Showing posts with label anthology. Show all posts
Showing posts with label anthology. Show all posts

9 Nov 2022

#Review: ONCE UPON AN EID by S.K. Ali and Aisha Saeed

09 November 0 Comments

ONCE UPON AN EID

Author: S. K. Ali and Aisha Saeed
Series: N/A
Source: Audio from Libro.fm
Publisher: Amulet Books
Publication Date: May 5, 2020
Overall Rating:
Diversity Rating:

Summary:
Once Upon an Eid is a collection of short stories that showcases the most brilliant Muslim voices writing today, all about the most joyful holiday of the year: Eid!

Eid: The short, single-syllable word conjures up a variety of feelings and memories for Muslims. Maybe it’s waking up to the sound of frying samosas or the comfort of bean pie, maybe it’s the pleasure of putting on a new outfit for Eid prayers, or maybe it’s the gift-giving and holiday parties to come that day. Whatever it may be, for those who cherish this day of celebration, the emotional responses may be summed up in another short and sweet word: joy. The anthology will also include a poem, graphic-novel chapter, and spot illustrations.
Purchase:
Amazon | Chapters | TBD
Content Warning: islamaphobia, cancer, death of a parent, bullying, bigotry

There were some really great stories in here and some that I wasn't a huge fan of, but overall I really enjoyed this! Each of these stories have themes of family, love, and friendship. I felt like they heavily skewed towards Middle Grade and younger readers, which I thought was great since I want to start reading more of that.

The best thing I found about this anthology is that all the characters were portrayed so unrealistically good or perfect. They had flaws which they realized in the stories. I also loved seeing the ways that cultures intermixed and how people wanted to learn more about themselves, another culture, and each other.⁣

I would recommend reading this at the end of Ramadan and for Eid! It was a great collection that makes you want to celebrate.

Have you read this book? Are you going to pick this up?
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16 Aug 2021

Audio #Review: BLACKOUT edited by Dhonielle Clayton

16 August 0 Comments

 

BLACKOUT

Authors: Dhonielle Clayton, Tiffany D. Jackson, Nic Stone, Angie Thomas, Ashley Woodfolk, Nicola Yoon
Series: N/A
Source: Purchased from Audible
Publisher: Quill Tree Books
Publication Date: June 22, 2021
Overall Rating:
Diversity Rating:


Summary:
Six critically acclaimed, bestselling, and award-winning authors bring the glowing warmth and electricity of Black teen love to this interlinked novel of charming, hilarious, and heartwarming stories that shine a bright light through the dark.

A summer heatwave blankets New York City in darkness. But as the city is thrown into confusion, a different kind of electricity sparks…

A first meeting. 

Long-time friends. 

Bitter exes. 

And maybe the beginning of something new.

When the lights go out, people reveal hidden truths. Love blossoms, friendship transforms, and new possibilities take flight.

Beloved authors—Dhonielle Clayton, Tiffany D. Jackson, Nic Stone, Angie Thomas, Ashley Woodfolk, and Nicola Yoon—celebrate the beauty of six couples and the unforgettable magic that can be found on a sweltering starry night in the city. 
Purchase:
Amazon | Chapters | TBD
Each story in BLACKOUT is set on the same summer night when a blackout hits New York City as they are all making their way to Brooklyn for a block party. The stories take place in different areas, but everyone has the same goal: get to the party while navigating love, life, and no lights.

What I typically like about anthologies is that they are either one of two things: a collection of stories under a similar theme or a connected collection of short stories. BLACKOUT is the latter - a collected of connected stories. Or at least, it tries to be. And that is probably my main gripe with this anthology: it didn't actually pull all the stories together in a way that I enjoyed.

I liked that they all were heading to one location and that was the "thread" for the anthology but I wanted them to either actually run into each other or some sort of closing story that brought it together. Especially since based on the layout of the anthology, it seemed as though we had a "running" narrative/story between each contained story. But that wasn't really the case - THE LONG WALK (which is the story that was in between the rest) didn't really match the same energy as the rest, or be used as a way to really tie the other stories together. The brief one-off mentions of other locations were cute but not enough to solidify this as the latter type of anthology.

I enjoyed almost all of these stories, I think they would have been better in a different order to make it feel like we weren't hearing about something extremely similar over and over, but with a bit of a mix up in between. And while this is targeted as Young Adult, everyone was 18+ so this is probably more New Adult (lots of talk of college, starting a new, etc.) and I wasn't mad about it.

