A review by mariebrunelm
A Phoenix First Must Burn by Patrice Caldwell

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

This collection of short stories is subtitled "Stories of black girl magic, resistance and hope" and it's exactly that, which makes it a real pleasure to read. There is a whole host of genres represented here from science-fiction to myth-inspired fantasy to urban fantasy, with the common theme being young black women taking charge of their destiny. It felt really good to read hopeful stories so deeply rooted in black experiences, and I can imagine how even more wonderful this collection feels to black readers.
Collections like this one are great to discover new-to-you writers or enjoy short fiction from beloved voices.
In here are stories by Elizabeth Acevedo, Amerie, Patrice Caldwell, Dhonielle Clayton, J. Marcelle Corrie, Somaiya Daud, Charlotte Davis, Alaya Dawn Johnson, Justina Ireland, Danny Lore, L.L. McKinney, Danielle Paige, Rebecca Roanhorse, Karen Strong, Ashley Woodfolk, and Ibi Zoboi.
CW : I'm not sure how helpful it would be to list content warnings when the stories are so different. On the whole, it deals heavily with racism, some stories with slavery, some with sexism, etc. There is one mention of HP. 
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