Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book, as this book has already been published, I will not share my review on Netgalley at this time.

Stars: 3 out of 5.

The problem with anthologies is that the stories in them are usually very uneven. You can find some hidden gems, but you will also find stories that are uninspiring to say the least.

In this particular case, the idea behind the anthology was great. The tired trope of the Chosen One has been done into oblivion over the years, but most of the Chosen Ones are children or young adults. It's like your membership to this club automatically expires once you turn twenty, or something. It's refreshing to see stories about Chosen Ones who are middle-aged, and have a wealth of experience behind them. Who have lived their lives, had their teenage rebellions, have settled into their lives, and pretty much know who they are and what they want. 

In theory, this premise, this should make for wonderful stories, where the Chosen One doesn't need prophets or kings to tell them what to do or how to act, and have a strong moral compass on their own. The execution, however, is rather disappointing.

I think the only story I really liked was A Legacy of Ghosts. It felt like a fully fleshed out story with a sympathetic protagonist and some stakes you could feel. The Jackalope Wives was okay as well, but I felt that I liked it more due to the author's writing style than due to the story itself. Another one I truly enjoyed was Once A Queen. It had that Wayward Children by Seanan McGuire series vibe, and I enjoyed at least the first 2-3 books in that series.

The rest of the stories ranged from meh to frankly mediocre. I went back to re-read the titles of the stories before I sat down to write this review, and I was sad to discover that I couldn't even remember what some of the stories were about. Yes, they were that unmemorable.

I would say that this is an anthology that you can pick up from your library just to read a few select stories, and don't feel guilty returning it having skipped the rest.

PS: I received an advanced copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

TW// mention of divorce, mention of physical punishment/child abuse, mentions of slavery, racism, death (including of parents, children, spouses, siblings), mentions of cancer, murder, mentions of war, maternal death, mention of gun violence, mention of depression, mentions of suicide, mentions of illicit drug use, n-slur, gore, sexism, suicide attempt, animal death, mentions of rape attempts, mention of drugging, mention of pedophilia

Average star rating for the anthology: 2.53 stars (rounded up for the sake of an even star rating)

I loved the idea behind this anthology. It sounded like it would be awesome to read a story where people who are a bit older in life finally get their chosen one stories. However, I felt like most of the stories in this anthology were either mediocre or outright terrible. I don’t think this anthology is one that I’d necessarily recommend reading unless you want to pick through and only read a handful of the stories. My favorites were “A Legacy of Ghosts,” “The M.A.M.I. Incident,” and “Once A Queen.”

Lean In: The Lord of Hell is Coming - 1 star: A weak start to the anthology. This story was a cheesy mess that I was rolling my eyes at while reading. I found Vincent to be a very bland character that I didn’t care about at all. Mary Ann was even worse. She was arrogant and had terribly written dialogue.

Big Momma Saves the World - 1 star: This story had a lot of potential, but I disliked the main character Lavitra. I found her to be really annoying and arrogant. I also found the villains to be really weak and they weren’t explained well, so I couldn’t quite understand why the two sides were fighting each other.

A Legacy of Ghosts - 4 stars: The first one I enjoyed in this anthology. I found Morgan to be a really likable main character. I loved how she knew what she wanted in life and how she would do whatever it took to get it. The writing style in this story was beautiful. I liked the romance as well, but I wish the story would’ve been slightly longer so that we could see the romance bloom even more.

The M.A.M.I. Incident - 4 stars: A really interesting dystopian story. It would’ve been better as a full length novel, but it was really suspenseful and it posed some great moral questions.

Adya and the Messengers - 1 star: An incredibly boring story. It was very repetitive and read like a bland fairy tale. I hated Adya as a character and I wish she would’ve had more agency in the story. Truthfully Adya could’ve been replaced with any other character because she let the spirits guide her to her destiny instead of taking charge of her life.

Soccer Mom Saves The World - 2 stars: I liked the idea of a demon invading a soccer game, but I found the story to be way too cheesy and most of the characters felt two dimensional.