The audiobook was a large cast with a different crew doing each of the stories, which I really appreciated. I also thought the sound design was really good but would have liked a bit more background noise at the party than what we got - or even some of the DJ/music that we were supposed to hear throughout some of the stories.

"The Long Walk" by Tiffany D. Jackson - exes confronting their breakup and learning more about what communication really means. I felt the ending didn't fit the rest of the story and that this story overall didn't have the same energy or vibe as the others. This could be because it was "broken up" between the other stories, but I was hoping it would be more that narrative thread through and it wasn't.

"No Sleep 'til Brooklyn" by Angie Thomas - the best in the bunch, unsurprisingly. An emerging love triangle, characters that are memorable, and some sharp Karen jokes.

"Seymour and Grace" by Nicola Yoon - two strangers meeting on an Uber-type ride. This was technically the last full story of the bunch and honestly one of the better ones. I almost wish that it had been the full last one instead of the remainder of THE LONG WALK.

"Mask Off" by Nic Stone - two former friends explore their possible connection while stuck inside a dark train. This one packed the most messages - from consent to homosexuality in sports to breastfeeding in public. I really enjoyed this one and how the two of them explored their identity within themselves and the collective narrative of their lives.

"Made to Fit" by Ashley Woodfolk - two girls possibly fall in love while visiting a senior living facility. I liked a lot of this, but I felt the connection was a little too fast for it to work for me. I would have liked to see a bit more of a "history" for them rather than meeting and the love in like... what? a few hours max? But it was still really cute.

"All the Great Love Stories... and Dust" by Dhonielle Clayton - two childhood friends decide if they want to take their relationship somewhere new. Here, the writing just didn't work for me with the footnotes, which made me feel like I probably should have had a physical copy instead of an audiobook. I had a hard time staying with it and felt like the flow of the story stumbled at the end of each sentence.

I really did enjoy each of the stories and think it was a great summer read! If you haven't already checked it out, I definitely recommend doing so, especially since it's pretty inexpensive on Kindle but hearing it as an audiobook was nice as well!
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13 Sept 2019

Science Fiction and Fantasy Fridays: WILD CARDS, Volume 1 edited by George R.R. Martin

13 September 0 Comments

Science Fiction and Fantasy Fridays

introduces readers who are unfamiliar with the Adult SF/F genre to books, authors, and discussions all about the vast expanse of the world of Adult SF/F!

WILD CARDS

Author: Anthology edited by George R.R. Martin
Series: Wild Cards #1
Source: Audible
Publisher: Tom Doherty
Publication Date: November 23, 2010 (originally published in 1986)


Summary:
Just after World War 2 over New York City, an alien virus transforms human genetics and goes recessive to create super heroes and villains. Most victims die, others experience physical or psychic changes: aces have useful powers, deuces minor maybe entertaining abilities, jokers uglified, disabled, relegated to ghettos.
Purchase:
Amazon | Chapters | TBD

"Prologue" by George R.R. Martin: 4*

I liked the introduction to the world and seeing what was coming from the rest of the compilation of stories. I thought it was an interesting mix of history and fiction so I can't wait to see where it goes from here!

"Thirty Minutes Over Broadway!" by Howard Waldrop - 3.5*

I really liked the characters and the idea of how soldiers come back from war and things can be different for them. I also really liked Jet Boy and his arc. I thought he was an interesting character to start with for this anthology. I would have liked a bit less of the politics in this one (who am I???) but overall I enjoyed listening.

"The Sleeper" by Roger Zelazny - 4*

I like that this introduced the idea of "Jokers" and "Aces" into the world building. I also liked how there was a switch and seeing that there are doctors working towards assisting the people who have been affected by the virus. However, I thought the character was kinda boring and would have liked more action rather than family drama.

"Witness" by Walter Jon Williams - 3*

It's not that I didn't like this, I just don't feel comfortable reading about civil rights movements through the eyes of someone who isn't really impacted by them. I would have liked to have the story from the perspective of someone else. And I realize this story was nominated for a Nebula but that doesn't change my feelings.

"Degradation Rites" by Melinda M. Snodgrass - 4*

I like this the most so far. I like that this is starting to all tie together and feel fairly cohesive. I am glad this is an anthology that is following a series of events and characters that all come together. I think this is such an interesting and fantastic way of writing this and Blythe is my new fave. I really would like more from this story, these characters, and this specific time. I have found that a lot of the stories thus far try to tie up some loose ends so that their stories and arcs are always "complete" but I don't really like that because it feels like we are "jumping" ahead in time rather than having it play out the way it should.

"Interlude One" by George R.R. Martin - 4*

I like getting the alternative history from this that ties together the politics and the way that it interacts with the characters in the novellas.

