A Thousand Beginnings and Endings

Amazing book of reworked folktales, some reads are more accessible than others if you're not culturally intune with everything Asia.

ARC provided by HarperCollins in exchange for an honest review.This is the anthology I’ve been waiting my entire life for. As a Filipina woman, I have no words to express how happy my heart is to just read a collection of short stories that are all ownvoices. And at the end of each short story is an author note on why they wrote the story that they did. And, I think I cried reading at least 75% of the author’s notes. This anthology is so beautiful, so powerful, and it means more to me than I have word combinations to express.“We fell in love with all those myths about powerful gods being vulnerable, about humans becoming heroes. Such stories taught us about mythology, about the beauty of folktales and legends, and about how stories of gods and goddesses are also stories about the human heart. But we never found similar compilations that were distinctly Asian.”Friends, please preorder this and fall in love, too! If you’d like to get me a birthday gift this year, please just preorder this, read, and review this collection. Honestly, it’s the only thing I want in 2018. I’ll beg, I’ll plead, I’ll scream from the rooftops: please preorder this anthology and show the world that Asian stories can not only sell, but can also change lives. I will cherish this book forever and ever. (While also apparently rereading Roshani’s from my ARC copy over the phone to my grandmother 100 times!)This collection honestly has so many amazing additions, but my personal favorites were Forbidden Fruit by Roshani Chokshi, Olivia’s Table by Alyssa Wong, The Crimson Cloak by Cindy Pon, and Eyes like Candlelight by Julie Kagawa. But my all-time favorite of the collection was The Land of the Morning Calm by E. C. Myers.But I’m going to break down each short story with my thoughts, opinions, and individual star rating!➽ Forbidden Fruit by Roshani Chokshi – ★★★★★Filipino“It was an ill-fated thing to claim that a heart is safe. Hearts are rebellious. The moment they feel trapped, they will strain against their bindings.”I am in tears writing this. Best opening story of any anthology ever. This is a version of the Philippine mythos of Maria Makiling that my grandma has been telling me stories of since I was a little girl. And Roshani’s take on it was beyond words beautiful. This opening story was enough for me to preorder three copies of this book. And I know I’m being completely biased, but this was nothing short of magnificent, and I’ll cherish it forever and ever. Roshani, thank you, with every bone in my body, thank you.➽ Olivia’s Table by Alyssa Wong – ★★★★★Chinese“Can’t they see the ghosts all the time?” she asked. “Not like you and I can. The Festival is when ghosts are most themselves instead of what the living want them to be. Not everyone will like what they see tonight.”Everyone knows I’m a huge fangirl of Alyssa Wong, but the reason for that is because she truly writes the best short fiction out there right now. There are so many amazing authors out there, but talent like Alyssa’s, where it just shows that she was meant to weave words together and craft these life changing stories, is so rare, but so awe-inspiring. She is such a blessing to the literary world, and I’m forever thankful. Every anthology collection I’ve read that includes a story from her ends up being ten times better for the inclusion. And her story always ends up completely stealing the show, my soul, and my heart, while also becoming my favorite. And Olivia’s Table was no different. This is a perfect story about a girl dealing with grief and depression but honoring her family by cooking at the Hungry Ghost Festival. And this was such an honor to read, and I know I’ll carry this tale with me forever. TW/CW: loss of a loved one, terminal illness, grief, and depression.➽ Steel Skin by Lori M. Lee – ★★★★Hmong“The brain is just a highly complex circuit of electrical impulses, so it stands to reason that it can be artificially manufactured. Scientists have been trying to understand this process for decades. What. Makes. Emotion?”This is a sci-fi tale about a girl and her strained relationship with her father, who hasn’t been the same since her mother died (TW/CW: loss of a loved one, grief, and abandonment). But she and her friend soon start to unravel a mystery concerning the androids that were recalled long ago for being too intelligent. And this was such a beautiful story, with such an amazing ending. And the end note about this reimagining of The Woman and the Tiger, a Hmong folktale, completely made me fall even harder in love.