Blackout
Authors: Dhonielle Clayton, Tiffany D. Jackson, Nic Stone, Angie Thomas, Ashley Woodfolk and Nicola Yoon
Published by: Electric Monkey
Pages: 275
Format: Paperback
My Rating ★★★★
A summer heatwave blankets New York City in darkness. But as the city is thrown into confusion, a different kind of electricity sparks…
A first meeting.
Long-time friends.
Bitter exes.
And maybe the beginning of something new.
A first meeting.
Long-time friends.
Bitter exes.
And maybe the beginning of something new.
My thoughts:
When I started Blackout, I really wasn't sure what to expect, but I think the idea is a fantastic premise for a book – especially a short story collection such as this.
A heatwave in New York causes a city-wide blackout. Thirteen teenagers caught up in it find hidden truths revealed as friendships, and relationships are transformed throughout the evening.
This was such a charming book and perfect for a late night summer read.
I loved the layout, with little novellas that subtly intertwine with characters from one story being mentioned in another. Being written by different authors meant that each character and individual story held a distinct voice and unique style. I felt this worked very well and gave a great flow to the chapters. I happily read from cover to cover in one sitting.
It is brilliantly told, I enjoyed the stories, loved the characters and the whole feel of the book is very sweet and positive. There's so much joy throughout, and the different voices of the authors weave together to create a brilliant, bustling community.
All the featured characters are a part of a big, vibrant, multigenerational group of people connected to each other in various ways. There are first meetings and heartbreaks and rekindling of old feelings. The book makes a point to highlight all kinds of love and all kinds of sexualities. There’s also not really an explicit content, so this is a read that feels suitable for teens and young adult readers of all ages.
I think perhaps my favourite story was Made to Fit by Ashley Woodfolk. It’s hard to choose only one, but I think I just found her characters, Nella and Joss, the most likeable. Their romance was very sweet and felt natural. They are clearly a great fit. I also really liked the story set in New York Public Library. I’m sure it would be amazing to wander around in there during a blackout!
All in all, this was a fun anthology and a very easy read. Thank you to Electric Monkey (Harper Collins) for sending me a copy of the paperback in exchange for an honest review.
Overall reaction:
When I started Blackout, I really wasn't sure what to expect, but I think the idea is a fantastic premise for a book – especially a short story collection such as this.
A heatwave in New York causes a city-wide blackout. Thirteen teenagers caught up in it find hidden truths revealed as friendships, and relationships are transformed throughout the evening.
This was such a charming book and perfect for a late night summer read.
I loved the layout, with little novellas that subtly intertwine with characters from one story being mentioned in another. Being written by different authors meant that each character and individual story held a distinct voice and unique style. I felt this worked very well and gave a great flow to the chapters. I happily read from cover to cover in one sitting.
It is brilliantly told, I enjoyed the stories, loved the characters and the whole feel of the book is very sweet and positive. There's so much joy throughout, and the different voices of the authors weave together to create a brilliant, bustling community.
All the featured characters are a part of a big, vibrant, multigenerational group of people connected to each other in various ways. There are first meetings and heartbreaks and rekindling of old feelings. The book makes a point to highlight all kinds of love and all kinds of sexualities. There’s also not really an explicit content, so this is a read that feels suitable for teens and young adult readers of all ages.
I think perhaps my favourite story was Made to Fit by Ashley Woodfolk. It’s hard to choose only one, but I think I just found her characters, Nella and Joss, the most likeable. Their romance was very sweet and felt natural. They are clearly a great fit. I also really liked the story set in New York Public Library. I’m sure it would be amazing to wander around in there during a blackout!
All in all, this was a fun anthology and a very easy read. Thank you to Electric Monkey (Harper Collins) for sending me a copy of the paperback in exchange for an honest review.
Overall reaction: