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crystal_reading's review against another edition
Review copy: ARC via publisher
When I first learned of the concept of Foreshadow that Emily X.R. Pan and Nova Ren Suma developed, I was so excited. I found the concept intriguing and was glad they were choosing to highlight marginalized voices. When I learned of the print version my excitement bubbled over again.
And what editors Pan and Suma have done with the anthology is a love letter to amazing stories and the craft of writing itself. Each story is introduced by an established YA author that gives just a hint about what the story is about. Each story also includes an author’s note at the end where we get a glimpse at what inspired each author to write their short story. It’s at this point is where this anthology becomes unique. After each story either Pan or Suma give a brief reflection on what each story excels at from a craft issue. Reflections include topics such as Voice, Mood, Plot Twist, Romance, Imagery, and Motif. From a teacher’s standpoint I loved these craft insights as I could see using them in the creative writing classroom as discussion lead ins. And as a writer, it allowed me to really look at a particular craft technique that the writer excelled at and digest the story differently. After some of these craft reflections we are gifted with some amazing writing prompts. My favorite one was called “The Ending of the World” which encouraged writers to craft a piece about a character’s world ending either figuratively or literally. The prompt reminded me both as a teacher of teens and a yet-to-be published YA writer that small moments in a teens life can be “world ending” and we have to give space for those moments. But the craft goodness doesn’t end here. At the end of the anthology, Pan and Suma give space to the editors of the anthology to discuss the editing process and their approach to cultivating an author’s voice. For me, this was an insightful glimpse at the editing process of not just an anthology but of a novel. (full disclosure: I submitted a short story to Foreshadow and was rejected of course. However, I received lovely feedback from the editors/readers to help improve the piece, so I can attest to the care they all took in uplifting emerging authors.) The anthology ends with a writing prompt that so lovingly wraps everything together with a prompt of inspiring words that will hopefully spark a story in a writer. Foreshadow is a perfect anthology filled with beautiful stories that will touch a reader, while at the same time inspire others to take up a pen and write.
I can’t wax poetic about this anthology without mentioning some of the stories that I really loved. Mayra Cueva’s “Resilient” broke my heart as the story is about Marisol and her cousin Rosita who leave Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria for a job at a turkey processing plant in South Dakota. The story really brought home how Hurricane Maria completely upended the lives of everyone on the island and how our government failed them. The story ends on a positive note with Marisol changing her state of mind and deciding that being resilient will be what gets her through her time in South Dakota. Another story that I loved was Gina Chen’s “Fools”. Chen’s story is a fantasy where the magic came alive and I fell in love with all the characters. Fanny is a teen without a heart, literally, but she is the heart of the story in her relationships with her grandmother and the other magical girls who live on the island. Her world is changed when a demon, named Sidoi/Dimen, crosses into her realm. The two develop a fun push and pull relationship that challenges Fanny to grow in ways she couldn’t imagine. I would totally love to see a novel with these two as the main characters going on adventures. Lastly, Nora Elghazzawi’s “Solace” was a touching story of a teen overcoming her grief. Laila is on the verge of adulthood but is directionless as she is still dealing with the death of her younger brother. She is being encouraged by school counselors and her parents to move on, while also cultivating a relationship with Gabe Briar who has also experienced loss. The story also hints that Laila might have been teetering on a food discorder due to her grief and I like that the story focused on her healing, how her gardening helped her heal, but was also in a sense what was holding her back.
In addition to being moving stories, all of the works in Foreshadow are beautifully written. There was so much thought and care that was put into this anthology and it comes through to the reader. If I were teaching high school creative writing I would definitely use this anthology in my classroom. Readers will enjoy this anthology for the richness of all the stories and the insight into craft. Writers will appreciate the chance to dig a little deeper into each story to help them improve their craft. Emily X.R. Pen and Nova Ren Suma put their heart and soul into Foreshadow and we are all the richer for it.
When I first learned of the concept of Foreshadow that Emily X.R. Pan and Nova Ren Suma developed, I was so excited. I found the concept intriguing and was glad they were choosing to highlight marginalized voices. When I learned of the print version my excitement bubbled over again.
