As an American girl in the past and the present the decision to respect yourself can sometimes be challenging and radical. You have to face it whether you're neurodivergent, a second-generation immigrant, or facing racism. Self-respect is the only decision when you've weighed societal expectations and found them wanting. In this anthology, twelve talented YA authors present stories of all sorts of girls from all colors and creeds standing up for themselves and their beliefs from the 1830s to the 1980s. Are you ready to join them?

The Radical Element is a compelling collection of twelve short stories taking place between 1838-1984. My favorites include "The Magician" by Erin Bowman (1858, Colorado River, New Mexico Territory), "Lady Firebrand" by Megan Shepherd (1863, Charleston, South Carolina), "When the Moonlight Isn't Enough" by Dhonielle Clayton (1943, Oak Bluffs, Massachusetts), "The Bell of the Ball" by Sarvenaz Tash (1952, Brooklyn, New York), and "Land of the Sweet, Home of the Brave" by Stacey Lee (1955, Oakland, California). All of the stories in this collection give the reader a good taste of the characters, the setting, and their lives. Of those stories that I mentioned by name, I would absolutely love to see a full length novel about Lady Firebrand's daring adventures and I'm dying for more from the world of "When the Moonlight Isn't Enough". Clayton's story is the only one that features a dash of fantasy and I couldn't get enough. There's so much more that could be explored whether we follow the main character, her parents, or what happens just after the short story in this collection ends.

Overall, The Radical Element edited by Jessica Spotswood is a perfect read for Women's History Month. I love how the authors of the short stories so expertly blend historical fact with fiction (and in one case a dash of fantasy). This anthology is incredibly inspirational and is put together by some of the best names in the business. I absolutely need to pick up a copy of the companion collection called A Tyranny of Petticoats in the future.

Short story collections can really be hit or miss, but I loved A Tyranny of Petticoats so much that I've been really looking forward to the second installment. It didn't disappoint. You won't love every story, but everyone will find at least one that draws your attention. I love that the book touches on time periods and communities that you don't hear much about in history itself, let alone fiction books. In this current climate, I think it's important for teens (especially girls) to see stories of all these young women living out their "radical ideas" and breaking barriers for themselves. Definitely will recommend.

I'm usually not a big fan of anthologies but this one just sounded too good to pass (and "A Tyranny of Petticoats" has been on my wishlist for ages). "The Radical Element" has its ups and downs and, as I expected, I liked some stories way more than others but all of them highlight people whose stories too often don't get told. I was a bit disappointed that unlike the first volume this one didn't feature a f/f story, but that's mostly personal preference, and considering that these books contain stories about American history from the views of marginalised groups it's kind of disappointing that they don't feature #ownvoices Native American characters/stories.

Three and a half stars

Short stories are a difficult art and the stories in this collection have to establish a specific time, place, community and how/why their girl is an outsider. It’s a lot to do with so little space. After each story, the authors have a quick note on the historical context and why they picked their particular moment. Fasincating stuff.

The girls are outsiders for various reasons -who they are or who they could be. The stories take place all over the US during different time periods and some have a dash or two of magic involved. As always, I have some favorites, many of which are from authors I already love and a few new-to-me authors:

“The Magician” by Erin Bowman
“Lady Firebrand” by Megan Shepard
“Glamour” by Anna-Marie McLemore
“The Belle of the Ball” by Sarvenaz Tash
“Land of the Sweet, Home of the Brave” by Stacey Lee
“Take Me with U” by Sara Farizan

It’s an interesting (if slightly uneven) mix of stories that always have something interesting to say. Many stories call out lesser known moments in history and will make you think twice.

4 stars for the overall collection
For my first YA anthology, this was really solid. My favorite stories were by: Megan Shepherd, Dahlia Adler, Sarvenaz Tash, Dhonielle Clayton, Stacey Lee and Mackenzi Lee. I only skipped two stories which was pretty good. I'll definitely be reading more YA anthologies in the future! Definitely recommend this one especially if you love YA historical fiction.

Just as fantastic as the first! Loved, loved, LOVED this book! I recommend it to EVERYONE!