My Roots Run Deep - 3 stars: The most meaningful and impactful story in this collection. I liked how the story wove history with fantasy and the present time to create an interesting story. However, I wasn’t super attached to any of the characters and I in particular hated Devlin. He gave me weird vibes and he should’ve taken “no” as no instead of trying to pursue Mia for years until she said yes.

It’s My Nature - A “Monster Hunter Mom” Adventure - 3 stars: The monster was really creative, but the rest of the story was really weak and bland.

Truthteller - 2 stars: I liked Jenn, but I didn’t like much else about Truthteller. I’m not a huge fan of magical realism, especially when it comes to magical artifacts. I also don’t understand why Lydia would risk her life for someone she barely knows.

Utopia - 2 stars: Utopia had the potential to be great, but it centered on the part of the alien invasion that I personally care least about. It also felt like an incomplete story. It needed more.

Jackalope Wives - 3 stars: I liked the idea of the Jackalope Wives. They’re interesting creatures and it would be fun to have a whole novel focusing on them. For this short story though, I felt like I wanted more out of it. I wanted a deeper meaning and stronger characterization.

Granny - 3 stars: I have mixed feelings on this one. On the one hand, I love a crime fighting granny. On the other hand, the way granny goes about her crime fighting makes her somewhat of a Karen. She seems to call the cops anytime she witnesses anything suspicious, so I have a strong feeling that unless she has magical powers, she’s definitely called the cops on someone who didn’t need to be arrested.

Launch Day Milkshakes - 2 stars: I was really confused for most of this story. No one can write a clearly understandable virtual reality and space exploration science fiction story in just a few short pages.

The Sunspear - A “Greymantle” Story - 2 stars: I liked the setting, but I hated the characters and I wish the villains were explained more clearly.

Once A Queen - 5 stars: My favorite one in this anthology. Once A Queen seemed like a Narnia inspired story. It was wonderful and reading it felt like receiving a warm hug from someone you love. I could read a whole series about this story and never get bored.

By The Works Of Her Hands - 3 stars: The ending of the story was confusing, but other than that the story was okay. There was parts I enjoyed and other parts I hated. Definitely a mixed bag for me.

All The World’s Treasures - 2 stars: I liked Kristin and Por Por, but the story was boring and the aliens were confusing.

Strange Wings - 2 stars: I didn’t care much for this story, and the story felt incomplete. It was all lead up to a character being asked to accept their calling. There was no action, and the fantasy elements weren’t explained well.

The Mountain Witch - 3 stars: I loved the romance, but hated the writing style.

I collected quite a few short story books to read, and I have finally been getting down to it. With books like this, and the varied content, I feel like talking about individual chapters is the only way I can make sense of what I think of the book as a whole. If you identify any author you are already aware of, you will be able to spot them better here.

Lean In: The Lord of Hell Is Coming by Ericka Kahler – 3 stars

This story started innocuously enough when a woman is approached to be the chosen one who can control demons. The information has reached her a little late since she already has a scheme in place. An Interesting way to begin.

Big Momma Saves the World by Maurice Broaddus – 2 stars

Unknown family history and powers that are wielded are not well explained. Overall I was invested in the events discussed here.

A Legacy of Ghosts by Sarah Hans – 3 stars

A woman has unresolved issues with her mother. Her being a medium does not help, but she has surrounded herself with positive people – so there is a plan in place.

The M.A.M.I. Incident by Guadalupe Garcia McCall – 4 stars

The powerful maternal instinct is at war with the robots who have been created to care for the children better than a human mother ever could. It is a complex point to debate about.

Adya and the Messengers by Jaymie Wagner – 5 stars

A woman contention her pastoral life is continuously approached by messengers asking her to fulfil her chosen role. The simplicity of the eventual story was what made me really enjoy this tale.

Soccer Mom Saves the World by Addie J. King – 2 stars

Demons are a part and parcel of this world, and a soccer mom manages to join the fight and prove her strength. Was not as enamored by the entire plot, although the writing was straightforward.