"Captain Cathrode and the Secret Ace" by Michael Cassutt - 2.5*

I liked the noir aspects to this but that was about it. I'm over women being treated terribly in this and having Jokers be metaphors for a life that these authors will never truly understand.

"Powers" by David D. Levin - 4*

I really like Frank and his story. I thought this was the most interesting of the stories so far and maybe that's because it didn't try to tie the others together or try to sound too similar to the others. Or maybe I just really liked Frank.

 I liked that this tied in the bureaucratic part of this and how the people with powers would actually be viewed and used in the United States should this ever happen. I think people forget sometimes that the US wants to protect itself AND use its assets. If you don't think they would 100% use and abuse the people that had special powers to do things for them, you are highly mistaken. And once they weren't useful anymore? Get rid of them.

I liked that this really showcased that and made it very clear how the US isn't perfect when it comes to that while also demonstrating that the Wild Card virus spread around the world and wasn't contained just in North America.

"Shell Games" by George R.R. Martin - 4.5*

From the bit of research I did to find all the stories in this, I know that the main reason this was written was to showcase Turtle and his powers. Martin wanted to basically write just a story about Turtle but thought it couldn't be done without the rest. Honestly, I think it probably could have or that he could have taken up the mantle because this is the best story so far.

 You can really tell in this one that Martin cares about the character, the plot, and the setting. He honestly is a fantastic writer and storyteller which definitely comes through in this short piece of fiction. I almost wish this had been earlier in the anthology because it made me really want to listen to the rest of it. There are still a lot of stories left in this but this is by far my favourite so far.

"Interlude Two" by George R.R. Martin - 3*

I like how this, and the other Interludes so far, brings us up to speed on the history and ties in the time periods so we can understand where the stories will be going. I would like them to be a little longer though because it never feels like enough for me.

"The Long, Dark Night of Fortunato" by Lewis Shiner - 1*

Why is the only black character turned into a literal monster? Plus literal hookers and sex being a power source. I am over the treatment of anyone other than white males in this book. I have a lot of hesitations with this one, especially because it is written by a white man. I hope that some of the other volumes and anthologies have more marginalized persons writing stories about marginalized people. Because you can tell that this is written by someone who doesn't have lived experience.

"Transfigurations" by Victor Milan - 2.5*

I don't know how I feel about the continual use of other things/substances used to kick start the powers. I feel like it is too cliche and the types of substances that are being used to do this are making me feel weird about the entire situation. However, I was pretty meh about this story in general and think that the book is on a bit of a downward trend now.

"Interlude Three" by George R.R. Martin - 2*

Again, the black people in this are made out to be stereotypes and racist caricatures of what they are. The only time women are discussed is to make them overly sexual. I can't handle the depictions and it definitely takes away from how cool the powers are, the setting, and the alternative history that is taking place. I seriously hope the future volumes are better.

"Down Deep" by Edward Bryant and Leanne C. Harper - 3.5*

I feel like this is one of those novellas that should have been a full novel because there was actually a lot of good things in this one but I think it felt too ambitious because of how short it was. I would have liked so much more of this if it had felt like a complete story that also meshed with the others instead of 3/4 of a story that sorta fit into the rest of the anthology.

"Interlude Four" by George R.R. Martin - 3*

I think these interludes do a good job of tying all the stories that have just been told into the overarching world. I like how they are more of the alternative history than the rest of the stories. I also think it makes the anthology a little more cohesive to have these thrown in every so often. But they are feeling a little redundant too.

"Strings" by Stephen Leigh - 2.5*

Again, I am not comfortable with white men writing about things they do not understand or have experience in. Because it comes from a place of "we want to help" (probably) but it isn't genuine or authentic. And that bothers me so much because some of these stories could have been amazing if written by marginalized persons who could give a lived experience perspective.

 And honestly, I am not here for the amount of women who have been "main characters" but then raped or killed or given no agency because Men Need To Be In Charge. It is just ridiculous and I can't deal with it. The power relations in this too between the Jokers and the Senator is just ridiculous. I need people, especially men, to realize what writing these types of power relations as "love" or even giving them a type of normalcy can do to people who have tried to escape them.

"Interlude Five" by George R.R. Martin - 2*

This is the last Interlude in the anthology. I feel like it is trying to tie things together while allowing for more stories to come, both in the anthology and in the future (and I know there are a billion more volumes after), but it feels a little hokey and not like it is coming together the same way that the other Interludes did.

"Ghost Girl Takes Manhattan" by Carrie Vaughn - 4*

I liked this story a lot but it was one of those that should have been it's own novel. It had some of the characters from before make cameos and brought together some loose threads but overall it could have easily been it's own story. I will say that the best stories in this anthology have been written by women but I'm not surprised by that at all. Here's to the last couple of stories!

"Comes a Hunter" by John J. Miller - 2*

This was meh and not a good way to basically end the anthology. I feel like I barely even listened because I was so bored during the entire thing. I am glad that I don't have too much more to listen to in this one.

"Epilogue: Third Generation" by Lewis Shiner - 2*

Wow this was way too short. The only part of this that really matters is showcasing that there is going to be another anthology which like, obviously was going to happen. I would have liked an actual Epilogue instead of basically another Interlude that didn't tie anything together.

"Appendix: The Science of the Wild Card Virus" by Victor Milan - 3*

This was interesting to learn more about the Wild Card Virus and how the "Science" (aka the mythology that backs this story) has evolved over time. I think it was a good way to end this one because you don't necessarily have to read/listen to this for the rest of the anthology to make sense but it is an interesting thing to know. Especially if you want to continue listening to the volumes.

"Appendix: Excerpts from the Minutes of the American Metabiological Society Conference on Metahuman Abilities" - 3*

This is similar to the other Appendix piece: interesting but not really necessary. It was kind of a weak way to end the anthology, even if it isn't technically a need to read aspect. I would have liked a much stronger ending than this.

Overall - 3*

I liked this overall because it is an extremely interesting world and mythology surrounding all of it. I thought the anthology had a lot of threads that tied it together to make it cohesive, which I really liked. However, like most anthologies, there were stories I enjoyed a lot more than others and some I absolutely loathed. This anthology has a lot of issues, mostly because there is a lack of diversity in the authors and the experiences they bring to the table. I would have liked to see better treatment of women and the characters who were marginalized in some way, especially the black characters, because they were used as fodder for the stories. I have higher hopes for the newest volume, which will be out in August, because it's been 30 years so they should have learned by now, right?
George R.R. Martin was born September 20, 1948 in Bayonne, New Jersey. His father was Raymond Collins Martin, a longshoreman, and his mother was Margaret Brady Martin. He has two sisters, Darleen Martin Lapinski and Janet Martin Patten.

 Martin attended Mary Jane Donohoe School and Marist High School. He began writing very young, selling monster stories to other neighborhood children for pennies, dramatic readings included. Later he became a comic book fan and collector in high school, and began to write fiction for comic fanzines (amateur fan magazines). Martin’s first professional sale was made in 1970 at age 21: “The Hero,” sold to Galaxy, published in February, 1971 issue. Other sales followed.

 In 1970 Martin received a B.S. in Journalism from Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, graduating summa cum laude. He went on to complete a M.S. in Journalism in 1971, also from Northwestern.

 As a conscientious objector, Martin did alternative service 1972-1974 with VISTA, attached to Cook County Legal Assistance Foundation. He also directed chess tournaments for the Continental Chess Association from 1973-1976, and was a Journalism instructor at Clarke College, Dubuque, Iowa, from 1976-1978. He wrote part-time throughout the 1970s while working as a VISTA Volunteer, chess director, and teacher.

 In 1975 he married Gale Burnick. They divorced in 1979, with no children. Martin became a full-time writer in 1979. He was writer-in-residence at Clarke College from 1978-79.

 Moving on to Hollywood, Martin signed on as a story editor for Twilight Zone at CBS Television in 1986. In 1987 Martin became an Executive Story Consultant for Beauty and the Beast at CBS. In 1988 he became a Producer for Beauty and the Beast, then in 1989 moved up to Co-Supervising Producer. He was Executive Producer for Doorways, a pilot which he wrote for Columbia Pictures Television, which was filmed during 1992-93.

 Martin’s present home is Santa Fe, New Mexico. He is a member of Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America (he was South-Central Regional Director 1977-1979, and Vice President 1996-1998), and of Writers’ Guild of America, West.

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What are some of your favourite Adult SFF books?
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6 Jul 2018

ARC #Review: A THOUSAND BEGINNINGS AND ENDINGS edited by Ellen Oh and Elsie Chapman

06 July 0 Comments

A THOUSAND BEGINNINGS AND ENDINGS

Edited by: Ellen Oh and Elsie Chapman
Series: N/A
Source: eARC via Publisher
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Publication Date: June 26, 2018
Rating: 3.5/5 stars

 Summary:
Star-crossed lovers, meddling immortals, feigned identities, battles of wits, and dire warnings. These are the stuff of fairy tale, myth, and folklore that have drawn us in for centuries. 

