A review by thenovelmaura
Cool. Awkward. Black. by Karen Strong

adventurous inspiring medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

Thank you to PenguinTeen for giving me an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. 

I tend to start out every anthology review by saying that it's hard to rate anthologies! I really love the concept of this one and the fact that it was created to give Black kids and teens with nerdy or geeky interests a sense of community and literary role models. Some of my favorite YA authors are represented here, too! That being said, here's a list of my favorite stories in this anthology and what they're about:
  • Nina Evans, in the Round by Kalynn Bayron - A musical theater lover fights against type-casting discrimination from her school's play director.
  • Initiative Check by K. Arsenault Rivera - Can a magical DnD session heal the wounds of an old friendship?
  • Corner Booth by Leah Johnson - A short and sweet story about two Dictionary Dynamo app rivals who fall for each other in a diner.
  • Betty's Best Craft by Elise Bryant - Can a craft-based school assignment heal the wounds of an old friendship? Yes, this one has a very similar plot to "Initiative Check," but they were both fun in their own unique ways!
  • Cole's Cruise Blues by Isaac Fitzsimons - A trans boy tries to figure out who he wants to be while flirting with a boy he meets on a cruise ship and bonding with his cute younger stepsister.
  • Catalyst Rising by Tracy Deonn - A girl discovers that she's the Philosopher's Stone in this short story that left me wanting more! Seriously, this felt like the first chapter of a novel; someone please tell me that Deonn is writing a longer version of this?
  • Requiem of Souls by Terry J. Benton-Walker - A chilling story about a flutist who discovers he can summon ghosts with a song.
  • Wolf Tracks by Roseanne A. Brown - A heartwarming story about a werewolf who falls for his best friend and how this changes his relationship with his father.
There are 18 stories in this collection and I've only described 8 of them, so hopefully that gives you an idea of the variety of genres, topics, and kinds of geekiness that are present here. If you're a fan of any of the authors featured, I think this anthology is worth a read.
Expand filter menu Content Warnings