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Study Break: 11 College Tales from Orientation to Graduation
This collection of interconnected contemporary YA short stories, written by Gen Z authors, explores different parts of "the college experience," from questioning your major to questioning your identity.
College...the best time, the worst time, and something in between.
What do you do when orientation isn't going according to your (sister's) detailed plans? Where do you go when you're searching for community in faith? How do you figure out what it means that you're suddenly attracted to your RA? What happens when your partner for your last film project is also your crush and graduation is quickly approaching?
Told over the course of one academic year, this collection of stories set on the same fictional campus features students from different cultures, genders, and interests learning more about who they are and who they want to be. From new careers to community to (almost) missed connections — and more — these interconnected tales explore the ways university life can be stressful and confusing and exciting and fulfilling.
Gen Z contributors include Jake Maia Arlow, Arushi Avachat, Boon Carmen, Ananya Devarajan, Camryn Garrett, Christina Li, Racquel Marie, Oyin, Laila Sabreen, Michael Waters, and Joelle Wellington.
College...the best time, the worst time, and something in between.
What do you do when orientation isn't going according to your (sister's) detailed plans? Where do you go when you're searching for community in faith? How do you figure out what it means that you're suddenly attracted to your RA? What happens when your partner for your last film project is also your crush and graduation is quickly approaching?
Told over the course of one academic year, this collection of stories set on the same fictional campus features students from different cultures, genders, and interests learning more about who they are and who they want to be. From new careers to community to (almost) missed connections — and more — these interconnected tales explore the ways university life can be stressful and confusing and exciting and fulfilling.
Gen Z contributors include Jake Maia Arlow, Arushi Avachat, Boon Carmen, Ananya Devarajan, Camryn Garrett, Christina Li, Racquel Marie, Oyin, Laila Sabreen, Michael Waters, and Joelle Wellington.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published March 7, 2023
17 people are currently reading
1494 people want to read
About the author
Arushi Avachat
5 books186 followersArushi Avachat is a writer from the Bay Area, California. She studied English, Political Science, and South Asian Studies at UCLA, where she was often found sipping caramel lattes and pretending to be productive at Kerckhoff Coffee House. A 2024 Marshall Scholar, Arushi received her MSt in English and American Studies at Oxford. Arushi loves dark chocolate, Jane Austen books, and California winters. Arya Khanna’s Bollywood Moment (Wednesday Books) is her first novel. Her second novel, Rani Deshpande Takes the Wheel (Wednesday Books), releases on May 19. She is represented by the lovely Rebecca Rodd and Kerry Sparks at LGR Literary.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 65 reviews
May 1, 2023
college YA stories >>>>>
July 19, 2022
This was a beautiful collection of stories from diverse authors which we need more of!! So many new voices/authors I can’t wait to read more of once their work gets released
It was so refreshing to read stories by voices I could relate to/are the same age as me. I really hope this anthology and many more stories like these which are coming out shows publishing that new adult/college age stories are so needed.
These stories will resonate with so many demographics and I’d love to maybe even see a second version one day!!
It was so refreshing to read stories by voices I could relate to/are the same age as me. I really hope this anthology and many more stories like these which are coming out shows publishing that new adult/college age stories are so needed.
These stories will resonate with so many demographics and I’d love to maybe even see a second version one day!!
August 6, 2022
This review will be published on The Wellesley News website in the coming weeks! I'll update my review with a link when it's up.
It is always incredibly cool seeing how a book actually comes to be, but the story of “Study Break” is one that could only have happened with a book like this: it all started on Twitter.
Over a year ago, Camryn Garrett tweeted that she wanted more YA books set in college. Ananya Devarajan quote tweeted it with a concept: an anthology of intertwining college-set stories. It got … a lot of likes.
And then it became real, an actual collection of stories written by current or recently-graduated college students and edited by Aashna Avachat. To me, watching from the sidelines, it was like magic. I nearly screamed when Ananya sneakily told me about it before it was announced officially. I screamed more when I finally read it.
“Study Break” follows a bunch of students at the fictional University of Milbridge, a college of indeterminate size at an indeterminate place in the US. The stories are arranged in chronological order, one happening in every month (except two in December), bookended with poetry by Oyin (the pen name for acquiring editor Foyinsi Adegbonmire). Characters sometimes make recurring appearances in various stories, which all have heartwarming coming-of-age themes.
