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This modern, groundbreaking YA anthology explores the complexity and beauty of interracial and LGBTQ+ relationships where differences are front and center.
When people ask me what this anthology is about, I’m often tempted to give them the complicated answer: it’s about race, and about how being different from the person you love can matter but how it can also not matter, ...more
When people ask me what this anthology is about, I’m often tempted to give them the complicated answer: it’s about race, and about how being different from the person you love can matter but how it can also not matter, ...more
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Hardcover, 312 pages
Published
November 12th 2019
by Soho Teen
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Start your review of Color Outside the Lines

3.5 stars.
Color Outside the Lines is a collection of YA stories celebrating all kinds of love.
I was really excited when I first heard of this book, for several reasons. I’ll admit the first reason was the promise of a new story from Adam Silvera, as I’ve been going through withdrawal until his new book comes out next year.
But I also really love short stories, and was excited about the idea of a collection focused on stories about interracial and LGBTQ+ relationships. Those relationships are ...more
Color Outside the Lines is a collection of YA stories celebrating all kinds of love.
I was really excited when I first heard of this book, for several reasons. I’ll admit the first reason was the promise of a new story from Adam Silvera, as I’ve been going through withdrawal until his new book comes out next year.
But I also really love short stories, and was excited about the idea of a collection focused on stories about interracial and LGBTQ+ relationships. Those relationships are ...more


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I loved the idea behind this anthology so much that I had to get it. COLOR OUTSIDE THE LINES is a collection of short stories that are all about diversity-- interracial relationships, LGBT+ relationships, and even a couple with both-- and some of the challenges and delights and obstacles that occur within these relationships, while also celebrating them wholeheartedly (well, mostly-- more on that to come).
Short story collections are always ...more

This is the book of my heart. Love is diverse, and I'm so happy this book celebrates that.
- I absolutely loved this collection of stories, and I hope that it paves the way for more interracial relationships in fiction that explore the complexities and dynamics of interracial couples.
- Some of the stories you might find: the interracial relationship between a Black and white f/f couple in the context of BLM, an Asian teen who grapples with her Asian-fever white boyfriend, and a Hades/Persephone ...more
- I absolutely loved this collection of stories, and I hope that it paves the way for more interracial relationships in fiction that explore the complexities and dynamics of interracial couples.
- Some of the stories you might find: the interracial relationship between a Black and white f/f couple in the context of BLM, an Asian teen who grapples with her Asian-fever white boyfriend, and a Hades/Persephone ...more

This book has been on my tbr for a very long time, probably since the day it was announced. And I was so happy the day I got approved for the ARC. This is such a delightful read, full of adorable meet cutes and chance encounters and every story in its own way emphasizes that our differences can bring us closer and it’s so much better to learn from each other, than letting the color of our skin divide us. Really a nice set of empathetic stories and I would definitely recommend it to everyone. My
...more

The ARC of this book was provided by the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
Full review HERE
This anthology was quite well done.
First of all, there were a lot of different genres included, which is something I did not expect. I thought it was going to be only YA contemporary and so I was pleasantly surprised.
The main theme of this anthology is interracial relationships and so there were lots of interracial couples or families and a lot of good diverse representation. I ...more
Full review HERE
This anthology was quite well done.
First of all, there were a lot of different genres included, which is something I did not expect. I thought it was going to be only YA contemporary and so I was pleasantly surprised.
The main theme of this anthology is interracial relationships and so there were lots of interracial couples or families and a lot of good diverse representation. I ...more

Color Outside the Lines is an anthology about interracial relationships across time and genres. It's about the ways these relationships are both different and the same as the ones that aren't interracial; it doesn't only talk about love, culture, and prejudice, but also about family, friendships, communication, expectations and legacies, from many different points of view.
I thought this was a solid anthology. As usual, I didn't like every single story, but while the ending was a bit weak, I ...more
I thought this was a solid anthology. As usual, I didn't like every single story, but while the ending was a bit weak, I ...more

(Disclaimer: I received this free book from Edelweiss. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
It's always challenging to review anthologies, because I wonder if I review the stories, or the anthology as a whole. First off, the concept of this anthology is not only moving, but also so well executed. As Mandanna writes in the introduction, "representation matters" and these stories of relationships that cross borders, families, prejudices, and more are tender and heartfelt. ...more
It's always challenging to review anthologies, because I wonder if I review the stories, or the anthology as a whole. First off, the concept of this anthology is not only moving, but also so well executed. As Mandanna writes in the introduction, "representation matters" and these stories of relationships that cross borders, families, prejudices, and more are tender and heartfelt. ...more