*I was sent an arc from netgalley in exchange for a free/honest review
This was a fun, quick anthology to fly through. It had colour and energy, and there were a few stand out stories but they were the more diverse ones, featuring woc or lgbtqia women (though the lgbt+ ones were a little thin on the ground. In fact I think there might have only been two, so I think that could be improved). I think this is a nice place to start if you want to get into reading feminist stories as the stories are not too long and they are all easy to read and understand, even if you aren't fully aware of the historical context before going into them. I did like that this book felt very hopeful for the futures of all these girls, and I would love to see an anthology like this set somewhere other than america.

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-We2jjls80ao/Wo89p_r6phI/AAAAAAAAIsE/2_WZSCvaGC8pGIthM2y29TRY6wSPy9QFwCLcBGAs/s1600/turning%2Bpages%2Bsculpture.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-We2jjls80ao/Wo89p_r6phI/AAAAAAAAIsE/2_WZSCvaGC8pGIthM2y29TRY6wSPy9QFwCLcBGAs/s320/turning%2Bpages%2Bsculpture.png" width="320" height="307" data-original-width="1158" data-original-height="1110" /></a></div>
<font face="Georgia"> <h3>Welcome to another session of Turning Pages!</h3>

<p><i><b>Synopsis</b></i>: Women who persist aren't a recent innovation. A history of intolerance, which led to insistent female resistance is not an uniquely American story, but one which nonetheless has heralded seismic shifts within our national history. After the success of A TYRANNY OF PETTICOATS, editor Jessica Spotswood brings together twelve new tales of women who were upstarts and outsiders. From the 1830's through the 1980's, these stories, some based on actual events, others fictionalized accounts of historical periods, regale readers with young women who stood up and out as radically different, and in doing so, changed the way the world related to them. Contributors to this collection include young adult authors <b>Jessica Spotswood</b>, who also edited; <b>Dahlia Adler, Mackenzi Lee, Erin Bowman, Megan Shepherd, Anne-Marie McLemore, Marieke Nijkamp, Dhonielle Clayton, Sarvenaz Tash, Stacey Lee, Meg Medina,</b> and <b>Sara Farizan</b>.</p>

<p><i><b>Observations</b></i>: Claiming an identity -- stepping outside of the role and voice assigned -- can be uncomfortable and awkward, intimidating, to downright dangerous and life-threatening. Without a clear idea of how things will end, each of the young women depicted in these stories sets out on a personal journey -- whether its to use her brown hands in the service of her country, when only paler hands are sought, or to make her escape from abuse, or to take her chances in a traditionally masculine world, playing a man's role. Readers will pause thoughtfully to discover these nuanced angles of history -- taking readers out of the realm of mere nostalgia into the realities of the difficulties and challenges of history through the voices of the traditionally excluded and silenced.</p>

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FARNPm9tGDA/Wo9EmvLYkbI/AAAAAAAAIsU/j0WHzf5oNtAIR_o2nnVVmHvjFFVyNILhQCLcBGAs/s1600/29748943.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FARNPm9tGDA/Wo9EmvLYkbI/AAAAAAAAIsU/j0WHzf5oNtAIR_o2nnVVmHvjFFVyNILhQCLcBGAs/s400/29748943.jpg" width="264" height="400" data-original-width="314" data-original-height="475" /></a></div><p>The women's outsider status is significant, as most of these voices are from women in the margins, due to issues of race, religion, sexuality, disability, gender, or professional desire. I appreciated the voices from early in our national history into more recent times. Some of my favorites were the story of the young Jewess, longs to study the Torah, and the Mormon girl who tries to find ties between her new country, and her faith. A Latina drains herself of pigment with the family's magic to bleach herself into the faded shades acceptable for silent films, while brilliant and neurodivergent young woman keenly watches court proceedings to determine the reproductive rights of the mentally unfit. Elsewhere, a half-Japanese girl braves 1950's xenophobia to compete to be the next Miss Sugar, while a young Cuban dons her first pair of go-go boots. The perspectives are fresh, the stories are original, and the anthology is a joy to read.</p>