I loved every story in this collection, which is extremely rare for a short story anthology; there are usually at least a few that aren’t for me. Maybe that’s just because I know almost every author who contributed a story to this, or maybe it’s also because it was acquired by my editor, and I know that makes me incredibly biased, but at this point, I don’t think anyone expects my book reviews to be unbiased.
It’s hard for me to even point to my favorite stories. I feel like by shouting out any story in this anthology, it would do a disservice to the others because they all exist in tandem with one another, often even involving the same groups of friends. But what I will say is there’s something in here for everyone: successful (and less successful) love stories, complicated family relationships, academic crises and more. Swifties will love this book — I counted at least three Taylor Swift references.
What I think is most striking about “Study Break” is that it almost has to be as diverse as it is. Teens and young adults of marginalized identities often don’t have their big coming-of-age moments until after high school, only once they leave home for the first time, because of a variety of factors that I really do not have the space to get into. College has certainly been a big point of self-discovery for me in a much different way from my white allocishet peers, and the stories in “Study Break” reflect that experience immensely well.
Anyway, this is my public plea to the creative team behind this book: please, please let there be a second University of Milbridge book. I cannot express enough how important this book is to me.
“Study Break” comes out on March 7, 2023. Yes, I did neglect many review copies I have that are coming out much sooner in order to review this. Many thanks to the publisher (my publisher!), Feiwel & Friends, for the early copy.
It is always incredibly cool seeing how a book actually comes to be, but the story of “Study Break” is one that could only have happened with a book like this: it all started on Twitter.
Over a year ago, Camryn Garrett tweeted that she wanted more YA books set in college. Ananya Devarajan quote tweeted it with a concept: an anthology of intertwining college-set stories. It got … a lot of likes.
And then it became real, an actual collection of stories written by current or recently-graduated college students and edited by Aashna Avachat. To me, watching from the sidelines, it was like magic. I nearly screamed when Ananya sneakily told me about it before it was announced officially. I screamed more when I finally read it.
“Study Break” follows a bunch of students at the fictional University of Milbridge, a college of indeterminate size at an indeterminate place in the US. The stories are arranged in chronological order, one happening in every month (except two in December), bookended with poetry by Oyin (the pen name for acquiring editor Foyinsi Adegbonmire). Characters sometimes make recurring appearances in various stories, which all have heartwarming coming-of-age themes.
I loved every story in this collection, which is extremely rare for a short story anthology; there are usually at least a few that aren’t for me. Maybe that’s just because I know almost every author who contributed a story to this, or maybe it’s also because it was acquired by my editor, and I know that makes me incredibly biased, but at this point, I don’t think anyone expects my book reviews to be unbiased.
It’s hard for me to even point to my favorite stories. I feel like by shouting out any story in this anthology, it would do a disservice to the others because they all exist in tandem with one another, often even involving the same groups of friends. But what I will say is there’s something in here for everyone: successful (and less successful) love stories, complicated family relationships, academic crises and more. Swifties will love this book — I counted at least three Taylor Swift references.
What I think is most striking about “Study Break” is that it almost has to be as diverse as it is. Teens and young adults of marginalized identities often don’t have their big coming-of-age moments until after high school, only once they leave home for the first time, because of a variety of factors that I really do not have the space to get into. College has certainly been a big point of self-discovery for me in a much different way from my white allocishet peers, and the stories in “Study Break” reflect that experience immensely well.
Anyway, this is my public plea to the creative team behind this book: please, please let there be a second University of Milbridge book. I cannot express enough how important this book is to me.
“Study Break” comes out on March 7, 2023. Yes, I did neglect many review copies I have that are coming out much sooner in order to review this. Many thanks to the publisher (my publisher!), Feiwel & Friends, for the early copy.
October 6, 2022
i cant wait for this
Edit: october 6th 2022:
i'm so happy i got to read an advance copy of this book. makes me think of my college days (which only ended in 2021 but still) and kinda miss it? but also notttt lmao i dont miss exams. i'm in grad school now, but it is still so different than being an undergrad and coming of age.
Edit: october 6th 2022:
i'm so happy i got to read an advance copy of this book. makes me think of my college days (which only ended in 2021 but still) and kinda miss it? but also notttt lmao i dont miss exams. i'm in grad school now, but it is still so different than being an undergrad and coming of age.
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August 29, 2023Thank you to Fierce Reads and the authors for a copy of the book to participate in the #StudyBreak tour!