 Fifteen bestselling and acclaimed authors reimagine the folklore and mythology of East and South Asia in short stories that are by turns enchanting, heartbreaking, romantic, and passionate. 

 Compiled by We Need Diverse Books’s Ellen Oh and Elsie Chapman, the authors included in this exquisite collection are: Renee Ahdieh, Sona Charaipotra, Preeti Chhibber, Roshani Chokshi, Aliette de Bodard, Melissa de la Cruz, Julie Kagawa, Rahul Kanakia, Lori M. Lee, E. C. Myers, Cindy Pon, Aisha Saeed, Shveta Thakrar, and Alyssa Wong. 

 A mountain loses her heart. Two sisters transform into birds to escape captivity. A young man learns the true meaning of sacrifice. A young woman takes up her mother’s mantle and leads the dead to their final resting place. From fantasy to science fiction to contemporary, from romance to tales of revenge, these stories will beguile readers from start to finish. For fans of Neil Gaiman’s Unnatural Creatures and Ameriie’s New York Times–bestselling Because You Love to Hate Me.
Purchase:
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book and chose to review it. This in no way impacts my opinion.

I thought this was a pretty good anthology but there were some stories that were kinda meh to me. I liked that there was an explanation of the mythology after each story. I thought that some of the stories just weren't for me for both the theme and the way it was written.

But other than that, I quite enjoyed the majority of these stories - and some I wanted even more of! See a full breakdown of the stories and their rating and my thoughts...

Forbidden Fruit by Roshani Chokshi: 4*
I loved this story. I love Roshani's writing because she knows how to balance showing and telling while bringing everything to life so vividly. If you haven't read Roshani's other works, do yourself a favour and pick them up now!
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7 Dec 2016

#Review: A TYRANNY OF PETTICOATS edited by Jessica Spotswood

07 December 3 Comments

A TYRANNY OF PETTICOATS

Edited by: Jessica Spotswood
Source: Dani bought it for me!
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Publication Date: March 8, 2016
Rating: 4/5 stars

 Summary:
From an impressive sisterhood of YA writers comes an edge-of-your-seat anthology of historical fiction and fantasy featuring a diverse array of daring heroines.

 Criss-cross America — on dogsleds and ships, stagecoaches and trains — from pirate ships off the coast of the Carolinas to the peace, love, and protests of 1960s Chicago. Join fifteen of today’s most talented writers of young adult literature on a thrill ride through history with American girls charting their own course. They are monsters and mediums, bodyguards and barkeeps, screenwriters and schoolteachers, heiresses and hobos. They're making their own way in often-hostile lands, using every weapon in their arsenals, facing down murderers and marriage proposals. And they all have a story to tell.
Purchase:
I'll break down my rating at the bottom. Overall, I really enjoyed this anthology. I liked that there was a mix of fantasy and historical fiction thrown in here because it made for an enjoyable read. 
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19 May 2016

#BlogTour: SUMMER DAYS AND SUMMER NIGHTS edited by Stephanie Perkins \\ #Review

19 May 0 Comments
Hello and welcome to my blog tour stop for

SUMMER DAYS AND SUMMER NIGHTS edited by Stephanie Perkins!

I have a review of the book, broken down by individual story, for you guys, so I hope you enjoy! But first, let's learn more about the book...

SUMMER DAYS AND SUMMER NIGHTS

Edited by: Stephanie Perkins
Source: eARC via the Publisher
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Publication Date: May 17, 2016
Rating:4.5/5 stars

 Summary:
Maybe it's the long, lazy days, or maybe it's the heat making everyone a little bit crazy. Whatever the reason, summer is the perfect time for love to bloom. Summer Days & Summer Nights: Twelve Love Stories, written by twelve bestselling young adult writers and edited by the international bestselling author Stephanie Perkins, will have you dreaming of sunset strolls by the lake. So set out your beach chair and grab your sunglasses. You have twelve reasons this summer to soak up the sun and fall in love.

 Featuring stories by Leigh Bardugo, Francesca Lia Block, Libba Bray, Cassandra Clare, Brandy Colbert, Tim Federle, Lev Grossman, Nina LaCour, Stephanie Perkins, Veronica Roth, Jon Skovron, and Jennifer E. Smith.
Purchase:
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I loved My True Love Gave to Me: Twelve Holiday Stories that was edited by Stephanie Perkins so when I saw there was going to be a summer anthology, I squealed with joy. I love beach-y summer reads that have a good aspect of romance so I was ready and willing to take this book in. 
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