My Roots Run Deep by John F. Allen – 3 stars

An African talisman that allows the lead protagonist to see through to evil thoughts. She uses it to uncover a plot for the loss of control of the neighbourhood.

It’s My Nature by JD Blackrose – 2 stars

A monster in an unexpected form. Given the buildup about the family lineage of the lead protagonist, I expected a more complex final reveal.

Truthteller by Linda Robertson – 4 stars

A woman who had to always tell the truth. She has to find a way out, however, to save a life. It was an interesting premise, that the author managed to conclude well.

Utopia by Vaseem Khan – 4 stars

A fascinating look at what fractured pieces of information can do, and how a distorted view which is not cohesive can hide enormous facts.

Jackalope Wives by Ursula Vernon – 4 stars

This story has a different voice than the others. the fantasy tone and the way the story unravels are done in a whimsical manner. The whimsy does little to disguise the brutality of what the results of unthinking actions are.

Granny by R.J. Sullivan – 3 stars

A woman with time on her hands helps observe the neighbourhood. Unexpectedly, she has some help!

Launch Day Milkshakes by Jim C. Hines – 5 stars

Two people meet at a virtual cafe to discuss the fate of the future and that of immortality. What makes the tale are the reasons that Mabel was chosen to be the ‘brain’ sent on the mission.

The Sunspear by Alexandra Pitchford – 3 stars

Good twist between people who assume they are the chosen ones and those who have no say in the matter.

Once a Queen by Alana Joli Abbott – 3 stars

A world away where three women were more beloved and essentially felt like they had more value than their regular life. It is an interesting point to contemplate.

By the Works of Her Hands by LaShawn M. Wanak – 4 stars

I think my rating solely depends on the last few sentences and how it changes the entire tone of the narrative. A woman finds out that her son has gone through a portal, and she goes in behind him to bring him back. What she finds is a whole new avenue to put her skills to use.

All the World’s Treasures by Kimberly Pauley – 3 stars

In a small shop, trade impacts the world and space. It is also about what underappreciated women are capable of.

Strange Wings by Kathryn Ivey – 3 stars

We assume the chosen one is positive, but there is a twist here since the work is dangerous and a mother wants to protect her daughter at all costs.

The Mountain Witch by Lucy A. Snyder – 3 stars

The truth behind whispers and legends. The story took some unexpected and some expected turns.

All the stories were quick reads individually. Whether I liked them or not, they were well-written and none of them dragged. For fans of short stories, this might actually work even better than it did for me.

I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience.

Oh my word! I loved the idea behind this anthology!! It makes so much sense to me, I mean, why can’t middle aged people still save the world?!

The stories were fun, some hit or miss, but mostly on pointe with the premise.

This is a book that should be on everyone’s reading list!

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and Outland Entertainment for a copy!

Never Too Old to Save the World is a great book full of different stories. I really enjoyed a couple of the stories that focused on the reusal of the call trope, as I love a procrastinator. This was really enjoyable and I look forward to checking out some of the authors other works!

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for providing me with an arc for an honest review!

This anthology caught my attention for its premise:

"Once every generation there is a Chosen One, who will stand between humanity and darkness.
But why is the Chosen One so often a teenager? (...) Whose idea was it to put the fate of the world in the hands of someone without a fully developed prefrontal cortex?"

Writing as someone who is almost forty, I cherish this idea that we are never too old to go on adventures!

As with every collection of this type, there were amazing stories, and some that didn't speak to me as much, but I can honestly say, there is something for everyone here.

From portal fantasies to Chosen-Ones-CEOs, from mothers to grandmothers to soon-to-be mothers. from the mystical to the more mundane, this anthology is seriously worth your time!

I absolutely love that we get all these renditions of a chosen one who isn't a teenager! I loved a chosen one trope as a kid/teen and now as an adult I still enjoy it and want to read more of it, but to see people who have the same, or more, life experience as me, well that's just great.