➽ Still Star-Crossed by Sona Charaipotra – ★★★Punjabi“You don’t know how to choose until you’re right there, on the precipice, giving away your everything for something that may be real or may be a shadow, a ghost you’re chasing.”This one wasn’t my favorite in the collection, just because it stars a young girl at a club with her friend when a strange young man appears and keeps following them. I mean, all the red flags, right? And even though his intentions always seemed good, it still made me uncomfortable to read. I did love the author’s note for this one, I just sadly didn’t love this vision. But oh my gosh, the atmosphere and the food descriptions? Perfection. Like, don’t read this if you’re hungry, because my stomach is growling just thinking about the food and drinks from this short story.➽ The Counting of Vermillion Beads by Aliette De Bodard – ★★★★★Vietnamese“We can’t go home, but that doesn’t mean we have to be caged.”I loved this tale about two sisters and that unconditional bond. This story felt so full, so atmospheric, so perfect. This story was inspired by Tấm and Cám, but the version that Aliette De Bodard created is so heartwarming and so inspiring. This is an empowering little tale, that truly emphasizes that we can be anything we want in this world, with whoever we are in this world, regardless of what others want to shape and mold us to be.➽ The Land of the Morning Calm by E. C. Myers – ★★★★★Korean“I finally know how it ends.”I cried through 80% of this story. Easily, this was one of my new favorite short stories of all time. I will never forget this story for as long as I live. And I am immediately buying everything E. C. Myers has created. This is a story about a gwisin (ghost), and a girl that is still dealing with the death of her mother, five years later. It doesn’t help that she’s still living with her father and her mother’s father (her grandfather), who reminds her of her mother’s presence constantly. But it is undeniable when the MMO that was her mother’s life, and the reason her parents met, is being shut down forever, but has drawn Sunny into playing again. And Sunny has just found out about a new private server that will preserve the game, and maybe the memory of her mother. I loved this more than words. MMORPGs have meant so much to me during my life. I have played them since high school, and I have some of my very best friends and loved ones to this day because of them. And this short story is a love letter to video games and the impact they can make on your life. And video games are such a huge part of Korean culture, and the significance and importance shined through this story so very brightly. This story just had such a profound meaning to me, because it made me realize that one day I’m (hopefully) going to be a mom that is a gamer, and a con lover, and a writer, and so many of the things that Sunny viewed her mom as. Like, I promise, I was bawling through almost this entire story. This was beyond words beautiful. I have no word combination to string together to let you all know how perfect this was and how much this story meant to me. TW/CW: death, loss of a parent. And RIP to my favorite NPC of all time, Ephoenix (Ezra Chatterton).➽ The Smile by Aisha Saeed – ★★★★★South Asian“Belonging meant he could place me wherever he liked, whether in his bed or in this dank tower. Belonging is not love. It never was.”This was so beautiful, I couldn’t help but fall in love. I need a full-length of this story, I need to know what happens next, I need so much more. But I guess that’s the beauty of this tale; anything could happen next. This is an extremely feminist short story about a girl who serves a prince who is in love with her. But this story is about love, and how it should only be given freely and to those deserving. Seriously, this is such a treat of a story. I think this will be one that everyone who picks up this anthology will love.➽ Girls Who Twirl and Other Dangers by Preeti Chhibber – ★★★★Gujarati“There are three reasons I know fall is awesome: the most anticipated Bollywood movies are always on a fall release schedule, my mom starts practicing her delicious party dishes, and it means it’s time for Navrātri!”I loved this adorable story that switched between Hinduism mythos, and to current time to a girl celebrating Navaratri at a party with her friends, while they also plot revenge on a boy that’s being rather rude. Navaratri is celebrated in honor of good defeating evil, and the battle of Durga and Mahishasura, a buffalo demon. And Preeti Chhibber does such a wonderful job transitioning and showcasing these two stories together. Also, I just loved learning about this Hindu holiday that’s so empowering to women. This was expertly crafted and such a joy to read.➽ Nothing into All by Renée Ahdieh – ★★★★Korean“Many years ago, a girl and a boy lived with their parents in a bark-shingled home near a flowing river’s edge.”Oh, this was such a fun and whimsical read! This was a super unique spin on The Goblin Treasure, which is actually a story I grew up hearing, too. But Renée Ahdieh did such a wonderful job making me feel every single thing for this set of siblings. And there is such a wonderful message about how we all carry goodness and badness inside of ourselves, but how we choose our actions based on which is what is truly important.