I’ve never been a big fan of short stories. Most likely for the same reason I prefer TV shows over movies – I don’t feel the same connection to the characters, which is my favorite part of a story.
So, take my review with a grain of salt: this isn’t my type of format.
<i>A Universe of Wishes</i> was a mixed bag – some stories were great and stuck with me. I have a few new authors I want to check out!
Others were tedious to get through and instantly forgettable.
I guess that can be viewed as a plus side of collections like this: they might not all be to your taste, but you’ll likely find at least one to like.

This book is such a great anthology of diverse stories by amazing authors. I always love V. E. Schawb and loved that we got to explore more of her characters story from ADSOM. But overall all of the stories are very relevant of the times we are living in and I think it is a great read.

I loved this collection of short stories! There is so much great representation in this that I was blown away! Some of my favorite stories were written by V.E. Schwab and Rebecca Roanhorse! I thought all the stories had a solid place in this anthology, and I commend the editors for their selections!

Check out my coverage on Frolic here: https://frolic.media/perfect-pairings-books-and-sam-smith-songs/

A solid anthology, I probably enjoyed Anna-Marie Mclemore, Kwame Mbalia, and Rebecca Roadhouse's stories the best, I didn't realize there were a couple of stories that were extensions of previously written series.

Content/Trigger Warnings: Brief desecration of the dead (A Universe of Wishes), death and talk of death (A Universe of Wishes, The Coldest Spot in the Universe & Habibi), loss of a loved one (A Universe of Wishes, The Takeback Tango, The Weight, The Coldest Spot in the Universe, & Longer Than the Threads of Time), grief (A Universe of Wishes, Liberia, The Takeback Tango, & Wish, The Weight) trauma/PTSD (A Universe of Wishes, Unmoor, & Longer Then the Threads of Time), physical violence (The Silk Blade & A Royal Affair), murder (The Scarlet Woman & The Takeback Tango), mentions of human sacrifice (The Scarlet Woman), homophobia (Cristal y Ceniza, A Royal Affair, & Dream and Dare), kidnapping/abduction (A Royal Affair), talk of colonization (The Takeback Tango & The Coldest Spot in the Universe), mentions of slavery (The Takeback Tango), mentions of genocide (The Takeback Tango), sexism (Dream and Dare), bullying (Dream and Dare), minor themes of misandry (Dream and Dare), chronic illness (Wish), brief mentions of infidelity (The Weight), mentions of cheating (The Weight & Unmoor), manipulation (Unmoor), depictions and talk of acrophobia (Longer Than the Threads of Time), talk of suicide (Habibi), mentions of physical abuse (Habibi)

I feel so blessed that I received an arc of this book. Truly, I fell in love with so many stories within these pages and I can't wait to see other readers to fall in love with them as well. And can we take a moment to pause and praise the diverse cast of authors this anthology brought together to make this book happen? This line up is absolutely beautiful and there's so much representation in that fact alone! There's also a wide diversity within the stories from characters of color to characters not fitting the mold of society, all the way to the diverse relationships. Truly, a plethora of wonderful blessings within this book. This book itself is a blessing that so many readers have waited for. I really loved this book and I'm excited to share my thoughts with you a little more.

As usual, with any anthologies, bind-ups, etc… that find their way into my personal library, I like to do a break down with a mini review for each story that shares my thoughts and feelings! I hope you enjoy!

➵ A Universe of Wishes by Tara Sim ⭐⭐⭐⭐
I loved this story so much! If I could give this 4.5 stars then I would have. There were so many beautiful themes that were laced throughout this book and I think many reader are going to resonate with it. For myself, I was crying for the remainder on the story once I hit one-third of the way through. I also loved the way Thorn and Sage were falling for each other. It felt very slow burn, but with underlying themes of intensity. The only reason I didn’t give this a five star is due to wanting more. It felt short and I feel that if the author wanted to, they could turn this into a true novella or even a full book because there was so much that could be explored, the world sounds incredible and I want to know more about it, and I think readers are really going to want more backstory from both of the characters (though we do get brief backstories within this book).

