This fresh anthology from We Need Diverse Books features short stories from greats including Lamar Giles (editor) and Jason Reynolds. Readers will never look at a pencil eraser the same after reading!

This is one of my favorite YA Anthologies that I've read. As a woman of color, I'm excited to finally hold a book like this in my hands and be able to relate to some of the stories. As a child, I read avidly but not all of the stories I read had diverse representation. That I was I loved this anthology so much. In addition to containing some amazing stories by some of my favorite authors diversity and inclusion are at the forefront of every word.

This short story collection was awesome! I loved the diversity and reading about different perspectives and situations from different authors. Well written and recommended!

Unfortunately, these short stories just weren't for me. I was really excited about this collection because the authors included were outstanding, but the stories fell a little flat for me. Thank you to NetGalley for sending this novel in exchange for an honest review.

From the various of Authors and well written POC stories it truly makes the audience empathize. The very first chapter was Jason Reynolds which was a fantastic choice to lead the book and the significant stories within it.

I thought this book was alright. I like many of the authors that were featured, but I have a problem getting into short stories. The cover was attractive enough, but I don't think this book would do well at my library because only big series circulate well.

I had this anthology siting on my kindle for a while but it wasn't until I saw it sitting on my local library's bookshelf that I finally decided to read it. This is a good read. It's a great mix of stories. There's a graphic novel and a one-act play included. Tags by Walter Dean Myers was a one act play and was my favorite. Another one of my favorite was Eraser Tattoo. This a little bit of everything in this one and you will definitely be able to find a story you love.

Nice short story collection featuring some of the hottest YA voices at the moment and some exciting debuts!

Anthologies have such a special place in my heart. The art of the short story is undervalued and it’s just really cool to see a bunch of authors you like sharing space inside the pages of a book. As one of two anthologies put together thus far by We Need Diverse Books, it’s full of #ownvoices stories spanning multiple genres and it might just be my favorite anthology yet.

The unquestionable stand-out is Nicola Yoon’s short story, which is also the last one in the book. A black superhero decides he’s going to destroy the world unless someone convinces him otherwise, so his first rescue–a black girl his age–is chosen and sent in to talk him down. The superpowers don’t make the story feel any less real; the pain in its pages will hit you like a bullet. It’s about disillusionment and how black kids are supposed to have hope for a world that treats them so cruelly.

Sure, I disliked both of Yoon’s novels so far, but this story right here? This story RIGHT HERE? I want to buy a second copy of Fresh Ink, rip the pages holding Yoon’s story out of the book, and pin them to my wall. It got me that good.

That’s not to say her story is the only good one either. As you might expect from such kidlit legends, Gene Luen Yang’s and Walter Dean Myers’ contributions are strong entries as well. The former’s comic sees a few D&D-playing teens wander over to a party; Myers’ posthumous publication is a one-act play starring four ghostly boys who are literally kept alive by graffiti memorializing them. If they can’t replace their tags quickly enough or all of it is erased, they’ll disappear.

And two more excellent stories: Schuyler Bailar’s semi-autobiographical tale of a trans boy showing up transphobia in his first practice with the cis boys and Melissa de la Cruz’s small sequel to her YA novel Something in Between. Naturally, if you haven’t read that novel, her story is gonna spoil some things for you.

Some of the stories left me whelmed, but none of them were bad to any degree. So yeah, it has my worthless seal of approval! If you see this book somewhere, GET IIIIIIT. Too much money for you when it’s at full price? Keep an eye on it to see if it goes on sale for cheap, at which time you should

GET

THIS

BOOK.

A very uneven anthology. The only story I truly enjoyed was Jason Reynolds (the first one). Including Walter Dean Myers felt like a bit of a misstep for modern teens--I don't get a lot of circ out of his materials at the library although he is a classic writer.

This a was precious diverse gem!‬

If you are curious about YA literature or if you are already fan you should read this book!

These thought-provoking and beautifully crafted stories ‬about YAs dealing with gender identity. sexual orientation, race, prejudice and discrimination will warm your heart and soul!

Since I’m a SFF reader I especially loved “Tags” and “A Stranger at the Bochinche” but all the stories were fantastic!

I discovered great authors in this anthology and cannot wait you read all their books!

SEARCH NO MORE! Fresh Ink will satisfy ALL your YA curiosities and cravings!

Fresh Ink is an excellent read for almost every teen in your YA section. This collection truly has something to offer everyone and it has one or two really remarkable additions that will speak to the kids who most often felt unheard and forgotten.

Fresh Ink is exactly why I love anthologies. It is full of diverse and meaningful stories that are enjoyable for all ages. Some were impact full, while others were simpler but still great. Nicola Yoon's piece was a favorite among many, and i really recommend this.

I absolutely love books with alot of short stories in them. It provides variety and keeps the book interesting throughout. The diversity is amazing. It's a breath or fresh air for sure.