As with any anthology some stories aren't as much of a hit as others but it was still fun to enter so many different worlds and read from authors I was unfamiliar with. Unfortunately some anthologies have short stories that are just not meant to be short stories, or at least not as short as an anthology has space for, and there are some here that suffer from that.

After reading all of the stories, I found myself super conflicted. There's a brief HP reference and for an anthology that is "inclusive" this feels VERY strange. I don't feel comfortable recommending this to people for that reason. I understand that for many, myself included, HP is such a huge part of their reading journey/childhood, but that doesn't mean the reading world shouldn't move on from it.

I loved the idea of this anthology so much, but there were very, very few stories I actually enjoyed in it, and one of those was Ursula Vernon's Jackalope Wives, which I've read before elsewhere. I found it hard to connect to the style of most of the rest of the collection, which is a shame.

*Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book for review, all opinions are my own*

Lean in: the lord of hell is coming By Ericka Kahler-3.5 stars

Big momma saves the world By Maurice Broaddus-2 stars

A legacy of ghosts By Sarah Hans- 4 stars

The M.A.M.I incident By Guadalupe García McCall- 5 stars

Adya and the messengers By Jaymie Wagner- DNF

Soccer mom saves the world By Addie J.King- 4 stars

My roots run deep By John F.Allen- 3.5 stars

It's my nature By JD Blackrose- 3 stars

Truthteller By Linda Robertson- DNF

Utopia By Vaseem Khan- 2.5 stars

Jacklope wives By Ursula Vernon- 2 stars

Granny By R.J.Sullivan- 3.5 stars

Lunch and milkshakes By Jim C.Hines- 3 stars

The sunspear By Alexandra Picthford- DNF

Once a queen By Alana Joli Abbott- 3 stars

By the works of her hands By LaShawn M.Wanak- 4 stars

All the world's treasures By Kimberly Pauley- 3 stars

Strange wings By Kathryn Ivey- 4 stars

The mountain witch By Lucy A.Snyder- DNF

What if you didn’t find a wardrobe to Narnia – or anywhere else – back when you were 8? And you didn’t get your Hogwarts letter at 11? And Gandalf didn’t even manage to come to take you on an adventure at 50?

Or perhaps, by the time Gandalf found you at 50, you thought you were too old to go on adventures – or – and much more likely – had too many commitments in the so-called ‘real world’ to run off and leave your responsibilities behind? After all, Bilbo very nearly did.

That’s what this collection is about. It’s all about people who pick up the mantle of the ‘Chosen One’ in some fantasy or science fictional world who are explicitly not children or teens. Who are a bit too tied down – or a bit too wised up – to be the fool that rushes in where angels rightly fear to tread. Or so they think.

This collection is for everyone who missed that wardrobe or that letter and still wonders whether or not they’d have what it takes – or have the willingness to feel the fear and do it anyway – if a white wizard or a mad man with a blue box came calling for them.

There are 19 fabulous stories in this collection – and I think I loved every single one. To the point where I can’t just pick one favorite. I have to pick two.

My favorite fantasy story is “Jackalope Wives” by Ursula Vernon – who also writes marvelously fantastic fantasy and horror as T. Kingfisher. “Jackalope Wives” is the only story in the book that has been previously published, originally in Apex Magazine and later in her short story collection Jackalope Wives and Other Stories.

This is the story that won the 2014 Nebula Award for Best Short Story and should have won the 2015 Hugo Award in the same category. But, well, puppies. I digress and I need to stop to keep from going there again. Because ARRGGGHHH. Still.

“Jackalope Wives” is one of those stories that surprises the reader with a twist at the end that is even more heartbreaking, in its way, than the story you thought you were reading – which was already heartbreaking enough. Grandma Harken is absolutely correct that “You get over what you can’t have faster than you get over what you could.” But the truth of that statement doesn’t make the getting over any faster or any easier.