<p><i><b>Conclusion</b></i>: If you're not a short story aficionado, I think there's still plenty in this novel which will appeal. There's room to read and hop around, and then return to longer stories from time periods which you may not believe will hold your interest. You will be surprised!</p>

<p>In the editor's note, Spotswood outlines the purpose of this collection, and her wish that readers will be able to find themselves within these pages. Even as not a particularly radical individual, I found myself in the bravery and dauntlessness of these heroines, and I believe this book will work well for older middle graders, young adults, and adult readers.</p>
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<hr width=55%><p>I received my copy of this book courtesy of NetGalley. After <b>March 13, 2018</b>, you'll find <a href="http://www.indiebound.org/aff/readersrant7?product=9780763694258"><i>THE RADICAL ELEMENT</i></a> edited by Jessica Spotswood at an online e-tailer, or at a real life, independent bookstore near you!</p>
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The Radical Element is a historical fiction anthology (the second installment) about dauntless, marginalized young women who rebel in their own ways against the constraints of their time.

This is one of those rare moments where the cliché "It's not you, it's me" actually applies.
The older I get, the more I realize I'm just not made for short stories. Each year, I read at least one collection of them (because I like to suffer) and set myself up for disappointment. None of this has anything to do with the actual stories in the collections I decide to read, I'm just problematic AF.
Were the stories in this collection entertaining? Yes. Do I still remember a single storyline/protagonist one week later? Ehhhh...
I've always had tremendous respect for authors who can write short stories (here's looking at you, Victoria Schwab and Leigh Bardugo) because they are so tricky. You need to convey so much in so little time without overwhelming the reader with too much information.
It's a precarious balance to keep someone invested in the outcome of a story that's less than thirty pages while simultaneously making you want to read an entire novel about the characters, and for me, this has always been a problem since I am someone who values characters over plot A LOT.

That being said, I did like the rep in this book, loved that we heard from individuals that are so often glossed over and forgotten in history, and overall enjoyed reading these short stories.

The Radical Element is an inspiring collection of short stories about girls throughout American history who are radical in their own ways. Spanning the early 1800's through the 1980's, these are tales of impressive young women believing in themselves and coming to terms with the often unpleasant realities of their day. They are of diverse religious backgrounds, races, ethnicities, sexualities, and experiences. One story even features a bright, passionate aspiring lawyer who is autistic. While I didn't love every story, many of them were amazing and I loved the breadth of representation.

The stories are arranged in chronological order, which created a narrative flow that I really enjoyed. Two of my favorite stories (by Anna-Marie McLemore and Dhonielle Clayton) use magical realism to deal with the ugliness of racism. In every story, we get a moment with brave heroines, and a window into pieces of history that are rarely found in textbooks. A Jewish community in 1830's Georgia, female spies during the Civil War, Cuban immigrants in 1970's New York, and more. The Radical Element is interesting, thought-provoking, inspiring, and often beautiful. As in any anthology, some stories packed less of a punch, but overall it was very well curated and definitely worth reading. I received an early copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

3/5

I am not really the biggest fan of short story collections but reading this was about women in history it got my attention. While I was not a fan of quite a few of the stories included there were some that i absolutely loved and would have liked to see more from. If you're looking to rad about some bad-ass women in history who push the societal norms and take charge of their lives you'll find that here. If you're looking for a collection of stories that features women from different backgrounds, religion, race and culture you'll also find that here. These stories were incredibly diverse and featured a few stories about women with disabilities whether it be physical or mental/emotional, there is something here everyone will enjoy.

My favourite stories were Lady Firebrand and Step Right Up, I would have loved to see more from both of these stories

Daughter of the book - 3/5
You're a stranger there - 1/5
The Magician - 3/5
Lady Firebrand - 4.5/5
Step Right Up - 5/5
Glamour - 3/5
Better for all the world - 3/5
When the moonlight isn't enough - 2.5/5
The Belle of the ball - 3/5
Land of the sweet, home of the brave - 2/5
The birth of susi go-go 2/5
Take me with u - 3/5

I was provided a copy for review via Netgalley

This historical fiction anthology was absolutely fantastic! The stories were well written, entertaining, and enjoyable. "Take Me With U", "When the Moonlight Isn't Enough", and "Lady Firebrand" were all 5 stars, and I would be over the moon to see more from these universes. "For All the World to See" was my absolute FAVORITE story. I hope that there are more anthologies coming, because I absolutely ADORE "Tyranny" and "Radical".

