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Reclaim the Stars: 17 Tales Across Realms & Space
Reclaim the Stars is a collection of bestselling and acclaimed YA authors that take the Latin American diaspora to places fantastical and out of this world. From princesses warring in space, to the all too-near devastation of climate change, to haunting ghost stories in Argentina, and mermaids off the coast of the Caribbean. This is science fiction and fantasy that breaks borders and realms, and proves that stories are truly universal.
Authors include Vita Ayala, David Bowles, Daniel José Older, J.C. Cervantes, Sara Faring, Romina Garber, Isabel Ibañez, Anna-Marie McLemore, Yamile Saied Méndez, Nina Moreno, Circe Moskowitz, Maya Motayne, Linda Raquel Nieves Pérez, Claribel A. Ortega, Mark Oshiro, Lilliam Rivera and Zoraida Córdova.
Authors include Vita Ayala, David Bowles, Daniel José Older, J.C. Cervantes, Sara Faring, Romina Garber, Isabel Ibañez, Anna-Marie McLemore, Yamile Saied Méndez, Nina Moreno, Circe Moskowitz, Maya Motayne, Linda Raquel Nieves Pérez, Claribel A. Ortega, Mark Oshiro, Lilliam Rivera and Zoraida Córdova.
417 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 15, 2022
160 people are currently reading
14045 people want to read
About the author
Zoraida Córdova
39 books4,776 followersZoraida Córdova is the author of many fantasy novels for kids and teens, including the award-winning Brooklyn Brujas series, Incendiary, and Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge: A Crash of Fate. Her short fiction has appeared in the New York Times bestselling anthology Star Wars: From a Certain Point of View, Star Wars The Clone Wars: Stories of Light and Dark, Come on In: 15 Stories About Immigration and Finding Home, and Toil & Trouble: 15 Tales of Women and Witchcraft. She is the co-editor of the bestselling anthology Vampires Never Get Old. Her debut middle grade novel is The Way to Rio Luna. She is the co-host of the podcast Deadline City with Dhonielle Clayton. Zoraida was born in Ecuador and raised in Queens, New York. When she isn’t working on her next novel, she’s planning a new adventure.
NOTE: Direct messages on this account may not be seen. Send her an email at zoraidabooks@gmail.com
NOTE: Direct messages on this account may not be seen. Send her an email at zoraidabooks@gmail.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 398 reviews
January 7, 2022
UPDATE 1/7/22:
We are almost a month out from release and I am so excited for this collection to be out in the world. Since my last update, we got a cover, which is one of the most gorgeous covers I've ever had in my career, and we have *three* starred reviews (Kirkus, Booklist, Publishers Weekly). Not too shabby ;).
To the stars, and beyond <3
Love,
Zoraida
******
As the editor of this collection, I could not be prouder of these authors. They have written stories that take us out to the stars, into other realms, and into the magical here and now.
I have also seen the cover sketch and it is so beautiful.
Can't wait to share more.
Z
We are almost a month out from release and I am so excited for this collection to be out in the world. Since my last update, we got a cover, which is one of the most gorgeous covers I've ever had in my career, and we have *three* starred reviews (Kirkus, Booklist, Publishers Weekly). Not too shabby ;).
To the stars, and beyond <3
Love,
Zoraida
******
As the editor of this collection, I could not be prouder of these authors. They have written stories that take us out to the stars, into other realms, and into the magical here and now.
I have also seen the cover sketch and it is so beautiful.
Can't wait to share more.
Z
staying-away
May 29, 2021I feel so disappointed and my friends feel like crying. I personally, don't want to read something that mainly features problematic diaspora authors. I also don't want to read something with someone who pretends to be Indigenous in Mexico. This just won't/ever/ be for me
January 27, 2022
A very solid anthology with a few fantastic stories. Reclaim the Stars features sci-fi (just a few) and fantasy (mostly this) stories from 17 Latinx YA authors. Overall I had a good time with this collection, though as with most anthologies some stories were more of a hit than others. Some standouts for me were...
- Reign of Diamonds by Anna-Marie Mclemore about fighting space princesses
- White Water, Blue Ocean by Linda Raquel Nieves Perez about a family curse and a non-binary young person seeking acceptance
- Leyenda by Romina Garber (because it's a story set in the world of Lobizona and I'm a huge fan of the series!)
- Rogue Enchantments by Isabel Ibanez about a young woman trying to carve a space for herself in a magical market
- Sumaiko y La Sirena by Vita Ayala about an enslaved young woman who longs to return to the sea and falls in love with a siren
- Tame the Wicked Night by Zoraida Cordova a romantic story with a mythological feel to it
There's a lot of diversity, and (unsurprisingly) a lot of magical realism. If this sounds up your alley give it a try! I received an advance copy of this book for review via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
- Reign of Diamonds by Anna-Marie Mclemore about fighting space princesses
- White Water, Blue Ocean by Linda Raquel Nieves Perez about a family curse and a non-binary young person seeking acceptance
- Leyenda by Romina Garber (because it's a story set in the world of Lobizona and I'm a huge fan of the series!)
- Rogue Enchantments by Isabel Ibanez about a young woman trying to carve a space for herself in a magical market
- Sumaiko y La Sirena by Vita Ayala about an enslaved young woman who longs to return to the sea and falls in love with a siren
- Tame the Wicked Night by Zoraida Cordova a romantic story with a mythological feel to it
There's a lot of diversity, and (unsurprisingly) a lot of magical realism. If this sounds up your alley give it a try! I received an advance copy of this book for review via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
January 24, 2022
This review is based on an advance reader copy of the book that I received through a Goodreads giveaway.
Reclaim the Stars is an anthology of supposedly science fiction and fantasy short stories for young adults. Science fiction fans be warned...it is very short on science fiction. The first 90 or so pages (out of about 400 are science fictiony, but of those, two are really more just the author's social messaging that happens to take place on a space station than anything else.
As with any anthology, there are hits and misses. Most of the stories here were pretty middle of the road, but there were a few that I absolutely loved. None of them were terribly original, but I understand that building an original world or concept in the space of a short story is a huge challenge. I was bothered by the prevalence of Spanish-only phrases and dialogue in a few of the stories. Admittedly, I am not Latina myself, but I am the daughter of an immigrant. Much to the chagrin of my family "back home" I never learned more than a few words in the language. I'm sure there are some American-born Latinx kids that are in the same boat as me. For an anthology that works so hard to be about inclusion, this unnecessarily will alienate those kids. Some of the stories do a great job with using Spanish phrases in a way that explains what they mean to the reader without bogging down the story. These should be the example to the rest.
Overall, this book is "young adult" and is definitely for teens and older. There are a couple stories with some slightly crusty language and lots of romance, so I wouldn't give this to youngsters who are strong readers.
Overall, the stories I enjoyed outweighed those I didn't. Also taken as a whole collection, it is interesting to see the different take on the fantasy genre from Latinx authors. I love the old gods theme that runs through a lot of this. More interesting than yet more stories about knights and dragons (though I'd be lying if I said I didn't love dragons). If you want more detail, here are the stories and a brief opinion of each:
Reign of Diamonds by Anna-Marie McClemore: The anthology is off to a strong start with this story about badass magical space princesses.
Flecha by Daniel Jose Older: Rather bland story but it did have space ships.
The First Day of Us by David Bowles: Awkwardly written romance that pushed poly relationships to a rather uncomfortable extent. It felt like in this story the author was trying too hard to push a social agenda and the actual story itself sort of fell by the wayside.
The Tin Man by Lilliam Rivera: I enjoyed this story set in a post-apocalyptic future.