“It’s sacred, what we do. The dead are to be respected.”


➵ The Silk Blade by Natalie C. Parker ⭐⭐⭐
I enjoyed this story. It’s very slow burn with themes of discovering ones sexuality/sexual interests underneath. And I love reading stories that have those two elements within it. Also, I loved how the romance between the two female competitors felt very unexpected especially due to the tournament that happens within this short story. However, though I loved these elements, I really wanted more details and the fact that this is a short story, some things felt rushed. The pacing felt quick and for my personal taste, I would have liked a little more world building. If this had been a bit longer, I think I would have enjoyed it more because it truly feels like there’s so much more that needed to be explored or details that needed to be given. However, I really hope this gets turned into it’s own novella because the way it ends makes you wonder what will happen next.

“Something has changed for both of us since crossing the Silk Bridge this morning.”


➵ The Scarlet Woman: A Gemma Doyle Story by Libba Bray ⭐⭐
I know there are some of you who are pulling your pitchforks out right now, but hear me out first. I have never read anything by Libba Bray before. I know, I know! Truly, I loved the writing and I loved what pieces of the world building we received in this book. However, this short story feels like it’s part of a bigger series, a bigger world, or a continuation of a story that has already been created. And that doesn’t sit well with me especially when I read an anthology. Personally, I’m not a fan of novellas or short stories from series that get added into an anthology because it feels like it doesn’t belong, depending on the details more details may need to be added because of a lack of context, characters are harder to connect with if there’s backstories already established, but not included in the story, etc… There were a lot of things that influenced my choice on rating this so low and I will honestly say, that in my opinion, many readers will rate this story low if they’ve never read anything by this author before. I think those who have read works by this author will love this short story, but unfortunately for me, this wasn’t my cup of tea. I think this would have done better if it had it’s own physical novella.

“Like a cat, I am insatiably curious. And, probably, like a cat, my curiosity will be the death of me one day. I do not intend for that day to be today.”


➵ Cristal y Ceniza by Anna-Marie McLemore ⭐⭐⭐⭐
I love retelling and when I say this feels like a Cinderella retelling, you will know what I mean once you read it. I loved this a lot. If I’m being honest, I would rate this 4.5 stars because I really loved so much about this short story. I loved how the story is about a daughter who’s trying to save her mothers and her family, as a whole, from being torn apart. I love that the love interest is transgender and the way they connect with our main character. I just loved it so much. I wish this would have been longer and I wish we would have received the name of our main character for this story. Aside from those two things, I loved this short story so much!

➵ Liberia by Kwame Mbalia ⭐⭐⭐
I loved a lot about this short story. I love the way the main character is so connected to their family and the way grief is represented in this short story. And I love that I was surprised to find our story follows a research officer for agriculture. I really loved that about this whole story. However, what I didn’t love was how often the main character was treated poorly or seen a lesser, because of their job title, not only by some crew members, but also by their leader. It’s never challenged except for one scene where the main character is pushed to a break point and risks their own life to same something that should of had a higher priority to the crew as a whole. I really wanted our main character to challenge others more on how they were treated, but we never really see that. Aside from that, I would have liked to have seen more of this story because this ends on such a heavy note. I didn’t feel good after this story ended and I think for many readers, it’s going to be a heavy for them as well especially since grief is a theme that’s heavily tied in with the story and main character.

➵ A Royal Affair by V.E. Schwab ⭐⭐
Once again, I loved the writing in this short story and this is my first time reading anything written by this author. However, this feels like another short story or novella that should’ve had it’s own physical book and shouldn’t have been included in this anthology. As I mentioned with a previous short story, I feel like many readers who haven’t read anything by this author are going to give this a low rating because it’s obvious this is a short story/backstory from a series and if they’re not familiar with the characters, the backstories, the world, etc… then this can lead to a poor reading experience. For me personally, I had so many questions that I wasn’t getting answers to that it felt almost impossible to focus on the story and it wasn’t the best reading experience for me. I think those who are familiar with the characters, world, series etc… this author created, they will fall in love with it or enjoy this a lot more than someone who hasn’t read the series this comes from.

