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Tasting Light: Ten Science Fiction Stories to Rewire Your Perceptions
In a mind-bending MITeen anthology, ten top YA authors use emerging technologies to explore startling new realities.
What does the future hold? Ten speculative short stories by leading young-adult authors imagine what the world could be through the lens of technologies emerging today. When the modification industry transforms how humans look, sound, and interact, a nonbinary teen braves the “reinvention room” to accept a gift from the dead. In an accidental city in space, a young apprentice holds neighborhoods together with braided carbon filaments until distraction and inspiration arrive in the wake of a visitor. Entitlement-fueled drug use alters the landscape of white privilege, robots remember the Earth, and corporate “walkers” stroll for unknown subscribers—until one hacks the system. In tales buzzing with possibility, hope, innovation, anger, and tenderness, Tasting Light offers a dazzling challenge to connect with open minds, hearts, and senses in a fast-changing world.
What does the future hold? Ten speculative short stories by leading young-adult authors imagine what the world could be through the lens of technologies emerging today. When the modification industry transforms how humans look, sound, and interact, a nonbinary teen braves the “reinvention room” to accept a gift from the dead. In an accidental city in space, a young apprentice holds neighborhoods together with braided carbon filaments until distraction and inspiration arrive in the wake of a visitor. Entitlement-fueled drug use alters the landscape of white privilege, robots remember the Earth, and corporate “walkers” stroll for unknown subscribers—until one hacks the system. In tales buzzing with possibility, hope, innovation, anger, and tenderness, Tasting Light offers a dazzling challenge to connect with open minds, hearts, and senses in a fast-changing world.
272 pages, Hardcover
First published October 11, 2022
21 people are currently reading
902 people want to read
About the author
A.R. Capetta
21 books893 followersA. R. Capetta (all pronouns), the author of Echo After Echo and The Lost Coast, has lived in Austin and worked as a professional baker and holds a master of fine arts in writing for children and young adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts. A. R. Capetta is married to author Cory McCarthy, and they live in Vermont with their young baker.
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August 17, 2022[Gifted by publisher for blurb]
A thoughtful, innovative and queer collection of stories that use futuristic technology in personal ways - from a non-binary teenager getting a mod to inherit the voice of someone deceased, to interstellar penpals. The stories range in scope from intimate to far-reaching and society-changing. Joyfully diverse, this is a jump forward into a bright and colourful world.
A thoughtful, innovative and queer collection of stories that use futuristic technology in personal ways - from a non-binary teenager getting a mod to inherit the voice of someone deceased, to interstellar penpals. The stories range in scope from intimate to far-reaching and society-changing. Joyfully diverse, this is a jump forward into a bright and colourful world.
August 19, 2023
Trying to get back into reading is hard.
'Cadence' by Charlotte Nicole Davis
4 stars
Deals with grief and gender identities and what makes you 'you'. Well written but I wish it was ever so slightly longer.
'On the Tip of My Tongue' by William Alexander
5 stars
I am a sucker for stories in 2nd person. I love that it brought such an ambiguity to the genders of both the narrator and the person they are dictating the story to. I loved the creativity of the title and how its so integral to the plot. I was fully sucked into this story like the coffee sucked into space.
'Melanitis' by Junauda Petrus-Nasah
4 stars
As a white woman, I feel I can't accurately rate/have an opinion on this story. However, I found the theory of it awesome. In a world where you can get a "disease" to turn black, how would white men react to suddenly being black? I thought it was spot on. These FANs would lobby for rights, not for Black people, but for their own; white men with melanin. I will say the story felt a bit preachy at times; rightfully so, but then the issues with our main character took a backseat. Their gender and hair identity questions didn't seem like the focus. Overall, it was a fantastic premise that I would love to read an actual novel about, but as a short story, didn't seem to fit.
'Extremophiles' by A.R. Capetta
5 stars
Maybe its because it combined two of my favorite things (space and oceans) but I really liked this one! The letters were a cute device and while a lot of the sciencey speak made my eyes glaze over, I still felt like I "got" it. I love (again) the genderless way of speaking. It makes me feel cozy. I honestly could read books upon books of bored teens in space.
'The Memory of Soil' by Wendy Xu
3 stars
A comic! I was super excited but... I don't think I understood it. It's short and alludes to the beginning of an interesting friendship, but ends before I felt like I even got attached to either of the characters. We still don't really know why Astrid is there or what's keeping her in a funk. We don't know why the robot was there. Felt like a prologue to a story that will never happen.
