Meghan's Reviews > Fresh Ink: An Anthology

Fresh Ink by Lamar Giles
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really liked it
bookshelves: published-2018, short-stories, arcs, netgalley, young-adult, lgtbqia, read-2018

I got this ARC from Netgalley in exchange for a review. As always, thank you Netgalley.

Overall - this collection is solid, though a bit short. But really, I am always not sure how I feel about short story collections, so maybe it was perfect for me? There is a bit more romance than I wanted for a collection that isn't set out to be a romance collection, but overall, definitely a few new authors to follow.

A quick breakdown of each story:

Eraser Tattoo by Jason Reynolds

3.5/5 Stars. Not the strongest story to start out with, but I eased into this collection just fine. This story broke my heart a little, as it's about a family being forced out of their Brooklyn home.

Meet Cute by Malinda Lo

4/5 Stars. Okay, as always, I am a sucker for anything involving love at a convention. And this one did not disappoint.

Don't Pass Me By by Eric Gansworth

3/5 Stars. I honestly had to look to see what this story was about while making this review, which makes me feel terrible. I didn't dislike it, and I don't want to say "it didn't resonate with me," because these stories aren't necessarily meant for me?

Be Cool for Once by Aminah Mae Safi

3.5/5 Stars. I like this one, but it's one of the few that I felt were too long? By the time I got to this one, I was starting to worry this entire collection would be about romance and if I was in the mood for that. Still, it warmed my cold bitter heart by the end.

Tags by Walter Dean Myers

4/5 Stars. I love that this collection isn't just short stories. This is a one act play that had me stopping to think awhile before continuing to the next story. I would actually love to see it done on a stage.

Why I Learned to Cook by Sara Farizan

5/5 stars. Oh boy, this is probably the first one to make me cry (and on the subway!) And it has food in it, which makes me love it even more.

A Stranger at the Bochinche by Daniel Jose Older

3/5 Stars. I love Older, but this one did not do much for me. I think I prefer him in longer prose? Like this felt like a scene of a story, rather than a full short story.

A Boy's Duty by Sharon G. Flake

3/5 Stars. I think I understood this one, but also I'm not entirely sure I did. And because of that, I am not sure how to react or how I feel about it.

One Voice: A Something in Between Story by Melissa de la Cruz

3/5 Stars. Another one I felt like I would have enjoyed more if it was just longer? I didn't think it had enough room to do what she wanted it to do.

Paladin/Samurai by Gene Luen Yang, Illustrations by Thien Pham

4.5/5 Stars. Too short! But really cute. I love D&D crossovers.

Catch, Pull, Drive by Schuyler Bailar

5/5 Stars. I felt every emotion in this story. Nothing says this collection is all fiction, and looking into the author, I would not be surprised if this is autobiographical. It's beautifully written - and that's coming from someone who hates anything involving water.

Super Human by Nicola Yoon

5/5 Stars. This is hands down my favorite story in the collection, and I sobbed like a baby in it. A superhero decides he's tired of saving humanity and wants humanity to prove they are worth it. And how.... how can we? I'm tearing up just thinking about the story. It's too real.
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Reading Progress

May 7, 2018 – Shelved
May 7, 2018 – Shelved as: to-read
May 7, 2018 – Shelved as: published-2018
May 7, 2018 – Shelved as: short-stories
July 16, 2018 – Shelved as: long-term-to-read
September 24, 2018 – Shelved as: next-up
September 24, 2018 – Shelved as: arcs
September 24, 2018 – Shelved as: netgalley
September 24, 2018 – Shelved as: young-adult
October 25, 2018 – Started Reading
October 25, 2018 –
page 55
27.78%
October 25, 2018 –
page 80
40.4%
October 25, 2018 –
page 125
63.13%
October 25, 2018 –
page 150
75.76%
October 26, 2018 – Shelved as: lgtbqia
October 26, 2018 – Finished Reading
November 5, 2018 – Shelved as: read-2018

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