I fell in love with The Radical Element from the introduction to the final pages. It was inevitable that I would. I mean, I am the biggest historical fiction fan and I cannot resist a good heroine. The Radical Element would be the ultimate kryptonite. It not only gave me one fiery heroine - it gave me twelve. I repeat twelve.

Many of the authors I was already familiar, and a huge fan of: Mackenzi Lee, Anna-Marie McLemore, Dhonielle Clayton, and Stacey Lee. But I found myself falling in love with the rest. And that's the beauty of anthologies - you find new authors to crush on and find their books.
The Stories

There was such a range of diversity within these pages. The Radical Element warmed my heart in so many ways: giving me variety, difficult dilemmas, and heroines that were not afraid to put themselves first. Their identities are questioned, put at stake, and they have to figure out what is worth fighting for. Be still my heart. I could fall in love with all of them.

SO. MANY. INCREDIBLE. STORIES. I was blown away by the vast majority of them... which is so unusual whenever I read an anthology.

I'm so thankful to have gotten to review this anthology! The Radical Element was a really fun read. It had twelve stories all about girls who were brave and daring and full of adventure. Each girl was so inspiring, they stood up for their beliefs and each wanted to do something more with their lives in worlds where it wasn't acceptable for women to do much of anything. I enjoy the format of anthologies and getting to read so many different adventurous stories. Each of these authors did an amazing job of capturing the hearts and bravery of each girl that they wrote about. A few of the stories I found to be slow or boring, but for the most part I had fun reading a majority of these stories.

I can't explain to you how much this collection of stories mean to me, The Radical Element and A Tyranny of Petticoats completely changed the way I see and expect things from historical fiction. This are very feminist stories with a lot of diversity that challenged a lot of my preconceived ideas and made me learn so much about US history but also the political context of a lot of other countries and how the people from those countries arrived to the US and the experiences that they went through when they got there. There are so many of these stories that are erased of the mainstream history but you can tell that all of these authors did a lot of research and knew what they were talking about, which is one of the most important things for me. Also, the majority of these stories were #ownvoices.

Daughter of the Book by Dahlia Adler: 4.25 ☆. The MC was a Jewish girl who wanted to become a teacher. It was empowering and the author's note gave a lot of context to what was happening. I adored the way it was written and I fell in love with the characters in just a few pages.

You’re a Stranger Here by Mackenzi Lee: 2.75☆. It talked about Mormon history and how they came to settle in the United States and the persecution that they had to endure when they first arrived. We see a lot of the history and their customs through the eyes of a teenage girl. It was very interesting but I feel like I couldn't really get into it.

The Magician by Erin Bowman: 3☆. This was about a girl who was crossdressing was a boy who gets by as a stevedore on the Colorado River, she makes money with her ability to remember cards while playing. It was a very sad story and it's hinted that Ray may identify as non-binary. This is not my type of story, but I could see the value in the historical aspects. The plot was a bit boring at times.

Lady Firebrand by Megan Shepherd: 4☆. This was such an interesting story! It's about a disabled white girl and a freed black girl who unite forces to be spies for the Union. I really enjoyed the way this was written and I appreciate the importance that they gave in how women from all races helped the union during the Civil War times.

Step Right Up by Jessica Spotswood: 4.25☆. This is about a girl who wants to run away from her abusive uncle by running away with the circus. The writing and pacing was super well done and it drew me as soon as I started to read. I loved how the circus was described and I was rooting for these characters in this short story.