This was a super quick but satisfying anthology that did exactly what the authors were intending: to create a place for YA fiction set in college. I loved how diverse the stories were; as a very recent college grad, this immediately threw me back to the past four years. I really hope to see more YA-style writing set in college. New adult is definitely a thing, but this still was more YA than new adult—which is something we need! You’re still a teen at 18 and 19 years old, and this was a refreshing reminder of that :)
This was a super quick but satisfying anthology that did exactly what the authors were intending: to create a place for YA fiction set in college. I loved how diverse the stories were; as a very recent college grad, this immediately threw me back to the past four years. I really hope to see more YA-style writing set in college. New adult is definitely a thing, but this still was more YA than new adult—which is something we need! You’re still a teen at 18 and 19 years old, and this was a refreshing reminder of that :)
December 20, 2022
As a current college student that has been searching for books set in college that could actually reflect my own weird way of going through college and all that comes with it, I am so thankful that I got a chance to read Study Break in advance. The authors in this anthology are truly amazing at not only weaving their stories and characters through the fictional college, but all have such a strong sense of relatability that is for some reason so hard to find with explicit gen-z characters. The conversations feel honest. The situations are relatable and realistic, some are even ones I have experienced down to a profs name which was weird tbh (shoutout Racquel Marie, it is scary how much I relate to all of your stories). This book doesn't only show the positives of college either. They talk about the sucky parts, about how sometimes it takes a really long time to find your group, ab0ut how lonely it can be, and even about the transfer experience which is also an experience that I share. Overall, I LOVED this anthology with my whole heart. If you are looking for more YA books set in college that is filled with a perfect mix of swoon-worthy moments and emotional talks, Study Break is for you!!
March 21, 2023
finished this a while ago but forgot to update. this anthology was a mixed bag!! some stories were better than others, a few were exceptional but i found most of the writing to either be uncompelling and/or underdeveloped unfortunately. overall i really like the concept of college-aged YA stories and would love to see more geared toward this audience from the publishing industry. but i also wish the stories overall weren’t so centered on romance. a lot of them were cute but it would’ve been nice to see college stories get away from that foundation a bit.
March 25, 2023
No real standouts here and some flat out duds. Overall, really disappointing because it felt like it had some promise!
January 16, 2023
Thank you Netgalley for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review.
5/5 ⭐️
I did not expect to love this as much as I did! All of the stories were amazingly well written and surprisingly made me feel a little less anxious about college. I’m unsure if college is the route I want to go down and if I do decide to go to college this made me feel just a little less anxious. This is an anthology full of friendship, possible romances, exploring who are and who you want to be. It reassures you that, “Sure college students look like they no what they’re doing but they really don’t.”
I think my favorite story in the anthology was January Rani’s Resolutions by Atsushi Avachat. I was so drawn in and it ended on a cliff hanger so I’m just craving more.
This is possibly one of my favorite anthologies that I’ve read so far and I highly recommend. It comes out in March so add it to your TBR and keep an eye for when it comes out!
5/5 ⭐️
I did not expect to love this as much as I did! All of the stories were amazingly well written and surprisingly made me feel a little less anxious about college. I’m unsure if college is the route I want to go down and if I do decide to go to college this made me feel just a little less anxious. This is an anthology full of friendship, possible romances, exploring who are and who you want to be. It reassures you that, “Sure college students look like they no what they’re doing but they really don’t.”
I think my favorite story in the anthology was January Rani’s Resolutions by Atsushi Avachat. I was so drawn in and it ended on a cliff hanger so I’m just craving more.
This is possibly one of my favorite anthologies that I’ve read so far and I highly recommend. It comes out in March so add it to your TBR and keep an eye for when it comes out!
December 26, 2022
a bit biased but sooo lovely. I had tons of fun writing my story for this anthology & I loved reading all of the other pieces so much!
Want to read
June 16, 2022We love to see more college YA!
October 19, 2023
I'm not always a huge anthology person, but I really enjoyed this one and I think it will resonate with YA readers. I loved that all of the stories were set on the same campus--it gave the collection a real cohesion to it. This book simultaneously made me so nostalgic for my undergrad years and energized to enjoy that last little bit of "college life" I can afford as a graduate student. Sometimes in a collection, there's a mix of stories I loved and stories that didn't land with me, but in this one, I must say I enjoyed them all! If I had to choose my favorites, they would be Fall Once More by Aashna Avachat (October), Sophomore Slump by Raquel Marie (December), Ruby by Camryn Garrett (March), and Begin Again but Christina Li (May). That said, I truly thoroughly enjoyed them all and I had such a fun time reading and savoring this collection.