As a counterweight to the bitter, bitter sweetness of “Jackalope Wives”, my science fictional favorite story is “Launch Day Milkshakes” by Jim C. Hines, which is literally laugh out loud funny. To the point where I started laughing and couldn’t get a breath OR stop as my spouse looked over at me like I’d lost my mind because I could not catch enough breath to explain the joke.

At first, “Launch Day Milkshakes” is a story about absolutely deliciously getting one over on a misogynistic asshat boss in the biggest and best way possible. It’s also a brainship story in the vein of Anne McCaffrey’s classic, The Ship Who Sang. But that’s not all it is, and neither of those things were the parts that made me laugh so hard – no matter how much I enjoyed the asshat’s comeuppance. Which I very much did. I’m not going to spoil this one because it’s just so much fun when you get the joke – and see it get batted around like the universe’s biggest ball of yarn.

I know I said two favorites, but my third is kind of a riff on Buffy, meaning that there’s some urban fantasy in here as well. “Lean In: The Lord of Hell is Coming” by Ericka Kahler starts out with the local representative for the equivalent of the Watchers coming to a CEO to tell her that demons are coming to her city and that she’s the ‘Chosen One’ who is supposed to vanquish them. It’s not news to Mary Ann because she already has, just not in the way that heaven expected or that hell can ever manage to fight. I think this one is funnier the longer you think about it.

Of the rest of the collection, there are considerably more fantasy stories than SF as fantasy does tend to lend itself more to ‘chosen one’ narratives. Not that there haven’t been more than a few famous SF stories in this vein (I’m looking at you, Luke Skywalker – ahem). But magical appointments, by their very nature, do find themselves a bit more comfy – while their protagonists are generally quite uncomfy – in fantasy.

Because I loved this collection so hard, I can’t resist a brief shout out to every single one of the stories in it. The SF stories are listed first because there were fewer of them and because I’m contrary that way.

“The M.A.M.I. Incident” by Guadalupe Garcia McCall reminded me a whole lot of Day Zero by Robert C. Cargill which makes for a great but uncomfortable story.
“Utopia” by Vaseem Khan about making a friend out of a very great enemy.
“All the World’s Treasures” by Kimberly Pauley about a family legacy that is just so much bigger on the inside than it first appears.
“Big Momma Saves the World” by Maurice Broaddus about the great power in bad macaroni and cheese.
“A Legacy of Ghosts” by Sarah Hans about exorcizing one’s very own demon family with the power of positive thinking.
“Adya and the Messengers” by Jaymie Wagner about the proper treatment of heavenly messengers and their steeds.
“Soccer Mom Saves the World” by Addie J. King, a story whose title does pretty much say it all.
“My Roots Run Deep” by John F. Allen about a social worker saving the multiverse and getting her groove back at the same time.
“It’s My Nature – A ‘Monster Hunter Mom’ Adventure” by JD Blackrose, another one whose title gives more than a bit of a clue about the story.
“Truthteller” by Linda Robertson, a historical fantasy about an object of power that isn’t quite what any of the parties seeking it imagined.
“Granny” by R.J. Sullivan about a neighborhood snoop who is way more than she seems.
“The Sunspear” by Alexandra Pitchford, about a young woman who believes she has a destiny and a middle aged woman who is running from hers.
“Once a Queen” by Alana Joli Abbott, a Narnia-like story with a much better ending.
“By the Works of Her Hands” by LaShawn M. Wanak, another Narnia-type story where the portal opens as a lure to pull the right person in chasing after the young fool who rushes in believing that they are ‘the one’ when they’re just bait for their mother.
“Strange Wings” by Kathryn Ivey about a warning that comes nearly too late.
And last in both the collection and this list: “The Mountain Witch” by Lucy A. Snyder about the uses to which both heroes and villains are put when they are both female.
Escape Rating A+: I don’t normally list every single story in a collection like this, but this collection frequently got me in the feels and gave me something to identify with in just about every story. Sometimes we all need that reminder that age is just a number and that everyone has it in them to save, if not the world, at least their corner of it.

