Tales from Beyond the Rainbow - Pete Jordi Wood

Initial Draw: ☆☆☆☆☆
Character Development: n/a
Plot/Writing Style: ☆☆

Overall: ⭐⭐

From the cover:

"These are the fairy tales that history forgot - or concealed. Tales in which gender is fluid and where queer stories can have a happy ending. From the humble sailor who finds his handsome prince to the transgender market girl who becomes queen, from Europe to Asia via the African savannah, LGBTQ+ folklore researcher Pete Jordi Wood has combed through generations of history and collected and adapted ten unforgettable stories featuring queer characters."

📚📚📚 

*deep breath*

The thing about this book is, I didn't read closely enough and just kind of assumed that Pete Jordi Wood was heading up the collection of an anthology of updated fairy tales by various authors. Why would I assume that? Because Pete Jordi Wood is white, and many of the stories included in this book come from other cultures, and the subtitle of this book is "Ten LGBTQ+ Folk Stories Proudly Reclaimed" and it seems wild and bold to me to declare a collection of stories from other cultures "proudly reclaimed" because you, a white person, is rewriting them.

Like...was there no way to solicit authors from those cultures to put a new spin on an old folk tale?

It was impossible?

So yeah, that's a little sus to me. Related, not a lot of differences between some of the stories. I know they're based on folklore, so maybe those folktales were virtually identical and that's why the reclaimed, amazing, much better spin was also identical, but this seems like a problem that inviting collaboration from authors of that culture likely would have solved. Just saying. It really didn't help that in addition to being incredibly similar, the writing was also kind of flat. 

And then even beyond all that, what topics did this proudly reclaimed, more queer-inclusive book of "updated" fairy tales feature? Transphobia as the driving plot point, in many of the stories. Bury your gays as the driving trope in at least two of the stories. I suppose it's possible that this is just me, but personally when I'm reading a book called Tales From Beyond the Rainbow that boasts updated stories featuring queer characters, I expect more centering of queer joy and less of exactly the same thing that queer people experience in real life, but make it fantasy! 

Anyhow...I was very excited about this book, checked it out from the public library to read so I could decide if I wanted to buy it for my school library. And I'm glad I did, because no, I will not be adding it to my library. Womp womp.

Scattered Showers - Rainbow Rowell

Initial Draw: ☆☆☆☆☆
Plot/Writing Style: ☆☆☆☆☆
Overall: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This is a collection of nine short stories, some based in existing Rainbow Rowell worlds and some featuring new characters and places. All in all, I greatly enjoyed it! Individually, I definitely had my favorites. Shall we go story by story to hear my thoughts? We shall.

Midnights: Loved it. So cute. The flashback, the slow burn, the dance moves and jokes about allergic reactions. Just adorable.

Kindred Spirits: Pretty good! I think this one struck a chord with me because my first job was at a movie theater, so people camping out for a movie brought back memories. I thought the character development was impressive given the length of the story, it had some excellent reveals, and overall I really enjoyed it. 

Winter Songs for Summer: Oh, this one might have been my favorite. Benji is adorable - I love him, his weightlifting gloves, and his mixed CDs. It's set at the same college, so it makes sense, but it gave me big Fangirl vibes.

The Snow Ball: Looooook...this one fell off a bit for me. Maybe it was the pace? I didn't check page numbers, but it felt like one of, if not the, shortest, and it was all one scene, super heavy on dialogue. I just didn't see the chemistry between the characters. It felt forced.

If the Fates Allow: REAGAN! This is set in the Fangirl world, and I love Reagan, and I love it. I'd read most of it before, when it was initially released as a standalone short story, but Rowell expanded it a bit for Scattered Showers (either that or I totally deleted part of it from my brain?), and while it's kind of tough reading a very COVID-centric story while the majority of the Western world pretends it no longer exists and abandons those of us who still try to be safe to bear all the weight of the pandemic on our own, I still love Reagan, and I still love her story. And I love her for being so COVID-responsible!

The Prince and the Troll: Hahaaaaaa, this one drove Joel up a wall! Is it an allegory? Is it not? What is happening?! Nothing makes sense! I thought it was very entertaining and odd and fascinating. Was it maybe sponsored by Starbucks? Could be! Reading it definitely makes me want a coffee.