Glamour by Anna-Marie McLemore: 5☆. Obviously, this was my favourite story in the entire collection. There's nothing that I've read by her that I haven't given 5 stars to. It even felt like it wasn't part of this collection because it was so much better than the other stories. It took place in 1923 and it's about a Mexican American girl who whitewashes herself because she has aspirations of being an actress and it's also about a disabled trans boy. It's a short story but it felt like a complete book (I wouldn't mind an entire book of this as well). It talks about racism, queerphobia, ableism and the way Hollywood doesn't give space to minorities. Of course the writing was gorgeous, I fell in love with the characters and as always the way AMM treats her characters with so much respect and love is my favourite thing about this. The Author's Note made me cry. This story will stay with me forever and I'm so happy I read it. If you've read Evelyn Hugo and loved it, this story is for you.

Better for all the World by Marieke Nijkamp: 4☆. It's an #ownvoices story about an autistic girl who wants to become a lawyer. She's following the Carrie Buck case, who was sterilised because she had a mental illness. It was very painful to read but was beautifully constructed. Eugenics disproportionately affected women of colour and this story definitely makes you think the way history has treated people with disabilities.

When the Moonlight isn’t Enough by Dhonielle Clayton: 3☆. It's about a black family that is immortal. The daughter wants to grow up and go to the war to help as a nurse. I adore how it intertwined fabulism and magic with elements of historical fiction but I feel like it would have worked better as a longer book. There were things that didn't make sense and I feel it would have been better if it would have had more room to explain how everything worked.

The Belle of the Ball by Sarvenaz Tash: 4☆. It's about a girl who wants to write comedy at a time where there weren't a lot of women in comedy. I really enjoyed the I Love Lucy references and how it talked about the importance of representation in media. I've never read anything by this author but now I definitely want to. Especially after reading her Author's Notes!

Land of the Sweet, Home of the Brave by Stacey Lee: 4.5☆. It's about an Asian-American girl (Chinese father, biracial Japanese mother who was born in Hawaii) who decides to participate in the contest to be the new "Sugar Maiden". This was so much fun to read. I love how the main character was written and I connected with her immediately. I love how I learned so much about the history of Asian people in Hawaii that I had no idea about. It was a very well accomplished story.

The Birth of Susi Go-Go by Meg Medina: 4.75☆. This is about a Cuban-American girl whose parents were exiled from Cuba during the command of Fidel Castro. She is thinking about her life in the US after she finds out her grandparents are coming from Cuba as well. I absolutely adored this story. I feel like I have an instant connection with Latinx stories and I love seeing more in historical fiction. I definitely want to read more by Meg Medina now.

Take Me With U by Sara Farizan: 2.5☆. This was probably my least favourite story and that might be because I'm very wary of Sara Farizan since she has a history of being bi and transphobic in her books. But this is about an Iranian girl who immigrated to the US during the war in Iran and it's about her love of music. I really appreciated all that we're taught about history especially about Iran. But this as very short and I felt like I didn't have time to connect with the characters of care about them. It was an ok story.

Such a fun and inspiring collection of feminist historical short stories.

I come from a long line of pretty badass women. Immigrants, labor rights activists, leaders in their fields. I’ve been taught from birth that women can do whatever they want, but they will have to fight for it, and they can. So when I saw the subtitle of this book, not to mention the words revolution and resistance in the first line of the summary sitting alongside its awesome cover, I knew I would have to read it sooner or later.

To my great pleasure, it was sooner. I was not disappointed. Those women, and others I love, and my own personality (although I don’t identify as a woman I was certainly raised as one, and encouraged to be fierce) came to mind in every word I read. Some stories hit me deeply and personally, others simply resonated in the fight of the protagonist or the love of the culture portrayed. I devoured these stories like a starving person at a feast, slowing down only to linger over details and savor. It’s a perfect weekend read: the pacing allows you to put it down between stories, or curl up and soak it all up.