I’m also still hoping against hope that Gandalf will finally get the hint!

Hello Fellow Readers,

Oh boy,m did I enjoy this book! Are you tired of teenage heroines? Why do the underage protagonists get to have all the fun? Do you like the chosen one trope but are tired of all the same old stories getting played out? Then, this book is for you. As a woman who most people think is past her prime it's nice to read a story with a protagonist that I could relate to that isn't a second chance romance. Don't get me wrong I love them but women past the age of 30 are able to do amazing things.

In most anthologies, there is always a couple of stories that miss their mark but in Never too Old to Save the World I enjoyed every single one. There were times I wished that a particular story would have kept going or that I hope would turn into a series, but that's one of the downfalls of reading short story anthologies. Each writer was able to put their own unique twist on the chosen one trope and no two stories felt the same, it was a breath of fresh air each time. I was so sad when I got to the last story because that meant that the book was going to end. Here's me holding out hope for a second anthology soon.

Overall, I absolutely enjoyed this book.

I love the idea of this anthology. At 54, I am not ready to give up saving the world and I am delighted to see stories about folks in the upper age ranges at the center of save the world stories. As is always true with anthologies, not every story was for me. There are some real gems in here. It’s wonderfully inclusive. I wish I could recommend it.

There’s one story that throws in a brief and unnecessary Harry Potter reference, which means I cannot recommend the whole anthology. I understand that Harry Potter is a cultural touchstone for a lot of people. It makes me sad that the author has made being a transphobe and a homophobe her whole personality. It was a choice to include the reference and it was a choice by the editors to leave it in. Given the harm that the famous and wealthy British author is doing in the world, I am making a choice to not support her, her work, or encourage her continuing influence.

I don’t want one woman who is using her enormous wealth and platform to make the world a more miserable place, to harm the authors who didn’t reference her work. So here are some notable authors and stories from the anthology that I encourage you to support:

Ursula Vernon and Jim C. Hines are predictably good and entertaining. Vernon’s “The Jackelope Wives” is powerfully and quietly bittersweet. In Hines’ “Launch Day Milkshake.” a rich man gets metaphorically spanked while two older women and some cats save the world.

Sarah Hans “A Legacy of Ghosts” will be relatable for anyone who has dealt with a toxic mother’s legacy. I would like to note that the love interest in this story is a transwoman.

Mothers and grandmothers are featured heavily. Jaymie Wagner’s “Adya and the Messengers” protagonist is a mother and grandmother without giving birth. In LaShawn M. Wanak’s portal fantasy, “By the Works of her Hands,” a single mother uses her knowledge and skills as a social worker to help a war torn fantasy world, while the son she raised to be good and kind becomes a different kind of hero. Maurice Broaddus’ “Big Momma Saves the World” is a bittersweet romp with recipes that are the key to the future.

I wish Kathryn Ivey had taken out that Harry Potter reference, because there’s so much to love about this anthology.

I received this as an advance reader copy from Outland Entertainment and NetGalley. My opinions are my own, freely and honestly given.

Never Too Old to Save the World; A Midlife Calling Anthology by John F Allen; J.D. Blackrose; Maurice Broaddus; Sarah Hans; Jim C. Hines; Ericka Kahler; Vaseem Khan; Guadalupe Garcia McCall; Kimberly Pauley; Alexandra Pitchford; Linda Robertson; Kathryn Ivey; Lucy A Snyder; RJ Sullivan; Jaymie Wagner; LaShawn M. Wanak; Ursula Vernon - was an incredible book of short stories proving that you are never too old or too young to save the world!

I really loved the theme of this anthology that focuses on older characters being the Chosen One and saving the world. Some were more epic in scale than others, where I think the author interpreted the theme very loosely. Most of the stories would fall within fantasy, but there are a couple that are more scifi.

Lean In: The Lord of Hell Is Coming by Ericka Kahler (4⭐)
I liked this take on the Chosen One refusing violence. Not very subtle and a bit repetitive, though.