'Walk 153' by K. Ancrum
5 stars
My favorite story of them so far. We follow a young man who is working his way through college as a walker; someone who straps a camera to themselves and walks around for homebound people to watch. On one particular walk, his client hacks into his headset and speaks to him. Thus striking up an interesting friendship. It was beautiful and heartbreaking seeing their instant connection. I was truly along for the ride. Wonderful.
'The Weight of a Name' by Nasugraq Rainey Hopson
3 stars
Other than the mention of space travel, I don't see how this was sci-fi. Not that it was bad. It was well written and interesting and I was on the edge of my seat to the end to see if they made the deadline. It was interesting to learn about this group of people; those who live in the arctic. However, still confused on how this is sci-fi.
'Twin Strangers' by Elizabeth Bear
2 stars
Another one that didn't seem very sci-fi, just high school drama. They don't explain what the 'dops' are very well, but I assume its like an AI clone of yourself, a doppelganger. Our main character's betrays him by ratting out his best friend for cheating. Liam also struggles with an eating disorder that's never discussed. I did not feel for Liam nor did I care for the drama at all.
'The Cage' by E.C. Myers
4 stars
I like the idea of parallel universes because in one of them, maybe I'm a publish author. Anyway, this follows the transcripts and recordings of two misfit kids as they attempt to jump universes. One of them disappears and the other attempts to follow suit. This is all in the frame of a true crime podcast reporting about the first missing kid. Interesting premise that fairly delivers. I really liked the end where they discuss that each person's CHIP is individual and the two recovered missing kids have two different CHIPS... proving the parallel universe theory correct despite the skepticism the podcast host has. Really enjoyed.
'Smile River' by A.S. King
3.5 stars
Scary how I could see this being our future. This is a story that spans many generations. Rose 2051 is the daughter of a man who invented permanent smiles for women; then removal of their feelings as well. Next is Rose 2100 who feels way too much but can't. And Rose 2150 who is going to save them all by changing the algorithm. It ends before she can achieve her goal, but I think she'll make it happen. The title comes from the river nearby where a lot of women throw themselves in when they can't take their smiling, emotionless existence anymore. Brutal, emotional, but well put together at least.
Average rating: 3.85 stars rounded up to 4
I enjoyed this anthology enough. I really like HARD sci-fi, like in space and stuff, so some of the more mild sci-fi wasn't a huge hit with me. Overall, worth the read!
'Cadence' by Charlotte Nicole Davis
4 stars
Deals with grief and gender identities and what makes you 'you'. Well written but I wish it was ever so slightly longer.
'On the Tip of My Tongue' by William Alexander
5 stars
I am a sucker for stories in 2nd person. I love that it brought such an ambiguity to the genders of both the narrator and the person they are dictating the story to. I loved the creativity of the title and how its so integral to the plot. I was fully sucked into this story like the coffee sucked into space.
'Melanitis' by Junauda Petrus-Nasah
4 stars
As a white woman, I feel I can't accurately rate/have an opinion on this story. However, I found the theory of it awesome. In a world where you can get a "disease" to turn black, how would white men react to suddenly being black? I thought it was spot on. These FANs would lobby for rights, not for Black people, but for their own; white men with melanin. I will say the story felt a bit preachy at times; rightfully so, but then the issues with our main character took a backseat. Their gender and hair identity questions didn't seem like the focus. Overall, it was a fantastic premise that I would love to read an actual novel about, but as a short story, didn't seem to fit.
'Extremophiles' by A.R. Capetta
5 stars
Maybe its because it combined two of my favorite things (space and oceans) but I really liked this one! The letters were a cute device and while a lot of the sciencey speak made my eyes glaze over, I still felt like I "got" it. I love (again) the genderless way of speaking. It makes me feel cozy. I honestly could read books upon books of bored teens in space.
'The Memory of Soil' by Wendy Xu
3 stars
A comic! I was super excited but... I don't think I understood it. It's short and alludes to the beginning of an interesting friendship, but ends before I felt like I even got attached to either of the characters. We still don't really know why Astrid is there or what's keeping her in a funk. We don't know why the robot was there. Felt like a prologue to a story that will never happen.
'Walk 153' by K. Ancrum
5 stars
My favorite story of them so far. We follow a young man who is working his way through college as a walker; someone who straps a camera to themselves and walks around for homebound people to watch. On one particular walk, his client hacks into his headset and speaks to him. Thus striking up an interesting friendship. It was beautiful and heartbreaking seeing their instant connection. I was truly along for the ride. Wonderful.
