anastasiaadamov's review against another edition
4.0
1. "Sleeping With the Spirit" Laurie Faria Stolarz
Interesting short story with ghosts. After reading it I had a feeling that it was not really finished. My imagination had run wilder that the story itself. Story was kinda creepy and I kept looking for romance in it... &05&05&05
2. "Stupid Perfect World" Scott Westerfeld
Kinda futuristic utopian story with nostalgic elements. I liked the idea of the world how author presented it. Story was very charming and endearing. &05&05&05&05&05
3. "Thinner Than Water" Justine Larbalestier
This story has power! It is emotional, dramatic and over the top engaging. There's a guy with green eyes and fearies. I loved it. &05&05&05&05&05
4. "Fan Fictions" Gabrielle Zevin
A really creepy story for all those who prefer books over human company. A cautionary tale if you will, about the madness that comes to those who read too much. &05&05&05&05
5. "Love Struck" Melissa Marr
A HEA for the end. Selkie myth nicely presented. This short story has much potential more. &05&05&05&05&05
Interesting short story with ghosts. After reading it I had a feeling that it was not really finished. My imagination had run wilder that the story itself. Story was kinda creepy and I kept looking for romance in it... &05&05&05
2. "Stupid Perfect World" Scott Westerfeld
Kinda futuristic utopian story with nostalgic elements. I liked the idea of the world how author presented it. Story was very charming and endearing. &05&05&05&05&05
3. "Thinner Than Water" Justine Larbalestier
This story has power! It is emotional, dramatic and over the top engaging. There's a guy with green eyes and fearies. I loved it. &05&05&05&05&05
4. "Fan Fictions" Gabrielle Zevin
A really creepy story for all those who prefer books over human company. A cautionary tale if you will, about the madness that comes to those who read too much. &05&05&05&05
5. "Love Struck" Melissa Marr
A HEA for the end. Selkie myth nicely presented. This short story has much potential more. &05&05&05&05&05
marpesea's review against another edition
4.0
This was an excellent short story collection. I didn't expect to be surprised by some of the endings or the premises, but I was. Stories featured ghosts and selchies, technology and faeries.
Scott Westerfeld's story about a class called "Scarcity" meant to teach privileged kids of the future what it was like to live in more primitive times was probably my favorite of the lot. That said, every story in this collection was extremely enjoyable.
Scott Westerfeld's story about a class called "Scarcity" meant to teach privileged kids of the future what it was like to live in more primitive times was probably my favorite of the lot. That said, every story in this collection was extremely enjoyable.
beakarnstein's review against another edition
5.0
Un libro HER-MO-SO.
Si bien las primeras 4 historias me hicieron llorar, la última fue tan perfecta (protagonistas ideales, escenas, final, equilibrio justo entre romance y drama) que arregló los sentimientos que me habían generado las otras.
Si bien las primeras 4 historias me hicieron llorar, la última fue tan perfecta (protagonistas ideales, escenas, final, equilibrio justo entre romance y drama) que arregló los sentimientos que me habían generado las otras.
mehsi's review against another edition
3.0
Sleeping with the Spirit: **** stars
This was an interesting story, I really liked it. It features love, but also how to overcome grief and continue with your life, to family and friends. Also has a wonderful ghost.
I particularly loved the ending. He will always be with her, no matter what. :)
Stupid Perfect World: ** stars
That was super confusing, I thought Kieran was a girl at first, also the switching in characters was just not for me, it only brought about confusion. The story itself was ok.
2 students/friends are doing a project for Scarcity. One tries out sleeping, the other has her hormones on. It was a bit interesting to see how they found all the new changes strange and how they adapted to it.
Thinner than Water: *** stars.
Interesting story, also quite scary at moments. What people will do when someone is strange and not fitting their world. :(
It was a sad story, a girl who wants to leave, but who can't due to many reasons. I loved her and Robbie together, was so sad when things happened. :(
It was an unique Fairy story.
Fan Fictions: * star
The hell? Twilight fan fiction? Wut? No. Just no. It started off so nicely, well ok, the first few pages, until we meet Aaron, and then hear his story. Ugh. Interesting idea, but would have been so much better without the obvious Twilight hints. It wasn't even that creepy or anything.
Love Struck: ** stars
Interesting story about selkies, but it was just a bit too similar to another short story I read. So nope.
In total I would give this a 3/5. Not the best in the collection.
For fans of Romance, Vampires, Ghosts, Selkies, Fairies. :)
This was an interesting story, I really liked it. It features love, but also how to overcome grief and continue with your life, to family and friends. Also has a wonderful ghost.
I particularly loved the ending. He will always be with her, no matter what. :)
Stupid Perfect World: ** stars
That was super confusing, I thought Kieran was a girl at first, also the switching in characters was just not for me, it only brought about confusion. The story itself was ok.
2 students/friends are doing a project for Scarcity. One tries out sleeping, the other has her hormones on. It was a bit interesting to see how they found all the new changes strange and how they adapted to it.
