I've been in a reading slump for weeks now after finishing a long series - and this diverse anthology was just what I needed to break out of it. 'A Universe of Wishes' as been on my TBR list for a while now because of one particular little story ('A Royal Affair' by V.E. Schwab set in her Darker Shades of Magic series) as it dealt with my favorite characters. However, after seeing how many marginalized authors were involved, I wanted it even more.

While 'A Royal Affair' was my favorite of the short stories, I enjoyed almost all of them. Some more than others, but as a whole I think 'A Universe of Wishes' is the perfect anthology. Despite having an eARC thanks to NetGalley, I definitely plan to purchase this when it comes out to feature on my shelf (I mean, just look at that beautiful cover!).

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for the E-ARC. A Universe of Wishes is a fantastic anthology, filled with utterly charming stories, Ranging from Magical Realism to Science Fiction. This anthology truly delivers on its promise of diverse stories from a wide range of young adult authors. Initially I was attracted to this anthology because of V. E Schwab's Shades of Magic story, and was not super familiar with many of the other authors. I absolutely loved A Universe of Wishes by Tara Sim and The Coldest Spot in the Universe by Samira Ahmed. An excellent anthology, perfect for those looking for more diverse young adult stories.

A wonderful collection of anthologies written by various authors filled with diverse romances, from tragedies to blooming beginnings, to adventures and endings. I absolutely loved how many diverse characters there were, from POC to different sexual orientations, it just was a wonderful collection of magical stories! i have to say my all time favorite story out of all of them was one I was not expecting to find at all, and that was the prequel story of the relationship between Rhys and Alucard from A Darker Shade of Magic series by V.E. Schwab. Let’s just say my heart is ACHING for them. Overall I highly recommend this collection of fantastic stories because who doesn’t love a little magic, romance, and adventure? Make a wish, and read these stories!!

*Thank you so much Netgalley and Random House Children's for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

“And it’s like there are all these Quincys inside me and they all tired. They all tired. And the only time they all feel glued together is when I’m readin your letters.”


A Universe of Wishes is a great collection of diverse YA sci-fi and fantasy stories. Some are whimsical and some are heartfelt, but they are all absolutely stunning. My only complaint about this collection is that two of the pieces weren’t standalone stories, but instead stories that took place in an author’s already established universe. I think short stories like that are great, but since I hadn’t read either of those series it felt a bit tiresome to read those additions. That didn’t diminish my love for the other stories in this collection in the slightest though! This one hits shelves on January 5th, so be sure to add it to your tbr!

This incredible book of short stories took my breath away. Find the best way to spend a wish. How to make hard choices. Pushing boundaries. Be bold. Not to forget your past. That you may need a partner in crime. Dare to Dream. That wishes can come true. To learn the true story of the heart in unexpected ways. The true price of not feeling heartbreak. To unfold your own myth and be connected across the ages. Stories of beauty. A fairytale in NYC. How love is always real, no matter the form it takes. These stories create an enchanting and, sometimes, heart wrenching way to look at love and I cannot reccomend this higher. I do not think any of these tales will leave me any time soon. I would give this more than 5 stars if I could. And, thank you Netgalley for this amazing ARC!

Not going to lie, I read this based on the VE Schwab story and OH MY GOD MY HEART!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I’m not sure why I continue to read anthologies hoping that this one will be different, but I just don’t think I enjoy these very much. It’s hard for me to get into the beginning of a book, and it’s even harder to find the interest for short stories, yet I keep attempting to read these. I was interested in this one mostly because of VE Schwab’s Shades of Magic story and that was AMAZING, but I couldn’t focus on a majority of the others. There were some fun concepts, but I think I need to take a break from anthologies for a while.

I loved this one so much. It’s exactly as promised: diverse, atmospheric, and fantastic. Every single story was completely unique and incredibly well done.
One reason I loved the anthology was that a few of the stories took place in worlds the authors had already written about. There was one in the Diviners universe, but my favorite story was “A Royal Affair,” which was somewhat of a prequel to Rhy and Alucard from the Shades of Magic series.
This was such an amazing read that I’m so grateful to have received!

A good anthology leaves you craving more.

AND THIS TOTALLY DOES THAT.

In particular, several entries stand out. Libba Bray's The Scarlet Woman brings us back to the world of Gemma Doyle, where magic and secret societies still clash in secret. It was wonderful seeing Gemma reunite with Fee and Ann, and the hints about her new life in New York City are a clear contrast to the gothic glamor of school days. Bray, I am ready to learn more about what happens next! In Anna-Marie McLemore's Cristal y Ceniza, they take the foundation of Cinderella and weave another tender love story among the glass slippers and courtly love. This one left me breathless, the description of the glittering outfits, the magic it takes to be yourself. I would love so much for this to become a full-length novel exploring the multiple intersections of being queer in a fairytale.e land, Longer Than the Threads of Time by Zoraida Cordova has us back on the streets of NYC where brujas practice in secret and other dangers lurk. This re-telling of Rapunzel is a must for fans of Brooklyn Brujas. Fab is an easy protagonist to love, as well as his commentary on the magical hijinks in the city. The ending had me screaming a little.