Mixed Messages: This is set in the world of Attachments, which lands solidly in the middle on my ranking of Rowell's books. I found the characters' ages slightly confusing - kind of assumed they were younger than they were until toward the end - but also thought it had some funny moments. Much like the novel the characters come from, middle of the road for me.

Snow for Christmas - SIMON SNOW, babyyyyy! I'll read anything with Basilton Pitch in it. I love him forever. And I thought this was a very sweet story. Have you read the Carry On series? If not, what the fuck are you waiting for? Get after it!

In Waiting - Last one, and oooooh, it was so interesting! Not only was I intrigued from the start, it really got me in a writing mood. Of course, I was reading this in bed to Joel before we went to sleep, so I did not actually write after reading it...but I wanted to, and that counts for something, right?

Unbroken: 13 Stories Starring Disabled Teens - Marieke Nijkamp

My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

From the cover:

"This anthology explores disability in fictional tales told from the viewpoint of disabled characters, written by disabled creators. With stories in various genres about first loves, friendship, war, travel, and more, Unbroken will offer today's teen readers a glimpse into the lives of disabled people in the past, present, and future.

The contributing authors are awardwinners, bestsellers, and newcomers including Kody Keplinger, Kristine Wyllys, Francisco X. Stork, William Alexander, Corinne Duyvis, Marieke Nijkamp, Dhonielle Clayton, Heidi Heilig, Katherine Locke, Karuna Riazi, Kayla Whaley, Keah Brown, and Fox Benwell. Each author identifies as disabled along a physical, mental, or neurodiverse axis―and their characters reflect this diversity."

💭💭💭

This anthology is amazing! So many different voices, writing styles, and characters in one book did my little book nerd heart good. It's hard to do justice to a review of an anthology with one umbrella review, so I'm going to do my best to review each short story below. Overall, though...wonderful.

The Long Road by Heidi Heilig

Lihua is a young woman from Xi'an who once had a garden, an engagement, and a life. Now, seeking treatment for an illness referred to as her "bad fate," she finds herself riding through the desert with her parents, hoping to survive the dunes of the Takla Makan, the Place of No Return, and find a cure in Persia. The depth to the characters and the world they live in that Heidi developed in such a short story is a lovely way to start off this anthology. I loved the young woman Lihua meets at their stop along the road and the conversation the two share, highlighting their similar fates and vastly different outlooks on life. 5 stars.

Britt and the Bike God by Kody Keplinger

Britt, like her dad, has loved cycling since she was a child. After she started to lose her sight, her dad started a cycling club and found a tandem racing bike so Britt could still enjoy riding. Another member of the club always rides with her as captain, and she worries that those who are assigned to captain for her, especially her crush Andre, see her as a burden. When she learns that night before a big ride that Andre will be captaining for her, this worry will kick into overdrive, feeding every insecurity Britt has tried to suppress since losing her sight. This story was sweet and light, and I loved it. 5 stars. 

The Leap and the Fall by Kayla Whaley

Eloise and her best friend, Gemma, go exploring and find an abandoned carnival in the middle of the woods. Something about the place unsettles Eloise, but she follows Gemma through the dilapidated grounds...is it just the lingering air of disuse and decay setting Eloise on edge? Or is there more to the fairgrounds than meets the eye? This one might have been my favorite. 5 stars, hands down.

Per Aspera ad Astra by Katherine Locke

Lizzie is a genius coder and landed an internship with Dr. Shaw, an electromagnetic physicist assigned to develop a defense system for their planet. Lizzie helps develop a powerful shield to keep Lo safe, but her debilitating anxiety becomes too much, ultimately forcing her into a leave of absence. When Lo is attacked and her shield overpowered, will Lizzie be able to battle her anxiety and do what she can to help protect her planet and her family? As a person with anxiety, this one really hit home for me, and I felt for Lizzie and her struggle with knowing that everyone around her thought she was exaggerating or lying about the things she was experiencing. 5 stars.

Found Objects by William Alexander

A drama student with a powerful gift inadvertently leaves too much of their latest character on the stage, and a ghostly King Richard III lingers after the performance concludes. This one was interesting, but through no fault of its own was not my cup of tea. 4 stars.

Plus One by Karuna Riazi

Hafsah has the chance to go on a pilgrimage, but will her plus one, dubbed "It," weigh her down and prevent her from forming a deeper connection with her beliefs? I wasn't into this one at first, but I liked it more the further I read, and by the end I really enjoyed it. 4 stars.