August 11, 2024
I absolutely adore college and campus-centric fiction, and this is a lovely and sweet collection of interconnected vignettes about college freshmen adjusting to college life.
I certainly love reading campus fiction that resonates with my own experience, but I also love reading about a campus experience very difference from mine, and this book was an excellent way to do that.
Most of the characters in this are queer and most of them are what I would call “joiners,” which is different from my college experience. It also takes place at a small liberal arts college, very different from my own time at a large university. It becomes interesting how relatable much of what the students in this are thinking and feeling is, even if the specifics of their circumstances are different from your own.
Some of the stories are more compelling than others, but on the whole it’s a good collection. The road trip to rescue Momo was my personal favorite.
I do feel compelled to mention that this is a very PG, innocent look at college, and thus unlikely to appeal much to those who are actually in college or about to arrive there. But I think it would be great for perhaps a younger high school student who is not yet quite ready to engage with the more adult themes that go along with college life and related fiction, but who might enjoy a very tame but still immersive introduction to the experience of campus life.
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
I certainly love reading campus fiction that resonates with my own experience, but I also love reading about a campus experience very difference from mine, and this book was an excellent way to do that.
Most of the characters in this are queer and most of them are what I would call “joiners,” which is different from my college experience. It also takes place at a small liberal arts college, very different from my own time at a large university. It becomes interesting how relatable much of what the students in this are thinking and feeling is, even if the specifics of their circumstances are different from your own.
Some of the stories are more compelling than others, but on the whole it’s a good collection. The road trip to rescue Momo was my personal favorite.
I do feel compelled to mention that this is a very PG, innocent look at college, and thus unlikely to appeal much to those who are actually in college or about to arrive there. But I think it would be great for perhaps a younger high school student who is not yet quite ready to engage with the more adult themes that go along with college life and related fiction, but who might enjoy a very tame but still immersive introduction to the experience of campus life.
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
September 15, 2022
Reading this as someone who works in Higher Education, I really enjoyed the different view points of the college experience. The authors hit various different stages of being a new student to joining clubs to losing some of the first friends one meets at campus and ends with graduation. I would definitely recommend this to many of my students. I love how diverse the students were and how they connected throughout the various stories. I will be purchasing a hard copy to have in my office and put one in our Little Free Library!
Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan for the ARC.
More to be posted on my Instagram!
Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan for the ARC.
More to be posted on my Instagram!
August 2, 2023
this was a very solid short story collection. i loved the college spin and thought the authors did a great job making the stories cohesive. there were a few that really stood out including Ruby by Camryn Garrett, Fall Once More by Aashna Avachat, and Shofar, So Good by Jake Maia Arlow. there were a few stories that i thought dragged a little but nothing i totally disliked. loved the college advise and reading about the different authors. this one definitely made me excited for this fall!
May 8, 2023
I saw this book on display at my school’s library and decided to give it a shot. I was excepted some sort of mediocre, cliche college novel, but what I got was so much better. The college that the novel was focused on reminded me so much of my own college, and I connected to each and every one of the characters and their struggles and triumphs. Really wish I had a permanent copy of this book.
November 19, 2023
brought me back to the uncertainty of starting school and building new friendships is just so hard. study break highlighted all the worries and concerns of college. i enjoyed this short anthology, especially with the diverse cast of characters written by a diverse group of authors.
June 3, 2023
i don’t care if i think it’s perfect bc i’m in college!! it’s perfect!!
June 5, 2023
I know that a collection of short stories like this is not for me lol... but I still keep reading them
May 31, 2023
this is so cute! def romanticizes college but still sweet. very glad there is no covid reference but also some of the stories feel like they were written by authors who never had a pre-covid college experience. I want some of the stories to get expanded bc now I’m invested in the drama
May 1, 2024
New adult books being marketed as young adult lit 👎🏼
New adult books clearly written about college aged characters and marketed as such 😎
I knew going in this was a collection of short stories written about the college days. Each author, also a member of Gen Z, wrote a story that goes in this collection of stories following the college year September - May. I thought the characters in each of the stories would overlap, and maybe they did, but it wasn't obvious enough for me to pick out any overlap. As with any anthology, some pieces sat with me longer than others and some pieces were forgettable right away. Regardless, I enjoyed this anthology and I think today's young people, especially those gearing up for college, would get a lot out of this collection. I'm looking forward to reading more from some of these authors in the future!