'The Weight of a Name' by Nasugraq Rainey Hopson
3 stars
Other than the mention of space travel, I don't see how this was sci-fi. Not that it was bad. It was well written and interesting and I was on the edge of my seat to the end to see if they made the deadline. It was interesting to learn about this group of people; those who live in the arctic. However, still confused on how this is sci-fi.
'Twin Strangers' by Elizabeth Bear
2 stars
Another one that didn't seem very sci-fi, just high school drama. They don't explain what the 'dops' are very well, but I assume its like an AI clone of yourself, a doppelganger. Our main character's betrays him by ratting out his best friend for cheating. Liam also struggles with an eating disorder that's never discussed. I did not feel for Liam nor did I care for the drama at all.
'The Cage' by E.C. Myers
4 stars
I like the idea of parallel universes because in one of them, maybe I'm a publish author. Anyway, this follows the transcripts and recordings of two misfit kids as they attempt to jump universes. One of them disappears and the other attempts to follow suit. This is all in the frame of a true crime podcast reporting about the first missing kid. Interesting premise that fairly delivers. I really liked the end where they discuss that each person's CHIP is individual and the two recovered missing kids have two different CHIPS... proving the parallel universe theory correct despite the skepticism the podcast host has. Really enjoyed.
'Smile River' by A.S. King
3.5 stars
Scary how I could see this being our future. This is a story that spans many generations. Rose 2051 is the daughter of a man who invented permanent smiles for women; then removal of their feelings as well. Next is Rose 2100 who feels way too much but can't. And Rose 2150 who is going to save them all by changing the algorithm. It ends before she can achieve her goal, but I think she'll make it happen. The title comes from the river nearby where a lot of women throw themselves in when they can't take their smiling, emotionless existence anymore. Brutal, emotional, but well put together at least.
Average rating: 3.85 stars rounded up to 4
I enjoyed this anthology enough. I really like HARD sci-fi, like in space and stuff, so some of the more mild sci-fi wasn't a huge hit with me. Overall, worth the read!
January 13, 2023
Probably my favorite read of 2022. An inventive and thought-provoking collection of science fiction stories that explores the pitfalls and potential of human kind. I gave my copy to a friend but now need another because I will definitely be rereading it!
November 16, 2022
A great collection of fresh SciFi stories which just happen to feature young adults…and yes you will be entertained if you’re not a young adult…and yes they are relevant to youth, optimism, and the search to know the world on all its glory on only the way young eyes can be.
April 28, 2023
Cadence - 5 stars 🌟
On The Tip Of My Tongue - 3 Stars 🌟
Melanitis - 4 stars 🌟
Extremophiles - 5 stars 🌟
The Memory of Soil - 4 stars 🌟
Walk 153 - 4 stars 🌟
The Weight of a Name 5 stars 🌟
Twin Strangers - 3 stars 🌟
The Cage - 4 stars 🌟
Smile River - 5 stars 🌟
On The Tip Of My Tongue - 3 Stars 🌟
Melanitis - 4 stars 🌟
Extremophiles - 5 stars 🌟
The Memory of Soil - 4 stars 🌟
Walk 153 - 4 stars 🌟
The Weight of a Name 5 stars 🌟
Twin Strangers - 3 stars 🌟
The Cage - 4 stars 🌟
Smile River - 5 stars 🌟
November 12, 2023
Good pickings here! Strong YA sci-fi overall with a queer focus. Loved the inclusion of comics and experimental styles.
February 29, 2024
Average of all 10 stories for me is 3.55 stars, my favorite being “Melanitis” (5 stars) and my least favorites being “Twin Strangers” and “Smile River” (2.75 stars each).
March 7, 2023
I am not usually one for short stories but I enjoyed this collection written by some fabulous authors.
July 18, 2025
4 stars
🌕🌕🌕🌕
🧠 My thoughts
Like any other anthology, there will be stories I like more than others. This book hooked me from the get-go, and it was pretty easy to read. It's suitable for non-hardcore sci-fi readers. The stories evoked mixed feelings, ranging from meaningful and heart-warming to mysterious.
Cadence
This was one of my favorite stories in this book. It had an interesting introduction and a light-hearted, meaningful storyline. It made my heart feel heavy from nostalgia and sadness at the same time.
On the Tip of My Tongue
I usually am good with mind-bending stories, but this one was too metaphorical and hard for me to understand. I didn't get the point of the story. Therefore, I like this story the least.
Melanitis
The story hit hard with a thought-provoking plot about racism and the irony of things related to it. It was political and touching. I really liked this story. However, I felt like the sci-fi elements were pretty weak here.
