I’ve taken my time on this book, there has been several stories I’ve liked and some that haven’t kept  my interest hence why it’s taken me so long to finish this. Two stars.

Reclaim the Stars was out of this world! I love short story collections and this one was fantastic! I love how inclusive the stories were and reflected a diverse group of contributing authors!

Like most anthologies, this book had some stories I feel head over heels for, and some that were just okayish. The breadth of these stories is amazing - princesses in space, speculative fic, sirens and ghosts, I am not Latina so I can't speak to the representation, but there were some very interesting perspectives here for me to read about. There is some talk about some of the authors of this anthology being problematic? I do wish there had been more sci-fi in this sci-fi & fantasy anthology, which leans really heavily towards fantasy.

What a great collection of short stories. I rated each one in my head 3-5 stars and ultimately decided that overall it was well worth 4 stars. I had some favorites for sure as well as a couple I could've honestly skipped but I found something in each one that I liked. I liked the Spanish in it but I didn't know the meaning of some of it so I do think that Spanish-speaking youth (the audience intended) would probably appreciate the stories just that much more. But there was not so much that any of my understanding was stumped.

My favorites were probably "This Is Our Manifesto," "Color-Coded," and "Magical Offerings." I gave a short review of each short story here as I did a buddy read for it: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/22174557?page=1

I'd like to thank NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an e-ARC of the anthology in exchange for my honest opinion which I have given.

Anthologies are one of my favorite ARC requests, and this one did not disappoint. Overall this was a really magical/fantastical read and I read the entire collection in one sitting. It was a great variety of stories that brought a diverse range of voices and genres to make a really amazing collection. I think one of my favorites was White Water, Blue Ocean. Looking forward to reading even more anthologies in the future!

These 17 short stories were pretty good. There are some definite hidden gems in there that I'd love to read more of (and really hope I see longer versions of them!). By far, the last one was my favorite and I hope we get to meet them again in a much longer version. The goat was the best.

Anthologies are great for getting you out of reading slumps because they are fast and often times really fun reads. I'm so glad I gave this one a shot.

I read this one with friends and reviewed each story here: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

Reclaim the Stars is a collection of science fiction and fantasy Latinx short stories. The compilation by Zoraida Cordova is wonderfully put together and includes stories by a number of well-known Latinx authors. Stories ranged from setting in space to setting in magical realism alternate universes of the Caribbean and Latin America. Claribel Ortega's story of witches killing El Chivo is set in an alternate Domincan Republic during the Trujillo era while others take place in post-apocalyptic space. The stories tell tales of love, magic, power and strength. This was a truly enjoyable anthology.

Gr 10 Up—Justice, prison reform, polyamorous love, feminism, toppling dictators, and other timely topics populate the pages of this collection of short stories set in Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Argentina, magical realms, and distant planets. While the characters in each of these stories are children coming of age, the apocalyptic and magical settings force them to become wise before their time. "The Tin Man" puts Alida in the desperate position of either remaining on Earth where she has memories of her family or getting into an ark destined for unknown parts and beginning again. In "Killing El Chivo," Yesenia, Zaria, and Milagros are left to fend for themselves under a dictatorship that kidnapped and killed their parents. The teens becoming adults in this short story have to grapple with the difference between justice and revenge, and how both still twist the survivors into something they don't want to be. Yesenia learns that to destroy a monster, one must become a monster as well. "Leyenda" by Romina Garber revisits the domain of werewolves and witches, and in it, the main character, Zaybet, tackles patriarchal systems of oppression. In each of these entries a sacrifice is negotiated in order for the protagonist to evolve into a hero and a survivor.

RECLAIM THE STARS is by far my favorite anthology I've ever read. Sharp, witty stories that made me laugh and pretend I wasn't crying. The most invested I've ever been in short-form writing. 

The unexpectedly strong political themes made for the most incredible reading and the fresh perspectives renewed my first love for science fiction.

Only while reading RECLAIM THE STARS does it occur to me how much people of color have been cut out of science fiction. Inclusion in fantasy has increased, perhaps because we ourselves are exotic, like magic. But science fiction? It is too close to the truth, to our reality or future reality, for us to be included. 

Reading stories that lift up culture and identity reminds us unique perspectives are necessary for truly impactful (and entertaining) narratives.

The writing throughout all the stories was wonderful. Even if I didn't connect with the story, I cannot deny how magical they were. Each author was able to completely engulf me and wrap me up in this whole new world. As with all anthologies, there are some stories that I would have loved to see stretched out a little longer, especially here as these were sci-fi and fantasy stories which sometimes do need a while to build the world and the setting. But, some of them were well rounded out in their shortness. 

