Skies on Fire – Sonya M. Black

This one is about grief for your old life. I liked the idea but the execution, not so much.

A Matter of Trust – Angela Boord

Strong women and multifaceted characters. I’ve been having trouble getting immersed in a story; this one kept my attention and made me want to know more about the world and characters. I loved the commentary on toxic masculinity. I’ll look into other works from this author.

A Recurrence of Jasmine – Levi Jacobs

Arabian Nights vibes with a woman keeping a god enthralled to keep her head on her shoulders. This story would have benefited from being longer. The end was predictable but the journey was enjoyable nonetheless. It was more about hope than grief.

Twice Domesticated Dragons – Intisar Khanani

Interesting premise but it felt like two unrelated concepts. The dragons from the title feel more like an afterthought.

The Witch in the Wood – Quenby Olson

The usage of the second person bugged me from the first page. But what annoyed me the most was the frequent use of the word babe. Predictable and melodramatic.

Thief – Virginia McClain

This one doesn’t really feel like fantasy. Probably fans of contemporary fantasy would enjoy this one more than I did.

Thicker Than Water – Carol A. Park

Marvellous. Great characters and good incorporation of the theme. I was consumed by the feelings of desperation our protagonist was suffering from. Probably my favourite. I just wanted to dive into this world afterwards. I’m glad there are other books about it.

Death in the Uncanny Valley – M.L. Wang

I heard of this anthology from this author. Wang is an expert in representing grief, and I didn’t hesitate to back it. This one’s very different from Sword of Kaigen, though. YA tale about coping mechanisms and sharing pain as a path to healing.

Summer Souls – Clayton Snyder

This feels like a portion of a bigger story. I couldn’t connect to it.

Reliquary of the Damned – Rachel Emma Shaw

Interesting concept that I’d love to see applied on a larger scale, which apparently is coming. A story about empathy and opening up.

The Quiet – Madolyn Rogers

I thought this was the darkest in the anthology. Better explained by the author:

I wanted to explore the strange duality of depression—that as miserable as it is, it can also be a refuge, its numbness a shield against unbearable pain.

-Madolyn Rogers

The Paperweight Watch – Krystle Matar

The aftermath of losing loved ones. Mourning rituals and realizing you’re not the only one suffering. Pain is usually easier to overcome when shared.