The Day the Dragon Came by Marieke Nijkamp

Alix is a bonded servant to a wealthy member of the weaver district who dreams of escaping her bond and her city. Delfin is an apprentice thrilled to be a part of the construction of the city's newest tower. After the two meet, will waiting be enough? Or will Alix still do anything she can to escape her servitude and explore more of the world? This one...it's Marieke Nijkamp, guys, it was amazing, of course. 5 stars.

Captain, My Captain by Francisco X. Stork

Alberto is a teenage undocumented immigrant in the United States, living with his sister, her boyfriend, and their baby. Alberto works as a painter for his sister's boyfriend, making half what the other painters on their crew do and sending most of what he earns back to his family in Mexico. This won't be the case much longer, though, if Captain America has anything to say about it. Cap started talking to Alberto, two months ago, whispering to him that he deserved a better life and explaining to him how to get it...will Alberto listen, abandoning his sister and her baby to life with abusive Wayne? This story really tugged at my heart, and I felt Alberto's powerlessness and uncertainty. 5 stars.

Dear Nora James, You Know Nothing About Love by Dhonielle Clayton

Nora does not date. Ever. But she does write a regular column in the school newspaper called "Madame Amour," dispensing relationship advice to her fellow students. When her best friend convinces her to go on a double date with Marcus, a guy who has been crushing on her for a long time, she realizes that romantic comedies and novels aren't enough to teach her everything about relationships. Listen, guys...Dhonielle Clayton is basically a goddess. This short story was wonderful. 5 stars, duh.

A Play in Many Parts by Fox Benwell

E, pronouns they/them, doesn't want much. They just want a chance to act in one more play. Faustus. Alright, maybe they want a little more than that...they want to put together the perfect interpretation of the play, giving it everything they have and making their final performance count. Will the final production be everything E dreams of? This one was really lovely, and I enjoyed the format, a mix of narrative and script. 5 stars.

Ballad of Weary Daughters by Kristine Wyllys

River had the perfect family, until her preacher father left out of nowhere to start a new life with his mistress. Her mother started working extra hours to make ends meet, and River has to step in to care for her siblings. Lucy, her best friend, helps. The stress of trying to hold everything together will always be there, but so will Lucy.  This one was simple and sweet, and I enjoyed it. 4 stars.

Mother Nature's Youngest Daughter by Keah Brown

It's imperative that Mother Nature's children keep the secret of their powers or nothing will ever be the same. Millie, tormented by a group of popular girls at school, isn't sure she can resist finding a way to get even with the mean girls. But what will her mother say if she uses her powers over weather to get revenge? Honestly, this one was probably the one I enjoyed least. It was fine, but a little simple and just...kind of lacking when taken with the rest of the stories included in the anthology. 3 stars.

A Curse, A Kindness by Corinne Duyvis

Sienna was cursed years ago into a life as a sort of genie...if someone shows her kindness, she must repay it by granting the person three wishes. When Mia returns her chapstick and is granted the wishes, she offers to find a way to help free Sienna. Sienna, after years of seeing even the best people turn greedy in the face of such limitless options, doesn't believe freedom is possible. Will the two be able to come up with a plan to free Sienna from her curse? Loved. This. One. 5 stars.

Uncommon Type - Tom Hanks

My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

From the cover:

"A collection of seventeen wonderful short stories showing that two-time Oscar winner Tom Hanks is as talented a writer as he is an actor. 

A gentle Eastern European immigrant arrives in New York City after his family and his life have been torn apart by his country's civil war. A man who loves to bowl rolls a perfect game--and then another and then another and then many more in a row until he winds up ESPN's newest celebrity, and he must decide if the combination of perfection and celebrity has ruined the thing he loves. An eccentric billionaire and his faithful executive assistant venture into America looking for acquisitions and discover a down and out motel, romance, and a bit of real life. These are just some of the tales Tom Hanks tells in this first collection of his short stories. They are surprising, intelligent, heartwarming, and, for the millions and millions of Tom Hanks fans, an absolute must-have!"

This book is fantastic. Short stories aren't usually my jam, but Tom Hanks got me. I loved the surprise recurring characters in some of the stories along the way, and I was impressed at how different the tone and character voices were in each story.