And what editors Pan and Suma have done with the anthology is a love letter to amazing stories and the craft of writing itself. Each story is introduced by an established YA author that gives just a hint about what the story is about. Each story also includes an author’s note at the end where we get a glimpse at what inspired each author to write their short story. It’s at this point is where this anthology becomes unique. After each story either Pan or Suma give a brief reflection on what each story excels at from a craft issue. Reflections include topics such as Voice, Mood, Plot Twist, Romance, Imagery, and Motif. From a teacher’s standpoint I loved these craft insights as I could see using them in the creative writing classroom as discussion lead ins. And as a writer, it allowed me to really look at a particular craft technique that the writer excelled at and digest the story differently. After some of these craft reflections we are gifted with some amazing writing prompts. My favorite one was called “The Ending of the World” which encouraged writers to craft a piece about a character’s world ending either figuratively or literally. The prompt reminded me both as a teacher of teens and a yet-to-be published YA writer that small moments in a teens life can be “world ending” and we have to give space for those moments. But the craft goodness doesn’t end here. At the end of the anthology, Pan and Suma give space to the editors of the anthology to discuss the editing process and their approach to cultivating an author’s voice. For me, this was an insightful glimpse at the editing process of not just an anthology but of a novel. (full disclosure: I submitted a short story to Foreshadow and was rejected of course. However, I received lovely feedback from the editors/readers to help improve the piece, so I can attest to the care they all took in uplifting emerging authors.) The anthology ends with a writing prompt that so lovingly wraps everything together with a prompt of inspiring words that will hopefully spark a story in a writer. Foreshadow is a perfect anthology filled with beautiful stories that will touch a reader, while at the same time inspire others to take up a pen and write.
I can’t wax poetic about this anthology without mentioning some of the stories that I really loved. Mayra Cueva’s “Resilient” broke my heart as the story is about Marisol and her cousin Rosita who leave Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria for a job at a turkey processing plant in South Dakota. The story really brought home how Hurricane Maria completely upended the lives of everyone on the island and how our government failed them. The story ends on a positive note with Marisol changing her state of mind and deciding that being resilient will be what gets her through her time in South Dakota. Another story that I loved was Gina Chen’s “Fools”. Chen’s story is a fantasy where the magic came alive and I fell in love with all the characters. Fanny is a teen without a heart, literally, but she is the heart of the story in her relationships with her grandmother and the other magical girls who live on the island. Her world is changed when a demon, named Sidoi/Dimen, crosses into her realm. The two develop a fun push and pull relationship that challenges Fanny to grow in ways she couldn’t imagine. I would totally love to see a novel with these two as the main characters going on adventures. Lastly, Nora Elghazzawi’s “Solace” was a touching story of a teen overcoming her grief. Laila is on the verge of adulthood but is directionless as she is still dealing with the death of her younger brother. She is being encouraged by school counselors and her parents to move on, while also cultivating a relationship with Gabe Briar who has also experienced loss. The story also hints that Laila might have been teetering on a food discorder due to her grief and I like that the story focused on her healing, how her gardening helped her heal, but was also in a sense what was holding her back.
In addition to being moving stories, all of the works in Foreshadow are beautifully written. There was so much thought and care that was put into this anthology and it comes through to the reader. If I were teaching high school creative writing I would definitely use this anthology in my classroom. Readers will enjoy this anthology for the richness of all the stories and the insight into craft. Writers will appreciate the chance to dig a little deeper into each story to help them improve their craft. Emily X.R. Pen and Nova Ren Suma put their heart and soul into Foreshadow and we are all the richer for it.
sarahelainereads's review against another edition
4.0
Thank you to Netgalley for providing an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
This book is PERFECT for aspiring writers. It not only includes 13 stories of various genres, but also explains different writing techniques and demonstrates them. While I didn't necessarily enjoy every single story, I still felt like the book was helpful as a whole. It was a quick and easy read, too. If you enjoyed [b:Writing Magic: Creating Stories that Fly|136218|Writing Magic Creating Stories that Fly|Gail Carson Levine|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1349044003l/136218._SY75_.jpg|131275] or [b:Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life|12543|Bird by Bird Some Instructions on Writing and Life|Anne Lamott|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1394996112l/12543._SY75_.jpg|841198], you will enjoy this anthology!