➵ The Takeback Tango by Rebecca Roanhorse ⭐⭐⭐⭐
This short story had me in my feelings the whole dang time I was reading it. There are a lot of themes of grief woven through this short story, but what I love most is the theme of reclaiming oneself in the mist of that grief and finding a place for oneself again. This short story reminds me of a mission from Mass Effect 2 with Kasumi Gato and I love everything about this. I think the author did a beautiful job with this short story, the world building, the bits of backstory, and I’m really hoping this gets turned into it’s own novella because I’d love to see more. I would really love to know what happens with Vi and Valerian. It was an all around great short story to read. Definitely wanted it to be longer.

➵ Dream and Dare by Nic Stone ⭐⭐⭐⭐
I think this will be a story that resonates with a lot of readers. I know it made me feel a certain kind of way. The writing was so beautiful and the story line is very captivating, but what I loved most was the love that blooms between the main character and the love interest. I really wish this had been a bit longer because I loved these characters so much and I wasn’t ready to say goodbye when this ended. There’s also a lot of themes of how some women get looked down upon or treated poorly by their friends, family, other women, just for enjoying or wearing more masculine couture. And I think many readers are going to appreciate how this story addresses it and I love how the main character addresses it as well. Overall, I really enjoyed this, but I wish it was a tad longer.

“Dream knows Dare doesn’t need to be rescued. Not in the least.
The monster does.”


➵ Wish by Jenni Balch ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Every person with a chronic illness is going to be hit in the feels when they read this short story and I say that confidently, with my whole damn chest. If I could, this story would have gotten 4.5 or even 5 stars because any story that can pull emotions out of me, right from the gate, deserves all my love and appreciation. I loved this, I loved it so much. Oh, I wish I could go into details with this one, but I truly think going in with very little detail is the best way to read this short story. However, I will say that I can’t speak on the chronic illness (immune thrombocytopenic purpura or ITP) representation in this short story. But, if you’re reading my review and you have an ownvoice review or you know someone with an ownvoice review for ITP, then please link it so I can direct others to that review.

“I can do things; I can’t change people. Because Wishing another person different is never the right answer. Even if you figured out some way to make it happen, it doesn’t end well.”


➵ The Weight by Dhonielle Clayton ⭐⭐⭐
This is an interesting short story. I had a bit of a mixed bag about how I originally felt about this short story, but decided that genuinely I enjoyed the majority of this story. I have to admit, the opening of this short story made me think of something similar to Bioshock or something that felt very steampunk and I loved that. I loved that from the first impression, I was able to feel an atmosphere that was different compared to a lot of the other short stories in this anthology. Also, I thought the concept of how hearts were read was very unique. This is the first time I’ve ever read a book that takes the heart and uses it with a unique concept like the way it tells if you relationship is meant to last or not. It’s incredibly unique. However, my biggest issue with this short story was being unable to connect with either of the characters. Nothing drew my attention to their personalities, Grace’s character felt like it was too much while Marcus faded to the background , and despite the details of both characters’ pasts, I simply didn’t care what would happen to them. As a whole, this short story was enjoyable. I would love to see this world explored further and I would love to know what’s going to happen next because the ending left me curious.

➵ Unmoor by Mark Oshiro ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This short story is truly a gem and the only short story that resonated with me so much, had me crying the entire time, that there was no way I couldn’t give this story five stars. Mark Oshiro has been an author that has snuck up on me and has recently become a new favorite author of mine. So I might be a little bias with giving this short story five stars, but Oshiro has such a powerful way of drawing the emotions out of a reader with their writing. I remember a lot of details from a lot of the short stories in this anthology, but I remember everything that happened this is particular story the most. Truly, this short story is a treasure and this has me eager to read more books by this author.

4/5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley for the e-arc!