Reclaim the Stars is one of the best anthologies that I have read to date and one I'll be returning back too to dive into these worlds all over again.

This is a collection of sci-fi short stories. I was excited to try something new for me, as I don’t usually read short stories or much general sci-fi. 

I had a hard time getting into this collection. I’d tell myself I could just get through one short story a night but even that was a challenge. I found many of the stories confusing and in the end DNF the collection. I think it just wasn’t for me.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Reclaim the Stars: 17 Tales Across Realms and Space by Zoraida Cordova, 432 pages. SHORT STORIES. Wednesday Books, 2022. $ CENTERING ME LGBTQIA
Language: R (60 swears, 3 “f”); Mature Content: PG13; Violence: PG13
BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL
AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE
Seventeen stories with protagonists who don’t usually get time in the spotlight. These scifi and fantasy stories go beyond my imagination and include new cultures and ideas to amaze each reader.
The variety of culture and characters and stories included here makes me wish I knew what prompt was given to spark their creation. A lot of Spanish is used in the text, and the usage ranged in stories from being cool to being a little irritating because I don’t know Spanish. I liked over half the stories, but I loved stories 6 and 17 – they are simply beautiful.
True to the mission of the authors, the characters depicted are not White, coming from a variety of backgrounds. The mature content rating is for innuendo, harassment, scary descriptions, partial nudity, abortion, and mentions of sex. The violence rating is for blood, gun use, and murder.
Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

This one really wasn't for me. I have some issues with some of the authors that have been brought to my attention, and I just couldn't get into it. Not necessarily bad, just not for me.

A very solid anthology with a few fantastic stories. Reclaim the Stars features sci-fi (just a few) and fantasy (mostly this) stories from 17 Latinx YA authors. Overall I had a good time with this collection, though as with most anthologies some stories were more of a hit than others. Some standouts for me were...

- Reign of Diamonds by Anna-Marie Mclemore about fighting space princesses
- White Water, Blue Ocean by Linda Raquel Nieves Perez about a family curse and a non-binary young person seeking acceptance
- Leyenda by Romina Garber (because it's a story set in the world of Lobizona and I'm a huge fan of the series!)
- Rogue Enchantments by Isabel Ibanez about a young woman trying to carve a space for herself in a magical market
- Sumaiko y La Sirena by Vita Ayala about an enslaved young woman who longs to return to the sea and falls in love with a siren
- Tame the Wicked Night by Zoraida Cordova a romantic story with a mythological feel to it

There's a lot of diversity, and (unsurprisingly) a lot of magical realism. If this sounds up your alley give it a try! I received an advance copy of this book for review via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Reclaim the Stars is a collection of science fiction and fantasy filled with unapologetically Latine stories!

     I was so excited to read this collection! It was full of so many great story ideas and authors who I’ve been wanting to read from! Sadly, I was disappointed and couldn’t finish this book. 

     First, I just want to say that I really enjoyed the stories The Tin Man by Lilliam Rivera and This is Our Manifesto by Mark Oshiro! I gave both of those stories four stars individually. That being said, I got through eight stories in this collection and those are the only two I enjoyed at all. For the other six I read, I gave them either two stars or below or I just couldn’t make myself finish them. 

     I spent almost every story confused. Nothing was explained. The world building was just not there. I don’t expect the same amount of world building that would be in a 500 page fantasy novel, but I do expect to be able to picture what is going on in the story. Most of the stories I read were just not fleshed out very well at all. I’ve been trying to read this since January and I just don’t think I can try anymore. 

     I am not at all trying to discourage anyone from reading this collection. I think people should at least give it a try because I absolutely love the idea of a collection of SFF Latine stories. The execution wasn’t for me, but that doesn’t mean that it’s not for everyone. So give this a try if you don’t mind less explanation  in your stories and more vibes and atmosphere! And don’t forget, I did really enjoy Lilliam Rivera and Mark Oshiro’s stories! I’ll definitely be reading more from them in the future!

1.5 stars rounded up to 2.

Thank you NetGalley and Wednesday Books for this arc. All opinions are my own.

This book was an interesting blend of fantasy and sci-fi stories. I would love to see many of them as fleshed out novels! I loved learning about the many different cultures of the protagonists and I liked many of the worlds that were built in a very short time!

This is a very strong anthology of short (mostly) fantasy stories with a vibrant cover. I was wowed by several stories and liked them all. I would read more of these authors.

These short stories were captivating and very thought provoking. As i often do with short stories, I always find myself wanting more. Each story was gripping and when it ended you were like “wait a minute”. I found myself thinking of the characters long after the story was over. I tried to listen to this slowly so I wouldn’t get the different stories mixed up but overall a great anthology that is perfect to introduce you to new authors!

Who can resist an anthology full of magical realism and stars? I certainly can't. Reclaim the Stars consists of seventeen short stories, all of which are centered around one main subject: space and the stars beyond. That is not the only element tying these stories together, as they all feature the Latin American diaspora. In other words – this is an absolute must-read!

There are so many talented authors involved in this project, including ita Ayala, David Bowles, J.C. Cervantes, Sara Faring, Romina Garber, Isabel Ibanez, Anna-Marie McLemore, Circe Moskowitz, Maya Motayne, Linda Raquel Nieves Perez, Daniel Jose Older, Claribel A. Ortega, Mark Oshiro, and Lilliam Rivera. I'm going to try a slightly different review format down below and just stick to my immediate reactions to every short. We'll see how I like this format going forward?

Reign of Diamonds by Anna-Marie Mclemore
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★
Reign of Diamonds is a classic sapphic and enemies-to-lovers story, which is always a delight in my book. It's a solid start to the anthology and helps set the tone for what is to come. In other words, it's perfect.

Flecha by Daniel Jose Older
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★
Flecha is apparently a prequel to Daniel Jose Older's Flood City, so now I'm going to be adding that book to my TBR. As if I wasn't already drowning in books. But I want to see how the story develops from here.

The First Day of Us by David Bowles
Rating: ★ ★ ★
I found The First Day of Us to be mildly confusing, mostly due to the perspectives. I don't normally have an issue following along with this style though, so it might have been the mood/tiredness level I was in?

The Tin Man by Lilliam Rivera
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
The Tin Man is super sweet, and quickly became one of my favorites from this anthology. It stands out a bit in my mind even now, so I would really make a point of reading this short story if you get the chance.

This is Our Manifesto by Mark Oshiro
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★
Ohh, if you love tales of rebellions and the like, then you're really going to enjoy This is Our Manifesto.

Creatures of Kings by Circe Moskowitz
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★
Dark and twisted – just the way I like it. I honestly would do just about anything to get more of this story. No seriously, what do I need to do?

Eterno by J.C. Cervantes
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Okay, Eterno is another contender for top shorts in this anthology. I would read a thousand more pages if they existed if only to get a chance to see more of the world and mythos within.

White Water, Blue Ocean by Linda Raquel Nieves Perez
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★
Family curses and acceptance? This is my jam. I really enjoyed White Water, Blue Ocean – the writing was strong and the themes even stronger.

Leyenda by Romina Garber
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★
There are a lot of tropes in Leyenda – but that actually made it a lot of fun for me. I could totally see this one getting extended, though I'm happy with what was already made available.

Color-Coded by Maya Motayne
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★
Okay, I love the core concept of Color-Coded. It's quite clever. We have obvious tropes/elements such as puberty and teens, but we also have magical realism. The two merge together in surprising ways, making for an entertaining read.

Magical Offerings by Nina Moreno
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★
Luz is a fantastic leading character for this story, and honestly? I'm saying it a lot with this anthology, but I mean it: I want more.

Rogue Enchantments by Isobel Ibanez
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★
Another really sweet short story. Rogue Enchantments is basically set to steal all our hearts, and you can't convince me otherwise.

Sumaiko Y La Sirena by Vita Ayala
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Fairytales and romance blend together (again) to create the foundation for Sumaiko Y La Sirena. It worked really well here, especially as Vita Ayala's writing is phenomenal (as always).

River People by Yamile Saied Mendez
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★
The title is quite indicative of this tale, and there is SO much depth hidden within this one. I honestly was sad when it ended.

Moonglow by Sara Faring
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★
Moonglow is an extremely strong and powerful read. However, it is definitely not for everyone. Trigger warnings include abortions, detailed medical issues, emotional abuse/trauma.

Killing El Chivo by Claribel A. Ortega
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★
Avenging witches! Assemble? But seriously, once again I love the core concept of this tale. Killing El Chivo made for a tense but great read, one that wasn't afraid to toy with my anxiety.

Tame the Wicked Night by Zoraida Cordova
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Tame the Wicked Night is essentially a retelling of Beauty and the Beast – and I LOVE it. It's so much richer than the original, and I want more.

Reclaim the stars if full of beautifully written short stories. Each one grabbed my attention and I was kind of sad when it had to end. I was so happy to see that a whole group of Latin writers were getting together to write this book. As a fellow Latina it made he so excited to see people like me share their stories. 
The characters that were introduced has so much depth and the settings were so magical. 
 
Thank you netgalley for sharing this copy with me.