Thank you to Macmillian Children's Publishing Group and NetGalley for an advanced reader's copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.
New adult books clearly written about college aged characters and marketed as such 😎
I knew going in this was a collection of short stories written about the college days. Each author, also a member of Gen Z, wrote a story that goes in this collection of stories following the college year September - May. I thought the characters in each of the stories would overlap, and maybe they did, but it wasn't obvious enough for me to pick out any overlap. As with any anthology, some pieces sat with me longer than others and some pieces were forgettable right away. Regardless, I enjoyed this anthology and I think today's young people, especially those gearing up for college, would get a lot out of this collection. I'm looking forward to reading more from some of these authors in the future!
Thank you to Macmillian Children's Publishing Group and NetGalley for an advanced reader's copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.
August 30, 2022
Study Break is the second YA anthology I have read this year (Fools in Love being the other) that nearly entirely features stories about LGBTQIA and gender-fluid characters. If you are looking for fiction that includes a diverse cast of characters in which the majority of them are not heterosexual and cisgender, then you may find much to love about Study Break, which includes 11 stories set on a fictional college campus taking place over the course of a school year. Unfortunately, I personally do not generally enjoy LGBTQIA fiction, and am finding that YA anthologies are now leaning more often toward entirely featuring diverse relationships and non-binary characters. which is not for me, although I can recommend them to those who they are. Content aside, I know that this anthology features burgeoning authors, but it unfortunately also reads that way. These stories felt one-track and underdeveloped, not to mention underwhelming.
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June 16, 2022It’s upsetting to find out that most of the authors who were picked to write this anthology are agented writers. I thought the Study Break submission from 2021 was for unagented writers to finally have a chance to become a published author, but I guess not having dazzling books deals and 1,000+ followers on Twitter was an automatic rejection for the rest of us. Seems like easy marketing and money is all that matters. Regardless of my anger, the editor liked my story was and said I should keep writing and maybe I’ll get a breakthrough someday :/ and I’m glad to see that the authors were from all races and backgrounds.
May 12, 2023
This is what anthology is supposed to do, y'all. STUDY BREAK is full of diversity in terms of representation and experiences, and every single story added something to the book. I left this one with so much comfort and new knowledge, and I already can't wait to reread it throughout my own college years! Lovely, lovely anthology!
May 28, 2023
THE THIRD SHORT STORY BY AASHNA AVACHAT WAS SOOOOOOOO CUTE
AND THE SHORT STORY BY RACQUEL MARIE TRULY SHOWED WHAT IT'S LIKE TO OVERTHINK EVERY SINGLE THING
AND THE SHORT STORY BY RACQUEL MARIE TRULY SHOWED WHAT IT'S LIKE TO OVERTHINK EVERY SINGLE THING
April 23, 2023
Thanks to MacMillan's Children's Publishing for providing a review copy via Netgalley!
I was so excited about Study Break because I love this premise. This is an anthology of eleven short stories and three poems, all of which take place at a college campus over the course of an academic year. Its a great concept and it works really well. I loved seeing characters that had been mentioned before have their own moments, and I really liked the diversity of the characters in this. I do think a lot of these were really similar thematically, but this makes sense considering the setting. Ultimately, it was really fun, and I really enjoyed a lot of the stories. Here are my individual ratings for each one.
The Ultimate Guide to Orientation by Ananya Devarajan - 4/5 stars. Super fun, great introduction, and definitely gave me butterflies.
Shofar, So Good by Jake Maia Arlow - 5/5 stars. One of my favorites. A great story of finding yourself and your space, with some great discussions about Jewish culture and Palestine.
Fall Once More by Aashna Avachat - 5/5 stars. Maybe my favorite. A great story about loneliness and putting yourself out there, with a lovely little romance. Just very sweet.
Powder by Michael Waters - 3.5/5 stars. I liked this because it felt authentic to experiences I had as a queer person at college, but I wish it had a little more to it. Still made me tear up.
Sophomore Slump by Racquel Marie - 4/5 stars. The mental health representation in this is great and relatable, I just wanted a little more from the characters. Loved the music references and the friendship subplot.
