Thank you to Wednesday Books and Netgalley for the ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

What a fun anthology series! Each story sucked me in and left me wanting more. I'm not the biggest Sci-Fi fan, but this anthology made me a fan. It was so good it made me want to look for other novels similar to any of these stories. I loved the bits of Latine culture within each story and how it helped shape the characters. I was engrossed from the first story and didn't want to stop! If you're looking for a book to help you escape, this is one I don't think you could ever go wrong with!

I’m usually not a great fan of short stories, but I liked this anthology. Not every story in this collection by a variety of YA authors is excellent, but the writing is good, the variety of worlds and situations is interesting and at times, powerful. I also liked the way Zoraida Cordova grouped the stories, giving the reader a heads-up of the style or genre of story within each grouping.
The following are my very brief thoughts about each tale:

To the Stars:
1. Reign of Diamonds: 3 stars. Great texture, but I felt like something was missing from this romantic story.
2. FLECHA: 4 stars. An entertaining prequel to Older's "Flood City"
3. The First Day of Us: 3.5 stars. A cute story of three teens figuring out they’re attracted to one another, and that together they’re stronger, smarter and happier dealing with things together.
4. The Tin Man: 4 stars. This one is sad.
5. This Is Our Manifesto: 4 stars. Incarceration of the future, even more unethical in this future who goes to jail, and who doesn’t. A logical extension of the current uS judicial and incarceration situation.

The Magical Now:
6. Creatures of Kings: 4 stars. She is dark, glorious, and deadly. Literally.
7. Eterno: 3 stars. Interesting idea, of a family of beings who take the Dark from dying humans, it the story never came together for me.
8. White Water, Blue Ocean: 3 stars. There are some sad family dynamics at work here, with a promise of better things moving forward by the end of the story, but this story never really gelled for me.
9. Leyenda: 4 stars. I loved the anger and the rejection of the world’s status quote, as well as Zaybet’s power.
10. Color-Coded: 4 stars. Amusing as a girl goes through a magical change all women do in this world, and is by turns mortified and intrigued. The ending actually gave me a slightly worried feeling, but could have been interpreted as hopeful, too.
11. Magical Offerings: 4 stars. I wanted to read of more of Luz’s adventures after finishing this story.

Other Times, Other Realms:
12. Rogue Enchantments: 4 stars. I loved the type of magic Graciela could wield, and empathized with her troubles and ambitions.
13. Sumaiko Y La Sirena: 4 stars. A mermaid tale. Yes, pun intended.
14. River People: 3 stars. I loved the river and its stories, but the rest of the story was only ok.
15. Moonglow: 4 stars. A story about a family, the unkind father, and the full of creepiness.
16. Killing El Chivo: 3.5 stars. A literal monster as dictator and a trio of witches intent on avenging themselves on him make for a tense story.
17. Tame the Wicked Night: 4.5 stars. I loved this story! And that goat, Rigoberto, stole every scene he was in.

Thank you to Netgalley and to St. Martin’s Press for this ARC in exchange for my review.

This was such a great collection of Latinx sci-fi and fantasy stories! I think the only negative feeling I have is that I wanted more. I've read books by many of these authors, and now I anticipate seeing more from all of them. I definitely need a copy of this for my classroom, it was such a wonderful and diverse collection!

Ugh I’m so bummed about this but this is not working for me. Anthologies are always hard for me to rate, and I try to listen to them on audio while I read to help me enjoy it. I got through part 1 which is all science fiction which I don’t hate but I am not connecting with this. It would have been better randomizing the stories from different genres a bit rather than laying them out as such. Love the concept of this anthology but the way the stories are laid out just isn’t good. also gorgeous cover. But I can’t force myself to get through this despite the fact I really like many of the authors featured in this.

It has usually been my experience that anthologies are sure to contain at least a few pieces that just don't entertain or I could have easily skipped and not missed. This anthology is a magical exception to that.
I sincerely am amazed at the wide array of creativity on display here. Every single short story is full of magic that sings the praises of Latinx cultures, be they set in space, the modern world, or deep in fantasy. I loved that they are as unique as the cultures their authors took inspiration from.
This truly is a book full of great writing that breathes life into each character and situation, displaying very varied writing styles that are united by a common thread of cultural experience.

Happy thanks to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the very interesting read!

Anthologies are notoriously hard to review. This one feels especially so, considering that there are a whopping 17 stories held within these pages. I don't want to review each one individually, given how many there are, though. That being said, this is probably a 3.5 for me, rounded up to a 4 for this review's sake.

