A review by genieinanovel
Up All Night: 13 Stories Between Sunset and Sunrise by Laura Silverman
4.0
Up all night is a collection of short stories that take place with the characters staying up all night long. Some are romance and some are about friendships breaking up or beginning (or making up). I can say I've heard of most of these authors and have read some of their work before. I think the theme of this anthology is great. So, as I like to do, I'm going to break down the stories with their own separate ratings.
Never Have I Ever by Karen M. McManus ☆☆☆☆☆ - I thought this was a great one. Sure it was short and the twist at the end had me going back to see if I had missed something, but I think that's what made it so clever. A great start to this anthology!
Like Before by Maurene Goo ☆☆☆ - This one was sad for sure. Not in the crying kind of sad, but just kind of left an empty feeling at the end and feeling bad for the main character.
Old Rifts and Snowdrifts by Kayla Whaley - ☆☆☆☆.5 - This one was adorable about two old best friends that haven't talked in a year, and they're forced to talk when they're stuck together for the night.
Con Nights, Parallel Hearts by Marieke Nijkamp - ☆ - I'm finding that I'm not a fan of her books, as much as I try to read them or they sound interesting. And honestly, I skimmed this one because I just wasn't interested.
Kiss the Boy by Amanda Joy - ☆☆☆☆.5 - This one was cute and a fun read! I enjoyed the characters and their friends and thought it was just a cute story about senior night with your friends and long-time crush.
Creature Capture by Laura Silverman - ☆☆☆☆☆ - Probably my top favorite of the stories. It's loosely based on Pokémon Go and since I recently had an addiction to it (I know, a late bloomer) I thought the story was cute and showed how you can't judge people and you'll make friends in unexpected places.
Shark Bait by Tiffany D. Jackson - ☆☆☆ - A horrible ending in my opinion (in the sense of, 'wait, what? why?') but otherwise a good story that tackles the issue of racism and how to respond to it.
A Place to Start by Nina LaCour - ☆☆.5 - A little story about new step-siblings who try to learn more about each other the night their parents leave for their honeymoon. Not one that I remember too well, but it wasn't bad.
When You Bring Your Dog to Prom by Anna Meriano - ☆☆.5 - A cute story about prom night, but not one I found memorable or that stood out in anyway.
Missing by Kathleen Glasgow - ☆☆.5 - A little thriller about a group of friends investigating an abandoned asylum that's rumored to be haunted. A bit creepy, but if you like that kind of story it's not too bad.
What About Your Friends by Brandy Colbert - ☆☆☆.5 - Another sweet story about two best friends who fell apart, this time after high school and no romance involved, that I enjoyed reading and made me appreciate my friendship with my bestie.
Under Our Masks by Julian Winters - ☆☆ - A good idea, but I wasn't a fan of the execution. Not memorable for me.
The Ghost of Goon Creek by Francesca Zappia - ☆☆☆☆.5 - The one I skimmed the most. I wasn't into it at all, so I let myself get the gist of it and that's about it.
Overall, I enjoyed at least half the stories, and the ones I did enjoy were ones I liked a lot. Probably loved. Again, I love the theme of this collection and I also love that it wasn't just romance stories. Friendship was also a main theme and I feel that theme is one we should see more of in YA literature.
Never Have I Ever by Karen M. McManus ☆☆☆☆☆ - I thought this was a great one. Sure it was short and the twist at the end had me going back to see if I had missed something, but I think that's what made it so clever. A great start to this anthology!
Like Before by Maurene Goo ☆☆☆ - This one was sad for sure. Not in the crying kind of sad, but just kind of left an empty feeling at the end and feeling bad for the main character.
Old Rifts and Snowdrifts by Kayla Whaley - ☆☆☆☆.5 - This one was adorable about two old best friends that haven't talked in a year, and they're forced to talk when they're stuck together for the night.
Con Nights, Parallel Hearts by Marieke Nijkamp - ☆ - I'm finding that I'm not a fan of her books, as much as I try to read them or they sound interesting. And honestly, I skimmed this one because I just wasn't interested.
Kiss the Boy by Amanda Joy - ☆☆☆☆.5 - This one was cute and a fun read! I enjoyed the characters and their friends and thought it was just a cute story about senior night with your friends and long-time crush.
Creature Capture by Laura Silverman - ☆☆☆☆☆ - Probably my top favorite of the stories. It's loosely based on Pokémon Go and since I recently had an addiction to it (I know, a late bloomer) I thought the story was cute and showed how you can't judge people and you'll make friends in unexpected places.
Shark Bait by Tiffany D. Jackson - ☆☆☆ - A horrible ending in my opinion (in the sense of, 'wait, what? why?') but otherwise a good story that tackles the issue of racism and how to respond to it.
A Place to Start by Nina LaCour - ☆☆.5 - A little story about new step-siblings who try to learn more about each other the night their parents leave for their honeymoon. Not one that I remember too well, but it wasn't bad.
When You Bring Your Dog to Prom by Anna Meriano - ☆☆.5 - A cute story about prom night, but not one I found memorable or that stood out in anyway.
Missing by Kathleen Glasgow - ☆☆.5 - A little thriller about a group of friends investigating an abandoned asylum that's rumored to be haunted. A bit creepy, but if you like that kind of story it's not too bad.
What About Your Friends by Brandy Colbert - ☆☆☆.5 - Another sweet story about two best friends who fell apart, this time after high school and no romance involved, that I enjoyed reading and made me appreciate my friendship with my bestie.
Under Our Masks by Julian Winters - ☆☆ - A good idea, but I wasn't a fan of the execution. Not memorable for me.
The Ghost of Goon Creek by Francesca Zappia - ☆☆☆☆.5 - The one I skimmed the most. I wasn't into it at all, so I let myself get the gist of it and that's about it.
Overall, I enjoyed at least half the stories, and the ones I did enjoy were ones I liked a lot. Probably loved. Again, I love the theme of this collection and I also love that it wasn't just romance stories. Friendship was also a main theme and I feel that theme is one we should see more of in YA literature.