I have a confession: I am not a great reader of anthologies of short stories. I don’t know why: the times I’ve been made to read short stories (and I almost always have been made to read them) I’ve loved them, and I think they take just as much, if not more craft than a novel, to create a capsule and a whole story and developed characters. This anthology certainly encouraged me to develop and follow that love. Packed with stories from all sorts of authors that I already love (fans of Anna-Marie McLemore will get everything they love in “Glamour” and those who haven’t read her work will find a very accessible starting point; Dhonielle Clayton doesn’t disappoint either after having loved The Belles) as well as some I will have to look up immediately (I need an entire novel in the world of Megan Shepherd‘s “Lady Firebrand”, or I may end up writing fanfic about her two heroines; Sarvenaz Tash’s Rosemary in “The Belle of the Ball” is a vibrant character dealing with a great subject we don’t see a lot of – comedy screenwriting; Sara Farizan‘s “Take Me With U” deals expertly with both diaspora during wartime and just being an awesome teenager in the 80s), the heroines are vibrant, the settings feel real, and I found myself reminded how much I enjoy the genre.

I was also reminded how much I love history — not just historical fiction but history itself. Many of these highlight places or people in time that aren’t extensively spoken about, especially from the particular points of view from which they’re told (there’s a wide range of diversity of protagonists and characters) and I found myself gobbling up the new-to-me information. The stories themselves range from straight literary fiction to action/drama to magical realism and fantasy — there’s something for everyone.

There were a few stories that I loved better than others or that I felt were crafted more skillfully, of course. That’s to be expected in any collection. But this was definitely one case where I ended up rating the whole higher rather than averaging the individual story ratings, because I think it’s best read that way. Together, it’s a cohesive and important chronological collection of the personal made political, history brought to life.

I would particularly recommend this to teens who are interested in reading more about people like them but have trouble finding it, or who love history (or who love reading but aren’t finding history interesting). I think it would be perfect high school reading, especially because the lengths of the stories make it quite accessible.

Verdict: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Trigger Warnings: Themes of racism, colorism, transphobia, homophobia, ableism, some violence

This was an AMAZING read. What a great collection of short stories. I will be recommending this to every teen/young adult and young woman I know. I absolutely loved reading about strong DIVERSE women, each and every one unique and well-represented. The author's notes on their processes for developing the narratives were wonderful to read as well. I could barely put this book down because I was so engrossed, I don't think I've ever read about so many fictional historical characters that weren't built solely around a romantic arc or as a side character to a male protagonist. This book features women of color, women of disability, women of diverse religions, women of different gender identities, many different demographics that are not written to in the mainstream. Again, would definitely purchase for myself and others.

The Radical Element is an anthology dedicated to the girls who refuse to play the roles life has assigned to them. It follows American history with stories starting from 1838-1984, with main characters from different backgrounds and religions and some stories with a dash of magic mixed in. Many of the stories are #ownvoices which was amazing to see!
I loved every second of this anthology, and am once again reminded how much I love to read them. I'll be racing to read the first anthology in this series!

Daughter of the Book
by Dahlia Adler
3.5 ★'s
Rebekkah is a girl who is desperate to learn in a conservative Jewish town in Savannah, Georgia during 1838. She has been told her life that her job as a woman is to learn the ways of the household and how to run a family. She's told she must put her interests to learn about her religion in order for the man of the house to do so.
Rebekkah is just so desperate for knowledge, I really saw myself in her because of that. It's a common feeling for many women throughout history.
She will stop at nothing to ensure her own education and it mirrors many stories of women and girls doing the same.

You’re a Stranger Here
by Mackenzie Lee
5 ★'s
I have a love for Mackenzie Lee which may be odd considering other than this short story, I am yet to read one of her books in their entirety. I started her historical YA novel the Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue last year by way of an ebook on Overdrive and then my mum asked me what books I wanted for Christmas and though I had only read a few chapters so far, I was beyond captivated and knew I had to own the book so I decided to wait until I had a physical copy in my hands.
But before all that I had stumbled onto Lee's #bygonebadassbroads on twitter where she shares a badass woman lost in history. I loved her way of making history fascinating and knew I needed to give her books a try.
Lee's story of Vilatte in You're a Stranger Here follows a young Mormon girl who joined her mother on a trip from her home in England to America to follow the preaching of the prophet Joseph. Set in 1844, the congregation have set up their own town in Nauveoo, Illinois where they are now being terrorized in by the locals around them.
This is a story of grief and finding your way in religion, and learning how to still hold onto your faith and beliefs in the face of adversity.
It was beautifully written and raised great questions about religion, while still being filled with hope.