Originally published on The Nerd Daily | Review by Mimi Koehler
Listen, I’m usually not the biggest fan of anthologies. Most times, there are two short stories that I really love and the rest, I just feel meh about. Sometimes, I feel obliged to review every single story on its own, while other times I feel like the stories only work as a whole. It’s a complicated thing.
But Color Outside the Lines has my whole heart.
This collection of stories approaches interracial and LGBTQIA+ relationships in ...more
Listen, I’m usually not the biggest fan of anthologies. Most times, there are two short stories that I really love and the rest, I just feel meh about. Sometimes, I feel obliged to review every single story on its own, while other times I feel like the stories only work as a whole. It’s a complicated thing.
But Color Outside the Lines has my whole heart.
This collection of stories approaches interracial and LGBTQIA+ relationships in ...more

*4.5 Stars*
I was provided an ARC via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
Color Outside the Lines is an anthology of short stories"exploring the complexity and beauty of interracial and LGBTQ+ relationships where differences are front and center". The anthology will contain 16 stories, but my review copy only had 14 since this comes out in November. When I rated each story one by one, it gave me an average 4.35 rating which I happily rounded up since I just love the concept of this book ...more
I was provided an ARC via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
Color Outside the Lines is an anthology of short stories"exploring the complexity and beauty of interracial and LGBTQ+ relationships where differences are front and center". The anthology will contain 16 stories, but my review copy only had 14 since this comes out in November. When I rated each story one by one, it gave me an average 4.35 rating which I happily rounded up since I just love the concept of this book ...more

Me, everytime i read an anthology: that's it. they don't work for me. this is the last one.
also me: *reads another anthology*
WHEN WILL I LEARN?
There were a couple stories I loved, the highlight of which is Samira Ahmed's, there were a couple i disliked and the rest of them were just...okay. I don't know. Anthologies always leave me feeling sad because i go in wanting to love them and i just don't.
RTC!!
also me: *reads another anthology*
WHEN WILL I LEARN?
There were a couple stories I loved, the highlight of which is Samira Ahmed's, there were a couple i disliked and the rest of them were just...okay. I don't know. Anthologies always leave me feeling sad because i go in wanting to love them and i just don't.
RTC!!

Review will be posted closer to the publishing date.
Buddy read !
*I got the e-copy of this ARC from Edelweiss and Soho teen in exchange of my honest opinion*
Buddy read !
*I got the e-copy of this ARC from Edelweiss and Soho teen in exchange of my honest opinion*

Mar 03, 2019
Anniek
rated it
really liked it
Shelves:
latinx-mc,
asian-author,
asian-mc,
black-author,
black-mc,
mc-of-colour,
author-of-colour,
latinx-author,
lgbtq,
short-stories
Review to come!

3.5/5
I don't generally read anthologies or short stories, so this was a treat to read something completely out of my comfort zone.
This was a beautiful compilation of stories about love. Love that comes in various forms, colors, shapes, and sizes. I adored the concept of love and friendship transcending cultural and society norms. Reading stories like these give you hope that we can peacefully coexist and support each other despite what we solely see on the outside.
With a collection of stories, ...more
I don't generally read anthologies or short stories, so this was a treat to read something completely out of my comfort zone.
This was a beautiful compilation of stories about love. Love that comes in various forms, colors, shapes, and sizes. I adored the concept of love and friendship transcending cultural and society norms. Reading stories like these give you hope that we can peacefully coexist and support each other despite what we solely see on the outside.
With a collection of stories, ...more

Disclaimer: I received a DRC from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
Color Outside the Lines is an anthology compiled by Sangu Mandanna. Each story features around interracial relationships, whether friendships, family, or partners. There’s a total of 16 stories; however only 14 of those were available in the DRC.
Anthologies are challenging to rate because the odds are that a singular person will not connect to all of those stories. Additionally, short story writing is challenging, and ...more
Color Outside the Lines is an anthology compiled by Sangu Mandanna. Each story features around interracial relationships, whether friendships, family, or partners. There’s a total of 16 stories; however only 14 of those were available in the DRC.
Anthologies are challenging to rate because the odds are that a singular person will not connect to all of those stories. Additionally, short story writing is challenging, and ...more