This Is Our Manifesto by Mark Oshiro: Basically just the manifesto. Another social agenda push without much of a story there.
Creatures of Kings by Circe Moskowitz: I thoroughly enjoyed this story about death.
Eterno by J.C. Cervantes: Another that I absolutely loved. A different take on death and dying.
White Water, Blue Ocean by Linda Raquel Nieves Perez: This was a good story about family and acceptance.
Leyenda by Romina Garber: Fairly entertaining but unoriginal high school drama.
Color-Coded by Maya Motayne: An interesting take on magic, but a rather bland story.
Magical Offerings by Nina Moreno: Another story that didn't really speak to me.
Rogue Enchantments by Isabel Ibanez: This story I thoroughly enjoyed. It is about sticking to it, believing in yourself, and other things I can't say because I don't want to ruin it.
Sumaiko Y La Sirena by Vita Ayala: Another story I found to be rather middle of the road and unsatisfying.
River People by Yamile Saied Mendez: Another story that I found to be just ok.
Moonglow by Sara Faring: Another story that I found to be unsatisfying, but I'm not too proud to admit that I may have missed something here.
Killing El Chivo by Claribel A. Ortega: This story started out strong but I was rather disappointed with the ending.
Tame the Wicked Night by Zoraida Cordova: Last story, and written by the editor of the anthology? Those are some big shoes to fill, but this story lived up to it. Not my favorite, but not a bad note to end on.
Also, in case any of the editors read this: I know this was an advance reader copy so it is going to go through proofreading before it is printed, but you should really pay extra attention to Sumaiko Y La Sirena and Tame the Wicked Night. Those both had quite a few typos/errors in them.
Reclaim the Stars is an anthology of supposedly science fiction and fantasy short stories for young adults. Science fiction fans be warned...it is very short on science fiction. The first 90 or so pages (out of about 400 are science fictiony, but of those, two are really more just the author's social messaging that happens to take place on a space station than anything else.
As with any anthology, there are hits and misses. Most of the stories here were pretty middle of the road, but there were a few that I absolutely loved. None of them were terribly original, but I understand that building an original world or concept in the space of a short story is a huge challenge. I was bothered by the prevalence of Spanish-only phrases and dialogue in a few of the stories. Admittedly, I am not Latina myself, but I am the daughter of an immigrant. Much to the chagrin of my family "back home" I never learned more than a few words in the language. I'm sure there are some American-born Latinx kids that are in the same boat as me. For an anthology that works so hard to be about inclusion, this unnecessarily will alienate those kids. Some of the stories do a great job with using Spanish phrases in a way that explains what they mean to the reader without bogging down the story. These should be the example to the rest.
Overall, this book is "young adult" and is definitely for teens and older. There are a couple stories with some slightly crusty language and lots of romance, so I wouldn't give this to youngsters who are strong readers.
Overall, the stories I enjoyed outweighed those I didn't. Also taken as a whole collection, it is interesting to see the different take on the fantasy genre from Latinx authors. I love the old gods theme that runs through a lot of this. More interesting than yet more stories about knights and dragons (though I'd be lying if I said I didn't love dragons). If you want more detail, here are the stories and a brief opinion of each:
Reign of Diamonds by Anna-Marie McClemore: The anthology is off to a strong start with this story about badass magical space princesses.
Flecha by Daniel Jose Older: Rather bland story but it did have space ships.
The First Day of Us by David Bowles: Awkwardly written romance that pushed poly relationships to a rather uncomfortable extent. It felt like in this story the author was trying too hard to push a social agenda and the actual story itself sort of fell by the wayside.
The Tin Man by Lilliam Rivera: I enjoyed this story set in a post-apocalyptic future.
This Is Our Manifesto by Mark Oshiro: Basically just the manifesto. Another social agenda push without much of a story there.
Creatures of Kings by Circe Moskowitz: I thoroughly enjoyed this story about death.
Eterno by J.C. Cervantes: Another that I absolutely loved. A different take on death and dying.
White Water, Blue Ocean by Linda Raquel Nieves Perez: This was a good story about family and acceptance.
Leyenda by Romina Garber: Fairly entertaining but unoriginal high school drama.
Color-Coded by Maya Motayne: An interesting take on magic, but a rather bland story.
Magical Offerings by Nina Moreno: Another story that didn't really speak to me.
Rogue Enchantments by Isabel Ibanez: This story I thoroughly enjoyed. It is about sticking to it, believing in yourself, and other things I can't say because I don't want to ruin it.
Sumaiko Y La Sirena by Vita Ayala: Another story I found to be rather middle of the road and unsatisfying.
River People by Yamile Saied Mendez: Another story that I found to be just ok.
Moonglow by Sara Faring: Another story that I found to be unsatisfying, but I'm not too proud to admit that I may have missed something here.
Killing El Chivo by Claribel A. Ortega: This story started out strong but I was rather disappointed with the ending.
Tame the Wicked Night by Zoraida Cordova: Last story, and written by the editor of the anthology? Those are some big shoes to fill, but this story lived up to it. Not my favorite, but not a bad note to end on.
Also, in case any of the editors read this: I know this was an advance reader copy so it is going to go through proofreading before it is printed, but you should really pay extra attention to Sumaiko Y La Sirena and Tame the Wicked Night. Those both had quite a few typos/errors in them.
February 15, 2022
You can find the original review at TOMES AND TEXTILES
This anthology features vibrant new voices from debut authors as @linda.reads and @circemoskowitz, who have both debited with such strong stories that will stay with you once you’ve finished reading them. I was dazzled by my forever favorites: Anna-Marie McLemore, Nina Moreno, Zoraida Cordova, Romina Garber, and Yamille Saied Méndez. If you love fantasy and science fiction, this anthology is for you.
✨
Quotes from my favorite 3 stories:
✨
“She will always be the girl with the funeral heart.” —Circe Moskowitz, Creatures of Kings (Vada is the goth girl immortal of my dreams)
✨
“I wasn’t in love with someone else. I was in love with myself—with who I knew I was.” —Linda Raquel Nieves Pérez, White Water, Blue Ocean (a tender boy finds love for himself and breaks the generational family curse)
✨
“Magic is never small.”—Nina Moreno, Magical Offerings (old Florida swamps and orange groves are magic and Nina proves it here)
✨
NOTE: I did not read stories from the 3 anti-indigenous authors included in this anthology: Isabel Ibanez, David Bowles and Sara Faring.
This anthology features vibrant new voices from debut authors as @linda.reads and @circemoskowitz, who have both debited with such strong stories that will stay with you once you’ve finished reading them. I was dazzled by my forever favorites: Anna-Marie McLemore, Nina Moreno, Zoraida Cordova, Romina Garber, and Yamille Saied Méndez. If you love fantasy and science fiction, this anthology is for you.
✨
Quotes from my favorite 3 stories:
✨
“She will always be the girl with the funeral heart.” —Circe Moskowitz, Creatures of Kings (Vada is the goth girl immortal of my dreams)
✨
“I wasn’t in love with someone else. I was in love with myself—with who I knew I was.” —Linda Raquel Nieves Pérez, White Water, Blue Ocean (a tender boy finds love for himself and breaks the generational family curse)
✨
“Magic is never small.”—Nina Moreno, Magical Offerings (old Florida swamps and orange groves are magic and Nina proves it here)
✨
NOTE: I did not read stories from the 3 anti-indigenous authors included in this anthology: Isabel Ibanez, David Bowles and Sara Faring.
Want to read
May 29, 2021please be good
please be good
please be good
please be good
please be good
January 27, 2022
4.5/5 stars
I refuse to read Isabel Ibañez’s story 😌
I refuse to read Isabel Ibañez’s story 😌
March 31, 2022
I think I hyped up this collection a lot, which affect some of my ability to enjoy the collection. I found a few stories to be too short, underdeveloped, or confusing.