This was a very iconic very much amazing story collection that inteigued me as i've never read a single book by the amount of authors

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This anthology by We Need Diverse Books was amazing!! There was so much rep ... lgbt, BIPOC, everything you can think of.

My favorite story was by Victoria Schwab. I’ve never read any of her work (shame I know) but now I want to read more!! I was captivated.
The story that struck me the most was the last one about two young men in solitary confinement in jail, writing letters and falling in love without ever seeing one another. It just broke my heart.

There were so many genres represented too. Fantasy, contemporary, sci-fi. Most of these short stories left me wanting a full book! One can only hope...

I definitely recommend this book if you’re looking to diversify your reading!

A brief collection of fantastical and imaginative stories from different worlds and universes!

This anthology features a collection of fifteen short stories ranging from creative retellings, novellas for existing series, and original works. Most of the stories left me wanting to read more or to read the author's series. I particularly liked The Silk Blade by Natalie C. Parker. The story of two warrior women battling to be by the king's side but finding there is more on the line in this competition. Another story is The Scarlet Woman: A Gemma Doyle Story by Libba Bray which made me want to read the story. And lastly, Longer Than the Threads of Time by Zoraida Cordova. This story was amazing and full of emotion from beginning to end! The characters were creative and the ending left me adding her Brooklyn Bruja series to my to-read list!

There are a lot of good options in this anthology because the stories span a variety of genres with a diverse cast of characters and cultures. This is a great option for picky readers looking for a short but satisfying read.

Great, diverse collection, including popular authors that will catch the eye and authors who will quickly become favorites. There wasn't one story that didn't capture the imagination.

I love to read anthologies and essays mainly because they are short and fun packed. I have read anthologies from horror to nonfiction, but this is my first Fantasy anthology.

15 short stories, all written by reputable bestselling authors reigning the YA-Fantasy genre. This book was so enjoyable, I conclude that, these stories are not only for YA/children but also for adults who don’t have the time to invest in high world building fantasies. Trust me, you’ll love it.

This is also my first book from We Need Diverse Books and I’m impresser by thr amount of work they put in to encourage young people to read. Appreciate it 👏

overall rating - 4.25/5

Thank you Random House Children’s/Crown publishers for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

This is a collection of short stories from female fantasy authors. I was really looking forward to this, but it fell flat for me. Some of the stories were boring or confusing. Libba Bray is an amazing author, but having not read the Gemma Doyle books I really was confused

4 star

I loved this anthology of short YA fantasy stories! This is a collaboration with We Need Diverse Books (a nonprofit pushing for more inclusive changes in the publishing world) so the stories have plenty of LGBTQ+ and POC representation which can be seriously lacking in the fantasy genre.

As with most anthologies, there are some stories I loved and others that were just ok for me. My standouts include: A Universe of Wishes, A Royal Affair, and The Coldest Spot in the Universe.

Although there were a few I didn’t love, they were still an entertaining read and I enjoyed each of them. All in all these 15 stories are incredibly well written and fun. I love how short stories are a glimpse into an entire world and these make me wish there were more to them!!

Love this book of short stories and will be excited to add this one into our junior high library! I think it will help to serve the needs of our diverse student population, especially by way of representation.

The DIVERSITY. The INCLUSION. I know it’s in the name, but this is an amazingly diverse group of stories, and it’s so refreshing. There is truly something here for everyone. Though not every story was my favorite, all were well written and enjoyable. Everyone will find different stories they identify with, different stories that call to them, different stories that they mesh with. It’s like the cake tasting in a wedding – you get a small sample of everything and you decide what fits your style. I can’t wait to come back and visit in some of the authors worlds.
I simultaneously love and hate anthologies. I love getting small bites of different writing styles and stories and worlds, but I almost ALWAYS end up wanting more, so its slightly problematic. I also think they’re very helpful in getting a small taste of an author’s style. When I like a story by an author that I haven’t read yet I can make sure to pick up their works in the future.