The Final Countdown by Laila Sabreen - 3.5/5 stars. This was super fun and sweet but needed a little more to dive into. Still really enjoyed it.
Rani's Resolutions by Arushi Avachat - 3/5 stars. This was a little out of place. It was more family-centric than college centric, which I didn't love and it needed more romance.
Heavy Rotation by Joelle Wellington - 4/5 stars. I loved this one and the way it talked about how friendships change. I also loved how the main character was so passionate about radio, and I adored the love interest.
Ruby by Camryn Garrett - 3.5/5 stars. Too short but super sweet and relatable. Really great ending.
Momo's Epic Rescue by Boon Carmen- 4.5/5 stars. I had the most fun with this one. I love an impromptu road trip and I love how over the top this got.
Begin Again by Christina Li - 4/5 stars. This was a great ending to this anthology. It was sweet and hopeful, and I liked the dual POV.
I'm not going to rate the poetry but I did enjoy it! Ultimately this was a fun reading experience and I think its great for all teens who are curious about the college experience.
I was so excited about Study Break because I love this premise. This is an anthology of eleven short stories and three poems, all of which take place at a college campus over the course of an academic year. Its a great concept and it works really well. I loved seeing characters that had been mentioned before have their own moments, and I really liked the diversity of the characters in this. I do think a lot of these were really similar thematically, but this makes sense considering the setting. Ultimately, it was really fun, and I really enjoyed a lot of the stories. Here are my individual ratings for each one.
The Ultimate Guide to Orientation by Ananya Devarajan - 4/5 stars. Super fun, great introduction, and definitely gave me butterflies.
Shofar, So Good by Jake Maia Arlow - 5/5 stars. One of my favorites. A great story of finding yourself and your space, with some great discussions about Jewish culture and Palestine.
Fall Once More by Aashna Avachat - 5/5 stars. Maybe my favorite. A great story about loneliness and putting yourself out there, with a lovely little romance. Just very sweet.
Powder by Michael Waters - 3.5/5 stars. I liked this because it felt authentic to experiences I had as a queer person at college, but I wish it had a little more to it. Still made me tear up.
Sophomore Slump by Racquel Marie - 4/5 stars. The mental health representation in this is great and relatable, I just wanted a little more from the characters. Loved the music references and the friendship subplot.
The Final Countdown by Laila Sabreen - 3.5/5 stars. This was super fun and sweet but needed a little more to dive into. Still really enjoyed it.
Rani's Resolutions by Arushi Avachat - 3/5 stars. This was a little out of place. It was more family-centric than college centric, which I didn't love and it needed more romance.
Heavy Rotation by Joelle Wellington - 4/5 stars. I loved this one and the way it talked about how friendships change. I also loved how the main character was so passionate about radio, and I adored the love interest.
Ruby by Camryn Garrett - 3.5/5 stars. Too short but super sweet and relatable. Really great ending.
Momo's Epic Rescue by Boon Carmen- 4.5/5 stars. I had the most fun with this one. I love an impromptu road trip and I love how over the top this got.
Begin Again by Christina Li - 4/5 stars. This was a great ending to this anthology. It was sweet and hopeful, and I liked the dual POV.
I'm not going to rate the poetry but I did enjoy it! Ultimately this was a fun reading experience and I think its great for all teens who are curious about the college experience.
June 7, 2023
I read a selection of stories from here--and for full disclosure, I know two of the authors, and am going to try to be honest regardless.
Two of the Desi stories were my favorites, and I really liked the relatable one by Arushi. It was less fluffy than the others and the anguish was real. (I wanted this story to be longer; I would read it in novella form.)
That said, a few of the stories were extremely simplistic and saccharine, and I felt like they weren't meant for college students in terms of their writing style or thematic weight; I felt like they were meant instead for high school students or younger girls who are *aspiring* to go to college. I know some college students really do find this anthology extremely relatable, and I found a few sections of it relatable in some ways, but for the most part, it was just too on-the-nose and saccharine. Maybe I don't have the normal college experience, maybe it's a me problem because I'm a snobby English major, but the characters all read as younger and more naive than they really were, and considerably purer/fluffier than the average college student. (There is some naivete and youth to real college students, of course, but there's also the less saccharine traits.)