While I understand why it was organized the way it was into three parts-- To the Stars, The Magical Now, & Other Times, Other Realms-- it led me to compare stories in the same section. It also made the reading experience a little weird since there was no variation in genre until I finished a section.
There were a few standout short stories for me:
- Eterno by J.C. Cervantes
- Rogue Enchantments by Isabel Ibanez
- Tame the Wicked Night by Zoraida Cordova
- This Is Our Manifesto by Mark Oshiro
There were also a few I really enjoyed but had a few questions about:
- Sumaiko y la Sirena by Vita Ayala
- Killing El Chivo by Claribel A. Ortega
While I understand why it was organized the way it was into three parts-- To the Stars, The Magical Now, & Other Times, Other Realms-- it led me to compare stories in the same section. It also made the reading experience a little weird since there was no variation in genre until I finished a section.
There were a few standout short stories for me:
- Eterno by J.C. Cervantes
- Rogue Enchantments by Isabel Ibanez
- Tame the Wicked Night by Zoraida Cordova
- This Is Our Manifesto by Mark Oshiro
There were also a few I really enjoyed but had a few questions about:
- Sumaiko y la Sirena by Vita Ayala
- Killing El Chivo by Claribel A. Ortega
did-not-finish
February 23, 2022DNF around 40%. I'm really bored, this book is pretty thick and the stories don't really have enough space to breathe. Not sure sci-fi works for short stories.
August 9, 2022
I love anthologies. It is a great way to find new authors to look out for and to dip your toes in short adventures in different worlds. ‘Reclaim the Stars’ is no different to that, it is a mix of space adventures, adventures in a magical world and magical adventures in the real world.
All the stories were good, but I especially liked the stories set in space. That’s just a setting I really love, and it didn’t disappoint. There were adventures and spaceships. A lot of these stories were queer and that made me really happy.
I don’t think I can pick a favorite, they all had something special about them and I can only recommend this anthology.
All the stories were good, but I especially liked the stories set in space. That’s just a setting I really love, and it didn’t disappoint. There were adventures and spaceships. A lot of these stories were queer and that made me really happy.
I don’t think I can pick a favorite, they all had something special about them and I can only recommend this anthology.
March 30, 2022
This was amazing!! Loved it so much! We need more anthologies like this one, across all age categories.
Reclaim the Stars is an anthology of the Latine disapora. The stories follow teens into space, magical worlds, and exploring the magic of the real world. This was such a strong collection and I really enjoyed it! I was so surprised by how many of these stories were queer, it made my heart so happy.
My favorite story was Anna-Marie McLemore's because they are just flawless and I completely fell in love with their story. Many of the other stories surprised me with how much I absolutely loved them. I waited so long that I'm struggling to recall specific details but Romina Garber, Zoraida Cordova, Daniel Jose Older and Mark Oshiro's stories were also favorites.
The only one I actively disliked was Sara Faring's because it made zero sense. Isabel Ibanez's story was fine but her anti-indigenous views makes me hesitant to review her stuff. I would've skipped her story entirely (and tbh Sara's too) but I was driving while listening to the audiobook and not about to mess with that.
One day I'll reread this so I can accurately gush about how amazing the 15 other stories were because they DESERVE IT!!
Reclaim the Stars is an anthology of the Latine disapora. The stories follow teens into space, magical worlds, and exploring the magic of the real world. This was such a strong collection and I really enjoyed it! I was so surprised by how many of these stories were queer, it made my heart so happy.
My favorite story was Anna-Marie McLemore's because they are just flawless and I completely fell in love with their story. Many of the other stories surprised me with how much I absolutely loved them. I waited so long that I'm struggling to recall specific details but Romina Garber, Zoraida Cordova, Daniel Jose Older and Mark Oshiro's stories were also favorites.
The only one I actively disliked was Sara Faring's because it made zero sense. Isabel Ibanez's story was fine but her anti-indigenous views makes me hesitant to review her stuff. I would've skipped her story entirely (and tbh Sara's too) but I was driving while listening to the audiobook and not about to mess with that.
One day I'll reread this so I can accurately gush about how amazing the 15 other stories were because they DESERVE IT!!
to-read-ya
May 22, 2020I have been waiting for something like this since A Thousand Beginnings and Endings and A Phoenix First Must Burn: Sixteen Stories of Black Girl Magic, Resistance, and Hope. With so few Latinx and Hispanic books that don't go out of their way to demonize their cultures, governments, and indigenous populations, I am ever so excited and hopeful for this book to come out.
October 22, 2021
Reign of Diamonds by Anna-Marie Mclemore- 3/5
Flecha by Daniel Jose Older- 3.5/5
The First Day of Us by David Bowles- 3/5
The Tin Man by Lilliam Rivera- 5/5
This is Our Manifesto by Mark Oshiro- 5/5
Creatures of Kings by Circe Moskowitz- 4.5/5
Eterno by J.C. Cervantes- 4/5
White Water, Blue Ocean by Linda Raquel Nieves Perez- 3.5/5
Leyenda by Romina Garber- 4/5
Color-Coded by Maya Motayne- 3/5
Magical Offerimgs by Nina Moreno- 3/5
Rogue Enchantments by Isobel Ibanez- 4/5
Sumaiko Y La Sirena by Vita Ayala- 5/5
River People by Yamile Saied Mendez- 4/5
Moonglow by Sara Faring- 4/5
Killing El Chivo by Claribel A. Ortega- 4/5
Tame the Wicked Night by Zoraida Cordova- 5/5
Flecha by Daniel Jose Older- 3.5/5
The First Day of Us by David Bowles- 3/5
The Tin Man by Lilliam Rivera- 5/5
This is Our Manifesto by Mark Oshiro- 5/5
Creatures of Kings by Circe Moskowitz- 4.5/5
Eterno by J.C. Cervantes- 4/5
White Water, Blue Ocean by Linda Raquel Nieves Perez- 3.5/5
Leyenda by Romina Garber- 4/5
Color-Coded by Maya Motayne- 3/5
Magical Offerimgs by Nina Moreno- 3/5
Rogue Enchantments by Isobel Ibanez- 4/5
Sumaiko Y La Sirena by Vita Ayala- 5/5
River People by Yamile Saied Mendez- 4/5
Moonglow by Sara Faring- 4/5
Killing El Chivo by Claribel A. Ortega- 4/5
Tame the Wicked Night by Zoraida Cordova- 5/5
September 20, 2021
Thanks to the publisher for providing an eARC of Reclaim the Stars in exchange for an honest review.
What an absolutely fantastic anthology! Normally with anthologies some stories end up feeling like filler, but I enjoyed every single one in this in at least some capacity. My personal favourite was probably the first story but whether that's because it's genuinely the strongest or because I love all things friends to lovers to enemies and back again (also this time it was Sapphic!??!)
If you're looking for a diverse, fantastic, fantastical anthology, give this one a go.
What an absolutely fantastic anthology! Normally with anthologies some stories end up feeling like filler, but I enjoyed every single one in this in at least some capacity. My personal favourite was probably the first story but whether that's because it's genuinely the strongest or because I love all things friends to lovers to enemies and back again (also this time it was Sapphic!??!)
If you're looking for a diverse, fantastic, fantastical anthology, give this one a go.
April 4, 2022
An absolutely wonderful collection of short stories! I think I have figured myself out here — I need a collection of stories, centered around a theme or idea, but by different authors. I like the variety this type of collection offers — not just with the authors, but also with the styles and approaches varying from story to story.
