Tag Archives: Jenni Balch

Wish by Jenni Balch

Book Review, , , ,
Overview
A Universe of Wishes: A We Need Diverse Books Anthology by Dhonielle Clayton

Title: Wish
Author: Jenni Balch
In: A Universe of Wishes (Dhonielle Clayton)
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Paranormal fantasy, Space, Young adult
Pace: Slow, Medium, Fast
Format: Short story
Publisher: Crown
Year: 2020

Thoughts

This short story is a bit of a twist on the whole “genie in the lamp” kind of story. It has a lot of the same principals, but there is a bit more flexibility and variety to it. That, and the guy in the lamp somehow ends up in space trying to grant a wish that I just wasn’t expecting.

I loved the nature of Adriadne’s wish. I mean, I was expecting something that was either going to be catastrophic for the space ship, seriously selfish or typically immature. Instead, it was something that I could completely understand and get on board with. Plus, it is not something that impacts anyone else. Plus, the way that Balch reveals her wish and also manages to world build at the same time… freaking brilliant.

At the end of this story, instead of going back into the lamp and waiting for the next wish, the ‘genie’ decides to stick around. My romantic heart likes to think that they manage to make a great relationship (friendship or otherwise) out of this arrangement. One that helps them stand the travels through space… but that could just be my own wishful thinking and romantic nature. Regardless, that’s how I’m imagining the ending of this story…after the current ending that is.

<- Dream and DareThe Weight ->

Image source: Goodreads

A Universe of Wishes edited by Dhonielle Clayton

Book Review, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Overview
A Universe of Wishes: A We Need Diverse Books Anthology by Dhonielle Clayton

Title: A Universe of Wishes
Author: Dhonielle Clayton, Tara Sim, Natalie C. Parker, Libba Bray, Anna-Marie McLemore, Kwame Mbalia, V.E. Schwab, Rebecca Roanhorse, Nic Stone, Jenni Balch, Mark Oshiro, Samira Ahmed, Tessa Gratton, Zoraida Cordova & Tochi Onyebuchi
In: A Universe of Wishes (Dhonielle Clayton)
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: LGBTQI, Short story collections, Young adult
Pace: Medium
Format: Anthology
Publisher: Crown
Year: 2020

Thoughts

A Universe of Wishes is a fantastic and brilliant anthology. One I really, really enjoyed. And one that introduced me to a whole lot more authors that I plan to add to my shelves. It was a fun and unique collection that gave the reader a whole lot of diversity, not only in tales and styles, but also in lead characters.

I loved that this is an #OwnVoices collection, and now I’m going to add more such collections to my shelves. I love having non-white leads in my stories. And this has given me a taste of a whole range of new authors and cultures. Something that I really love when reading – discovering the unknown.

This anthology runs the gambit of genres and styles. The only thing all of the stories have in common is that they are thoroughly enjoyable and I loved them. I look forward to reading this anthology again and again and again in the future.

<- HabibiA Universe of Wishes ->

Image source: Goodreads