Short stories aren’t usually something I jump at the opportunity to read; however, I thought I should read this one as it is primarily about black girls and their bravery and resistance and there just aren’t loads of books out there about these topics. 

I enjoyed this book and it was a fast read; however, it didn’t grip me like some YA books do. I really enjoyed several of the stories, and others weren’t really my cup of tea, but that’s okay, because you can’t know if you like a story unless you try reading it first, right? Most of the stories in this book had a fantastical or folklore side to them, and the women in them were strong leaders or making tough decisions and owning them, which I think is an important thing for YA literature to focus on, as teens are constantly having tough situations thrown at them. 

I think my favorite story was actually the last one, wherein a girl in a futuristic world struggles to accept the technology that has begun to rule her world. There were so many unique stories by great authors in this book, and I think I just had higher expectations perhaps. I found that it seemed like the stories were cut short, and I just wanted to get to know the characters a little more. 

All in all, this was a good book and a great way to escape from the real problems in the world that we face on a day-to-day basis. The stories in this collection might seem a little out of this world, however, a lot of them can be applied to issues that teen girls face today if one uses their imagination. A book that tells stories about empowered women and their rise to that empowerment is always one to be applauded in my mind!

Review of an Advance Reading Copy

This book was sent to Compass Book Ratings for review by Viking Books for Young Readers

Content Analysis:

Profanity/Language:  2 religious exclamations; 8 mild obscenities; 4 scatological words; 6 F-Word derivatives. 

Violence/Gore:  Imaginary creatures shoot at humans with laser guns, mentioned to go on a killing spree; land is mentioned to be ravaged and laid to waste; people are reported to be attacked and injured in fight; gun violence occurs and guns are mentioned to be owned and used; a brief scene occurs where a woman is mentioned to be giving birth and some blood is mentioned; a witch is mentioned to be threatened with being burned alive; a girl is mentioned to be injured and dying from a gunshot wound, blood is mentioned; a woman talks briefly of being attacked by a wolf and surviving; a father is mentioned to physically abuse his wife and daughter; a man is mentioned to be swept away in a flood and never seen again, it is assumed he is dead; a war is briefly described to be fought and people are briefly mentioned to be shot at and killed; a man is described to be poisoned and eventually dies; a girl stabs a man in one brief scene and blood is mentioned; a man is mentioned to have died by suicide; a man is reportedly shot at for being colored and out after curfew; a witch is briefly described to overtake and kill a man and a woman; a witch mentions the she has killed people and wants to feed off of them in a brief creepy scene. 

Sex/Nudity:  A girl and boy kiss briefly several times; a girl thinks she may have kissed a vampire; teen girls flirt and kiss each other; sex is implied briefly in one scene when someone is described to be “ruthless in bed”; rape is mentioned in one brief scene; a kiss between a boy and a girl occurs in a play; a woman is described to be standing in a bra and her breasts are mentioned in a non-sexual way; a man and woman are described to kiss several times; a woman is mentioned to be seen nude in a non-sexual way; a woman is mentioned to be pregnant outside of marriage.

Mature Subject Matter:

Death; war; death of a loved one; suicide (mention); racism; witches; sorcery; magic.

Alcohol / Drug Use:

Cigar smoking is mentioned; a jug of bootleg liquor wine is mentioned; bootleg liquor mentioned.