Córdova has gathered together an offering that spans a variety of ways to tell a space-fantasy story, a magical realism story, and a fairytale. The diverse representation was refreshing — from authors and characters. I wish I could have made Reclaim the Stars last — at least I have already purchased the hardcover for myself. These were almost all absolute winners and it's hard to choose a favorite.
I received this book for free from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This affected neither my opinion of the book, nor the content of my review.
The seventeen stories within are:
• Reign of Diamonds by Anna-Marie McLemore
• Flecha by Daniel José Older
• The First Day of Us by David Bowles
• The Tin Man by Lilliam Rivera
• This is Our Manifesto by Mark Oshiro
• Creatures of Kings by Circe Moskowitz
• Eterno by J.C. Cervantes
• White Water, Blue Ocean by Linda Raquel Nieves Pérez
• Leyenda: A Wolves of No World Story by Romina Garber
• Color-Coded by Maya Motayne
• Magical Offerings by Nina Moreno
• Rogue Enchantments by Isabel Ibañez
• Sumaiko Y La Sirena by Vita Ayala
• River People by Yamile Saied Méndez
• Moonglow by Sara Faring
• Killing El Chivo by Claribel A. Ortega
• Tame the Wicked Night by Zoraida Córdova
Córdova has gathered together an offering that spans a variety of ways to tell a space-fantasy story, a magical realism story, and a fairytale. The diverse representation was refreshing — from authors and characters. I wish I could have made Reclaim the Stars last — at least I have already purchased the hardcover for myself. These were almost all absolute winners and it's hard to choose a favorite.
I received this book for free from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This affected neither my opinion of the book, nor the content of my review.
The seventeen stories within are:
• Reign of Diamonds by Anna-Marie McLemore
• Flecha by Daniel José Older
• The First Day of Us by David Bowles
• The Tin Man by Lilliam Rivera
• This is Our Manifesto by Mark Oshiro
• Creatures of Kings by Circe Moskowitz
• Eterno by J.C. Cervantes
• White Water, Blue Ocean by Linda Raquel Nieves Pérez
• Leyenda: A Wolves of No World Story by Romina Garber
• Color-Coded by Maya Motayne
• Magical Offerings by Nina Moreno
• Rogue Enchantments by Isabel Ibañez
• Sumaiko Y La Sirena by Vita Ayala
• River People by Yamile Saied Méndez
• Moonglow by Sara Faring
• Killing El Chivo by Claribel A. Ortega
• Tame the Wicked Night by Zoraida Córdova
March 11, 2022
I have zero regrets about buying Reclaim the Stars: 17 Tales Across Realms & Space. There's just something about anthologies that makes me so happy. Maybe it's diving into new authors or opening my eyes to a different kind of genre. Either way, I really enjoyed a lot of the stories within this one.
Out of the 17, I probably had a handful that were my absolute favorite. Each part gave me a story or two that I just fell in love with. Especially when they had that added creepy factor to them. If I had to pick an overall favorite out of the ones I really like, well, I would probably pick Sumaiko & La Sirena and Tame the Wicked Night. Mostly because those were in my favorite part of the book.
Although This is Our Manifesto and Color-Coded would be next. As for the rest, well they were likable and easy to listen to. I don't think I found a story that I really disliked. I did, however, think some ended too short or quickly and wished were a bit longer. Then again, it could just be me thinking that way.
In the end, I'm just really happy that I dove into this anthology. I can't wait for the next one to come my way.
Out of the 17, I probably had a handful that were my absolute favorite. Each part gave me a story or two that I just fell in love with. Especially when they had that added creepy factor to them. If I had to pick an overall favorite out of the ones I really like, well, I would probably pick Sumaiko & La Sirena and Tame the Wicked Night. Mostly because those were in my favorite part of the book.
Although This is Our Manifesto and Color-Coded would be next. As for the rest, well they were likable and easy to listen to. I don't think I found a story that I really disliked. I did, however, think some ended too short or quickly and wished were a bit longer. Then again, it could just be me thinking that way.
In the end, I'm just really happy that I dove into this anthology. I can't wait for the next one to come my way.
November 15, 2021
Knowing little about the fraught history of authors involved in this project, I will state that this was a strong anthology and those looking for diverse view points and experiences with in the Latinx sci-fi/fantasy/magical realism genres will be quite happy with this line up of stories.
Like with most anthologies there are hits and there are misses but none of the 'misses' ever felt like they didn't belong or were particularly bad. I enjoyed everything and I enjoyed the experience of getting to fall into a new world every time I opened my kindle without having to carry world building with me. That being said with the hits, I wanted more and I will absolutely be looking up the authors whose stories I liked in this collection and reading their other works.
This is a strong collection and I'm already thinking of ways to involve it in my high school curriculum either as a book club selection or by teaching individual stories. Can't wait till I can get a physical copy in my classroom library.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an early copy of the book.
Like with most anthologies there are hits and there are misses but none of the 'misses' ever felt like they didn't belong or were particularly bad. I enjoyed everything and I enjoyed the experience of getting to fall into a new world every time I opened my kindle without having to carry world building with me. That being said with the hits, I wanted more and I will absolutely be looking up the authors whose stories I liked in this collection and reading their other works.
This is a strong collection and I'm already thinking of ways to involve it in my high school curriculum either as a book club selection or by teaching individual stories. Can't wait till I can get a physical copy in my classroom library.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an early copy of the book.
November 26, 2021
3 stars *may change
Short story collections are impossible to rate. It’s just not possible for all of them to be good, and usually they’re not all bad. They’re all pretty much existing in a middle ground.
This book had some pretty good stories dealing with sexuality, romance, identity, family, etc. It also had some stories that made me a bit sleepy. I’m not someone who cares at all about technology, but there were quite a few stories centered around it? And it’s like…here we go. I guess if you’re into that it’s not a big deal. The best selling point is the stories that use more traditionally “magical” elements. I think those stories really shine through.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced reader’s copy.
Short story collections are impossible to rate. It’s just not possible for all of them to be good, and usually they’re not all bad. They’re all pretty much existing in a middle ground.
This book had some pretty good stories dealing with sexuality, romance, identity, family, etc. It also had some stories that made me a bit sleepy. I’m not someone who cares at all about technology, but there were quite a few stories centered around it? And it’s like…here we go. I guess if you’re into that it’s not a big deal. The best selling point is the stories that use more traditionally “magical” elements. I think those stories really shine through.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced reader’s copy.
July 4, 2022
These 17 short stories were pretty good. There are some definite hidden gems in there that I'd love to read more of (and really hope I see longer versions of them!). By far, the last one was my favorite and I hope we get to meet them again in a much longer version. The goat was the best.
Anthologies are great for getting you out of reading slumps because they are fast and often times really fun reads. I'm so glad I gave this one a shot.
I read this one with friends and reviewed each story here: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
Anthologies are great for getting you out of reading slumps because they are fast and often times really fun reads. I'm so glad I gave this one a shot.
I read this one with friends and reviewed each story here: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
January 24, 2022
The 17 tales across realms & space included in RECLAIM THE STARS are brilliant fantasy/science fiction short stories … so perfect for my nine young adult grandchildren! Bravo, Brava, Bravi to the talented authors!
February 28, 2023
I feel like we’ve been seeing more and more YA anthologies over the years, especially ones focused on uplifting the voices of one specific community or another. This may be my 5th or 6th anthology at this point, and there are still plenty more out there on my radar! There’s just something about these collections of stories that draw me in every time, even if I end up rating them 3 or 4 stars every time. I think it’s just generally tough for a reader to love every story in an anthology (especially when there are 17 of them!). This anthology ended up being the same in that regard as the others I’ve read: there were plenty of stories I loved and really enjoyed, but also plenty that I know I’ll forget a few weeks from now.