This book felt a bit more like a mixed bag for me than some anthologies I've read in the past have been. There were a few stories in here that I loved, that I didn't want to end no matter how long they went on. But... there were also a fair few that felt incredibly incomplete to me. There were at least five of the stories that felt like they should've been the first couple of chapters in a novella rather than a short story - that is, they left off right as literally anything started to happen. I'm not sure if a couple of these were rushed in order to be finished in time for the anthology, but it was disappointing, I have to say.

As for some positives, I loved the fact that all of these stories were based in Latin American culture. Coming somewhat freshly off reading Cemetery Boys, this almost felt oddly like an extension of that book for some stories. I also loved the LGBTQ+ representation across the stories, from one story that contained a handful of poly couples to various same-sex relationships to exploration of gender identity. It's always refreshing to read stories that aren't as cookie cutter as so much of the publishing world is these days.

I also really enjoyed the scope of this anthology as a whole, covering sci-fi, magical realism, and large swaths of time. I think there's definitely something in this anthology for everyone to enjoy, in the end. There are just some stories that are significantly stronger than others.

Cute collection of stories. I wish some were longer but I also enjoyed getting to read so many in a short amount of time. I love fairy tales and it was nice to get some stories that felt like the ones I have read a lot but were from another culture.

3.5 stars

Three cheers for more YA short story collections! I'm thrilled to see these hitting the shelves more frequently in recent times, and I love that we're getting some diversity in subgenre here with sci fi and fantasy.

As is frequently the case when reading and reviewing a collection of works by disparate writers, I vacillated between love, like, and meh per entry. For me, this is absolutely worth the read overall, but I will admit to skimming some works that were just not doing enough for me. I imagine the nightmare of anyone who ever contributes to an effort like this is to be the one/s called out as the weak link, so I'll keep it vague because I am not a monster, but I hope prospective readers find it helpful to know that if a work isn't gripping right away, it's okay to trust that feeling and move ahead.

I truly loved seeing a cast of characters here who are not always represented in these subgenres, and I'll be recommending specific works in this collection to my current (and likely future) students with solid enthusiasm.

What a lovely short story collection! Highly recommend for teens who enjoy SFF and don't have time for a series, or very chunky standalone!

Short stories and anthologies in particular are difficult to rate. Not all of the stories are going to woo you as it were. That was the case for me. There were plenty more good than not. I really loved seeing all the diversity. And there's a good mix of sci-fi, and fantasy. I love anthologies for introducing me to authors I may not have picked up before.

Thanks to Netgalley & Wednesday Books for a review copy

This is, overall, a lovely anthology, with some very high highlights. Daniel Jose Older's early contribution is particularly memorable, as are a handful of others later on.

I really enjoyed the diversity of the stories being told here. So many different facets of relationships - romantic, platonic, familial. The authors had such distinct voices and I think all of the stories really stand on their own. As is the case with most anthologies, some stories were stronger than others but overall this is a truly great collection that made me feel ALL the feelings

All these stories were amazing!! Full of culture, full of sci-fi, and very entertaining to read! Highly recommend!

An interesting and at times arresting collection of stories that meld futuristic aspirations and endeavours with present-day and old-world experiences and beliefs in such a way to let readers know that the authors and writers collated here, are aware and personally cognizant of their place and how they can use their words to bring light to story and meaning.

This was a great collection of sci-fi ad fantasy short stories by Latinx authors. I thought that there should have been a few more science fiction stories to balance out the fantasy, but overall most of the stories were enjoyable. Most had a theme of family and I loved all of the magical realism involved.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and all of the authors for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I feel terrible, but I could not finish this book. The different storylines and different writing styles just jarred me too much to get into any of the stories. I really wanted to love this and love each story, but I felt like the minute I finally got into a story, it was over and the next had begun.
I will say, however, that the writing style of each story is beautiful and each story well-crafted!

This collection of short stories was a mixed bag, as most collections are. I loved some of the tales and others missed the mark for me.

Initially, I was drawn to this collection to read Romina Garber's Wolves of No World short Story, Leyenda. I ended up really enjoying reading about Zaybet's origins, however this did not end up being my favorite of the collection. The two others I enjoyed the most were Rogue Enchantments and Tame the Wicked Night.

If you are looking for Latin American fantasy and Sci-Fi stories that you can devour in quick bites, this book is for you. The short story format makes this a great book to pick up and put down at your leisure.

This is a fantastic YA sci-fi/fantasy anthology full of queer joy, rage against unjust systems and hope for a better future, and Latinx cultures and perspectives, written by many well-known writers and a few new ones. It deserves all the buzz it's getting and more.

Title: Reclaim The Stars

Authors: Zoraida Córdova, Vita Ayala, David Bowles, Daniel José Older, J.C. Cervantes, Sara Faring, Romina Garber, Isabel Ibañez, Anna-Marie McLemore, Yamile Saied Méndez, Nina Moreno, Circe Moskowitz, Maya Motayne, Linda Raquel Nieves Pérez, Claribel A. Ortega, Mark Oshiro, Lilliam Rivera.

Publication Date: Feb 15, 2022

Publisher: St. Martin's Press, Wednesday Books

Suggested Reader Age: 14+

Genre: Anthology, SciFi, Fantasy, Young Adult, Magical Realism, LGBT
Reign of Diamonds by Zoraida Córdova ★★★★★
Hunger Games meets Cinder
The livelihood of two planets depends on their two princesses fighting to the death to retain control of La Ruta (a safe route between the two planets - a shortcut to avoid a dangerous asteroid field). Everyone is watching. What they don't know is that the princesses have a secret romantic relationship. Will love conquer all? Or is all fair in love and war?

Flecha by Daniel José Older ★★★
"How do you mourn someone who's not dead yet?" Left earth at 12 years old. Taya is like a young Han Solo with an epic sidekick named Grengaf.

The First Day of Us by David Bowles ★★★
Mar Mostrenco + Atzimba Sainz + Diego Quispe = ♥ ?

The Tin Man by Lilliam Rivera ★★★
It's been a year since La Gran Fuga. All Alida has left of her family is three recordings. The Tin Man shows up inviting her to return with it to a group of survivors because in five days the earth will shift and a massive earthquake will destroy her home.

This Is Our Manifesto by Mark Oshiro ★★★
Ramona misses pupusas (a traditional Salvadoran dish made of a thick, handmade corn tortilla). She hasn't had solid food in over a year. They don't use her name. They call her 981. Then, she receives an email message with the subject line: "This is our manifesto."

The Creatures of Kings by Circe Moskowitz ★★
"Vada Rivera is fifteen when she dies for the first time."

Eterno by J.C. Cervantes ★★★
"The prison where my older brother locked me away all because I broke the cardinal rule - never get involved with a human."
"I'm a devourer of the Dark. I'm a memory thief. I am Eterno."
"How can I tell her that my sole purpose, like my brother and sister, is to consume the Dark that humans grow inside them like weeds?"

White Water, Blue Ocean by Linda Raquel Nieves Pérez ★★
A family curse. Beautiful women who can't lie. Boys that "shine like the sun", but can't fall in love.

Leyenda by Romina Garber ★★★★★
Zaybet is the most powerful water witch since her mother.
"You guys define chivalry as pulling out a girl's chair, but what we actually want from you is a bigger table. We'll pull up our own damn chair." GOOSEBUMPS

Color-Coded by Maya Motayne ★★

Magical Offerings by Nina Moreno ★★★
"One day you'll open a door you don't know how to close."

Rogue Enchantments by Isabel Ibañez ★★★★★

Sumaiko Y La Sirena by Vita Ayala ★★

River People by Yamile Saied Méndez ★★★★
"...the river god could speak in actual words. The first one he said was her brother's name: Miguel."

Moonglow by Sara Faring ★★
"Pedro never took anything seriously when he was alive, so of course, he doesn't take things seriously when he's dead."

Killing El Chivo by Claribel A. Ortega ★★★★★ WOW!
"The last time I had tried to conjure my powers by invoking his name, I'd nearly blown up our house and everyone in it, then been sick for weeks - my bones breaking, stretching, coming back into place."
Creepy, and horror...My fav story in the book.

Tame the Wicked Night by Zoraida Córdova ★★★★★
"...this is the story about the boy who would unleash an ancient power for the sweet sin of a banished god's love."
1.1-2.2 = ★
2.3-4.5 = ★★
4.6-6.9 = ★★★
7-8.9 = ★★★★
9-10 = ★★★★★

My Rating 3.4 ★★

› Final Thoughts
• Although I didn't love all of the stories, I did find some new authors to check out.


Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the complimentary copy in exchange for my honest review.


*Quotes taken from an ARC copy and subject to change*

This was interesting take on tales about different places filled with magic and intrigue centering around science fiction. Now normally I’m not a fan of those stories, but this book really didn’t have as much as I thought.

The stories were middle of the road for me, but I really enjoyed Nina Moreno’s story because I love a good swamp magic themed story and Isabel Ibanez’s because it was a good story about believing in yourself.

All in all, I liked the mash up of stories this book has to offer. It’s refreshing to read a couple short stories to give you a taste of the authors talents.