From We Need Diverse Books, the organization behind Flying Lessons & Other Stories, comes a young adult fantasy short story collection featuring some of the best own-voices children's authors, including New York Times bestselling authors Libba Bray (The Diviners), V. E. Schwab (A Darker Shade of Magic), Natalie C. Parker (Seafire), and many more. Edited by Dhonielle Clayton (The Belles).
In the fourth collaboration with We Need Diverse Books, fifteen award-winning and celebrated diverse authors deliver stories about a princess without need of a prince, a monster long misunderstood, memories that vanish with a spell, and voices that refuse to stay silent in the face of injustice. This powerful and inclusive collection contains a universe of wishes for a braver and more beautiful world.
AUTHORS INCLUDE: Samira Ahmed, Jenni Balch, Libba Bray, Dhonielle Clayton, Zoraida Córdova, Tessa Gratton, Kwame Mbalia, Anna-Marie McLemore, Tochi Onyebuchi, Mark Oshiro, Natalie C. Parker, Rebecca Roanhorse, V. E. Schwab, Tara Sim, Nic Stone
REVIEW: First I want to say thank you to Terminal Book Tours, NetGalley, and Random House Children's Crown Books for Young Readers for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for participation on this book tour and thanks to Terminal Book Tours for picking me to be a part of it. THIS. BOOK. IS. EVERYTHING!!!!!! This collection of stories needs to be in everyone's library like yesterday. Not only are these stories incredibly beautiful they all have diverse characters that we need in ALL stories. Since this is an anthology I will be rating each of these 15 stories and then will have an average rating of those individual ratings for the final book rating.
(5/5) A Universe of Wishes by Tara Sim - This story is heartbreakingly beautiful. There's hidden magic and wishes and blinding hope.
(4/5) The Silk Blade by Natalie C. Parker - I love the world this story takes place in. The imagery is incredible.
(5/5) The Scarlet Witch (A Gemma Doyle Story) by Libba Bray - This story had me wanting more and boy was I excited to learn that these characters are part of a trilogy!!!
(5/5) Cristal y Ceniza by Anna-Marie McLemore - This was another heart achingly beautiful story set in a world that a lot of people still have to live in even to this very day. I hope everyone gets this happy ending someday.
(2/5) Liberia by Kwame Mbalia - This one I just did not get. I was confused for most of it honestly.
(5/5) A Royal Affar by VE Schwab - Set in the world of Shades of Magic, one of my current FAVORITE worlds!! This story absolutely broke my heart for so many reasons. You can also read more about these characters in the Shades of Magic trilogy.
(3/5) The Takeback Tango by Rebecca Roanhorse - I like this one ok. Something about 2 "vigilante" characters finding each other is a cool concept.
(5/5) Dream and Dare by Nic Stone - This was one of my favorite of the whole book! It's hard to say anything without giving it away, but I will say that nothing is what you expect with this story....in a really delicious way.
(3/5) Wish by Jenni Balch - This one was really sad. I've never seen a fantasy story that includes a character like Ariadne.
(3/5) The Weight by Dhonielle Clayton - This one really stuck in my mind. It was also one that I wish wouldn't have ended. I would love to find out what happened next for Marcus and Grace.
(5/5) Unmoor by Mark Oshiro - This one destroyed me over and over.
(4/5) The Coldest Spot in the Universe by Samira Ahmed - Wow. Just wow! A scary look into what we have done and are doing to ourselves.
(2/5) The Beginning of Monsters by Tessa Gratton - This was really creepy but another I had trouble following and understanding.
(5/5) Longer Than the Threads of Time by Zoraida Cordova - An incredible twist on a classic fairy tale. I need to know what happens next!!!
(5/5) Habibi by Tochi Onyebuchi - This one got me good. I was in tears for almost the entire reading. It was poignant and eye opening. Definitely a heart breaker.
Overall rating averaged out to a 4 out of 5. I can't wait to pick this book up to add to my ever growing library.
Publication date: December 8, 2020
Below you will find some quote graphic of some of my favorite quotes from the book :)