However, I do think that this style of anthology is still possibly my favorite, due to the connections it clearly draws across various genres. This anthology is specifically written by authors in the Latin American diaspora, and even though some stories take place on planets a thousand years in the future, and some take place in an urban fantasy setting, you can feel this common thread throughout all of them. There’s just this clear bond of shared culture and history, even though it’s far from homogeneous. If anything, I feel like getting to see the same concepts through all these varied lenses only added even more to this anthology. It made it clear how vast and varied Latin American culture, mythology, and history is, even if some stories revolve around the same core idea.
Of course, I did have my favorite stories that ended up really standing out to me. I loved Rogue Enchantments by Isabel Ibañez, there was just something so enchanting about the magical market, and I was invested in the MC’s journey so quickly, which is integral to short stories like this! I also loved Sumaiko y La Sirena, a queer romance that also focuses on some heavy topics, like slavery and power dynamics, but at its core is still about the joy these women find in each other. I think my absolute favorite had to be Tame the Wicked Night, though, the final story in the anthology. It hit such strong fairy-tale notes, which I always love, while still feeling so wholly unique. Overall, I think I enjoyed the fantasy section of stories the most, even though I had favorites from all three sections. I also just loved how queer this anthology was!
I’ll definitely be planning in another anthology soon, hopefully, it’ll be just as fantastic as this one was!
However, I do think that this style of anthology is still possibly my favorite, due to the connections it clearly draws across various genres. This anthology is specifically written by authors in the Latin American diaspora, and even though some stories take place on planets a thousand years in the future, and some take place in an urban fantasy setting, you can feel this common thread throughout all of them. There’s just this clear bond of shared culture and history, even though it’s far from homogeneous. If anything, I feel like getting to see the same concepts through all these varied lenses only added even more to this anthology. It made it clear how vast and varied Latin American culture, mythology, and history is, even if some stories revolve around the same core idea.
Of course, I did have my favorite stories that ended up really standing out to me. I loved Rogue Enchantments by Isabel Ibañez, there was just something so enchanting about the magical market, and I was invested in the MC’s journey so quickly, which is integral to short stories like this! I also loved Sumaiko y La Sirena, a queer romance that also focuses on some heavy topics, like slavery and power dynamics, but at its core is still about the joy these women find in each other. I think my absolute favorite had to be Tame the Wicked Night, though, the final story in the anthology. It hit such strong fairy-tale notes, which I always love, while still feeling so wholly unique. Overall, I think I enjoyed the fantasy section of stories the most, even though I had favorites from all three sections. I also just loved how queer this anthology was!
I’ll definitely be planning in another anthology soon, hopefully, it’ll be just as fantastic as this one was!
February 14, 2023
3.47/5
This book contains 17 short stories from various Latinx authors. The stories are split into three categories: to the stars (sci-fi stories), the magical now (urban fantasy), and other times, other realms (fantasy).
As with most anthologies, the stories found in this collection were a mixed bag - some were better than others, but overall, the writing was gorgeous for most of these stories. I've briefly reviewed them as follows:
To the Stars
1. Reign of Diamonds by Anna-Marie McLemore - 3/5
- a sapphic, sci-fi Romeo & Juliet-like story
2. Flecha by Daniel José Older - 3/5
- a post-apocalyptic sci-fi story that gives me major Han Solo + Chewbacca vibes
3. The First Day of Us by David Bowles - 5/5
- a polyamorous love story set in space. This story was way too short - I needed more!
4. The Tin Man by Lilliam Rivera - 2.5/5
- a post-apocalyptic, last-man-standing kind of story. Kind of has Doctor Who vibes (maybe because I'm thinking of cybermen...)
5. This Is Our Manifesto by Mark Oshiro - 4.5/5
- interesting stream-of-consciousness style of writing about an uprising planned amongst space prisoners
The Magical Now
6. Creature of Kings by Circe Moskowitz - 3.5/5
- a beautifully written story about the daughter of Death
7. Eterno by J.C. Cervantes - 4.5/5
- a beautifully tragic story about Death being in love with a human
8. White Water, Blue Ocean by Linda Raquel Nieves Pérez - 1.5/5
- the most boring story of the bunch
- an interesting concept about a transman being able to detect lies while being unable to lie themselves
- a poorly executed story though
9. Leyenda: A Wolves of No World Story by Romina Garber - 2.5/5
- a feminist story about brujas vs. lobizones (female witches versus male werewolves)
- a bit on the nose and very heavy-handed with the messages
10. Color-Coded by Maya Motayne - 4.5/5
- women who inherit strange/random powers along with weird hair colour when they come of age.
- I needed more out of this story!!
11. Magical Offerings by Nina Moreno - 3/5
- a creepy tree that comes to life
Other Times, Other Realms
12. Rogue Enchantments by Isabel Ibañez - 5/5
- a really cute story about a girl who dreams of opening a magical art store and finally manages to do so... only someone keeps trying to sabotage her!
13. Sumaiko y La Sirena by Vita Ayala - 4.5/5
- a wonderfully sapphic story about sirens
14. River People by Yamile Saied Méndez - 2/5
- a story about a girl who can speak to the river
15. Moonglow by Sara Faring - 1/5
- a really weird story about a girl who's visited by the ghost of her brother who warns her of her pregnancy.
16. Killing El Chivo by Claribel A. Ortega - 4.5/5
- a story about witches and revolution
17. Tame the Wicked Night by Zoraida Córdove - 4.5/5
- a story about a boy who would rather offer himself to the monster of the mountain than marry someone he didn't love
* #35 of my 2022 Popsugar Reading Challenge - A book with a constellation on the cover or in the title *
** #39 of my 2022 Popsugar Reading Challenge - An #OwnVoices SFF (science fiction and fantasy) book **
*** #5 of my 2022 Book Riot Read Harder Challenge - Read an anthology featuring diverse voices. ***
_________________________________
If you liked the following books, then you may also like Reclaim the Stars, and vice-versa:
This book contains 17 short stories from various Latinx authors. The stories are split into three categories: to the stars (sci-fi stories), the magical now (urban fantasy), and other times, other realms (fantasy).
As with most anthologies, the stories found in this collection were a mixed bag - some were better than others, but overall, the writing was gorgeous for most of these stories. I've briefly reviewed them as follows:
To the Stars
1. Reign of Diamonds by Anna-Marie McLemore - 3/5
- a sapphic, sci-fi Romeo & Juliet-like story
2. Flecha by Daniel José Older - 3/5
- a post-apocalyptic sci-fi story that gives me major Han Solo + Chewbacca vibes
3. The First Day of Us by David Bowles - 5/5
- a polyamorous love story set in space. This story was way too short - I needed more!
4. The Tin Man by Lilliam Rivera - 2.5/5
- a post-apocalyptic, last-man-standing kind of story. Kind of has Doctor Who vibes (maybe because I'm thinking of cybermen...)
5. This Is Our Manifesto by Mark Oshiro - 4.5/5
- interesting stream-of-consciousness style of writing about an uprising planned amongst space prisoners
The Magical Now
6. Creature of Kings by Circe Moskowitz - 3.5/5
- a beautifully written story about the daughter of Death
7. Eterno by J.C. Cervantes - 4.5/5
- a beautifully tragic story about Death being in love with a human
8. White Water, Blue Ocean by Linda Raquel Nieves Pérez - 1.5/5
- the most boring story of the bunch
- an interesting concept about a transman being able to detect lies while being unable to lie themselves
- a poorly executed story though
9. Leyenda: A Wolves of No World Story by Romina Garber - 2.5/5
- a feminist story about brujas vs. lobizones (female witches versus male werewolves)
- a bit on the nose and very heavy-handed with the messages
10. Color-Coded by Maya Motayne - 4.5/5
- women who inherit strange/random powers along with weird hair colour when they come of age.