I feel like most of the stories in here sacrificed genuine thematic weight for widespread/fluffy appeal, which is fair because there's a place for this in the current publishing industry; but the whole "you'll find friends and find yourself" stuff felt really generic and hammered in. I understand that this is not literary fiction, but in a few of the stories the writing quality could certainly have been kicked up a notch. That said, this is cute and interesting and will definitely appeal to a wide audience of current or aspiring college students.
*Also: This book was a little too romance-centric and was filled with Fictional Men Who Are Kind and Cute (Rather than Abusive and Ugly like Real Men), and I completely understand why--genuinely nice fictional men attract a huge female readership because girls are desperate for stories in which they're treated decently and have cute experiences. That said, this theme got repetitive and started to feel contrived / excessive after a while.
Two of the Desi stories were my favorites, and I really liked the relatable one by Arushi. It was less fluffy than the others and the anguish was real. (I wanted this story to be longer; I would read it in novella form.)
That said, a few of the stories were extremely simplistic and saccharine, and I felt like they weren't meant for college students in terms of their writing style or thematic weight; I felt like they were meant instead for high school students or younger girls who are *aspiring* to go to college. I know some college students really do find this anthology extremely relatable, and I found a few sections of it relatable in some ways, but for the most part, it was just too on-the-nose and saccharine. Maybe I don't have the normal college experience, maybe it's a me problem because I'm a snobby English major, but the characters all read as younger and more naive than they really were, and considerably purer/fluffier than the average college student. (There is some naivete and youth to real college students, of course, but there's also the less saccharine traits.)
I feel like most of the stories in here sacrificed genuine thematic weight for widespread/fluffy appeal, which is fair because there's a place for this in the current publishing industry; but the whole "you'll find friends and find yourself" stuff felt really generic and hammered in. I understand that this is not literary fiction, but in a few of the stories the writing quality could certainly have been kicked up a notch. That said, this is cute and interesting and will definitely appeal to a wide audience of current or aspiring college students.
*Also: This book was a little too romance-centric and was filled with Fictional Men Who Are Kind and Cute (Rather than Abusive and Ugly like Real Men), and I completely understand why--genuinely nice fictional men attract a huge female readership because girls are desperate for stories in which they're treated decently and have cute experiences. That said, this theme got repetitive and started to feel contrived / excessive after a while.
August 30, 2022
Thank you so much to Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review
This was probably one of the most unique anthologies I've ever read! I'm in awe of how talented this group of young writers is. Each story is encapsulates the college experience perfectly, and as a senior in college, this made me reflect on my university experience and even made me wish I could go back to freshman year and do it all over again.
Out of all the stories included, Racquel Marie and Laila Sabreen's stories probably hit home for me the most. As a member of the class of 2023, my college experience was interrupted due to COVID pretty early on, and I never felt like I got that perfect, life-changing college experience that everyone talks about. However, these authors' characters were definitely the most relatable as a reader.
My only two critiques is that some of the stories ended so abruptly, which was such a bummer, because they seemed really interesting! In my opinion, these abrupt endings unfortunately also interrupted the character development that was occurring in the story. There were also a couple of short stories that had slightly cringey, overly formal dialogue to the point where in my head I couldn't even distinguish that these characters were supposed to be Gen Z.
Otherwise, if you're a college student, prospective student, or recent grad looking for a short and sweet story that dives into a variety of college experiences, definitely check Study Break out!
Follow me on TikTok | Instagram | Twitter for more book reviews & recommendations!
This was probably one of the most unique anthologies I've ever read! I'm in awe of how talented this group of young writers is. Each story is encapsulates the college experience perfectly, and as a senior in college, this made me reflect on my university experience and even made me wish I could go back to freshman year and do it all over again.
Out of all the stories included, Racquel Marie and Laila Sabreen's stories probably hit home for me the most. As a member of the class of 2023, my college experience was interrupted due to COVID pretty early on, and I never felt like I got that perfect, life-changing college experience that everyone talks about. However, these authors' characters were definitely the most relatable as a reader.
My only two critiques is that some of the stories ended so abruptly, which was such a bummer, because they seemed really interesting! In my opinion, these abrupt endings unfortunately also interrupted the character development that was occurring in the story. There were also a couple of short stories that had slightly cringey, overly formal dialogue to the point where in my head I couldn't even distinguish that these characters were supposed to be Gen Z.
Otherwise, if you're a college student, prospective student, or recent grad looking for a short and sweet story that dives into a variety of college experiences, definitely check Study Break out!