This book is PERFECT for aspiring writers. It not only includes 13 stories of various genres, but also explains different writing techniques and demonstrates them. While I didn't necessarily enjoy every single story, I still felt like the book was helpful as a whole. It was a quick and easy read, too. If you enjoyed [b:Writing Magic: Creating Stories that Fly|136218|Writing Magic Creating Stories that Fly|Gail Carson Levine|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1349044003l/136218._SY75_.jpg|131275] or [b:Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life|12543|Bird by Bird Some Instructions on Writing and Life|Anne Lamott|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1394996112l/12543._SY75_.jpg|841198], you will enjoy this anthology!
theoverflowingbookshelf's review against another edition
4.0
What started as a website to showcase short stories is soon to be a published anthology. Foreshadow: Stories to Celebrate The Magic of Reading & Writing YA was compiled by Emily X. R. Pan and Nova Ren Suma to highlight the different genres that make up the YA world of stories. Set to be released on October 20th by Algonquin Young Readers, this collection allows people to see a new side of young adult literature.
Each story featured in this book is so unique that it’s hard to really summarize this book as a whole (but I will try my best)! It is fascinating to read such different stories and how each one is so engaging despite each story only being a few pages long. I may post a more in-depth review of each story, but for now I’m just going to appreciate the compilation as a whole!
One thing I really liked was not only how magical and mythical some of the stories were, but the little details before and after each story. There are author testimonials explaining why they liked the story. Additionally, after each story’s conclusion, there is a little author’s note explaining the background of the story and other points that lead to a really insightful reading of each story.
Even if you aren’t a fan of young adult literature, this anthology is so intriguing that anyone would become enthralled by these stories. If you’ve been wanting to experience more short stories then this is definitely the book for you!
*I received an ARC from Algonquin Young Readers in exchange for my honest opinion.
Each story featured in this book is so unique that it’s hard to really summarize this book as a whole (but I will try my best)! It is fascinating to read such different stories and how each one is so engaging despite each story only being a few pages long. I may post a more in-depth review of each story, but for now I’m just going to appreciate the compilation as a whole!
One thing I really liked was not only how magical and mythical some of the stories were, but the little details before and after each story. There are author testimonials explaining why they liked the story. Additionally, after each story’s conclusion, there is a little author’s note explaining the background of the story and other points that lead to a really insightful reading of each story.
Even if you aren’t a fan of young adult literature, this anthology is so intriguing that anyone would become enthralled by these stories. If you’ve been wanting to experience more short stories then this is definitely the book for you!
*I received an ARC from Algonquin Young Readers in exchange for my honest opinion.
greenlivingaudioworm's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
jess_segraves's review against another edition
4.0
Disclosure: I received a digital ARC of this book from Algonquin Young Readers via NetGalley to read and review for a bookstagram book tour.
Calling both aspiring writers and YA readers - FORESHADOW should be on your TBR. This book piqued my interest as it blends a YA short story collection with the craft of writing. FORESHADOW is out just in time for anyone looking to do #NaNoWriMo!
The short stories in this collection are in print for the first time, and FORESHADOW creators Emily X.R. Pan and Nova Ren Suma have brought together 13 underrepresented voices to highlight what YA fiction can hold. Each of the stories has been selected and is introduced in the collection by beloved YA authors many of us already know and love, including Jason Reynolds, Sabaa Tahir, and Laurie Halse Anderson. In reading the accompanying commentary with each short story, I got a better sense of how writers think through world-building, plot, and character growth in short literature, and how honing the short story craft can lead to more evolved full-length works.
What I loved about this collection is that it has a little something for everyone: for the YA lover, the short story enthusiast, the would-be author. It spans nearly every subgenre of YA, and my personal favorites from this were “Flight” by Tanya Aydelott (which gave me PET by Akwaeke Emezi vibes) and “Sweetmeats” by Linda Cheng.
This book made me think of someone I used to be in more regular contact with, and I'm excited that I have a good excuse to reach out and see how she's doing (she's an aspiring YA author). Books and reading are such a personal experience, but so much of the joy of reading is in sharing it!
One tip: I’d go print for this one. I’m not sure if it was simply the e-ARC, but I think you might lose a little bit of the designed elements in the digital version.
Calling both aspiring writers and YA readers - FORESHADOW should be on your TBR. This book piqued my interest as it blends a YA short story collection with the craft of writing. FORESHADOW is out just in time for anyone looking to do #NaNoWriMo!
The short stories in this collection are in print for the first time, and FORESHADOW creators Emily X.R. Pan and Nova Ren Suma have brought together 13 underrepresented voices to highlight what YA fiction can hold. Each of the stories has been selected and is introduced in the collection by beloved YA authors many of us already know and love, including Jason Reynolds, Sabaa Tahir, and Laurie Halse Anderson. In reading the accompanying commentary with each short story, I got a better sense of how writers think through world-building, plot, and character growth in short literature, and how honing the short story craft can lead to more evolved full-length works.
