rayraymakay's review
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
mororke's review against another edition
4.0
When I saw this available, and read the description, I was excited to get it read. It did not disappoint me. Some of the stories are heartfelt, while others are funny, but they all give a small glimpse into the world of adoption, and being adopted.
After reading Nikki Sheehan’s Goodnight, Boy, I needed a story about adoption that would make me feel good. Some of the stories, I thoroughly enjoyed and was disappointed when they ended. While not every story was amazing, they were all really good.
I myself haven’t been affected by adoption, but I can imagine the stress, not only for the parents, but also for the adopted children. I feel that Welcome Home will have a story that will really resonate with them.
After reading Nikki Sheehan’s Goodnight, Boy, I needed a story about adoption that would make me feel good. Some of the stories, I thoroughly enjoyed and was disappointed when they ended. While not every story was amazing, they were all really good.
I myself haven’t been affected by adoption, but I can imagine the stress, not only for the parents, but also for the adopted children. I feel that Welcome Home will have a story that will really resonate with them.
leahkarge's review against another edition
3.0
With nearly thirty short stories to be found within this novel, there is an assortment of different settings and storytelling techniques for a reader to choose from and enjoy. This collection of stories is at times heartbreaking while, at others, it’s like a balm to soothe your wounded heart.
Check out the full review on my blog!
Check out the full review on my blog!
kirohm's review against another edition
4.0
I loved this anthology. As an adopted kid, I was so excited to have a chance to read an anthology like this that center around the same kinds of questions I’ve asked: where do I come from? Why’d they give me up? Do I even want to know? Am I ready to know?
I think I enjoyed the more non-human stories even more than the human ones, especially Strong Enough and Webbed.
Maybe it’s because when I don’t know where I come from, I like to imagine the impossible. Who knows.
But I loved this.
I think I enjoyed the more non-human stories even more than the human ones, especially Strong Enough and Webbed.
Maybe it’s because when I don’t know where I come from, I like to imagine the impossible. Who knows.
But I loved this.
maireadsbooks's review against another edition
3.0
Goodreads Summer Reading Challenge - Back to School.
3 stars. Overall I found most of the stories incredibly boring, but there was a couple that I loved hence the 3 stars. I would give this a miss unless you want to read about adoption and/or short stories.
They all fit into the YA age range but there is some fantasy, some magic, some historical, some futuristic and some modern day/contemporary.
3 stars. Overall I found most of the stories incredibly boring, but there was a couple that I loved hence the 3 stars. I would give this a miss unless you want to read about adoption and/or short stories.
They all fit into the YA age range but there is some fantasy, some magic, some historical, some futuristic and some modern day/contemporary.
samantha_randolph's review
4.0
WELCOME HOME is a collection of stories about adoption from a number of perspectives, from teens who are meeting their birth parents for the first time to ones choosing whether or not to have their own children up for adoption. There is a wide variety of authors from C.J. Redwine to Eric Smith (also the editor of the collection to Sangu Mandanna.
Anthologies are some of the hardest books to review, particularly in this case. The voices, genres, and perspectives range across the board, bound by the common theme of adoption. There is certainly a gap in the field from varying adoption perspectives, and WELCOME HOME provides a great opportunity for readers to find themselves represented. While I think the different genres included (contemporary, fantasy, scifi, etc.) are fascinating, sometimes the switch in genre between stories is jarring.
My favorite stories are C.J. Redwine’s, which features a mother and newly adopted daughter bonding with both awkwardness and kindness; Julie Eshbaugh’s, which brings up visible genetic attributes (webbed feet), something that can be a constant reminder of biological parents; and Eric Smith’s story of weighing risk and consequences. Caela Carter’s also features a strong voice and intriguing snapshot.
Without a doubt, those who read WELCOME HOME will find themselves eager for more from many of the writers and more stories of adoption and the many nuances within blood and chosen families.