- I needed more out of this story!!
11. Magical Offerings by Nina Moreno - 3/5
- a creepy tree that comes to life
Other Times, Other Realms
12. Rogue Enchantments by Isabel Ibañez - 5/5
- a really cute story about a girl who dreams of opening a magical art store and finally manages to do so... only someone keeps trying to sabotage her!
13. Sumaiko y La Sirena by Vita Ayala - 4.5/5
- a wonderfully sapphic story about sirens
14. River People by Yamile Saied Méndez - 2/5
- a story about a girl who can speak to the river
15. Moonglow by Sara Faring - 1/5
- a really weird story about a girl who's visited by the ghost of her brother who warns her of her pregnancy.
16. Killing El Chivo by Claribel A. Ortega - 4.5/5
- a story about witches and revolution
17. Tame the Wicked Night by Zoraida Córdove - 4.5/5
- a story about a boy who would rather offer himself to the monster of the mountain than marry someone he didn't love
* #35 of my 2022 Popsugar Reading Challenge - A book with a constellation on the cover or in the title *
** #39 of my 2022 Popsugar Reading Challenge - An #OwnVoices SFF (science fiction and fantasy) book **
*** #5 of my 2022 Book Riot Read Harder Challenge - Read an anthology featuring diverse voices. ***
_________________________________
If you liked the following books, then you may also like Reclaim the Stars, and vice-versa:
September 24, 2022
See this review and more on Books and Ladders!
Please note that I skipped the stories included by the anti-Indigenous authors.
There were only one or two of these stories that I actively enjoyed listening to or wanted to be longer. The rest of these were not that great, mostly because of the way the anthology was divided. I was constantly comparing the stories within their section rather than just reading them as standalones. I also noted in my update that by having only one audiobook narrator, I found it difficult to separate the stories even with the announcement of which story we were listening to.
I wanted to love this a lot more than I did, but it just wasn't what I wanted from this type of anthology. As with many anthologies, there were some star stories and complete duds. It felt like there were more stories somewhere in the middle of this one.
I would probably just recommend picking up novels by the individual authors instead! Much more satisfying.
Like my reviews? Buy me a Ko-Fi!
Please note that I skipped the stories included by the anti-Indigenous authors.
There were only one or two of these stories that I actively enjoyed listening to or wanted to be longer. The rest of these were not that great, mostly because of the way the anthology was divided. I was constantly comparing the stories within their section rather than just reading them as standalones. I also noted in my update that by having only one audiobook narrator, I found it difficult to separate the stories even with the announcement of which story we were listening to.
I wanted to love this a lot more than I did, but it just wasn't what I wanted from this type of anthology. As with many anthologies, there were some star stories and complete duds. It felt like there were more stories somewhere in the middle of this one.
I would probably just recommend picking up novels by the individual authors instead! Much more satisfying.
Like my reviews? Buy me a Ko-Fi!
February 25, 2022
I loved this so much omg
February 17, 2022
I’m usually not a great fan of short stories, but I liked this anthology. Not every story in this collection by a variety of YA authors is excellent, but the writing is good, the variety of worlds and situations is interesting and at times, powerful. I also liked the way Zoraida Cordova grouped the stories, giving the reader a heads-up of the style or genre of story within each grouping.
The following are my very brief thoughts about each tale:
To the Stars:
1. Reign of Diamonds: 3 stars. Great texture, but I felt like something was missing from this romantic story.
2. FLECHA: 4 stars. An entertaining prequel to Older's "Flood City"
3. The First Day of Us: 3.5 stars. A cute story of three teens figuring out they’re attracted to one another, and that together they’re stronger, smarter and happier dealing with things together.
4. The Tin Man: 4 stars. This one is sad.
5. This Is Our Manifesto: 4 stars. Incarceration of the future, even more unethical in this future who goes to jail, and who doesn’t. A logical extension of the current uS judicial and incarceration situation.
The Magical Now:
6. Creatures of Kings: 4 stars. She is dark, glorious, and deadly. Literally.
7. Eterno: 3 stars. Interesting idea, of a family of beings who take the Dark from dying humans, it the story never came together for me.
8. White Water, Blue Ocean: 3 stars. There are some sad family dynamics at work here, with a promise of better things moving forward by the end of the story, but this story never really gelled for me.
9. Leyenda: 4 stars. I loved the anger and the rejection of the world’s status quote, as well as Zaybet’s power.
10. Color-Coded: 4 stars. Amusing as a girl goes through a magical change all women do in this world, and is by turns mortified and intrigued. The ending actually gave me a slightly worried feeling, but could have been interpreted as hopeful, too.
11. Magical Offerings: 4 stars. I wanted to read of more of Luz’s adventures after finishing this story.
Other Times, Other Realms:
12. Rogue Enchantments: 4 stars. I loved the type of magic Graciela could wield, and empathized with her troubles and ambitions.
13. Sumaiko Y La Sirena: 4 stars. A mermaid tale. Yes, pun intended.
14. River People: 3 stars. I loved the river and its stories, but the rest of the story was only ok.
15. Moonglow: 4 stars. A story about a family, the unkind father, and the full of creepiness.
16. Killing El Chivo: 3.5 stars. A literal monster as dictator and a trio of witches intent on avenging themselves on him make for a tense story.
17. Tame the Wicked Night: 4.5 stars. I loved this story! And that goat, Rigoberto, stole every scene he was in.
Thank you to Netgalley and to St. Martin’s Press for this ARC in exchange for my review.
The following are my very brief thoughts about each tale:
To the Stars:
1. Reign of Diamonds: 3 stars. Great texture, but I felt like something was missing from this romantic story.
2. FLECHA: 4 stars. An entertaining prequel to Older's "Flood City"
3. The First Day of Us: 3.5 stars. A cute story of three teens figuring out they’re attracted to one another, and that together they’re stronger, smarter and happier dealing with things together.
4. The Tin Man: 4 stars. This one is sad.
5. This Is Our Manifesto: 4 stars. Incarceration of the future, even more unethical in this future who goes to jail, and who doesn’t. A logical extension of the current uS judicial and incarceration situation.
The Magical Now:
6. Creatures of Kings: 4 stars. She is dark, glorious, and deadly. Literally.
7. Eterno: 3 stars. Interesting idea, of a family of beings who take the Dark from dying humans, it the story never came together for me.
8. White Water, Blue Ocean: 3 stars. There are some sad family dynamics at work here, with a promise of better things moving forward by the end of the story, but this story never really gelled for me.
9. Leyenda: 4 stars. I loved the anger and the rejection of the world’s status quote, as well as Zaybet’s power.
10. Color-Coded: 4 stars. Amusing as a girl goes through a magical change all women do in this world, and is by turns mortified and intrigued. The ending actually gave me a slightly worried feeling, but could have been interpreted as hopeful, too.
11. Magical Offerings: 4 stars. I wanted to read of more of Luz’s adventures after finishing this story.
Other Times, Other Realms:
12. Rogue Enchantments: 4 stars. I loved the type of magic Graciela could wield, and empathized with her troubles and ambitions.