Extremophiles
This one reminded me of the book "This Is How You Lose the Time War," but a less intense version. I liked the themes and the message it tried to deliver, but I wasn't a fan of the style, just like how I didn't like TIHYLTTW.
The Memory of Soil
It was a short and light-hearted story which reminded us to take a break and not rush through life. It was too short for me to feel anything, and was weaker than the rest of the stories.
Walk 153
This story was such a heart-warming technological story, which was set in the near future. It was definitely a rare gem. My heart felt so warm reading it. Although the trope wasn't new, it gave me hope in human connection and human beings. This one was definitely one of my favorite stories in the book.
The Weight of a Name
I didn't know why it was hard to get into the story. I vaguely got an idea of the message it tried to deliver, but it didn't stay with me at all. This one was not my favorite.
Twin Strangers
Not so much a sci-fi, I liked the idea, but it didn't hit hard. It dealt with topics such as AI and eating disorders. Some quotes stayed with me, but I wish there were more to it.
Cage
The premise was very intriguing, which reminded me of how we are using Google/Amazon speakers nowadays. It also reminded me of the Dark Matter book by Blake Crouch because it touched on quantum physics. The story dealt with privacy and data concerns, which are the hot topics that need to be discussed. I didn't understand why Nicky felt like their life wasn't as nice. I think more background information would be great here. I liked the open ending, but we might be able to guess what happened there at the end. This one was one of my favorite stories.
Smile River
Very freaky dystopian, which felt like a satirical touch to the current reality that we are living in. It vaguely reminded me of The Handmaid's Tale. I liked the premise, but the jumping between the timelines and the writing style were very confusing for me, so it lost me here and there throughout the story.
👍 What I like
- Interesting and intriguing premises and storylines
- Satirical touches of the current reality
👎 What I don't like
- Quite many confusing stories with bad executions
🌕🌕🌕🌕
🧠 My thoughts
Aaliyah has started saying that no one is only themself, that everyone is actually a collage: of the people who raised them, of the people they call their friends, of the poets they read and the singers they listen to. No one is ever really gone,…
Like any other anthology, there will be stories I like more than others. This book hooked me from the get-go, and it was pretty easy to read. It's suitable for non-hardcore sci-fi readers. The stories evoked mixed feelings, ranging from meaningful and heart-warming to mysterious.
Cadence
This was one of my favorite stories in this book. It had an interesting introduction and a light-hearted, meaningful storyline. It made my heart feel heavy from nostalgia and sadness at the same time.
On the Tip of My Tongue
I usually am good with mind-bending stories, but this one was too metaphorical and hard for me to understand. I didn't get the point of the story. Therefore, I like this story the least.
Melanitis
The story hit hard with a thought-provoking plot about racism and the irony of things related to it. It was political and touching. I really liked this story. However, I felt like the sci-fi elements were pretty weak here.
Extremophiles
This one reminded me of the book "This Is How You Lose the Time War," but a less intense version. I liked the themes and the message it tried to deliver, but I wasn't a fan of the style, just like how I didn't like TIHYLTTW.
The Memory of Soil
It was a short and light-hearted story which reminded us to take a break and not rush through life. It was too short for me to feel anything, and was weaker than the rest of the stories.
Walk 153
This story was such a heart-warming technological story, which was set in the near future. It was definitely a rare gem. My heart felt so warm reading it. Although the trope wasn't new, it gave me hope in human connection and human beings. This one was definitely one of my favorite stories in the book.
The Weight of a Name
I didn't know why it was hard to get into the story. I vaguely got an idea of the message it tried to deliver, but it didn't stay with me at all. This one was not my favorite.
Twin Strangers
I don’t know why everyone assumes that a superior intelligence is just going to want to wipe out humankind. On the other hand, maybe there’s something about our self-image that explains why we assume that’s what a superior intelligence would decide
Not so much a sci-fi, I liked the idea, but it didn't hit hard. It dealt with topics such as AI and eating disorders. Some quotes stayed with me, but I wish there were more to it.
Cage
Privacy is the cost of Freedom
The premise was very intriguing, which reminded me of how we are using Google/Amazon speakers nowadays. It also reminded me of the Dark Matter book by Blake Crouch because it touched on quantum physics. The story dealt with privacy and data concerns, which are the hot topics that need to be discussed. I didn't understand why Nicky felt like their life wasn't as nice. I think more background information would be great here. I liked the open ending, but we might be able to guess what happened there at the end. This one was one of my favorite stories.