What I loved about this collection is that it has a little something for everyone: for the YA lover, the short story enthusiast, the would-be author. It spans nearly every subgenre of YA, and my personal favorites from this were “Flight” by Tanya Aydelott (which gave me PET by Akwaeke Emezi vibes) and “Sweetmeats” by Linda Cheng.
This book made me think of someone I used to be in more regular contact with, and I'm excited that I have a good excuse to reach out and see how she's doing (she's an aspiring YA author). Books and reading are such a personal experience, but so much of the joy of reading is in sharing it!
One tip: I’d go print for this one. I’m not sure if it was simply the e-ARC, but I think you might lose a little bit of the designed elements in the digital version.
fangirlishwandering's review against another edition
4.0
I'm not a writer, but if I were, this would have been the book I was in desperate need to have.
⠀
The moment I saw this book on NetGalley, I knew I had to read it. A book that celebrates the YA genre? Give me them all.
And this one didn't disappoint.
⠀
This book collects 13 short-stories in total written by New Voice writers, hidden talents ready to shine. Following each story, you get the Author's note that gives you some insights into the writing and plot planning part. And in addition to all that, there's also a little essay for each, written by Emily or Nova.
Since short-stories aren't exactly my cup of tea, those essays were what made the book for me (and I wish they had been longer).
The amount of short-stories and their size was just perfect for me, though. I wouldn't add any more and yet I could never pick one to not be part of the book.
⠀
Through the eyes of the professionals, I saw all the little details, all the tricks that made a YA story impactful. I was blown away with some of the things I read there. They put into words the feelings I felt when reading, feelings I hadn’t even acknowledged, and the reason WHY I had felt them. They gave me the answer to all my “why” questions.
⠀
Storytelling really is a magical art and it is way more complex than it seems. This book made me realize that.
⠀
I'd totally recommend anyone gets this book, even if they're not a writer. To get to read a short-story a night and then to get mind blown over what goes through the writers' mind seems like something any reader would like to read about. This will enrich readers so much- I’ll certainly be less judgy the next time I review a book!!
⠀
The moment I saw this book on NetGalley, I knew I had to read it. A book that celebrates the YA genre? Give me them all.
And this one didn't disappoint.
⠀
This book collects 13 short-stories in total written by New Voice writers, hidden talents ready to shine. Following each story, you get the Author's note that gives you some insights into the writing and plot planning part. And in addition to all that, there's also a little essay for each, written by Emily or Nova.
Since short-stories aren't exactly my cup of tea, those essays were what made the book for me (and I wish they had been longer).
The amount of short-stories and their size was just perfect for me, though. I wouldn't add any more and yet I could never pick one to not be part of the book.
⠀
Through the eyes of the professionals, I saw all the little details, all the tricks that made a YA story impactful. I was blown away with some of the things I read there. They put into words the feelings I felt when reading, feelings I hadn’t even acknowledged, and the reason WHY I had felt them. They gave me the answer to all my “why” questions.
⠀
Storytelling really is a magical art and it is way more complex than it seems. This book made me realize that.
⠀
I'd totally recommend anyone gets this book, even if they're not a writer. To get to read a short-story a night and then to get mind blown over what goes through the writers' mind seems like something any reader would like to read about. This will enrich readers so much- I’ll certainly be less judgy the next time I review a book!!
avis's review
5.0
I didn't read all of it, but I read Pact for class, It was really good, and seriously made me feel.
nonsensicaljourney's review against another edition
4.0
This is a book of short stories written by emerging Young Adult authors and, as an aspiring Young Adult writer myself, I found a lot of joy in the way that this anthology was put together. The project and the website itself are incredibly commendable, and it makes me so happy to know that diverse young adult authors are being supported by such a platform. These are stories that deserve to be broadcasted.
It's difficult to review the book itself, but it had a wonderful structure of Short Story --> Author's Note --> Note on an Element of Writing Style (written by either Emily XR Pan or Nova Ren Suma). It helped highlight the most critical elements of writing good short stories - things I have myself learned from university classes - but applied to the story at hand, in the YA genre. I've read writing books before, and this one seemed remarkably specific and useful - I really appreciated its insight.
On top of that, I'd like to highlight a few of my favourite stories from the volume. The story "Glow" by Joanna Truman was incredibly well written and emotionally resonant, tracking the story of two girls at the end of the world on a road trip. The story "Pan Dulce" by Flor Salcedo investigates the realities of crossing the border into Mexico and what this can mean for young people. The story "Break" by Sophie Meridien uses structure to frame an adorable romance around spin-the-bottle.