I first want to thank Netgalley for giving me permission to read this title. The book was an amazing read. I think that I will most definitely be ordering this book to put on the shelves at our library. I believe that the teens will thoroughly enjoy it.

All the bright colors on this cover pale in comparison to the bright, emotional stories that lie within.
This book took me completely by surprise. Although they are short stories, I was left thinking about them for weeks. Fresh Ink features 12 stories that showcase diversity, lgbtqia+ and allows you to step into other people lives and in their shoes. To Feel what they feel. Everyone should pick up this book and read it ASAP. Thank you Random House Children’s Books, NetGalley, and all the authors that put this wonder piece together.

This anthology is an excellent collection of YA authors writing about diverse characters in everyday situations. This collection is powerful in the simplicity of its story. The importance of it is that it continues to fight the battle of normalizing diverse characters doing normal things in the pages of a book.

I got this ARC from Netgalley in exchange for a review. As always, thank you Netgalley.

Overall - this collection is solid, though a bit short. But really, I am always not sure how I feel about short story collections, so maybe it was perfect for me? There is a bit more romance than I wanted for a collection that isn't set out to be a romance collection, but overall, definitely a few new authors to follow.

A quick breakdown of each story:

Eraser Tattoo by Jason Reynolds

3.5/5 Stars. Not the strongest story to start out with, but I eased into this collection just fine. This story broke my heart a little, as it's about a family being forced out of their Brooklyn home.

Meet Cute by Malinda Lo

4/5 Stars. Okay, as always, I am a sucker for anything involving love at a convention. And this one did not disappoint.

Don't Pass Me By by Eric Gansworth

3/5 Stars. I honestly had to look to see what this story was about while making this review, which makes me feel terrible. I didn't dislike it, and I don't want to say "it didn't resonate with me," because these stories aren't necessarily meant for me?

Be Cool for Once by Aminah Mae Safi

3.5/5 Stars. I like this one, but it's one of the few that I felt were too long? By the time I got to this one, I was starting to worry this entire collection would be about romance and if I was in the mood for that. Still, it warmed my cold bitter heart by the end.

Tags by Walter Dean Myers

4/5 Stars. I love that this collection isn't just short stories. This is a one act play that had me stopping to think awhile before continuing to the next story. I would actually love to see it done on a stage.

Why I Learned to Cook by Sara Farizan

5/5 stars. Oh boy, this is probably the first one to make me cry (and on the subway!) And it has food in it, which makes me love it even more.

A Stranger at the Bochinche by Daniel Jose Older

3/5 Stars. I love Older, but this one did not do much for me. I think I prefer him in longer prose? Like this felt like a scene of a story, rather than a full short story.

A Boy's Duty by Sharon G. Flake

3/5 Stars. I think I understood this one, but also I'm not entirely sure I did. And because of that, I am not sure how to react or how I feel about it.

One Voice: A Something in Between Story by Melissa de la Cruz

3/5 Stars. Another one I felt like I would have enjoyed more if it was just longer? I didn't think it had enough room to do what she wanted it to do.

Paladin/Samurai by Gene Luen Yang, Illustrations by Thien Pham

4.5/5 Stars. Too short! But really cute. I love D&D crossovers.

Catch, Pull, Drive by Schuyler Bailar

5/5 Stars. I felt every emotion in this story. Nothing says this collection is all fiction, and looking into the author, I would not be surprised if this is autobiographical. It's beautifully written - and that's coming from someone who hates anything involving water.

Super Human by Nicola Yoon

5/5 Stars. This is hands down my favorite story in the collection, and I sobbed like a baby in it. A superhero decides he's tired of saving humanity and wants humanity to prove they are worth it. And how.... how can we? I'm tearing up just thinking about the story. It's too real.

Fresh Ink is a collection of YA short stories written by some of YA’s most well known authors. Each story is completely unique. There is a graphic story, a one-act play, and 10 other diverse, amazing stories. I loved all of them for different reasons, but there were a few stand-out favorites; Meet Cute by Malinda Lo, Catch, Pull, Drive by Schuyler Bailar, and Super Human by Nicola Yoon.

Some stories brought me to tears, while others were just so relatable and fun. Whether you normally read YA or not, I think everyone can find something to love in this collection!

I feel like I have been see so many more diverse reads out an about lately, and I am LOVING it! This book was such a wonderful collection of completely amazing, talented young adult authors. I rated this one a 5 overall because the book as a whole really hit me in the feels, the stories made me laugh, cry, and overall I was smiling at how well written they all were.

Anthologies are quickly becoming some of my favorite books to read. I love that you can get so much out of just one book. Adding a graphic novel and short play into the mix was a wonderful thing and helped switch things up in a great way. I did notice there was quite a few stories that focused on romance, which didn’t bother me, just throwing it out there that not having main focus on romance is ok.

If you are a fan, or just want to give an anthology a go this is a great place to start. I flew through this one so quickly it was a great way to break up my reading of mostly fantasy books lately (haha). I will definitely be picking up books by all of these authors in the future.