You can read the full, spoiler-free review for this anthology (and a mini review for every story) on my blog here.
I received an A.R.C for this book from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
As an anthology, Color Outside the Lines is phenomenal. The blurb spoke to me from the first time I read it, which is what pushed me to request an ARC in the first place. The foreword by editor Sangu Mandanna further reiterated the very reasons I loved the idea of this book. Representation matters, and ...more
I received an A.R.C for this book from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
As an anthology, Color Outside the Lines is phenomenal. The blurb spoke to me from the first time I read it, which is what pushed me to request an ARC in the first place. The foreword by editor Sangu Mandanna further reiterated the very reasons I loved the idea of this book. Representation matters, and ...more

"We won tonight because we saved what we love."
(Full disclosure: I received a free e-ARC for review through Edelweiss. Trigger warning for racism, misogyny, and ableism.)
(Full disclosure: I received a free e-ARC for review through Edelweiss. Trigger warning for racism, misogyny, and ableism.)
I swarm the stage with the other girls and here is Lourdes, jumping up and down like a circus girl on a pogo stick. She grabs my hand and I jump with her, the mess of our kiss less important than this moment when a tiny powerful woman stands, feet spread wide, and the crowd of boys parts for the shining raging mass of girls....more
“

YA anthology of stories around romantic relationships outside the White Cis-Het stories that are the most common. It's a lovely addition to the YA romance genre, especially because you don't see a lot of interracial relationships in fiction still. Just like all anthologies of short stores, some stories are stronger than others. The strongest ones are so good it easily makes up for the average ones.
I read this as an ARC, and two of the stories (by Adam Silvera and Danielle Paige) haven't been ...more
I read this as an ARC, and two of the stories (by Adam Silvera and Danielle Paige) haven't been ...more

I have yet to find an anthology I truly adore. There was a decent mix of interracial and LGBTQ love stories. This one had some decent stories and some that didn't quite hold my attention. Buy it was missing that standout short story that makes me want to reread over and over again.
I received this book free from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
I received this book free from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.

OVERALL RATING: 4.22 stars
Turn the Sky to Petal by Anna-Marie McLemore 4 stars
i’ve never read a McLemore story that didn’t feel like being wrapped in silk and sung to sleep by mother nature.
Prom by Danielle Paige 4 stars
very short but just as equally sweet.
What We Love by Lauren Gibaldi 4 stars
a jewish girl and an indian boy join forces to get revenge against their bully. this was surprisingly cute with lots of Star Wars references.
Giving Up the Ghost by Tarun Shanker and Kelly Zekas 4 ...more
Turn the Sky to Petal by Anna-Marie McLemore 4 stars
i’ve never read a McLemore story that didn’t feel like being wrapped in silk and sung to sleep by mother nature.
Prom by Danielle Paige 4 stars
very short but just as equally sweet.
What We Love by Lauren Gibaldi 4 stars
a jewish girl and an indian boy join forces to get revenge against their bully. this was surprisingly cute with lots of Star Wars references.
Giving Up the Ghost by Tarun Shanker and Kelly Zekas 4 ...more

Feb 26, 2019
faith ✨
marked it as 2019-publications
First Black Enough: Stories of Being Young & Black in America, and now this? I'm impatiently waiting. And also hoping this one doesn't disappoint (Unlike a certain aforementioned one. . .).

Grade: C+
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: This anthology is all about love stories. For my review, I'm going to rate them from the ones I liked best to least, and give a few comments on each story. Also, I should note that Danielle Paige's and Adam Silvera's stories were not included when I got my e-galley, so I cannot review/rate them.
"The Boy Is" by Elsie Chapman - 5 stars
Needed to be just a little bit longer with more swoons because I really liked this story! It has fully formed characters ...more
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: This anthology is all about love stories. For my review, I'm going to rate them from the ones I liked best to least, and give a few comments on each story. Also, I should note that Danielle Paige's and Adam Silvera's stories were not included when I got my e-galley, so I cannot review/rate them.
"The Boy Is" by Elsie Chapman - 5 stars
Needed to be just a little bit longer with more swoons because I really liked this story! It has fully formed characters ...more

3.375 Stars
I get that number because I rated every single one individually and that was my average. Please don't roast me for being so precise.
ARC provided via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review
My first anthology... I have thoughts.
First off, I want to talk about how much I loved the theme of this anthology. This anthology follows POC in relationships and where as some stories dealt with the harder side of racial identities, some were purely imaginative and that was something I loved ...more
I get that number because I rated every single one individually and that was my average. Please don't roast me for being so precise.
ARC provided via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review
My first anthology... I have thoughts.
First off, I want to talk about how much I loved the theme of this anthology. This anthology follows POC in relationships and where as some stories dealt with the harder side of racial identities, some were purely imaginative and that was something I loved ...more