The Magician
by Erin Bowman
4 ★'s
The Magician is set in 1858 on the Colorado River on the General Jesup traveling from Fort Yuma to Utah. Our main character is an orphan Rat who is nicknamed Rat by her co-workers who are unaware that she is a teenage girl and not a teenage boy. The only person who knows her secret is Mr. Lowry who has taken Ray under her wing, even estranging herself from her husband to care for her. Ray is offered the opportunity to work on the General Jesup on it's expedition with the promise of $50 at the end of it which she jumps at in order to help fund her journey to San Fransico where she believes her parents are waiting for her, in addition to the funds she has made working at Fort Yuma and cheating her through games of cards with her co-workers.
Ray work hard to keep her both her secrets but it's a tall order while aboard a boat filled with workers, soldiers, and citizens.
Bowman shares the story of a woman cross-dressing in order to support herself in a time where women were not afforded the same opportunities as men. Ray is a hard worker and determined to find her family and choose her life for herself.
Ray's story is bitter-sweet but like all the stories in this anthology, it is oozing with hope.

Lady Firebrand
by Megan Shepherd
4 ★'s
Rose Blake is a disabled woman living with her aunt Edith and uncle Cornelius and live in 'maid' and friend Pauline at Drexel Hall in Charleston, South Carolina, 1863 heightening conflicts of the Civil War.
Rose and Pauline, who is a Black woman, are the brains and brawn behind Lord Firebrand, a rogue the girls created in order to help fight the cause of people of colour. It's a high-risk job, but Rose and Pauline do not shy away from danger even though Pauline has much to lose if caught, and Rose is bound to her wheelchair.
Lady Firebrand takes us on Roses journey of learning that her disability can only stand in her way if she allows it. There are high stakes but high reward if they succeed in their mission to injure the Confederate army.
Sheperd did an amazing job of representing wheelchair users without pulling the much dreaded 'cure' card. Rose will always need a wheelchair to move around on her own but it is clear by the end of the story that it will not stand in her way.
Sheperd also steers very clear of the 'white saviour' narrative as well. Pauline is her own person, and Rose never takes away any of her friend's agency.

Step Right Up
by Jessica Spotswood
4 ★'s
Step Right Up is the story of a head-strong daredevil Ruby who wants nothing more than to walk the tightrope like her idol Miss Etta in the Archer Brothers circus that visits her town of Tulsa. The story is told in the year of 1905 where Ruby is yet again risking life and limb to walk along the roof of the church when her mother and uncle Jack interrupt leading to a beating for poor Ruby and being locked away in her room the day the circus comes through.
I really loved the relationship between Ruby and her sister. Although they are stark opposites, the love they have for each other is crystal clear.
I thought Spotswood gave us great rep of domestic violence and child abuse.
I also adored that we got a canonically gay main character but the story was never about Ruby being gay, the focus was always on her dreams to be a part of the circus. As important as it is to have books about being gay, coming to terms with your sexualtiy and coming out, it's just as important for charaters to have their sexuality treated the same way straight characters' sexualties are treated.

Glamour
by Anna-Marie McLemore
5 ★'s
Grace is a Mexican girl masquerading as a white girl in Hollywood in order to help support her family. Set in 1923, Glamour is a magical realism story of accepting yourself, not despite the things that make you Other, but because of them.
We get to see what it is like to have to change so much of yourself in attempts to fit into a world that does not accept you, and how draining that can be on a person.
In additon to a Latinx main character, Grace is also queer, has a trans love interest and there is disability rep throughout as well.
It's an #ownvoices story which right now are some of the most important stories being told in YA today, and we need more of them.

Better For All the World
by Marieke Nijkamp
5 ★'s
I am so happy to have finally been able to read an #ownvoices story of an autistic main character!
Carrie Allen has made her way to Washington, D.C. in 1927 to live with her Aunt Elizabeth to get away from the discrimination she recieved n her home town for being different and to hopefully make it in the male dominated career of law. We first meet her during a hearing Carrie Buck, a real woman in history who had her rights and bodily autonomy taken away by the law, in the name of protecting the population from her 'undesirable' traits. She is lawfully steralized in order to keep her from bearing anymore children as she is seen as 'feeble-minded'.
Carrie Allen sees herself in Carrie Buck and follows Buck's case, hoping against the odds that Buck's rights will not be taken from her.
Carrie is a force to be reackoned with and I pity the persson who tires to stand in her way.
I loved reading Carrie's story and all though Buck's story was bleak, Carrie Allen's is optimistic and filled with potential.