The best two, in my opinion, were "Resilient" by Mayra Cuevas, who wrote about two young women fleeing the impacts of Hurricane Maria, and "Princess" by Maya Prasad, which was a sci fi glimpse into humanity. I can't wait to read more of Cuevas' and Prasad's work in the future!
Thank you to NetGalley and Algonquin Books for Young Readers for giving me an advanced reader's copy of this book in exchange for an honest review! I would highly recommend it to anyone interested in writing in the YA genre.
It's difficult to review the book itself, but it had a wonderful structure of Short Story --> Author's Note --> Note on an Element of Writing Style (written by either Emily XR Pan or Nova Ren Suma). It helped highlight the most critical elements of writing good short stories - things I have myself learned from university classes - but applied to the story at hand, in the YA genre. I've read writing books before, and this one seemed remarkably specific and useful - I really appreciated its insight.
On top of that, I'd like to highlight a few of my favourite stories from the volume. The story "Glow" by Joanna Truman was incredibly well written and emotionally resonant, tracking the story of two girls at the end of the world on a road trip. The story "Pan Dulce" by Flor Salcedo investigates the realities of crossing the border into Mexico and what this can mean for young people. The story "Break" by Sophie Meridien uses structure to frame an adorable romance around spin-the-bottle.
The best two, in my opinion, were "Resilient" by Mayra Cuevas, who wrote about two young women fleeing the impacts of Hurricane Maria, and "Princess" by Maya Prasad, which was a sci fi glimpse into humanity. I can't wait to read more of Cuevas' and Prasad's work in the future!
Thank you to NetGalley and Algonquin Books for Young Readers for giving me an advanced reader's copy of this book in exchange for an honest review! I would highly recommend it to anyone interested in writing in the YA genre.
tiffani_reads's review against another edition
4.0
Average rating: 3.7 stars
This was such a diverse collection of stories, there really was something for everyone to enjoy. I really enjoyed this anthology on a whole and feel that it will be very inspiring for present and future writers alike. I think the story prompts included with some story will be very helpful to aspiring writers to help them with their writing. My favourite stories were Sweetmeats, Solace, Fools, and Break for various reasons. I have included short review and ratings for each individual story below.
Flight by Tanya S. Aydelott
- This was a very cool take on the selkie folktale. I really liked how the story unfolded and found the way the author told the story to be very enjoyable.
Rating: 4.5/5 stars
Risk by Rachel Hylton
- This story was weird with a capital W. That doesn't mean it was bad, on the contrary, I found it to be so amusing. I think the ending however was a bit to abrupt.
Rating: 3/5 stars
Sweetmeats by Linda Cheng
- This story was fantastic. It was super creepy, weird, and the craziest twist on Hansel and Gretel I have ever read. There is some body horror aspects to this story so be warned. I want this story to be turned into a full fledged book because I cannot stop thinking about it.
Rating: 5/5 stars
Glow by Joanna Truman
- This story talks about the power that girls have to unmake and remake the world with their power. while the message of the story is powerful, I found the fantastical elements of the narrative not to my taste.
Rating: 3/5 stars
Escape by Tanvi Berwah
- This story was not my cup of tea. I didn't really like the characters or the story. It was an easy enough read but a purse full of demon cats just didn't intrigue me enough.
Rating: 2/5 stars
Pan Dulce by Flor Salcedo
- I always really dislike at least one story in an anthology, and for me it was this one. I know the story is personal to the author but for me all the characters were unlikable and I found myself bored reading.
Rating: 1/5 stars
Solace by Nora Elghazzawi
- This story broke my heart into a million pieces and then slowly stitched it back together. I wanted the before and after of this story. I want to read all of Laila's thoughts, feelings, and darkest secrets. I will definitely be checking out anything else this author does in the future.
Rating 5/5 stars
Princess by Maya Prasad
- This story was so unexpected. Usually science fiction in anthologies doesn't work because something lacks. Whether it is the world build or character development because you don't have enough time. This story managed both and did it very well. The concept was cool and I enjoyed this story.
Rating: 4/5 stars
Fools by Gina Chen
- A heartless girl, in the literal sense as she has no heart, falls in love with a demon. What more do you need to know. I'd like the rest of the story in the form of a complete novel now please!