Originally posted at YABC: http://www.yabookscentral.com/yafiction/21755-welcome-home
Anthologies are some of the hardest books to review, particularly in this case. The voices, genres, and perspectives range across the board, bound by the common theme of adoption. There is certainly a gap in the field from varying adoption perspectives, and WELCOME HOME provides a great opportunity for readers to find themselves represented. While I think the different genres included (contemporary, fantasy, scifi, etc.) are fascinating, sometimes the switch in genre between stories is jarring.
My favorite stories are C.J. Redwine’s, which features a mother and newly adopted daughter bonding with both awkwardness and kindness; Julie Eshbaugh’s, which brings up visible genetic attributes (webbed feet), something that can be a constant reminder of biological parents; and Eric Smith’s story of weighing risk and consequences. Caela Carter’s also features a strong voice and intriguing snapshot.
Without a doubt, those who read WELCOME HOME will find themselves eager for more from many of the writers and more stories of adoption and the many nuances within blood and chosen families.
Originally posted at YABC: http://www.yabookscentral.com/yafiction/21755-welcome-home
cathy_acasefullofbooks's review against another edition
2.0
DNF
It may be because I'm too tired these days, but this book just didn't keep my attention at all. I was forcing myself to read it. Perhaps I'll try again when my baby is older and I am all caught up on sleep?
It may be because I'm too tired these days, but this book just didn't keep my attention at all. I was forcing myself to read it. Perhaps I'll try again when my baby is older and I am all caught up on sleep?
cozykrysti's review against another edition
4.0
This is really special anthology. All of the contributors's lives have been touched by adoption in some way, and I feel that their experiences certainly came through in the stories they've created, and Eric Smith has done a tremendous job putting them all together. I'm a huge fan of anthologies, and this is one that I have really been looking forward to for a while now.
There is just about every kind of story you could imagine about adoption in this collection from the beautiful and heartwarming to the terrifying. I was expecting a really contemporary heavy anthology but was pleasantly surprised to find so many different genres represented from speculative to scifi, fantasy to thriller. This one really does have a little bit of everything.
With 30 stories, most of them are pretty short. There were a few that I would have liked to have seen be just a bit longer, because the endings felt a little abrupt, but for the most part the story lengths did feel appropriate.
There are around 30 different stories in this collection, and while I preferred some over others, overall, there are some really incredible stories with some really strong writing. My favorite stories were probably the ones by Adi Alsaid, Julie Eshbaugh, William Ritter, Mindy McGinnis, Stephanie Scott, and Kate Watson.
This anthology is a great place to start for fans of YA fiction who are wanting to read some really well-written short stories. I truly believe that it is so important for the literary community to keep short stories alive and relevant, and I think Eric Smith is certainly doing his part with this wonderful anthology.
There is just about every kind of story you could imagine about adoption in this collection from the beautiful and heartwarming to the terrifying. I was expecting a really contemporary heavy anthology but was pleasantly surprised to find so many different genres represented from speculative to scifi, fantasy to thriller. This one really does have a little bit of everything.
With 30 stories, most of them are pretty short. There were a few that I would have liked to have seen be just a bit longer, because the endings felt a little abrupt, but for the most part the story lengths did feel appropriate.
There are around 30 different stories in this collection, and while I preferred some over others, overall, there are some really incredible stories with some really strong writing. My favorite stories were probably the ones by Adi Alsaid, Julie Eshbaugh, William Ritter, Mindy McGinnis, Stephanie Scott, and Kate Watson.
This anthology is a great place to start for fans of YA fiction who are wanting to read some really well-written short stories. I truly believe that it is so important for the literary community to keep short stories alive and relevant, and I think Eric Smith is certainly doing his part with this wonderful anthology.
vicky_1993's review against another edition
3.0
Like most people have said there are a mixed bag of stories in here. Some that I loved and some where I was thinking what was the point of that. I agree that some of the stories were WAY too short and should have been fleshed out some more. I think that there being almost 30 stories probably contributed to the fact that the stories were so short. I believe that the author should have probably chose about 10 of these stories and had them flesh out a bit more and would have been more satisfying. But all in all I have never read anything about adoption before and it was very eye opening seeing what children go through and the senses of loneliness, abandonment, but at the same time new beginnings and love.