A Universe of Wishes is a wonderful, wonderful anthology to have on your shelf and to cherish.

*Thank you to the publisher,We Need Diverse Books and Netgalley for providing me with a E-ARC of "A Universe of Wishes" in exchange for an honest review * I really liked this! All the stories were great, but I liked "A Universe of Wishes" by Tara Sim the best.

I really liked the stories by Dhonielle Clayton and Anna-Marie McLemore - those both made this worth reading for me. For the most part, the other stories were just fine. I did also really like the Libba Bray story except for how open ended it was!

A good anthology leaves you craving more.

AND THIS TOTALLY DOES THAT.

In particular, several entries stand out. Libba Bray's The Scarlet Woman brings us back to the world of Gemma Doyle, where magic and secret societies still clash in secret. It was wonderful seeing Gemma reunite with Fee and Ann, and the hints about her new life in New York City are a clear contrast to the gothic glamor of school days. Bray, I am ready to learn more about what happens next! In Anna-Marie McLemore's Cristal y Ceniza, they take the foundation of Cinderella and weave another tender love story among the glass slippers and courtly love. This one left me breathless, the description of the glittering outfits, the magic it takes to be yourself. I would love so much for this to become a full-length novel exploring the multiple intersections of being queer in a fairytale.e land, Longer Than the Threads of Time by Zoraida Cordova has us back on the streets of NYC where brujas practice in secret and other dangers lurk. This re-telling of Rapunzel is a must for fans of Brooklyn Brujas. Fab is an easy protagonist to love, as well as his commentary on the magical hijinks in the city. The ending had me screaming a little.

A Universe of Wishes is a wonderful, wonderful anthology to have on your shelf and to cherish.

A Universe of Wishes is a marvelous YA short story collection filled with fifteen diverse stories written by some of the best authors in YA today! I admit I was most looking forward to Dhonielle Clayton’s Belles story, which wasn’t present in the ARC provided. This is only worth mentioning to say I was thrilled with every story I read so much that I didn’t notice it was missing until I was done the whole collection. It is fun that some of the authors (like Ms. Clayton) chose to set their stories in the worlds of their previous series. V.E. Schwab, Zoraida Cordova, and Libba Bray all also followed note. There are also fresh tales set in brand new worlds that leave readers dreaming for more. Each story is gripping and fantastical - a beautiful mix of diverse fantasy and science fiction tales. This is a must-read anthology for readers of YA fantasy. Highly recommended!!

I was determined to read this anthology after I read Tochi Onyebuchi's tweet about his story connecting Palestine and BLM. I'm glad I read "Habibi," and I hope to read more stories like this.

Thank you very much for the ARC We Need Diverse Books!

Although short story collections aren't often my favourite, I thought I'd give this one a go. The premise of all these stories featuring some element of magic, with the added bonus of Diverse Authors, I was intrigued. And for the most part, entertained. Some stories were interesting, despite lacking the development I usually crave from stories. A few of them felt a tad too short and I would have enjoyed much more. In particular, I enjoyed the last one and the form it was written in. Overall, I think this collection is wonderous and I'm sure appeals to those who enjoy short stories.

I requested this mostly for the short story by VE Schwab - Being a Darker Shade of Magic obsessive, I NEEDED to know how Rhy and Alucard began their romance. I will absolutely go back and read the rest of the short stories ESPECIALLY since this volume is so focused on LGBTQ+, POC, etc

As always with anthologies, there will be stories people enjoy and stories that people don't. It's a matter of story telling and writing and characters. Some of these stories are linked to already existing universes - like VE Schwab's story and Libba Bray's. Overall, it was an anthology that I thoroughly enjoyed and was glad to read most of the stories.

This SF/F anthology was a gorgeously diverse read - diverse authors, themes, characters. A blend of well-known authors/worlds with newer voices. Usually, when reading an anthology, there are at least a few stories that just don't do it for me. Not this time!

Favorite authors Libba Bray (Gemma Doyle) and VE Schwab (Shades of Magic) delighted me with new glimpses into their beloved worlds.

This book shows how diversity and inclusion should always be done - as a given. Even when it's fantastical fiction, reflect our world. All of the stars!

I really loved this collection of stories. It might be my favorite anthology I've read. There were some stories I liked more than others, but I didn't dislike any of them. Even the stories that weren't my favorites were still really great and really well written. I had a great time reading this book. I wasn't able to read Dhonielle Clayton's story as it wasn't included in this early copy. Full of really complex, sweet and diverse characters, this collection is not to be missed by everyone who likes short stories.

I really, really loved this!
There’s so much diversity and representation.
We have short stories that are set in well known worlds like The Scarlet Women by Libba Bray (Gemma Doyel), A Royal Affair by V.E. Schwab (Shades of Magic) and Longer Than The Threads of Time by Zoraida Cordova (Brooklyn Brujas). I rated most of the short stories in this collection 4 stars, only a few got a 3. We have a science fiction heist story, a magical realism male/male breakup story, a modernized genie story, etc..
I did get an early NetGalley e-arc and unfortunately Dhonielle Clayton’s story wasn’t included but I’m definitely buying a copy when this releases and will read it then!