A review by analenegrace
Firsts and Lasts by Laura Silverman, Kika Hatzopoulou

emotional funny

• Plot- or character-driven? N/A
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.0

I picked up this collection because Rachel Lynn Solomon is one of my favorite authors but I decided to read all of the stories and I'm glad I did. Below are reviews of each story and a rating for each which I generally averaged out to reach the 4 star rating for the overall collection! 

 

The First Time I Dated A Vampire: 

4.5 Stars 

This is an unexpectedly gorgeous representation of dealing with parental grief and also fun vampire lore 

 

The First Day of College: 

3.75 

This was a very sweet story about the complicated nature of the mother-daughter relationship, although it felt a little too short/underdeveloped 

 

The First Kiss 

3.0 

This one was a very sweet first kiss story but not much characterization for any of the characters 

 

The First Time We Buried a Body: 

3.75 

This captured the anxiety of the moment really well, giving us background when we needed it and easily making us root for the MCs 

 

The First Breakup 

4 

This was a fun moment in the middle of the MC’s life that really feels like we dropped into a peek into her life and that it will continue on past the short story, especially with all the possible love interests! 

 

The First Time I saw the Stars 

4 

This is definitely one of the most interesting sci-fis I’ve read, with a very similar but very different world, aliens, and a serious internal look at teenage depression 

 

The First Crush 

3.5 

This was a super cute sapphic first crush/first kiss story with some of my favorite tropes and chronic pain rep, which I love, but it was awkwardly written at times 

 

The First Job 

3.75 

This one was super interesting and spooky in a very silly way! I was so confused by the ending, though! 

 

The Last Dinosaur 

4.5 

Another beautiful story of grief and overcoming with a sweet story of dinosaurs and family behind it 

 

The Last Purity Ball 

3.75 

This is a really interesting approach to a YA about religion, with a compelling narrator and I appreciated that it ended with the understanding that religion is complicated rather than being cut and dry 

 

The Last Bout 

3.25 

This is a cute Sapphic fantasy but not particularly engaging 

 

The Last Days in the Only Place that Ever Felt like Home 

3.5 

Captures the longing experience of moving with magical realism but is a little boring 

 

The Hopefully Last Demon Summoning 

3.5 

This is a very silly reckoning with growing up in a magical world with very fun world-building 

 

The Last Goodbye 

4 

This one is an incredibly sweet story of the mother-daughter relationship as well as dealing with grief with interesting magical elements 

 

The Last Concert 

4.5 

RLS captures yearning like no other, and this was no exception. The characters were lovely and so reminiscent of the experience of finishing something important to you and having to move on and forward with a sweet little hint of a romance.  

 

The Last Time I Saw Her Alive 

4 

This one caught me off guard, and i didn’t expect the twist at all! A very good mystery ghosty story!