1) A Universe of Wishes – Tara Sim (4 stars)
This anthology started off with its namesake, and it was such a lovely beginning. Everything about a partnership between a wish thief and a morgue boy was right up my alley, and this did not disappoint. The writing was wonderful, I was able to form connections to the characters, and the entire premise of the story was interesting, particularly the magic system behind the wishes stored within people.

2) The Silk Blade – Natalie C. Parker (5 stars)
Even though instalove isn’t always my favorite trope, enemies to lovers definitely is right up my alley. Though not strictly enemies, any romance between rivals works for me. Aside from the romance between rivals who are fighting for the hand of the Bloom prince but falling for each other, the world building in this short story blew my mind. I don’t know how anyone can build such opulent, rich worlds in so few words, but Parker seems to excel. I’d love a whole novel or series within this world.

3) The Scarlet Woman: A Gemma Doyle Story – Libba Bray (3 stars)
This was not my favorite story in this anthology, but I have a feeling that’s because I had no prior connection to the characters going in. I haven’t read anything else by Libba Bray (yet), and I know this takes place within the world/with the characters of her previous works, so I’m wondering if I’d have enjoyed it more after reading the other novels. The writing was good and the story seemed interesting enough though, even without the background knowledge.

4) Cristal y Ceniza – Anna-Marie McLemore (3.5 stars)
Cinderella isn’t my favorite fairy tale to begin with, but I loved the Mexican influences in this story and the transgender rep in this one. I was really enjoying this story a lot, and the only reason it doesn’t have more stars is because I feel like it got cut a little too short. I know short stories are meant to leave you wanting more, but this didn’t quite feel completed even for a short story.

5) Liberia – Kwame Mbalia (3.5 stars)
As with all anthologies, not every story is for every person. This was beautifully written and very well crafted, but it just wasn’t up my alley. It was successful in making me want to read more by Kwame Mbalia to get another taste of his writing though!

6) A Royal Affair – V.E. Schwab (4.5 stars)
This story was the reason I wanted to read this book in the first place, and it did not disappoint. This was a story I DID know (and love) prior to reading this short, but I can easily see where one wouldn’t be able to make a connection to the characters with just this small chunk to go on. As I was already very attached to the characters, this was easily one of my favorite stories in the book. I absolutely adore getting more background on characters I love, and even on some that I hate!

7) The Takeback Tango – Rebecca Roanhorse (3.5 stars)
I didn’t fall into this one as quickly as I do with some stories, but it snagged me in the end! I love a good back and forth between characters, so it wasn’t really until I was introduced to the secondary character that I became super attached to the story. I wouldn’t mind reading more about what happens after the conclusion!

8) Dream and Dare – Nic Stone (3.5 stars)
This was a delightful story about a princess, a dragon, and the girl who sees past the rough exterior to the beauty underneath. I think this was a well told little fairy tale. It’s the first thing by Nic Stone that I’ve read, and I look forward to reading more of her work.

9) Wish – Jenni Balch (3.5)
An interesting little take on a modern genie in a futuristic LAMP. This was well written, but I didn’t feel a very big connection to the characters and it didn’t really resonate with me. Though I did enjoy the peek into life on a space station.

10) The Weight – Dhonielle Clayton (2.5 stars)
This story just…didn’t sit right with me. The concept of getting your heart weighed is an interesting one, but I really wasn’t a fan of the interactions between the two main characters. They felt untruthful and obtuse, which made the story unenjoyable for me.

11) Unmoor – Mark Oshiro (3.5 stars)
The magic system in this world was fascinating, and I really enjoyed getting into the premise of unmooring memories – who doesn’t wish they could take the significance out of a certain place so they might be able to enjoy it again? I just felt like the emotions coming off of the main character fell a little flat. I honestly felt more connected to the person wiping his memories than I did to him.

12) The Coldest Spot in the Universe – Samira Ahmed (5 stars)
THIS. STORY. It got to me. This was a terrifyingly beautiful story written in alternating POV’s and timelines all about how the humans had ruined the earth (hitting all too close to home) and the humans who had escaped and were coming back on a fact-finding mission years and years after the obliteration of the human population on earth. The emotions particularly in the past POV were raw and easy to feel while I was reading them, and the end brought me to tears.