Big Momma Saves the World by Maurice Broaddus (2⭐)
The idea behind this was interesting, but I was just very confused.

A Legacy of Ghosts by Sarah Hans (4⭐)
I liked the drama of this one. It did a lot for a short story.

The M.A.M.I. Incident by Guadalupe Garcia McCall (2⭐)
The idea behind this was interesting, but the story itself felt chaotic and unhinged, with a plot twist that came out of nowhere.

Adya and the Messengers by Jaymie Wagner (5⭐)
This was really sweet, and I loved the fairytale vibes.

Soccer Mom Saves the World by Addie J. King (3⭐)
It got a bit chaotic at one point, but was fun overall.

My Roots Run Deep by John F. Allen (1⭐)
This was a mess. The plot was nonsensical, and words were used that don't mean what the author apparently thinks they mean.

It's My Nature by JD Blackrose (4⭐)
Enjoyed this overall, some of the dialogue was really good.

Truthteller by Linda Robertson (5⭐)
Really liked the premise and execution. A lot of worldbuilding packed into this one without making it feel like an infodump.

Utopia by Vaseem Khan (4⭐)
I enjoyed this but the ending was very abrupt.

Jackalope Wives by Ursula Vernon (5⭐)
This is the reason I picked up this anthology, and I was not disappointed. Vernon's prose and stories always hit. Love the dark fairytale vibes.

Granny by R.J. Sullivan (2⭐)
There was nothing wrong with this, it just wasn't very memorable and had some cheesy dialogue.

Launch Day Milkshakes by Jim C. Hines (3⭐)
This was mostly a conversation between 2 characters, which is a shame because the concept was interesting, it just felt underutilized/underdeveloped.

The Sunspear by Alexandra Pitchford (2⭐)
This was very vague and very chaotic, and I never really got a handle on what was going on.

Once a Queen by Alana Joli Abbott (4⭐)
Even though not much happens, this was still cute. Wish there had been more time to explore the portal world.

By the Works of Her Hands by LaShawn M. Wanak (5⭐)
Loved the writing and the idea of a social worker going to a portal world and helping different creatures from that world find better places in our own.

All the World's Treasures by Kimberly Pauley (4⭐)
Por por was a force to be reckoned with. Loved reading about her.

Strange Wings by Kathryn Ivey (2⭐)
This was description-heavy, and then there was a lot of walking, and when we finally got to the good part, the story ended.

The Mountain Witch by Lucy A. Snyder (3⭐)
Discusses how history is historically rewritten to suit what men want/need.

"Once every generation there is a Chosen One, who will stand between humanity and darkness.

But why is the Chosen One so often a teenager? Why do only children get swept through portals to save the fantastic world on the other side? Whose idea was it to put the fate of the world in the hands of someone without a fully developed prefrontal cortex?

In Never Too Old to Save the World, nineteen authors explore what would happen if the Chosen One were called midlife. What would happen if the Chosen One were:

a soccer mom
a cat lady
a nosy grandmother
a social worker
a retiree
an aging swordmaster?

The Chosen One could be anyone - because when the universe calls, the real question is whether the hero will take up the mantle and answer their midlife calling. Sometimes the world needs a hero who's already been in the thick of chaos and survived. In those cases, age does matter."

Not that I'm willing to admit I'm in my midlife, I just love this concept so much. Think how experience could help in an end of the world/Chosen One situation?

Thank you, Outland Entertainment and NetGalley for allowing me to read this book!

I found this collection of short stories particularly strong. While there were a few that did not catch my interest as much as others, I found each story a page-turner in their own way. In a short amount of pages, a world was created, a reasonably-aged hero arose to subvert the expectations of others. I was also so pleasantly surprised by how many of the heroes were queer!

4.5 out of 5 stars! I look forward to reading the other works of the authors.

I am usually not the type to read anthologies so I tend to not request or buy them - but this one had me incredibly intrigued. As a 40+ year old female reader I really enjoyed the premise of older female chosen ones that is taken out of a reality we as adults know. I was really excited to see how the different type of adults will learn about and deal with being a chosen one. So many possibilities in my mind!

I truly appreciated the racial and social class variety of the protagonists, some darker endings and creative uses of some typical fantasy tropes. But overall unfortunately I felt like most of the stories lacked the depth that I wanted it to go to. There were some real gems in this anthology but the majority was mediocre at best. The quality of the stories varied quite a bit and I do have to wonder if in the end it might be my general feelings towards short stories that most of these did not really hit the mark for me that I was hoping for. It might also be that a lot of the stories really did not go where I wanted it to go. Some of them were just beating around the bush and when it got interesting it faded to black. Some of them just showed a small snapshot of a heroines life but never "really" got into the element of the chosen one. But the few gems in this anthology are definitely worth sitting down and reading (skimming) through the mediocre ones so I still would whole-heartedly recommend this book to other readers.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an advance copy of the book in exchange for this honest review.

A solid 4.5/5 stars!

Just, wow! I had such high hopes for this as soon as I read the description, and I'm so glad it (mostly) didn't disappoint!! All of these short stories centre on a middle aged or older woman (and one man) either being Chosen or choosing themselves to save their world as they know it. It's very refreshing to read from the point of view of someone who's "too old for this" but does it anyway so she can help the orcs and dryads lead a better life ("By The Works of Her Hands" by LaShawn M Wanak), or the cool-headed Boss who's figured out the way to get her demon employees to behave is to negotiate with them like she does with her toddlers ("Lean In: The Lord of Hell is Coming" by Ericka Kahler).

I honestly loved almost all of these, my top three favourites being "Launch Day Milkshakes" by Jim C Hines (one word - CATS 😭), "The Mountain Witch" by Lucy A Snyder (I love witch stories that end up being a surprise Sapphic love story!!!!!), and "Strange Wings" by Kathryn Ivey (I really want to see this fleshed out into a full novel, what happens next?!). I really enjoyed "The M.A.M.I. Incident" by Guadalupe Garcia McCall, but I was also confused for a lot of it and this one I feel would absolutely benefit from being expanded into a longer story.

The only reason I give 4.5 instead of 5 were because of two stories I just Did. Not. Like. First was "Soccer Mom Saves The World" by Addie J King. This was just so cheesy, it really felt like it should have been in a YA collection and didn't fit the vibe of the rest of the stories. I ended up skimming the last half of it because it was just so lame, lol. The second was "Granny" by R.J. Sullivan. A nosy old lady that sits on her front porch and uses opera glasses to spy on her neighbours alongside Gregory the Garden Gnome because she "just knows" when crime is about to happen, so she then tips off her ol' pal Lt Brain McDowell of the Indianapolis police and arrest those ruffians infiltrating her neighbourhood! Great! 🙃 I hated this from start to finish and am so glad it was in the middle, bc if it was at the start I may not have continued, and if it was the last one I would have been so disappointed hahahaha.

Oh, and that the cover art wasn't based on a story within the book. It's cool art, just not a story in this anthology and that was disappointing.

All in all this was a fantastic collection of short stories. I am so excited to sell this in my bookstore next month!

Thank you so much NetGalley and Outland Entertainment for thus fantastic arc, and discover some new authors to boot!

Nonostante la bella idea di mostrare come non solo ragazzini, adolescenti e giovani fascinosi possano essere eroi, qualche bel racconto (T. Kingfisher su tutti, anche se era un pezzo che avevo già apprezzato altrove), la varietà razziale e di ceto sociale dei protagonisti e gli utilizzi creativi di alcuni topoi fondamentali del fantasy, l'antologia non sfugge alla mediocrità del grosso delle antologie multiautore: alcuni buoni racconti persi in una maggioranza che non sa di nulla.
Vale comunque il tempo di leggere Utopia, Jackalope Wives, Launch Day Milkshakes, By the Works of Her Hands e assaggiare gli altri.