I love an easy to read, easy to enjoy anthology that lets individual authors shine while still weaving together a larger story. This is the type of book that allows any reader to find something.

Blackout is a unique, collaborative novel by some of my favorite YA authors, so I am super thankful to NetGalley and HarperCollins/Quill Tree Books for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for a review.

Blackout reminds readers that the world is small and love is beautiful. In Blackout, a power outage throws New York City into darkness, and readers follow six distinct yet intersecting love stories through the darkness and into the light.

Pros: Relatable, lovable characters, celebrates black love (teen romance, but also familial love!), LBGTQ+ representation, showcases relationships at different stages, realistic teen dialogue, excellent development of the NYC setting, and the intersecting nature of the narratives made piecing together all the connections fun!

Cons (but also not really): There are a LOT of characters to keep track of, and I became so invested in all of them that I was left wanting full-length novels about each of their stories. Like for real, I NEED more Nella and Joss.

This is definitely a book I could see myself reading again, and I can't wait to get a copy on my classroom shelves to share with my students! I'm also crossing my fingers that this becomes a movie one day!

Blackout is a fun, fast read, filled to the brim with Black joy. Although I did wish for more individuality in the writing styles of the various contributing authors, as well as the stories themselves, the quality of writing overall is high, allowing the reader to sink into the story. The interconnected nature of the stories is fun, but ultimately slightly gimmicky — it doesn’t do anything with this interesting structure, leading each piece of interconnectedness to feel like nothing more than a little Easter egg. Despite being a bit dull at times, these stories are sure to resonate with many teen readers.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Children’s Books for the ARC!

I have mixed feelings about short story collections. Too often, the stories are hit or miss, mostly because the collections are assembled out of already-existing material rather than a carefully curated collection. Anthologies are curated; however, I prefer story collections written by one author rather than those collected around a single theme or idea. The idea of picking and choosing stories doesn't sit well with me; with collections, it's all or nothing. Far more rare, though, is the collection of interconnected short stories—think David Mitchell's 'Ghostwritten' or 'Cloud Atlas.' While the stories can stand on their own, together they create a larger narrative. In short, this kind of collection is one where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.

'Blackout' is a collection of interconnected short stories with a twist—it's also an anthology! And it's a novel! Dhonielle Clayton, Tiffany D. Jackson, Nic Stone, Angie Thomas, Ashley Woodfolk, and Nicola Yoon take turns telling stories about one day in New York. Each story centers on a different pair of adolescents navigating their way through the pitfalls of love and relationships while navigating their way through the city during a blackout. When you put these writers together with this premise, the result should be nothing short of a) the next great YA novel and b) a license to print money.

And it is! Buy this book. Read it now. That's all there is to it.

There are "no skips" in this collection. Jackson's story, "The Long Walk," begins the day's narrative; rather than provide the entirety of her story at once, Jackson hands off to Stone. After Stone's story concludes, Jackson's picks back up, and that is how the narrative continues through to its conclusion. Characters from each story occasionally appear in other stories, which helps to maintain the interconnectedness of the experience. Community, of course, is one of themes of this narrative; this is a work that exists because of the pandemic. Rather than some of the films created during the pandemic that take advantage of the separation those of us who spent the last year in video conference digital boxes felt, these authors created a sense of connection in 'Blackout.' I found that that sense of connection weaves its way not just into the stories but also through the overarching narrative. After spending the entire pandemic feeling disconnected from others, 'Blackout' was welcome relief.

If you're still wondering what 'Blackout' is "about" (in case you need one more reason to go read it), what isn't it about? LGBT relationships...check. Love triangles...check. Unrequited love...check. Breakups...check. Meet cutes...check.

Is 'Blackout' a novel? Well, it is if enough people say that it is. As I mentioned above, there is an overarching narrative that, while loose, does more than enough to make each of the stories feel cohesive. If I had any complaint about 'Blackout,' it would be that any of these stories could have easily lived as part of a larger novel written solely by its creator. I want to know what happens to Stone's characters on the train, Thomas' characters on the bus, Yoon's rideshare characters, and...well, all the other characters. Maybe we'll get 'After Blackout' soon. Until the superteam gets together again, though, we'll still have one of the best YA novels of 2021.

The YA team-up for the ages has arrived at last. Powerhouse YA authors Nic Stone, Ashley Woodfolk, Angie Thomas, Dhonielle Clayton, Nicola Yoon, and Tiffany D. Jackson have finally released their much-anticipated novel collaboration, titled 'Blackout.' Told in six different stories, 'Blackout' follows the residents of New York City after an unexpected blackout hits. As they wait for the power to return, new friendships are formed, romantic relationships are revisited, and hidden truths come to light.