When the Moonlight Isn’t Enough
by Dhonielle Clayton
3.5 ★'s
When the Moonlight isn't Enough follows Emma who is nearly 200 years old thanks to drinking moonlight like her parents, though she appears to be only 16. Set in 1943 Oak Bluffs, Massachusetts, during World War II, all Emma wants to do is something. Instead she follows her parents rules of staying out of everything and blending in as if they were a 'normal' family.
Emma secretly starts voluntiring for the Army Nurse Corps at a Red Cross Recruiting Center to help sooth her desperate yearning to help, only for it to do nothing but intensify her feeling to do something even more.
I was a little confused but the magical asspect of the this story as it wasn't explained in too much detail until right towards the end but I still enjoyed the journey nonetheless.

The Belle of the Ball
by Sarvenaz Tash
5 ★'s
Rosemary is funny. She writes small bits for her friend Sandra to perform as distractions of the mundane life they live in Brooklyn, New York in year 1952. But when Rosemary overhears a neighbour say that women can't be funny, however he is also accepting scripts from women for writers of a televison program she takes it upon herself to prove that women can be funny. Rosemary writes an example episode of her favourite show I Love Lucy.
I love Rosemary, she was so fun and determined and I loved that the love interest was never an obstacle in the way of Rosemary's dreams.

Land of the Sweet, Home of the Brave
by Stacey Lee
4 ★'s
Land of he Sweet, Home of the Brave shares the story of Lana in 1955 as she particaptes in a competiton to be crowned Miss Sugar Maiden, the face for a sugar company in Oakland California, and win $500 in cash as well as a trip to NYC.
The competiton sheds light on the discrimination and racsim Lana faces as an Asain American of both Chinese and Japanese decent in the wake of World War II.
It was a brillaint story of hope, and determination.
I loved that Lana didn't take the polite route in the face of racism and bitchy behavior as I am a true believer that sometimes you gotta get down in the mud with the pigs and fling some shit back.

The Birth of Susi Go-Go
by Meg Medina
3.5 ★'s
The Birth of Susi Go-Go takes as back to New York, only this time in Queens in 1972. Susana is from Cuba, a home she left behind as a little girl, and is now faced with her home being filled with the family members she left behind all those years ago.
Linda Turner moves into the apartment next door and as a woman who owns her sexuality, Susana's mother warns her to steer clear. But Susana is fascinated by Linda's tall, white Go-Go boots, and in turn fascinated with the the life that Linda leads.
It has Susana wondering what it would be like to break out from under her mothers thumb and to embrace the American life where anything is possible.
I'm a huge fan of One Day at a Time which is a T.V. Show centered around a Cuban American family so I enjoyed seeing another story of a Cuban American family.

Take Me With U
by Sara Farizan
3.5 ★'s
Our last stop on the Radical Elements journey is in 1984 Boston, Massachusetts where we meet Soheila, a teenage girl from Tehran, Iran who has moved to America to escape the Iraq-Iran war that occured throughout most of the 80's.
While living with her Uncle Khosro and Aunt Fariba, Soheila is trying to navigate her way around a new country while knowing her friends and family are back in Iran, where they may not be safe.
Sohelia must deal with her judgemental Fariba who sees Soheila as a leech while babysitting her cousin Amir. Against Fariba's wishes, Sohelia makes friends with a feminist punk band and discovers music which quickly becomes her escape.
This story was so touching and heartbreaking, I just want the best for Soheila, wherever that leads her.

I really loved this anthology! I enjoyed reading the authors note after each story, which gave us a glimpse into the authors themselves and the history that their stories are based on.
The Radical Element is an incredibly diverse collection of determined young women in historical settings and I loved every minute of it!