Smile River
Very freaky dystopian, which felt like a satirical touch to the current reality that we are living in. It vaguely reminded me of The Handmaid's Tale. I liked the premise, but the jumping between the timelines and the writing style were very confusing for me, so it lost me here and there throughout the story.
👍 What I like
- Interesting and intriguing premises and storylines
- Satirical touches of the current reality
👎 What I don't like
- Quite many confusing stories with bad executions
November 22, 2022
I'm not a huge sci-fi person, I haven't read a whole lot, but I did enjoy this book. It's definitely not my favorite anthology, but it was good.
Note: The below reviews have some spoilers
Story that gave me a New Experience: "Cadence" by Charlotte Nicole Davis : So, first off, I would like to say that I’ve never read a book or short story with a non-binary lead. This was a nice story to be the first, even though I did have some problems with it. I liked the start, with Cadence getting a new voice. That was good. I also liked the idea of bringing in Aaliyah, with connections to the voice. The ending kind of lost me, it didn’t feel very concluded, but it was fine, it wasn’t the worst. I think my problem with the story is that it made me confused about identity. Like how are you, you, if you change you. It’s like Theseus’s ship all over again. Are you the same ship???? BUT- I like this kind of answer for it that Davis writes, “That everyone is actually a collage: of the people who raised them, of people they call their friends, of the poets they read and the singers they listen to.” I really like that idea and it feels very accurate. So, maybe it doesn’t matter if you change your voice, or your eye color, or your tongue shape- because that’s just a part of what makes you, you.
Story that made me want to know more about science: "Extremophiles" by A. R. Capetta : I really liked this story. The back and forth was really good between X and Lileo, and I thought writing this in the form of letters was a smart and unique idea. I was really nervous towards the middle when she wasn't responding. I was positive she was dead, because that's what I had guessed earlier. I'm glad it ended nicer than that. This story also made me want to know more about science, with coding DNA and planet rotation and just discovery in general and to be passionate about something unknown.
Story that freaked me out: "Smile River" by A.S King: This story is going to haunt me. It felt to real and possible despite the fact that things won't play out exactly that way. It's just, the idea of losing control and the pattern repeating over and over again. The story was incredible because it really freaked me out. I can't emphasis it enough.
Note: The below reviews have some spoilers
Story that gave me a New Experience: "Cadence" by Charlotte Nicole Davis : So, first off, I would like to say that I’ve never read a book or short story with a non-binary lead. This was a nice story to be the first, even though I did have some problems with it. I liked the start, with Cadence getting a new voice. That was good. I also liked the idea of bringing in Aaliyah, with connections to the voice. The ending kind of lost me, it didn’t feel very concluded, but it was fine, it wasn’t the worst. I think my problem with the story is that it made me confused about identity. Like how are you, you, if you change you. It’s like Theseus’s ship all over again. Are you the same ship???? BUT- I like this kind of answer for it that Davis writes, “That everyone is actually a collage: of the people who raised them, of people they call their friends, of the poets they read and the singers they listen to.” I really like that idea and it feels very accurate. So, maybe it doesn’t matter if you change your voice, or your eye color, or your tongue shape- because that’s just a part of what makes you, you.
Story that made me want to know more about science: "Extremophiles" by A. R. Capetta : I really liked this story. The back and forth was really good between X and Lileo, and I thought writing this in the form of letters was a smart and unique idea. I was really nervous towards the middle when she wasn't responding. I was positive she was dead, because that's what I had guessed earlier. I'm glad it ended nicer than that. This story also made me want to know more about science, with coding DNA and planet rotation and just discovery in general and to be passionate about something unknown.
Story that freaked me out: "Smile River" by A.S King: This story is going to haunt me. It felt to real and possible despite the fact that things won't play out exactly that way. It's just, the idea of losing control and the pattern repeating over and over again. The story was incredible because it really freaked me out. I can't emphasis it enough.
May 24, 2023
Unusually strong anthology, though it did go downhill as it went along and end a little weaker. I got this anthology specifically for the K. Ancrum story, and that one did not disappoint.
Highlights:
The very first story, "Cadence", by Charlotte Nicole Davis starts with an original body modification concept and wraps it in a sweet and moving story with lesbian and non-binary representation.
"On the Tip of My Tongue", by William Alexander, provides the title for the whole anthology with the sentence, "In other words, my auntie taught herself how to taste light." First person narrator and second person love interest let the characters be whatever gender the reader wants them to be, or no gender at all.
"Extremophiles", by A. R. Capetta, is told entirely in messages sent between Lileo and X encoded in DNA base pair sequences. I love it.
"Walk 153", by K. Ancrum, uses a concept so believable and so completely realized I wouldn't be surprised if we had it or something very like it in the near future, if we don't already, to tell a story about love, a very pure, sweet, non-sexual love that is nevertheless real and intense and worth sacrificing for.
There were a few low points - the comic book story, "The Memory of Soil", did nothing for me, "Twin Strangers" annoyed me, and "Smile River" was too dark, bitter, and hard to follow for my tastes. "The Cage" is a decent story but the premise is not one I am particularly interested in.
The remaining two stories "Melanitis" and "The Weight of a Name" I did not enjoy as much as the highlighted stories, but they were still good, interesting, and worth reading.
Recommended if you are a fan of any of the contributors or YA science fiction in general. I will probably be seeking out more works by the authors of my favorites.
Highlights:
The very first story, "Cadence", by Charlotte Nicole Davis starts with an original body modification concept and wraps it in a sweet and moving story with lesbian and non-binary representation.
"On the Tip of My Tongue", by William Alexander, provides the title for the whole anthology with the sentence, "In other words, my auntie taught herself how to taste light." First person narrator and second person love interest let the characters be whatever gender the reader wants them to be, or no gender at all.
"Extremophiles", by A. R. Capetta, is told entirely in messages sent between Lileo and X encoded in DNA base pair sequences. I love it.
"Walk 153", by K. Ancrum, uses a concept so believable and so completely realized I wouldn't be surprised if we had it or something very like it in the near future, if we don't already, to tell a story about love, a very pure, sweet, non-sexual love that is nevertheless real and intense and worth sacrificing for.
There were a few low points - the comic book story, "The Memory of Soil", did nothing for me, "Twin Strangers" annoyed me, and "Smile River" was too dark, bitter, and hard to follow for my tastes. "The Cage" is a decent story but the premise is not one I am particularly interested in.
The remaining two stories "Melanitis" and "The Weight of a Name" I did not enjoy as much as the highlighted stories, but they were still good, interesting, and worth reading.
Recommended if you are a fan of any of the contributors or YA science fiction in general. I will probably be seeking out more works by the authors of my favorites.
July 26, 2023
Big fan of all the queer rep in this one, and the concepts in all the stories were interesting, but I'm sorry to say it didn't rewire my perceptions.
Cadence: Cool concept, but I didn't like where the plot went. Not sure why.
On the Tip of my Tongue: A cool concept! Unfortunately I could not fathom why it was written in second-person, and there's lots of exposition in the dialogue, which is not good.
Melanitis: Would totally happen if its fictional condition was real! The white characters did have stilted dialogue, though. I was also sad that the gender stuff with the main character didn't get more focus.
Extremophiles: Written in the form of letters between two characters. Didn't grab me, so I didn't finish it.
The Memory of Soil: Cute! Its pacing gets slightly iffy towards the end, but it's cute.
Walk 153: My personal favorite. This was the first story where I wasn't bouncing off of the writing, and it had a believable and interesting concept at its core. I would do this if it was real.
The Weight of a Name: Writing didn't work for me. DNF.
Twin Strangers: I really wish the dops were formally explained, because they never are, and I was confused as to what they were exactly throughout. The ending felt rushed, and the writing style is very casual.
The Cage: Written in alternating podcast script and text formats. Skipped to the end and didn't go back to see what I'd missed.
Smile River: DNFed for the writing.
Overall, worth at least a look through!
Cadence: Cool concept, but I didn't like where the plot went. Not sure why.
On the Tip of my Tongue: A cool concept! Unfortunately I could not fathom why it was written in second-person, and there's lots of exposition in the dialogue, which is not good.
Melanitis: Would totally happen if its fictional condition was real! The white characters did have stilted dialogue, though. I was also sad that the gender stuff with the main character didn't get more focus.
Extremophiles: Written in the form of letters between two characters. Didn't grab me, so I didn't finish it.
The Memory of Soil: Cute! Its pacing gets slightly iffy towards the end, but it's cute.
Walk 153: My personal favorite. This was the first story where I wasn't bouncing off of the writing, and it had a believable and interesting concept at its core. I would do this if it was real.
The Weight of a Name: Writing didn't work for me. DNF.
Twin Strangers: I really wish the dops were formally explained, because they never are, and I was confused as to what they were exactly throughout. The ending felt rushed, and the writing style is very casual.
The Cage: Written in alternating podcast script and text formats. Skipped to the end and didn't go back to see what I'd missed.
Smile River: DNFed for the writing.
Overall, worth at least a look through!