Follow me on TikTok | Instagram | Twitter for more book reviews & recommendations!
April 27, 2023
This book is a collection of interconnected contemporary YA short stories, written by multiple Gen Z authors. They explore the different parts of "the college experience," from questioning your major to questioning your identity.
College... the best time, the worst time, and something in between. What do you do when orientation isn't going according to your (sister's) detailed plans? Where do you go when you're searching for community in faith? How do you figure out what it means that you're suddenly attracted to your RA? What happens when your partner for your last film project is also your crush and graduation is quickly approaching?
This YA book was set up differently than most books I read! it had multiple authors for the short stories, yet the stories all took place on the same fictional campus and seemed to be integrated really well. Some main characters popped up as side characters in other stories to help keep the flow of the book and some consistency throughout the stories. There was also a lot of different pronoun usage (he/she/they/them) and LGBTQ themes throughout the book, along with a look at how some religions and cultural impact
Although I enjoyed the book, I feel like I would have enjoyed it more if I had been able to read this in high school or college. As an adult looking back at my time on college, I see what could have been, what I did with my time, and how things have/can change so much in a short amount of time. I am looking forward to see more from these writers in the future!
I rate this book 3.5 🌟
I'd like to say a huge thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
College... the best time, the worst time, and something in between. What do you do when orientation isn't going according to your (sister's) detailed plans? Where do you go when you're searching for community in faith? How do you figure out what it means that you're suddenly attracted to your RA? What happens when your partner for your last film project is also your crush and graduation is quickly approaching?
This YA book was set up differently than most books I read! it had multiple authors for the short stories, yet the stories all took place on the same fictional campus and seemed to be integrated really well. Some main characters popped up as side characters in other stories to help keep the flow of the book and some consistency throughout the stories. There was also a lot of different pronoun usage (he/she/they/them) and LGBTQ themes throughout the book, along with a look at how some religions and cultural impact
Although I enjoyed the book, I feel like I would have enjoyed it more if I had been able to read this in high school or college. As an adult looking back at my time on college, I see what could have been, what I did with my time, and how things have/can change so much in a short amount of time. I am looking forward to see more from these writers in the future!
I rate this book 3.5 🌟
I'd like to say a huge thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
May 2, 2023
This anthology is really good! Not only does it switch back and forth between fun, more lighthearted stories and ones that more solely probe at deeper concerns, but there is a lot of talk about things that are so true in college down to little details. Especially, however, from things like awkwardness and trying to make friends to being on your own for the first time and trying to discover yourself independently. I love the diversity and different cultural inclusions in the anthology as well. There is also a lot of LGBTQ+ inclusion.
There are many meet-cutes (and they ARE cute!) There are the necessary mentions of when things don't go as planned with one's college track, accidentally pushing old roommates away because you're worried that they'll get sick of you (and yet, a lot of my old roommates and I are still friends today, so go figure to my stupid social anxiety...), and the weirdness we all feel in transitioning from high school to college.
College involves lots of change and lots of growing pains. Racquel Marie is spot-on in saying that it both is and isn't the best time of your life.
I liked the plotline of Michael Waters' story because it was unexpected, but I think that my favorite story of all was editor herself Aashna Avachat's. That one in particular I related to, and it gave me extra warm fuzzies. I really enjoyed just about every story (or poem; Oyin's poems breaking up the different stories were really good and cool, too!) in the collection, though.
So overall, I'd recommend this older-YAs-focused release! It has a little bit of something for everyone and yet still thematically revolves around universal college feelings and experiences.
There are many meet-cutes (and they ARE cute!) There are the necessary mentions of when things don't go as planned with one's college track, accidentally pushing old roommates away because you're worried that they'll get sick of you (and yet, a lot of my old roommates and I are still friends today, so go figure to my stupid social anxiety...), and the weirdness we all feel in transitioning from high school to college.
College involves lots of change and lots of growing pains. Racquel Marie is spot-on in saying that it both is and isn't the best time of your life.
I liked the plotline of Michael Waters' story because it was unexpected, but I think that my favorite story of all was editor herself Aashna Avachat's. That one in particular I related to, and it gave me extra warm fuzzies. I really enjoyed just about every story (or poem; Oyin's poems breaking up the different stories were really good and cool, too!) in the collection, though.
So overall, I'd recommend this older-YAs-focused release! It has a little bit of something for everyone and yet still thematically revolves around universal college feelings and experiences.
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