From the first sentence, the setting and tone that carry readers through the book are established. The feeling of a hot summer day jumps off the page as Jackson sets the stage for what’s to come. Each author quickly establishes the protagonists, their situations, and their relations to other characters. No time is wasted. As readers are pulled through NYC, they also get a sense of not only the vastness of the city, but also how it’s an entire (smaller) world on its own. While NYC is fraught with tourists, each author takes care to write as though readers aren’t, inviting them into the world of the book in a personal way.

The entire point of the book, though, is to showcase love and joy – specifically love and joy for Black teens, and these authors absolutely nail it. First and foremost, they present love in more than one way, most notably by including bisexual and queer protagonists who have just as much opportunity to explore their relationships. Each character experiences highs and lows with friends, exes, and significant others. They endure heartache and intense yearning, but never without some type of satisfying resolution. One of the great qualities of this book is that the authors don’t allow any sort of pain or trauma to overpower.

'Blackout' is the perfect summer novel, but it’s also one that is guaranteed to bring a little slice of happiness no matter the season. Each author brings a unique perspective to the table that fits well with each other. Each story is distinct, yet the authors seamlessly weave their individual worlds together into one deeply interconnected tale. They craft an endearing, tender, and humorous story bursting with Black joy. 'Blackout' is a triumphant love letter to Black teens, who are gifted the space to see themselves in a new and deserving light. Run, don’t walk to purchase and read this book immediately.

I felt like this book was a beautiful novella focusing on young black love during a time when more love and less hate is essential.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy.

I love all the authors in this anthology and was so excited to see many of my favorites collaborating on a project. While I would have preferred all the stories be presented separately, I appreciate how they worked together so well. I cannot wait to have copies on the shelves for my teens.

Such a phenomenal read! So many great stories from so many wonderful and amazing authors! I highly recommend EVERYONE pick this book up!

I absolutely ADORED this amazing read! These stories all connected and the writing flowed so well together. There were short and sweet stories and one story that lasted throughout the entire book. There was LGBTQ representation and had so much love! I loved everything!! Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins for the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review.

“Blackout” was written by six phenomenal Black female authors - some from whom I’ve read before, some new to me (and now on my TBR.) Their stories all take place in New York City during a summer heatwave turned blackout. As the synopsis says, “...as the city is thrown into confusion, a different kind of electricity sparks.” They’re all love stories featuring Black teenagers, something that is unfortunately still rare in contemporary romance.

Here’s the deal: short stories and novellas are usually not for me. I find myself always wanting more... so I went into this hesitantly, hoping there would be a story or two that I really enjoyed. I did NOT expect to love them all, but I did. Of course I had a couple favorites (uh, @nicstone, I would not complain about a full-length JJ/Tremaine novel), but I was blown away at how much I enjoyed every single one.

I loved that all of these stories were interconnected and ended in the same location (a block party in Brooklyn). I imagine that took a lot of planning and cooperation by all of the authors to make sure everything made sense together. Well, it worked - each story flowed flawlessly to the next, helped by the creative choice to split up Jackson’s story into five acts dispersed between the other stories. I also appreciated that this book didn’t focus solely on heterosexual relationships - there was some great LGBTQ+ rep throughout the book.

This is a really wonderful anthology with some big name authors! A must purchase for schools and public libraries! We need more of these stories in our lives.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!

What happens when you have 6 powerhouse authors write a book together? You get something filled with sheer joy. Blackout covers the span of just one night. One night and six beautifully intertwined stories that occur when the power goes out all across New York City. With Tiffany Jackson's The Long Walk the main story guiding the novel, each of the authors finds a way to tie their story in with Jackson's, all while including bits of their culture and personal lives into the story. My personal favorite was Dhonielle Clayton's for being dramatic, adventurous, but also poignant, as it tells the story of two teens stuck in the library after hours where one is trying to get something off her chest but having a hell of a time doing it. It's a fast read, but an important one, unapologetically real and has the diverse characters YA needs. It's definitely an important addition to any classroom bookshelf for what it offers and how it offers it. And what better way to introduce readers to so many absolutely amazing authors than to give them a book just like this.

