monday minis

Our Stories, Our Voices: 21 YA Authors Get Real About Injustice, Empowerment, and Growing Up Female in America by Amy Reed (editor)

From Amy Reed, Ellen Hopkins, Amber Smith, Sandhya Menon, and more of your favorite YA authors comes an anthology of essays that explore the diverse experiences of injustice, empowerment, and growing up female in America.

This collection of twenty-one essays from major YA authors—including award-winning and bestselling writers—touches on a powerful range of topics related to growing up female in today’s America, and the intersection with race, religion, and ethnicity. Sure to inspire hope and solidarity to anyone who reads it, Our Stories, Our Voices belongs on every young woman’s shelf.

This anthology features essays from Martha Brockenbrough, Jaye Robin Brown, Sona Charaipotra, Brandy Colbert, Somaiya Daud, Christine Day, Alexandra Duncan, Ilene Wong (I.W.) Gregorio, Maurene Goo. Ellen Hopkins, Stephanie Kuehnert, Nina LaCour, Anna-Marie LcLemore, Sandhya Menon, Hannah Moskowitz, Julie Murphy, Aisha Saeed, Jenny Torres Sanchez, Amber Smith, and Tracy Walker. ~ Goodreads

Fresh Ink: An Anthology: Careful--you are holding fresh ink. And not hot-off-the-press, still-drying-in-your-hands ink. Instead, you are holding twelve stories with endings that are still being written--whose next chapters are up to you. 

Because these stories are meant to be read. And shared.

Thirteen of the most accomplished YA authors deliver a label-defying anthology that includes ten short stories, a graphic novel, and a one-act play. This collection will inspire you to break conventions, bend the rules, and color outside the lines. All you need is fresh ink.
This anthology features stories by Lamar Giles (Editor), Nicola Yoon, Malinda Lo, Melissa de la Cruz, Sara Farizan, Eric Gansworth, Walter Dean Myers, Daniel José Older, Thien Pham, Jason Reynolds, Gene Luen Yang, Sharon G. Flake, Schuyler Bailar, Aminah Mae Safi ~ Goodreads

Source: Both arc’s provided by the publishers at ALA18 in exchange for an honest review

My thoughts: I’m in the middle of reading Our Stories, Our Voices, so this isn’t a final review but my impressions so far. 

This is a political book and it’s meant to be; the essays written by a diverse group of women concerning the topics of immigration, feminism, sexual abuse, LGBQ (sadly, there is no transgender rep in this collection), racism and more. The collection is at times heartbreaking and powerful with each author willing to share their own personal struggles and pain of what it’s like to be a female in America with the hope that maybe one child will see themselves in a story and not feel so alone. To know that you’ll make it and you are seen.

Some of the essays are more polished than others – technically speaking – but the raw honesty and emotion more than make up for it.

Fresh Ink - an anthology in partnership with We Need Diverse Books – features 13 Own Voice YA authors and 10 short stories, a graphic novel, and a one-act play.

The stories are beginnings more than complete stories (but still very satisfying) & cover topics like gentrification, immigration, racism, LGBQT, bullying and more with a range of emotions. Some stories are are poignant, others powerful and impactful and others just plain fun. 

A few of the stand outs for me were Super Human by Nicola Yoon (superheroes, racism), Catch, Pull, Drive by Schuyler Bailer (diving, transgender, bullying) & A Boy's Duty by Sharon G. Flake (astronomy, racism, homelessness, second chances) & Eraser Tattoo by Jason Reynolds (first love & goodbyes/gentrification)- but it's a solid collection overall.

Help!

*I'm looking for diverse bloggers to possibly partner with to share ARC's

I've been getting a variety of diverse YA books for review. I would like to pass the books on when I'm done with them to own voice reviewers and may not have access to publishers or arc's.

I know there's the #bookwish thing going on right now on Twitter but I'm hoping to find a few blogs/bloggers to work with on a regular basis to get the books more exposure and own voice reviews.

I can't promise specific books or time frames because I intend to read and review the books myself first - but I'm thinking of possibly sending a list at the end of every month to choose from?? I guess I need to see how much interest there is first. I haven't had much luck with this in the past but I'm giving it another shot.

Details: I'm really sorry about this but it has to be US shipping only. All of my giveaways are international because of TBD but I personally can't afford to regularly ship boxes outside the US.

You can be a small blog (actually preferred!) as long as you post honest reviews on a fairly regular basis. I prefer a blogger but get in touch if you post elsewhere (like Goodreads/Instagram etc) but have a decent following or engagement with fellow readers.

Another option - let me know if there are any schools, youth groups, LGBQT centers or anything like that who need books. They are always in good condition but FYI - most are arc's and only occasionally are there finished copies.

Just a glimpse at some of the books I do have:

You can contact me at fwiw.kea@gmail.com

& share with anyone who you think might be able to help!