December 7, 2023
Saving the story-by-story review for later—Tasting Light is a refreshing collection of queer YA sci-fi that focuses on building identities and connections in atypical ways.
Most of the stories tackle this in unique ways, and most of those manage both an intriguing opening and a compelling ending. However, for at least 4 of the stories, one (or both) of the writing or ideas being written fall short—some stories have prose weak enough to question whether they'd been seen by an editor at all, and others can't seem to find their footing conceptually, introducing one concept as a seemingly clear focus, then promptly ignoring their own groundwork and losing themselves.
Quality drops of especially toward the end, which is unfortunate; it's never a good sign when the best way to read an anthology is to stop halfway through.
Regardless, there are some real nuggets of quality in here. Definitely recommend to the enjoyer of low(ish) stakes YA, or queer romance with a speculative twist.
Most of the stories tackle this in unique ways, and most of those manage both an intriguing opening and a compelling ending. However, for at least 4 of the stories, one (or both) of the writing or ideas being written fall short—some stories have prose weak enough to question whether they'd been seen by an editor at all, and others can't seem to find their footing conceptually, introducing one concept as a seemingly clear focus, then promptly ignoring their own groundwork and losing themselves.
Quality drops of especially toward the end, which is unfortunate; it's never a good sign when the best way to read an anthology is to stop halfway through.
Regardless, there are some real nuggets of quality in here. Definitely recommend to the enjoyer of low(ish) stakes YA, or queer romance with a speculative twist.
December 22, 2022
Like all short story anthologies, there are some spectacular stories in here and some that just didn't hit for me. But I do like that this is a sci-fi anthology for teens, because I feel like most of the story collections in YA are romance or fantasy themed. This is a breath of fresh air, with some really fantastic contributors.
My favorite stories in this were from Charlotte Nicole Davis (I would read a whole book about this one, honestly! I was hooked), Junauda Petrus-Nasah (so realistic and hard-hitting about race in our current society), and Wendy Xu (always love a good comic short story addition!). Honestly, even if sci-fi isn't your jam, you'll probably find something to like in this book. There's a lot of variety in the stories, which is always a good thing!
My favorite stories in this were from Charlotte Nicole Davis (I would read a whole book about this one, honestly! I was hooked), Junauda Petrus-Nasah (so realistic and hard-hitting about race in our current society), and Wendy Xu (always love a good comic short story addition!). Honestly, even if sci-fi isn't your jam, you'll probably find something to like in this book. There's a lot of variety in the stories, which is always a good thing!
February 13, 2023
3.5
I'm not the biggest sci-fi person, I really haven't read much of the genre, which is something I'm aiming to change this year. For a non sci-fi reader like me, Tasting Light felt like nothing I've ever experienced before. Here are ten sci-fi stories that are so richly diverse, with so many black and queer voices to be heard. Which is something I've been desperately seeking out in novels for a while now.
In this novel you'll find intimate stories of body modding, and pen pals stretching across the galaxy, to stories of forceful, dystopian societies and almost everything in between. Each and every one of these stories had such a personal, thoughtful feel to them. Out of the entire collection my favorite stories were, Cadence, The Cage, Smile River, and Extremophiles. While there wasn't any bad stories in this bunch, as with any anthology, you're going to get the occasional story that just doesn't hit quite as hard. Though I will say, even the stories that weren't quite for me, were absolutely still enjoyable.
I'm not the biggest sci-fi person, I really haven't read much of the genre, which is something I'm aiming to change this year. For a non sci-fi reader like me, Tasting Light felt like nothing I've ever experienced before. Here are ten sci-fi stories that are so richly diverse, with so many black and queer voices to be heard. Which is something I've been desperately seeking out in novels for a while now.
In this novel you'll find intimate stories of body modding, and pen pals stretching across the galaxy, to stories of forceful, dystopian societies and almost everything in between. Each and every one of these stories had such a personal, thoughtful feel to them. Out of the entire collection my favorite stories were, Cadence, The Cage, Smile River, and Extremophiles. While there wasn't any bad stories in this bunch, as with any anthology, you're going to get the occasional story that just doesn't hit quite as hard. Though I will say, even the stories that weren't quite for me, were absolutely still enjoyable.
May 5, 2025
The Tasting Light anthology is a fabulous collection of 10 sci-fi stories with some of the best worldbuilding I’ve ever seen.
There’s “mods” that allow people to modify their appearance—think Christmas lights flashing on your fingernails, changes to your voice, and glass eyes in shades of glittery purple or gold.
There’s fingernail phone implants that let you type in the air.
There’s a great space city made of ships and stations, woven together with filament tethers.
