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A review by brooke_review
Up All Night: 13 Stories Between Sunset and Sunrise by Laura Silverman
4.0
Thirteen stories set in the depths and darkness of night are delivered up in the YA anthology, Up All Night. This anthology holds a good mix of entertaining stories, and altogether is a pretty solid compilation. I personally loved the theme of setting the stories in the middle of the night when most of the world is asleep. That premise gifted these tales a unique angle, as most of us don’t know what goes on in the world after we lay our head down to sleep at night. Up All Night answers that question.
Never Have I Ever by Karen McManus (5 Stars)
A tame game of Never Have I Ever turns sinister when the resident bad boy turns up at the band geeks’ late night party and changes all the rules.
I naively didn’t see the twists and turns coming in this suspenseful tale, earning Never Have I Ever a solid 5 stars. On the other hand, I should have expected this with a short story coming from renowned YA suspense author Karen McManus.
Like Before by Maureen Goo (3 Stars)
In a last ditch attempt to bring her childhood friends back together, a high school senior plans a night of scavenger hunting for memories.
Like Before will hit home with anyone who has watched their friendships drift apart and fade away as people got busy with their lives and went down different paths. For its intended teenage readers, it’s a portent of things to come as they prepare to leave the bubble of high school. Like Before earns 3 stars for trying to cram too much information into a short story format and not giving readers enough back story on the girls’ friendship to create a sense of caring and connection.
Old Rifts and Snowdrifts by Kayla Whaley (4 Stars)
An unexpected monster snowstorm in Atlanta causes two former best friends turned enemies to be snowed in overnight at the florist shop where they work.
Old Rifts and Snowdrifts is the first story in this anthology that can be categorized as a romance. This story, featuring diverse backgrounds, abilities, and sexualities, is cute and engaging. What’s more romantic than be snowed in with your crush?
Con Nights, Parallel Hearts by Marieke Nijkamp (2 Stars)
While waiting in line at a Con to meet the writer of her favorite TV show, a teenager debates three different endings to telling her best friend her darkest secret.
I wasn’t a fan of this story, not because it dealt with heavy subject matter, but rather because the writing was stilted and disengaging. Furthermore, the formatting of this story was confusing and the plot repetitive. None of the three endings varied greatly enough from each other to stand out or be memorable.
Kiss the Boy by Amanda Joy (4 Stars)
A teenage girl attempts to complete a pact she made with her best friends at the start of high school by kissing the boy of her dreams during Senior Game Night.
This story is a cute and fun rom-com set amid the thrill and excitement of the end of senior year. What better way to kick off your newfound freedom and explore future possibilities than by kissing the guy you’ve had your eye on?
Creature Capture by Laura Silverman (5 Stars)
A self-proclaimed nerd scours her town’s lakes with her best friend in the hopes of capturing a Loch Ness Monster in a Pokémon Go-inspired fantasy game.
I loved Creature Capture’s idea of venturing out into the night on a “quest” in search of an elusive Loch Ness Monster. This story was a lot of fun and I was filled with anticipation right alongside the characters as we hunted for Nessie.
Shark Bait by Tiffany D. Jackson (3 Stars)
A wealthy black teenager evaluates her current situation and reconsiders her future during the last night of the summer with her boyfriend on Martha’s Vineyard.
Shark Bait started off strongly for me, but took a turn when the exposition began moving too quickly and confusingly between past and present, and Jackson utilized stereotypes to push her main character in a certain direction.
A Place to Start by Nina Lacour (4 Stars)
Two stepsiblings rearrange their family’s new home decor on the night of their mother’s’ wedding, while learning more about each other.
I appreciated the moments of sibling bonding shared in A Place to Start. The idea of two teenagers making a big, empty house a home was intriguing and fun to read about.
When You Bring a Dog to Prom by Anna Mariano (2 Stars)
A group of friends determined to have a perfect prom are in for a wild night that none of them saw coming.
This story was just okay for me. I found it to be a bit boring, scattered, and outlandish. We are also introduced to too many characters for a short story - it made it difficult to keep track of everyone.
Missing by Kathleen Glasgow (3 Stars)
A group of girls go on a ghost hunt in an old abandoned mental asylum.
Ghost/paranormal stories are one of my least favorite genres, so I didn’t really enjoy Missing, but I think it could be a lot of fun for people who are into this sort of thing. I also had a hard time keeping track of the characters, which lessened my enjoyment.
What About Your Friends by Brandy Colbert (5 stars)
Black best friends, tired of being the “only ones” at their high school, find their plans to attend the same college derailed after one takes a gap year traveling in Europe, and the other joins a sorority to fill her friends absence.
I really liked this story because the friendship between Eleanor and Michaela felt genuine and true to life. How often do friendships end after high school, often because people become apathetic or just get busy with their own lives?
Under Our Masks by Julian Winters (4 Stars)
While on the lookout for Atlanta’s superhero Raven, two teenage boys share what’s in their hearts.
I appreciated this story for the unique novelty of it. I’ve never read a piece of fiction featuring superheroes, so the change of pace and theme was intriguing.