Thinner than Water: *** stars.
Interesting story, also quite scary at moments. What people will do when someone is strange and not fitting their world. :(
It was a sad story, a girl who wants to leave, but who can't due to many reasons. I loved her and Robbie together, was so sad when things happened. :(
It was an unique Fairy story.
Fan Fictions: * star
The hell? Twilight fan fiction? Wut? No. Just no. It started off so nicely, well ok, the first few pages, until we meet Aaron, and then hear his story. Ugh. Interesting idea, but would have been so much better without the obvious Twilight hints. It wasn't even that creepy or anything.
Love Struck: ** stars
Interesting story about selkies, but it was just a bit too similar to another short story I read. So nope.
In total I would give this a 3/5. Not the best in the collection.
For fans of Romance, Vampires, Ghosts, Selkies, Fairies. :)
darkacademiafiend's review against another edition
3.0
Het boek bevat verschillende verhalen, wat soms best vervelend kan zijn. Ik wil gewoon een lang verhaal. Ook vond ik niet al de verhalen even leuk. Ik vond vooral het verhaal heel leuk dat zit afspeelde in een afgelegen dorpje, volgens mij is dat het 4de verhaal. Maar overal een heel leuk verhaal en boek.
marimoose's review against another edition
3.0
After I'd been resolved to not liking this book, it was probably the last story that made me rethink it and go: "You know, the stories aren't all that bad."
Well, in a YA-"omg love" sense. Not all the stories ended well (I was particularly fond of how "Fan Fictions" ended up, it was just so odd, but so interesting!). I think overall, however, Scott Westerfeld and Melissa Marr had my favorite stories.
Okay, yes, I picked the book up because I saw Westerfeld's name on the list of authors, so there was always going to be bias there. His "Stupid Perfect World" was written in his YA Uglies style, so I wasn't exactly blown over by the change of style from his Leviathan trilogy (and while I certainly preferred the latter, the former worked fine with this story). He managed to put in a little info about a scifi-world, created lovely repeat-phrases (like "meeker", which I'm not particularly what it means still), and put in two characters whose points of view were entertaining.
And yes, I've heard of Melissa Marr and Wicked Lovely is probably in my reading list somewhere. So I'm actually pleased at how her "Love Struck" turned out, mostly because it was all about selkies! I really can't resist a fairy tale-related story, oh no. And the story was adorable, albeit I could have used a bit more story with the brother (there was so much background unsaid that I would have liked the story to go for more than 40-something pages!).
The other three stories had something interesting to say about love as well, though again, perhaps not my favorites. "Thinner than Water" had to do with falling in love with the fae folk and the repercussions after living with a all-too traditional family; it was nicely done (again, my same complaint goes to the fact that the story was too short). "Fan Fictions" dealt with a girl crazy in love who appears to be morphing a story to meld with her own life (who wouldn't want their favorite fictional guy to literally come out of the page and serenade her?). And "Sleeping with the Spirit" started the anthology off with the supernatural feel (think a YA Ghost with no need for a physical Whoopi Goldberg medium).
Yeah, I think that sums it up.
Well, in a YA-"omg love" sense. Not all the stories ended well (I was particularly fond of how "Fan Fictions" ended up, it was just so odd, but so interesting!). I think overall, however, Scott Westerfeld and Melissa Marr had my favorite stories.
Okay, yes, I picked the book up because I saw Westerfeld's name on the list of authors, so there was always going to be bias there. His "Stupid Perfect World" was written in his YA Uglies style, so I wasn't exactly blown over by the change of style from his Leviathan trilogy (and while I certainly preferred the latter, the former worked fine with this story). He managed to put in a little info about a scifi-world, created lovely repeat-phrases (like "meeker", which I'm not particularly what it means still), and put in two characters whose points of view were entertaining.
And yes, I've heard of Melissa Marr and Wicked Lovely is probably in my reading list somewhere. So I'm actually pleased at how her "Love Struck" turned out, mostly because it was all about selkies! I really can't resist a fairy tale-related story, oh no. And the story was adorable, albeit I could have used a bit more story with the brother (there was so much background unsaid that I would have liked the story to go for more than 40-something pages!).
The other three stories had something interesting to say about love as well, though again, perhaps not my favorites. "Thinner than Water" had to do with falling in love with the fae folk and the repercussions after living with a all-too traditional family; it was nicely done (again, my same complaint goes to the fact that the story was too short). "Fan Fictions" dealt with a girl crazy in love who appears to be morphing a story to meld with her own life (who wouldn't want their favorite fictional guy to literally come out of the page and serenade her?). And "Sleeping with the Spirit" started the anthology off with the supernatural feel (think a YA Ghost with no need for a physical Whoopi Goldberg medium).
Yeah, I think that sums it up.
littlebitofe's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed all the stories, although THINNER THAN WATER by Justine Larbalestier was rather sad. I had a good laugh over FAN FICTIONS by Gabrielle Zevin and its poke at the Twilight craze.