And there’s my favorite story, “Walk 153,” where college kids livestream their walks through glamorous cities, so elderly people who have lost their mobility can explore the world.
It’s a masterful and thought-provoking collection that I would highly recommend!
There’s “mods” that allow people to modify their appearance—think Christmas lights flashing on your fingernails, changes to your voice, and glass eyes in shades of glittery purple or gold.
There’s fingernail phone implants that let you type in the air.
There’s a great space city made of ships and stations, woven together with filament tethers.
And there’s my favorite story, “Walk 153,” where college kids livestream their walks through glamorous cities, so elderly people who have lost their mobility can explore the world.
It’s a masterful and thought-provoking collection that I would highly recommend!
December 8, 2022
Appeal Factors: thought-provoking; diverse representation; non-traditional formats
My Thoughts: While hard sci-fi is not my favorite genre, this collection of short stories packed a punch that left me simultaneously devastated and hopeful. I especially appreciated the wide range of representation among both authors and characters (which is a historical shortcoming of the genre); this is the science fiction of the future! A great selection for teens (and adults) interested in topical discussions of relevant issues through the lens of speculative fiction.
My Thoughts: While hard sci-fi is not my favorite genre, this collection of short stories packed a punch that left me simultaneously devastated and hopeful. I especially appreciated the wide range of representation among both authors and characters (which is a historical shortcoming of the genre); this is the science fiction of the future! A great selection for teens (and adults) interested in topical discussions of relevant issues through the lens of speculative fiction.
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October 16, 2025[Gifted by publisher for blurb]
A thoughtful, innovative and queer collection of stories that use futuristic technology in personal ways - from a non-binary teenager getting a mod to inherit the voice of someone deceased, to interstellar penpals. The stories range in scope from intimate to far-reaching and society-changing. Joyfully diverse, this is a jump forward into a bright and colourful world.
A thoughtful, innovative and queer collection of stories that use futuristic technology in personal ways - from a non-binary teenager getting a mod to inherit the voice of someone deceased, to interstellar penpals. The stories range in scope from intimate to far-reaching and society-changing. Joyfully diverse, this is a jump forward into a bright and colourful world.
February 11, 2023
I’m not big on short stories or even science fiction that much, but I must say that I enjoyed most of these stories. There were a couple that I even wished they weren’t a short story but a novel because I liked the plot and characters so much. Highly recommend to sci-fi lovers!
Also good because they were relatively fast reads.
My favs: Cadence; Walk 153; Twin Strangers; The Cage.
Also good because they were relatively fast reads.
My favs: Cadence; Walk 153; Twin Strangers; The Cage.
April 12, 2023
As with many short story collections, there were some good ones and some not so good ones. I have a hard time “selling” short story collections to kids, but I do think that they would like some of these…
September 7, 2024
My favorite story by far was Melanitis, because yeah that would happen IRL. Most of the stories fell flat for me even if they had a great premise. I feel my time coming where I just can’t get into YA books anymore but there’s still so many good ones I wanna read:,)
August 30, 2025
I was not a big fan of any of these short stories; the only one that I really liked was K. Ancrum's, and I love everything she writes. The rest of them all had issues, whether it was the abrupt endings, the format, or the pacing.
October 26, 2025
cadence - ★★★★
on the tip of my tongue - ★★★
melanitis - ★★★
extremophiles - ★★★★
the memory of soil - ★★★
walk 153 - ★★★★
the weight of a name - ★★
twin strangers - ★★
the cage - ★★★★
smile river - ★★★★
on the tip of my tongue - ★★★
melanitis - ★★★
extremophiles - ★★★★
the memory of soil - ★★★
walk 153 - ★★★★
the weight of a name - ★★
twin strangers - ★★
the cage - ★★★★
smile river - ★★★★
September 26, 2022
I read an early reading copy, and it is a fantastic collection of short sci-fi stories, appropriate for teens.
September 29, 2022
An insightful glimpse into a future world where new technologies are used to better mankind but also can come at a cost. Each tale will have readers ponder a future world.
October 30, 2022
4.5 stars
November 3, 2022
An interesting collection of science fiction short stories.
December 28, 2022
It was going to be 4 stars, but that last story put it over the top. This was a really good book!
January 1, 2023
Enticing, short stories, each of which you want to be its own book but is also perfect in its brevity. My brain feels deliciously stretched after finishing this.
April 4, 2023
I really enjoyed these short stories, I mean I finished the book in a day so, lol. They were on very interesting and uniquely thought of topics. Big fan and would recommend.
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