13. Sumaiko Y La Sirena: 4 stars. A mermaid tale. Yes, pun intended.
14. River People: 3 stars. I loved the river and its stories, but the rest of the story was only ok.
15. Moonglow: 4 stars. A story about a family, the unkind father, and the full of creepiness.
16. Killing El Chivo: 3.5 stars. A literal monster as dictator and a trio of witches intent on avenging themselves on him make for a tense story.
17. Tame the Wicked Night: 4.5 stars. I loved this story! And that goat, Rigoberto, stole every scene he was in.
Thank you to Netgalley and to St. Martin’s Press for this ARC in exchange for my review.
January 6, 2022
Once again, I’ve fallen prey to a beautiful cover.
This collection was not what I hoped it would be. A lot of the stories felt hastily written, and a lot of the sci-fi stories only made vague nods to the science fiction aspect, without really exploring anything. Additionally, a few of the stories felt like they were written just to push an “agenda”. I hate saying that, because it makes me sound like a conservative white man, but it’s unfortunately true. I’m thinking specifically of “The First Day of Us”, which was poorly written, and lacked any story beyond shoving three characters together.
However, my main issue with this book is the length and the quality of the stories. This book is over 400 pages long, yet so many of the stories feel rushed and unfinished. If this collection featured only 4-5 authors, and gave them more pages to work with, I think the stories and the collection as a whole would’ve been much stronger.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me an arc. I hope this book finds its way into the right readers.
This collection was not what I hoped it would be. A lot of the stories felt hastily written, and a lot of the sci-fi stories only made vague nods to the science fiction aspect, without really exploring anything. Additionally, a few of the stories felt like they were written just to push an “agenda”. I hate saying that, because it makes me sound like a conservative white man, but it’s unfortunately true. I’m thinking specifically of “The First Day of Us”, which was poorly written, and lacked any story beyond shoving three characters together.
However, my main issue with this book is the length and the quality of the stories. This book is over 400 pages long, yet so many of the stories feel rushed and unfinished. If this collection featured only 4-5 authors, and gave them more pages to work with, I think the stories and the collection as a whole would’ve been much stronger.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me an arc. I hope this book finds its way into the right readers.
September 29, 2021
I am not a short story reader. I much prefer novels. I like the time the authors get to take to set the story, environment and characters. But every now and then a collection of short stories comes my way that gives me the opportunity to see another point of view. These stories, and there are 17 of them, definitely provide another way of seeing things.
There are 17 stories divided into three sections. One section is more science fiction, one with more magic and one more fantasy. All of the stories follow the anthology's viewpoint: examining the Latinx diaspora. All of the authors are published Latin America writers of note, so this book will give you a taste of their skills as well. I liked the stories. Some I read twice so I could enjoy them again. Some I read twice so I could better understand the magic.myth presented. There truly is something here for every taste.
I read the copy of this book for my review on from the publisher on Netgalley.
There are 17 stories divided into three sections. One section is more science fiction, one with more magic and one more fantasy. All of the stories follow the anthology's viewpoint: examining the Latinx diaspora. All of the authors are published Latin America writers of note, so this book will give you a taste of their skills as well. I liked the stories. Some I read twice so I could enjoy them again. Some I read twice so I could better understand the magic.myth presented. There truly is something here for every taste.
I read the copy of this book for my review on from the publisher on Netgalley.
February 12, 2022
Galaxy Adventures & Mystical Delights
First of all, thank you to the publishers for allowing me to read an advanced readers copy.
My favorite stories of all seventeen were as follows:
-Reign of Diamonds (***Needs to have its own novel ASAP)
-This is Our Manifesto
-Creature of Kings
-Eterno
-Rogue Enchantments
-Sumaiko Y La Sirena
-Tame the Wicked Night
The novel started out strong. There was this beautiful, detailed story about lovers to enemies. Then, eventually, enemies to lovers. It was an engaging galaxy tournament for a shot for the throne. There was an intriguing twist and it made me smile wide like a fool. Sadly, it was the only tale in the whole anthology I wished to be a full-blown novel.
While not all the stories were my favorite, I do have to give this novel what it deserves. Many of the stories felt like fillers. There some very confusing tales that needed more detail and thought. However, I am glad I gave it a chance. The first and last stories were the best.
First of all, thank you to the publishers for allowing me to read an advanced readers copy.
My favorite stories of all seventeen were as follows:
-Reign of Diamonds (***Needs to have its own novel ASAP)
-This is Our Manifesto
-Creature of Kings
-Eterno
-Rogue Enchantments
-Sumaiko Y La Sirena
-Tame the Wicked Night
The novel started out strong. There was this beautiful, detailed story about lovers to enemies. Then, eventually, enemies to lovers. It was an engaging galaxy tournament for a shot for the throne. There was an intriguing twist and it made me smile wide like a fool. Sadly, it was the only tale in the whole anthology I wished to be a full-blown novel.
While not all the stories were my favorite, I do have to give this novel what it deserves. Many of the stories felt like fillers. There some very confusing tales that needed more detail and thought. However, I am glad I gave it a chance. The first and last stories were the best.
November 13, 2021
Special thanks to Wednesday Books for the ARC I received as part of their giveaway for this book. My review will not be impacted by this and will express my honest opinion of it.
Ratings for Each Short Story in the Collection
Reign of Diamonds: 3.8 stars
The sapphic romance and lovers-to-enemies-to-lovers made this story really interesting. Though the ending was kind of predictable, I really liked the world-building and characters the author crafted.
Flecha: 3 stars
The story felt quite bland at the beginning, but it became progressively interesting as it reached the climax. However, the antagonists and their motives were so underdeveloped that the conflict with them wasn’t integrated that well into the plot.
The First Day of Us: 3.25 stars
I wasn’t a huge fan of the second-person POV the author narrated the story with, as it was confusing who the “you” was as it kept bouncing between Mar and Atzimba. The plot was also quite jumpy, and the relationship dynamic between Diego, Mar, and Atzimba was written awkwardly. However, I thought that its exploration of a polyamorous relationship adds a very new and diverse perspective to the collection, which was pretty cool.
The Tin Man: 4 stars
The story was very sweet and sentimental, but the Tin Man didn’t seem like it fit in with the tone of the narrative. Overall, though, I really liked this story.
This is Our Manifesto: 3.9 stars
Although I thought the format of the story as a manifesto was unique, I felt like it was too detached from the narrative itself and relied on more telling than showing to describe the circumstances leading up to the rebellion. That being said, I still liked the themes of rebellion and how the ending unfolds.
Creatures of Kings: 3.5 stars
The story started out really strong, but towards the end, it got kind of boring and confusing.
Eterno: 4 stars
I thought that the mythology behind this story was particularly fascinating. The relationship between Sebastian and Layla was so beautiful, and the ending was extremely heartbreaking.
White Water, Blue Ocean: 3.75 stars
I really liked Gabriel’s character development throughout the short story and how they struggle to find acceptance in their family. However, the family curse element of the story was hard to follow when the ocean tries to explain how it is beneficial. The writing style also made the story a bit difficult to read.
Leyenda: 3.75 stars
I enjoyed the writing style of this story; it was easy to follow and had fascinating descriptions of the magic and setting. The only thing I didn’t really like about it was that it used a lot of overused YA fantasy tropes, such as the magic school, elemental magic, and rebellions. However, I liked how unique the patriarchal aspect of the world-building is developed and how Zaybet, the main character, resolves to fight against that societal culture rather than an individual.
Color-Coded: 4 stars
I really liked the magical realism in this story and how the Change is a metaphor for puberty. However, it seemed kind of weird that only girls who go through the Change can obtain magic as puberty affects all genders, making this aspect of the magic system kind of weak. The ending was also unexpected and didn’t make much sense. Overall, though, I really enjoyed Flor’s development throughout the story and her relationships with her friend Mateo and her father.
