me—you may not love every piece in it, I think there is certainly something to be said for quite a few of the stories in this collection and for anyone comfortable with reading stories of this topic, I would definitely recommend reading it. If you’re interested in claiming your own copy of All Out: The No-Longer-Secret Stories of Queer Teens throughout the Ages, you can do so on Amazon or wherever books are sold.
Some of the pieces that I loved in this collection include the following by notable authors including Anna-Marie McLemore, Natalie C. Parker, Malinda Lo, Elliot Wake, and Scott Tracey. (The following titles and clips appear in the order of my favorite to least favorite.)
(5 Stars) Willows (Scott Tracey) - “That is the secret to survival. Teach fear to those who taught you to be afraid.”
(4 Stars) Roja (Anna-Marie McLemore) - “We fled from the howls of men who wailed more for their pride than their bodies. We left them with the salt-sting memory of us, a brazen girl, and a boy with a heart so fearless wolves were his guardian saints.”
(4 Stars) Every Shade of Red (Elliot Wake) - “You can hurt a boy like me without speaking a single word aloud. All you have to do is hold it in your mouth.”
(4 Stars) The Sweet Trade (Natalie C. Parker) - “All my life, people have told me what to do or taken what’s mine. I’ve been raised among pirates who call themselves gentlemen. I’m ready to turn the tables. I’m ready to take what’s mine. And maybe a few things that aren’t.”
(3.5 Stars) New Year (Malinda Lo) - “Stop fighting possibility.”
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Grief
Moderate: Death, Sexual content, Transphobia
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
On the whole I tend to give short story collections three stars because some of the stories are great and some aren't so great.