I'm hesitant to even attempt to write a longer review, because surely it'd be filled with spoilers. Just know that the way Clayton, as editor of this novel, connected all the pieces in a way that makes sense and flows so well shows how absolutely genius she is. In fact, all of the acknowledgements acknowledged just that. Normally an editor's job is just to compile works, but not only did she write her own, she played the wizard behind the screen getting all the moving parts into place and it's clear just how much thought had to go into that. I'm forever impressed by her hard work.

I loved this collection. The premise of the anthology is a set of interconnected and interlocking stories set during a blackout one hot summer night in New York City. This means that you have characters from one story making appearances in another story in the series, and many of the characters are trying to get to the same event I especially enjoyed how Tiffany D. Jackson's story is structured in multiple acts that break up the other stories, so that you keep coming back to a single narrative that helps connect the night together. In these stories, you'll find first-time meetings, long-time friends, rivals, exes (but maybe not?), and above all, incredible writing and wonderful storytelling. I cannot recommend this collection more strongly!

Blackout is a collection of short stories that intersect at the end. The main story line follows an (ex) couple, Tammi and Kareem, who find themselves together in the middle of a blackout in New York City. The other couples, Lana and Tristán, Nella and Joss, Treshawn and Kayla, Tremaine and JJ, and Seymour and Grace are at a different points in their relationships. Some are just meeting, some are already broken up, some are heading in a new direction.

I really enjoyed having a collection of different female authors of color coming together to write this. The themes of identity, self-reflection, and love resonate with young adult readers and also with older readers. A great read overall.


Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a free advance copy of this book to review.

This collection of stories by a group of total powerhouses is not to be missed! The Black joy is palpable throughout the entire book and it was such a delight to read. Every single story is incredible and they are so different yet delicately intertwined in the same universe. I don’t think I could pick a favorite out of the bunch.

I also loved the spectrum of LGBTQ+ representation in the book - I feel like it’s so important to show a diverse array of stories next to one another with equal validation in the text. That is exactly what happens here, and it’s so beautiful to see queer love portrayed in these pages.

This book is such a beautiful collaboration. Each of the six authors spins a tale about love, more specifically Black love. In the acknowledgements, Clayton writes that her niece asked "why Black girls didn't get big love stories," so she led the effort to create Blackout.

Each of these love stories is unique. Some highlight life-long love, others show budding new romances, one shows the importance of self-love. All of these stories celebrate Black love and joy. This gorgeous book releases this Tuesday (6/21). Even if you have to walk miles in the dark to get there, be sure to get your copy!

Favorite Quotes:- "If I can't love and accept myself just as I am, why the h*ll would I expect anybody else to?"- "But all at once I decide that you can't be brave unless you're at least a little scared."- "When she does, it'll fill one more spot on the Karen Bingo we got in the class group chat for ever time Mrs. Tucker does something Karenish."- "Because loving that person is a choice you have to make every day, even when that day isn't what you expect."

This was a fast, fun read. I could actually feel the heat and the urgentness during the blackout. Although all the stories had merit, I especially enjoyed Tiffany and Dhonielle’s segments.

Thanks to NetGalley for an early copy. Absolutely loved this set of intertwined short stories. Each one had its own path with a main pair of characters, but each mentioned characters in other stories and had an ultimate destination for everyone. I loved how the stories were unique yet all took place in the same city on the same day/night. It really felt like you are getting to know multiple people in a world all existing at the same time. Highly recommend this book.

I find it so fitting that I read most of BLACKOUT during an actual blackout in my country!! My experience might not have included a meet cute or realizing I'm head over heels with a coworker, but these six incredible authors gave me such a serotonin boost with stories that made me smile from ear to ear and root for each couple's successful pairing! This was also my first time reading Ashley Woodfolk's writing, and WOW. I'm a fan for life. Highly recommend diving into BLACKOUT if you're looking for feel-good romance that also explores identity, social expectations, self-love, philosophical musings, and history through the eyes of six Black teens in New York. One of my absolute favorite reads of 2021!

Six authors. Multiple couples. One blackout.
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A summer heatwave has shuttered NYC into darkness when the power goes out, leaving lots of drama behind. Couples will break up, get back together, meet and fall in love, have a chance encounter, a meet cute and more. When the lights go out, truths emerge.
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What can you say about a collaboration like this? Six strong, talented, beautiful Black women writing love stories about Black couples was everything I wanted. I love exactly how it was laid out as well with one story told in acts, while others rotated around it with each story connected to another. This is the perfect summer YA romance read! Thank you @netgalley for this ARC. Blackout releases TUESDAY! Can’t wait for my copy to arrive!