The Ghost of Goon Creek by Francesca Zappia (3 Stars)
When the “weird” girl at school gets invited to lead a ghost hunting expedition, the group discovers more than they bargained for.
The Ghost of Goon Creek is solid, but not the most interesting story. It’s a good tale about not assuming you already know what everyone thinks about you and that’s why they act the way they do.
Never Have I Ever by Karen McManus (5 Stars)
A tame game of Never Have I Ever turns sinister when the resident bad boy turns up at the band geeks’ late night party and changes all the rules.
I naively didn’t see the twists and turns coming in this suspenseful tale, earning Never Have I Ever a solid 5 stars. On the other hand, I should have expected this with a short story coming from renowned YA suspense author Karen McManus.
Like Before by Maureen Goo (3 Stars)
In a last ditch attempt to bring her childhood friends back together, a high school senior plans a night of scavenger hunting for memories.
Like Before will hit home with anyone who has watched their friendships drift apart and fade away as people got busy with their lives and went down different paths. For its intended teenage readers, it’s a portent of things to come as they prepare to leave the bubble of high school. Like Before earns 3 stars for trying to cram too much information into a short story format and not giving readers enough back story on the girls’ friendship to create a sense of caring and connection.
Old Rifts and Snowdrifts by Kayla Whaley (4 Stars)
An unexpected monster snowstorm in Atlanta causes two former best friends turned enemies to be snowed in overnight at the florist shop where they work.
Old Rifts and Snowdrifts is the first story in this anthology that can be categorized as a romance. This story, featuring diverse backgrounds, abilities, and sexualities, is cute and engaging. What’s more romantic than be snowed in with your crush?
Con Nights, Parallel Hearts by Marieke Nijkamp (2 Stars)
While waiting in line at a Con to meet the writer of her favorite TV show, a teenager debates three different endings to telling her best friend her darkest secret.
I wasn’t a fan of this story, not because it dealt with heavy subject matter, but rather because the writing was stilted and disengaging. Furthermore, the formatting of this story was confusing and the plot repetitive. None of the three endings varied greatly enough from each other to stand out or be memorable.
Kiss the Boy by Amanda Joy (4 Stars)
A teenage girl attempts to complete a pact she made with her best friends at the start of high school by kissing the boy of her dreams during Senior Game Night.
This story is a cute and fun rom-com set amid the thrill and excitement of the end of senior year. What better way to kick off your newfound freedom and explore future possibilities than by kissing the guy you’ve had your eye on?
Creature Capture by Laura Silverman (5 Stars)
A self-proclaimed nerd scours her town’s lakes with her best friend in the hopes of capturing a Loch Ness Monster in a Pokémon Go-inspired fantasy game.
I loved Creature Capture’s idea of venturing out into the night on a “quest” in search of an elusive Loch Ness Monster. This story was a lot of fun and I was filled with anticipation right alongside the characters as we hunted for Nessie.
Shark Bait by Tiffany D. Jackson (3 Stars)
A wealthy black teenager evaluates her current situation and reconsiders her future during the last night of the summer with her boyfriend on Martha’s Vineyard.
Shark Bait started off strongly for me, but took a turn when the exposition began moving too quickly and confusingly between past and present, and Jackson utilized stereotypes to push her main character in a certain direction.
A Place to Start by Nina Lacour (4 Stars)
Two stepsiblings rearrange their family’s new home decor on the night of their mother’s’ wedding, while learning more about each other.
I appreciated the moments of sibling bonding shared in A Place to Start. The idea of two teenagers making a big, empty house a home was intriguing and fun to read about.
When You Bring a Dog to Prom by Anna Mariano (2 Stars)
A group of friends determined to have a perfect prom are in for a wild night that none of them saw coming.
This story was just okay for me. I found it to be a bit boring, scattered, and outlandish. We are also introduced to too many characters for a short story - it made it difficult to keep track of everyone.
Missing by Kathleen Glasgow (3 Stars)
A group of girls go on a ghost hunt in an old abandoned mental asylum.
Ghost/paranormal stories are one of my least favorite genres, so I didn’t really enjoy Missing, but I think it could be a lot of fun for people who are into this sort of thing. I also had a hard time keeping track of the characters, which lessened my enjoyment.
What About Your Friends by Brandy Colbert (5 stars)
Black best friends, tired of being the “only ones” at their high school, find their plans to attend the same college derailed after one takes a gap year traveling in Europe, and the other joins a sorority to fill her friends absence.
I really liked this story because the friendship between Eleanor and Michaela felt genuine and true to life. How often do friendships end after high school, often because people become apathetic or just get busy with their own lives?
Under Our Masks by Julian Winters (4 Stars)
While on the lookout for Atlanta’s superhero Raven, two teenage boys share what’s in their hearts.
I appreciated this story for the unique novelty of it. I’ve never read a piece of fiction featuring superheroes, so the change of pace and theme was intriguing.
The Ghost of Goon Creek by Francesca Zappia (3 Stars)
When the “weird” girl at school gets invited to lead a ghost hunting expedition, the group discovers more than they bargained for.
The Ghost of Goon Creek is solid, but not the most interesting story. It’s a good tale about not assuming you already know what everyone thinks about you and that’s why they act the way they do.