This is a continuation of the last Saturday review. If you haven't read that yet, click here!
The Day the Dragon Came, by Marieke Nijkamp
Genre: Fantasy
Potential Triggers: Servitude,
Mental Health Topics: N/A
The Day the Dragon Came is a 24-page short story about a girl named Alix and a boy named Delfin and their adventure of a relationship despite Alix's need to leave the city and Delfin's need to stay and continue working on the belfry tower. What if just waiting, together, was enough?
This story was adorable. I wasn't too into it at first, but it definitely grew on me once I found out who Delfin was and the story unfolded. It was a really well crafted story, just the hook could've used a bit more of a gripping start. That said, it was a short story so those are usually pretty dry at the beginning. All in all, I think this one was pretty good.
Captain, My Captain, by Francisco X. Stork
Genre: Contemporary
Potential Triggers: N/A
Mental Health Topics: Learning Disabilities
Captain, My Captain is a 19-page short story about Alberto and the voice in his head that pushes him to search for freedom.
I'll be honest... this story mostly just confused me. I didn't really understand the way it was formatted, particularly the parts where "Captain America" was talking in Alberto's head. He... did seem like a crazy person, and yet he was oddly sane? And it just... yeah, overall it was just really really confusing. If there's one story I'd skip, it'd be this one.
Dear Nora James, You Know Nothing About Love
Genre: Contemporary
Potential Triggers:
Mental Health Topics: Anxiety,
Dear Nora James, You Know Nothing About Love is a 27-page short story about a girl with anxiety and stomach problems. She has to give advice on love for her high school's column, but there's just one issue.
She hasn't exactly been in love.
This was a really cute story about Nora's journey not only with dating but also about the value of friendship and how it can change your life, not only in the big ways but also in the little ways. And also how sometimes, all you've gotta do is give someone a chance. It was really well written and has Nora's emails as "Madame Amour" interspersed in it and it was just an overall adorable story. Would definitely recommend this one as a read
A Play In Many Parts, by Fox Benwell
Genre: Contemporary
Potential Triggers: LGBTQ+ topics, medication,
Mental Health Topics: Chronic Pain
A Play In Many Parts is a 34-page play/story about a theatre kid named E who loves to write. This story submerges you into the theatre world, allowing you to almost tangibly feel what it would be like to be in such a company of like-minded people. To be vulnerable... or to be someone else.
I loved this because not only did it break the mold in terms of it's status as not just a story but also as a partial play. It's so full of feeling and it pushes the boundaries of what could be and into what is. And I absolutely adored it!!
Ballad of Weary Daughters, by Kristine Wyllys
Genre: Contemporary, Slice-of-Life
Potential Triggers: Cheating, Cursing, Medications, Alcohol, LGBTQ+ topics,
Mental Health Topics: Bipolar Disorder (Type 1),
Ballad of Weary Daughters is the story of a girl named River and her friend Lucy as they go through life, taking care of River's siblings in light of their father's absence. River has to keep it together for her mom, for her siblings. But what if she didn't have to keep it together for everyone?
I loved this story, not only because it's about a girl with bipolar disorder who has to try to pretend she's fine as her mood swings go up and down and she just feels empty, but also because it includes her friend Lucy, who points out how strong she is to go through so much and get through it all day after day after day. This story was absolutely stunning. It was shorter, only 19-pages, but it was an incredible read.
Mother Nature's Youngest Daughter, by Keah Brown
Genre: Contemporary
Potential Triggers: Cursing, Bullying, Mother Nature, Magic,
Mental Health Topics: N/A
Mother Nature's Youngest Daughter is a 15-page short story about Millie, a crippled girl with elemental powers thanks to her mom, Mother Nature. She's got power, but she has to stay quiet about it, or else they'll be caught. Little does she realize there's so much more to her than her powers.
This story was really cute. A story about being bullied and rising above, despite being torn down again and again. It's got some nice family dynamics in it, a few brief mentions of what struck me as a fairly good friendship aspect of the story, but the majority of it was Millie facing off against her adversaries and I loved that. The character discovery that was incorporated into this book was terrific!!
A Curse, A Kindness, by Corinne Duyvis
Genre: Contemporary
Potential Triggers: Magic, LGBTQ+ topics,
Mental Health Topics: Autism Spectrum Disorder
A Curse, A Kindness is a 28-page short story about an autistic girl named Sienna and her curse to give people three wishes whenever they were kind to her—but what if Mia could save her from the curse once and for all?
This story. Was so. Cute. Oh my goodness I cannot. I didn't love how Sienna was autistic and how that was portrayed, but maybe it was mild enough to kinda just be there and not entirely be present, but I loved the idea of someone being cursed to give people three wishes every time they were kind to her and how that was developed in the story. It was just beautiful. And Mia's character as well as Sienna's was absolutely adorable. All in all, I loved this story. <3 It was really well written and enjoyable!!