What a solid collection! While there were a few stories I liked less than the others, the reasons were always my personal preference. On the whole, I was super impressed with the offerings in this YA anthology. Each story has an interracial component but it’s not always romantic, nor do the love stories always have a happy ending. There’s a mix of subgenres and I really liked seeing what each author came up with. My ARC did not include the stories from Adam Silvera and Danielle Paige.
Samira ...more
Samira ...more

I don't often read anthologies (or short stories for that matter). I prefer my books a little longer so I can really get in to the story. Right from the introduction though, Color Outside the Lines grabbed me and sucked me in -
"When people ask me what this anthology is about, I'm often tempted to give them the complicated answer: it's about race, about being different from the person you love - how it can matter and also not matter - and it's about Chinese pirate ghosts, and black girl ...more
"When people ask me what this anthology is about, I'm often tempted to give them the complicated answer: it's about race, about being different from the person you love - how it can matter and also not matter - and it's about Chinese pirate ghosts, and black girl ...more

Color Outside the Lines, like most anthologies, has some stories in it that are really good, and some others that are just okay. However, they all have an overall idea to them: the characters are in relationships that are outside the norm.
Most of these stories don't have happily-ever-afters. A few end in heartbreak, while many of them are open-ended. I would have probably liked it if more of the stories had ended on a happy note, but that's just a personal preference.
In most of these stories, ...more
Most of these stories don't have happily-ever-afters. A few end in heartbreak, while many of them are open-ended. I would have probably liked it if more of the stories had ended on a happy note, but that's just a personal preference.
In most of these stories, ...more

Color Outside the Lines is an anthology of short stories about love despite diversity, and tells stories of love that are intimate, moving, and relatable, while still telling stories of people who aren’t typically featured in literature. We see all different kinds of couples across a multitude of genres- from a black female superheroine who is dating a police officer’s daughter, to a female Hades that has married an Indian bride, to an Irish soldier fighting fort he British who falls for a
...more

Turn The Sky To Petals: 2*
Prom: 2*
What We Love: 3*
Giving Up The Ghost: 4*
Your Life Matters: 5*
Starlight and Moondust: 4*
Five Times Shiva Met Harry: 3*
The Agony Of A Heart's Wish: 4*
The Coward's Guide To Falling In Love: 3*
Death And The Maiden: 5*
Faithfull: 4*
Gilman Street: 3*
"The Boy Is": 3*
Sandwiched In Between: 3*
Yuna And The Wall: 1*
Something Gay and Magical: 4*
Overall, I'm giving this anthology 3.5 stars.
I loved the concept of this anthology, and for the most part I think it was executed ...more
Prom: 2*
What We Love: 3*
Giving Up The Ghost: 4*
Your Life Matters: 5*
Starlight and Moondust: 4*
Five Times Shiva Met Harry: 3*
The Agony Of A Heart's Wish: 4*
The Coward's Guide To Falling In Love: 3*
Death And The Maiden: 5*
Faithfull: 4*
Gilman Street: 3*
"The Boy Is": 3*
Sandwiched In Between: 3*
Yuna And The Wall: 1*
Something Gay and Magical: 4*
Overall, I'm giving this anthology 3.5 stars.
I loved the concept of this anthology, and for the most part I think it was executed ...more

I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Anthologies are always tough to rate, but I enjoyed this one more than others I've read recently. I was immediately intrigued by a set of YA short stories about interracial relationships (personal bias), and this one does an admirable job highlighting the nuances and dynamics and the beauty of being in love with someone from a different culture and background. It provides a great deal of hope along with the ...more
Anthologies are always tough to rate, but I enjoyed this one more than others I've read recently. I was immediately intrigued by a set of YA short stories about interracial relationships (personal bias), and this one does an admirable job highlighting the nuances and dynamics and the beauty of being in love with someone from a different culture and background. It provides a great deal of hope along with the ...more

Color Outside the Lines is an anthology of sixteen short stories, which was collected and edited by Sangu Mandanna. This collection is a multi-genre short stories filled with romance and diverse characters that cross boundaries in multiracial relationships.
For the most part, I rather like most if not all of these contributions. Color Outside the Lines is an anthology of sixteen short stories from varying young authors that produces a stunning collection of refreshing stories about love and ...more
For the most part, I rather like most if not all of these contributions. Color Outside the Lines is an anthology of sixteen short stories from varying young authors that produces a stunning collection of refreshing stories about love and ...more
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Goodreads Librari...: Incorrect information about anthology | 6 | 31 | Oct 16, 2018 07:48AM |