Magical Offerings: 3 stars
This story was just okay. The plot wasn’t very interesting, so I wasn’t really hooked at first. The ending though was pretty good and had me wondering about what awaits Luz.
Rogue Enchantments: 4 stars
I thoroughly enjoyed the writing style for this story and how simple and sweet the plot was.
Sumaiko Y La Sirena: 4.5 stars
I really liked the fairytale feel of this story, and the romance was especially cute!
River People: 3.4 stars
I liked the writing style of this story, but I can’t say I really enjoyed the plot. The relationship between Malena and Parana didn’t feel very fleshed out, but I really liked how strong Malena’s relationship with her brothers is and how it’s the focus of the story.
Moonglow: 1 star
This was my least favorite story from the collection because the writing style was extremely difficult to comprehend. The abortion scene, which is the climax of the story and may be triggering to some people, was super vague and confusing in its descriptions. Certain elements of the story also didn’t really make much sense to me, such as Pedro haunting Sara and mocking her about being a mother when he doesn’t seem to have a relevant connection to her beyond being her sadistic older brother. The story then ends abruptly and on a vague note, leaving me feeling really unsatisfied.
Killing El Chivo: 2 stars
I had a hard time getting into this story since it kinda felt like it was blending in with plot elements from other stories, specifically River People and Leyenda.
Tame the Wicked Night: 4.2 stars
I liked how this story was a retelling of Beauty and the Beast. The culture and mythology added a very unique touch to the story, and the ending has me wanting more.
Overall, I really liked this collection of stories. The varying writing styles and different aspects of different Latin American cultures and mythologies made each story very distinct, but a few of them were a hit or miss for me. I would definitely recommend reading this book if you enjoy diverse fantasy and sci-fi.
Ratings for Each Short Story in the Collection
Reign of Diamonds: 3.8 stars
The sapphic romance and lovers-to-enemies-to-lovers made this story really interesting. Though the ending was kind of predictable, I really liked the world-building and characters the author crafted.
Flecha: 3 stars
The story felt quite bland at the beginning, but it became progressively interesting as it reached the climax. However, the antagonists and their motives were so underdeveloped that the conflict with them wasn’t integrated that well into the plot.
The First Day of Us: 3.25 stars
I wasn’t a huge fan of the second-person POV the author narrated the story with, as it was confusing who the “you” was as it kept bouncing between Mar and Atzimba. The plot was also quite jumpy, and the relationship dynamic between Diego, Mar, and Atzimba was written awkwardly. However, I thought that its exploration of a polyamorous relationship adds a very new and diverse perspective to the collection, which was pretty cool.
The Tin Man: 4 stars
The story was very sweet and sentimental, but the Tin Man didn’t seem like it fit in with the tone of the narrative. Overall, though, I really liked this story.
This is Our Manifesto: 3.9 stars
Although I thought the format of the story as a manifesto was unique, I felt like it was too detached from the narrative itself and relied on more telling than showing to describe the circumstances leading up to the rebellion. That being said, I still liked the themes of rebellion and how the ending unfolds.
Creatures of Kings: 3.5 stars
The story started out really strong, but towards the end, it got kind of boring and confusing.
Eterno: 4 stars
I thought that the mythology behind this story was particularly fascinating. The relationship between Sebastian and Layla was so beautiful, and the ending was extremely heartbreaking.
White Water, Blue Ocean: 3.75 stars
I really liked Gabriel’s character development throughout the short story and how they struggle to find acceptance in their family. However, the family curse element of the story was hard to follow when the ocean tries to explain how it is beneficial. The writing style also made the story a bit difficult to read.
Leyenda: 3.75 stars
I enjoyed the writing style of this story; it was easy to follow and had fascinating descriptions of the magic and setting. The only thing I didn’t really like about it was that it used a lot of overused YA fantasy tropes, such as the magic school, elemental magic, and rebellions. However, I liked how unique the patriarchal aspect of the world-building is developed and how Zaybet, the main character, resolves to fight against that societal culture rather than an individual.
Color-Coded: 4 stars
I really liked the magical realism in this story and how the Change is a metaphor for puberty. However, it seemed kind of weird that only girls who go through the Change can obtain magic as puberty affects all genders, making this aspect of the magic system kind of weak. The ending was also unexpected and didn’t make much sense. Overall, though, I really enjoyed Flor’s development throughout the story and her relationships with her friend Mateo and her father.
Magical Offerings: 3 stars
This story was just okay. The plot wasn’t very interesting, so I wasn’t really hooked at first. The ending though was pretty good and had me wondering about what awaits Luz.
Rogue Enchantments: 4 stars
I thoroughly enjoyed the writing style for this story and how simple and sweet the plot was.
Sumaiko Y La Sirena: 4.5 stars
I really liked the fairytale feel of this story, and the romance was especially cute!
River People: 3.4 stars
I liked the writing style of this story, but I can’t say I really enjoyed the plot. The relationship between Malena and Parana didn’t feel very fleshed out, but I really liked how strong Malena’s relationship with her brothers is and how it’s the focus of the story.
Moonglow: 1 star
This was my least favorite story from the collection because the writing style was extremely difficult to comprehend. The abortion scene, which is the climax of the story and may be triggering to some people, was super vague and confusing in its descriptions. Certain elements of the story also didn’t really make much sense to me, such as Pedro haunting Sara and mocking her about being a mother when he doesn’t seem to have a relevant connection to her beyond being her sadistic older brother. The story then ends abruptly and on a vague note, leaving me feeling really unsatisfied.
Killing El Chivo: 2 stars
I had a hard time getting into this story since it kinda felt like it was blending in with plot elements from other stories, specifically River People and Leyenda.
Tame the Wicked Night: 4.2 stars
I liked how this story was a retelling of Beauty and the Beast. The culture and mythology added a very unique touch to the story, and the ending has me wanting more.
Overall, I really liked this collection of stories. The varying writing styles and different aspects of different Latin American cultures and mythologies made each story very distinct, but a few of them were a hit or miss for me. I would definitely recommend reading this book if you enjoy diverse fantasy and sci-fi.
February 19, 2022
THIS THIS THIS THIS
I just loved everything about this or should I say these individual stories!!
The scifi originality, the representation that I am so excited to see. All the beautiful Latinx stories and lgbtq+ rep!
The only thing I could say is that I want more! I would read a book written about each story since I want to know what happens after each story.
I would gladly read all 17 of these books! Please!! Is there a list I can add my name to? Is that how this works?
The dystopian space, the poly rep, the trans rep, the sapphic princesses, the huntsmen, the brujas, that manifesto (chills I need to know what happens), Death as a love interest and all Latinx... I'm going to run out of space but I respectfully would love to read more 😍😍😍
🌠
Thank you wednesdaybooks for the gifted arc and this beautiful coloring page that I enjoyed coloring! My girls helped with input on color choices.
✨
I just loved everything about this or should I say these individual stories!!
The scifi originality, the representation that I am so excited to see. All the beautiful Latinx stories and lgbtq+ rep!
The only thing I could say is that I want more! I would read a book written about each story since I want to know what happens after each story.
I would gladly read all 17 of these books! Please!! Is there a list I can add my name to? Is that how this works?
The dystopian space, the poly rep, the trans rep, the sapphic princesses, the huntsmen, the brujas, that manifesto (chills I need to know what happens), Death as a love interest and all Latinx... I'm going to run out of space but I respectfully would love to read more 😍😍😍
🌠
Thank you wednesdaybooks for the gifted arc and this beautiful coloring page that I enjoyed coloring! My girls helped with input on color choices.
✨
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