Rating: 5/5 stars
Monsters by Adriana Marachlian
- This story was interesting and I thought the concept was unique but I don't think the short-story format did it justice. It needed more pages to flesh out some of the details that would have made it more compelling. I just needed more.
Rating: 3/5 stars
Break by Sophie Meridien
- This contemporary romance was done so well that I was swooning by the end of it. I love the way the author told the story through meetings and spin-the-bootle rounds. To me it was perfect. I'd love to see Kikiade and Kastov get their own full novel someday.
Rating: 5/5 stars
Resilient by Mayra Cuevas
- This story was well written and did a lot in the pages it had but to me it felt unfinished. It seemed that it ended in the middle of being told and that there was more that needed to be said. The fact that it is based on somewhat true events is also very cool.
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
Belly by Desiree S. Evans
- This story covered a lot of things in such a short narrative. Climate change, segregation, rape culture, lgbtq, and so much more. Jaima is such a strong character and you cannot help but admire her continued strength with all she is going through while reading.
Rating: 4/5 stars
This was such a diverse collection of stories, there really was something for everyone to enjoy. I really enjoyed this anthology on a whole and feel that it will be very inspiring for present and future writers alike. I think the story prompts included with some story will be very helpful to aspiring writers to help them with their writing. My favourite stories were Sweetmeats, Solace, Fools, and Break for various reasons. I have included short review and ratings for each individual story below.
Flight by Tanya S. Aydelott
- This was a very cool take on the selkie folktale. I really liked how the story unfolded and found the way the author told the story to be very enjoyable.
Rating: 4.5/5 stars
Risk by Rachel Hylton
- This story was weird with a capital W. That doesn't mean it was bad, on the contrary, I found it to be so amusing. I think the ending however was a bit to abrupt.
Rating: 3/5 stars
Sweetmeats by Linda Cheng
- This story was fantastic. It was super creepy, weird, and the craziest twist on Hansel and Gretel I have ever read. There is some body horror aspects to this story so be warned. I want this story to be turned into a full fledged book because I cannot stop thinking about it.
Rating: 5/5 stars
Glow by Joanna Truman
- This story talks about the power that girls have to unmake and remake the world with their power. while the message of the story is powerful, I found the fantastical elements of the narrative not to my taste.
Rating: 3/5 stars
Escape by Tanvi Berwah
- This story was not my cup of tea. I didn't really like the characters or the story. It was an easy enough read but a purse full of demon cats just didn't intrigue me enough.
Rating: 2/5 stars
Pan Dulce by Flor Salcedo
- I always really dislike at least one story in an anthology, and for me it was this one. I know the story is personal to the author but for me all the characters were unlikable and I found myself bored reading.
Rating: 1/5 stars
Solace by Nora Elghazzawi
- This story broke my heart into a million pieces and then slowly stitched it back together. I wanted the before and after of this story. I want to read all of Laila's thoughts, feelings, and darkest secrets. I will definitely be checking out anything else this author does in the future.
Rating 5/5 stars
Princess by Maya Prasad
- This story was so unexpected. Usually science fiction in anthologies doesn't work because something lacks. Whether it is the world build or character development because you don't have enough time. This story managed both and did it very well. The concept was cool and I enjoyed this story.
Rating: 4/5 stars
Fools by Gina Chen
- A heartless girl, in the literal sense as she has no heart, falls in love with a demon. What more do you need to know. I'd like the rest of the story in the form of a complete novel now please!
Rating: 5/5 stars
Monsters by Adriana Marachlian
- This story was interesting and I thought the concept was unique but I don't think the short-story format did it justice. It needed more pages to flesh out some of the details that would have made it more compelling. I just needed more.
Rating: 3/5 stars
Break by Sophie Meridien
- This contemporary romance was done so well that I was swooning by the end of it. I love the way the author told the story through meetings and spin-the-bootle rounds. To me it was perfect. I'd love to see Kikiade and Kastov get their own full novel someday.
Rating: 5/5 stars
Resilient by Mayra Cuevas
- This story was well written and did a lot in the pages it had but to me it felt unfinished. It seemed that it ended in the middle of being told and that there was more that needed to be said. The fact that it is based on somewhat true events is also very cool.
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
Belly by Desiree S. Evans
- This story covered a lot of things in such a short narrative. Climate change, segregation, rape culture, lgbtq, and so much more. Jaima is such a strong character and you cannot help but admire her continued strength with all she is going through while reading.
Rating: 4/5 stars