13) The Beginning of Monsters – Tessa Gratton (5 stars)
This is another one of those stories where I have no idea how the author manages to build such an amazing world in so little time, but boy am I glad she did! I would like a whole series in this world. The genderfluidity in this story was beautifully written and I really enjoyed the additions of more genders.

14) Longer Than the Threads of Time – Zoraida Cordova (2 stars)
I felt very little connection to this story, and I don’t really know why. It was a retelling of Rapunzel in a modern setting (her tower was in the middle of Central Park), but none of it was really resonating with me. I felt very little connection to the characters, and no connection whatsoever to the setting or story line.

15) Habibi – Tochi Onyebuchi (5 stars)
This story had me in tears by the end, and was probably my favorite story in the whole book. Told in magical diary entries passed back and forth between inmates via ingestion (ew, but so creative), the star-crossed relationship that blooms between them is beautiful and heart-wrenching. I was invested in this story from the moment I began it, and I think it was the perfect ending to this anthology.

Overall, this is a very well-rounded combination of stories and I am impressed and very happy to have had the opportunity to read them all.

I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher through NetGalley. (Though I did like it so much I purchased the special edition OwlCrate!) Opinions expressed are my own.

I went for this book because of some of the authors included--VE Schwab and Tara Sim are amazing. When I discovered that Schwab's story was set in the Shades of Magic universe, I almost cried. (And then cried again when I read it because wow.)

This is a really great collection, full of many different things, stories, and people. I love that there's an imprint for creating diverse books (We Need Diverse Books). I actually looked up their other anthologies, but they seemed to be more J-fic than YA. I hope they do more YA--and up--books in the future. Because we ALL need diverse books!

If you're a fan of fantasy and magic or any of the authors who contributed, pick this one up. You won't be disappointed! (If you've read and enjoyed VE Schwab's Shades of Magic series, pick it up for that story alone!)

A stunning collection of 15 short stories from a wide range of acclaimed Fantasy & Young Adult authors, A Universe of Wishes will leave you breathless and amazed. As soon as I finished one story I would think ‘well I’m sure this next one will be good, but there’s no way they could top *that*’, only to be immediately proven wrong.

As stated in the above synopsis, this is the fourth collection from We Need Diverse Books, a nonprofit initiative with the goal of expanding diversity in children’s literature. A Universe of Wishes is the organizations first fantasy anthology, and when I saw the list of contributing authors I was sooo excited!

The editor of the collection, Dhonielle Clayton, is an author in her own right, and is the writer behind the popular The Belles series. Other contributors you might recognize include Nic Stone (Dear Martin), Rebecca Roanhorse (Black Sun) Zoraida Córdova (Incendiary) and more! The one I was most excited about was V.E. Schwab’s story A Royal Affair, which is set in the A Darker Shade of Magic universe. It depicts the initial love story between two main characters in that trilogy, Rhy and Alucard, following until their relationship’s heartbreaking end. (this is not a spoiler for the books, as the series begins several years after the events of this story)

I’m not going to get into more specifics than that, because I don’t want to spoil any of them for potential readers. But the only drawback I can see is that some of these stories are so short (duh). But a number of them were a little *too* short and incomplete for me. Ones like The Scarlet Woman built up all of this tension and plot and then.....it ended. Pretty abruptly. I really loved so much of the writing here and the stories were for the most part utterly imaginative and brilliant, but I almost wish a few of these ideas were saved for a novel-length work instead of a few dozen pages worth.

In all, I’m so glad I got to read this collection! Some of the stories I may have enjoyed more than others, but that came down to personal preference, not competency. There weren’t any weak-links present and with such a large number of contributors and a broad genre like Fantasy, that’s not an easy thing to pull off. Props to We Need Diverse Books, the publisher, Dhonielle Clayton and all the authors who participated for creating something really special. And after reading some of their stories, I may have even more books to add to my To-Read list. Oh my poor TBR!!

I loved the title story and a number of other stories in this anthology. I mentioned it on my BookTube channel, Black Book Stacks; I thought it was even more refreshing than the first WNDB anthology I reviewed on my blog, Fresh Ink.

I would like to thank PRH International for providing a digital copy in exchanged of an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

A Universe of Wishes is a YA Fantasy Anthology featuring fifteen diverse stories written by best own voices authors. I did enjoy reading this book. There are some stories that I loved, but there are also some stories that were just okay. I think it was my first time writing a review for an anthology, so I'll just write short description and rating for each story.

1. A Universe of Wishes by Tara Sim - 5 stars. Such a great story to start the anthology. I was immediately hooked! It was about two boys, one who worked for a funeral parlor, and the other one stole magic from dead people.

2. The Silk Blade by Natalie C. Parker - 3.5 stars. A competition was held to select the royalty's consort. The protagonist joined and determined to win it, but she unexpectedly felt drawn to one of her competitors.

3. The Scarlet Woman: A Gemma Doyle Story by Libba Bray - 3 stars. I honestly didn't get this story. Mainly because I think the protagonist was originally from an earlier book series of the author.

4. Cristal y Ceniza by Anna Marie Mclemore - 4 stars. A cinderella retelling. The protagonist sneaked into the Kingdom's ball to plead to the King and Queen about the rights of her two mothers. There she met the trans-prince.

5. Liberia by Kwame Mbalia - 3.5 stars. Set in a futuristic setting, this story highlighted African Heritage and how we should never forget our roots.

6. A Royal Affair by V.E. Schwab - 5 stars. The reason I picked this book was because I saw Schwab's name on the cover. Absolutely love this one. The story centered Alucard Emery, his relationship with Rhy Maresh, and how he became the captain of the Night Spire.

7. The Takeback Tango by Rebecca Roadhouse - 3 stars. Another scifi story in this anthology. It followed the mission of stealing back artifacts stolen from the protagonist's people.

8. Dream and Dare by Nic Stone - 4 stars. It was about two girls who were being pressured by stereotype gender roles and expectations.

9. Wish by Jenni Balch - 3 stars. This was about a wish grater from a lamp finding himself in a colony on Venus instead of Earth. He got to know the wisher's circumstances, and he would help her no matter what happened.

10. The Weight by Dhonielle Clayton - 5 stars. Such a captivating story! A couple was going to weigh their hearts to prove their love for each other. But did they really want to know what their heart truly desires?

11. Unmoor by Mark Oshiro - 5 stars. This was just so sad. The protagonist relied on magic to help himself forget his heartache.

12. The Coldest Spot in the Universe by Samia Ahmed - 4 stars. A dystopian future where an archeologist discovered records of a girl who once lived on Earth.

13. The Beginning of Monsters by Tessa Gratton - 3 stars. This was kinda slow for my liking. In this story, body augmentation and genetic manipulation were possible. An architect was commissioned to redesign a King's body, but she developed feelings with the King's heir.

14. Longer Than The Threads of Time by Zoraida Cordova - 4 stars. A dark Rapunzel retelling with an unexpected ending.

15. Habibi by Tochi Onyebuchi - 4 stars. Two men held in solitary confinement found company in each other's letters.

Overall, this was a great collection of stories. I recommend it if you like reading anthologies!

4/5 stars!

3.5 ☆
I liked what this anthology offers as far as wanting to read a story and see yourself in it. I liked most of the stories but skipped maybe 3 of them - they were just to hard to follow. Anthologies can be hard in that way, when you're making short stories that one has to jump to. I absolutely loved the storsies by V.E. Schwab and Zoraida Cordova. However, as with V.E. and Libba Bray you're getting a story from a series that exits and while I read V.E.'s books I have not read Libba's and that kind of left me confused about the story. Anyway good book, I reccomend.

A delightful and fun read — these short stories showcase imagination and great heart — full of characters and worlds that are diverse and fully-formed. A high recommendation for my fantasy readers.