➽ Spear Carrier by Rahul Kanakia – ★★South Asian“When I’d agreed to his offer, it was because I had thought I’d be a hero.”This is a long short story about what it truly means to be a hero, and if being a hero only means accomplishing what you set out to do or winning the battle you set out to fight. There are a ton of lighthearted pop culture references in this, but a ton of hard-hitting questions of war and what is worth losing one’s life for. I just thought that sometimes the writing was a little too harsh and a little too dry for me.➽ Code of Honor by Melissa de la Cruz – ★★Filipino“I almost murdered a girl yesterday…”Friends, I’m heartbroken. I was supposed to love this one! I just read the Fresh Ink anthology, and Melissa de la Cruz’s story was easily my favorite out of the entire collection! But this? This just didn’t work for me at all. It’s about a vampire that is living in hiding, but has lost her journal that has a spell attached to it, so no human can read it. But it is still causing her a lot of trouble. Also, TW/CW for sort of a graphic animal comment, since she feeds from them. One line in this kind of made me shudder upon reading, so use caution. But I think this might be a set-up or something for her series Blue Bloods, but it just really felt strange being a part of this anthology, and I really didn’t enjoy it as much as it pains me to say.➽ Bullet, Butterfly by Elsie Chapman – ★★★★★Chinese“Don’t forget we’re only ever soldiers here in Shangyu, and soldiers never get to be the ones who wake up from a spell, or who even get to break a spell. We’re just the dragons guarding the gate, ordered to keep breathing the fire of those who cast the spell in the first place.”I loved this so much. I loved this more than words. This is a reimagining of the Chinese legend Butterfly Lovers, and it was so beautiful and so impactful. The theme of loyalty to one’s family, but also to one’s heart and happiness is constant throughout this tale. And just all of the ways that war impacts every single person, whether they are forced to create, forced to fight, or forced to any duty against their true heart’s desires. This story was wonderful and made me such an emotional mess. For sure a highlight in this already amazing anthology.➽ Daughter of the Sun by Shveta Thakrar – ★★★★South Asian“She sang for her parents, for the hue-switching heavens, for herself. She read fairy tales, epics, and legends and imagined performing them on a stage draped in velvet. But it wasn’t enough. She longed for a friend.”This was a beautiful story inspired by two of the stories in the longest epic poem in history, The Mahābhārata. One about Princess Savitri and Prince Satyavan, and one about Ganga and Shantanu. This was a moving story about destiny and sacrifice and how important it is to always follow your heart, regardless of the outcomes and/or circumstances. And I was high-key living for the feminist undertones that were expertly woven throughout this.➽ The Crimson Cloak by Cindy Pon – ★★★★★Chinese“…whatever I might make for myself in this life: hearth, home, or family—they would mean nothing without you.”Please, excuse me while I go buy more from Cindy Pon because this story was one of the greatest blessings of 2018. And this is her version of the Chinese folklore tale of Cowherd, and the magical girl who saw him first. I actually had never heard of this tale before, so I spent some time afterwards reading everything I could, and I am even more in love. This is for sure one of the best stories in this anthology, and Cindy Pon’s giving a voice to this magical, fairy, weaver girl is something so beautiful I don’t even have words for it. One of the most romantic short stories I’ve ever read too. All the feels, all the happiness, all the tears.➽ Eyes like Candlelight by Julie Kagawa – ★★★★★Japanese“She could charm bears with that smile, Takeo thought. If he were a bear, he would lie down with his head in her lap and not move until the hunters came for him.”I loved this with every fiber of my being. I loved this writing so much that I think I’m actually going to pick up everything I’ve been neglecting on reading from Julie Kagawa, too. Like, this was the perfect closing story. And it surrounded one of my favorite mythical creatures of all time: Kitsunes! Again, the writing was so perfect, I was instantly teleported into this small village. The main character, Takeo, was the sweetest little cinnamon roll. And this short story was honestly perfect in every way. And the ending of this was absolutely haunting. I would buy and read anything else about this heartbroken girl, and the small boy that missed so much because of evil men.Out of a possible 75 stars (5 stars possible for each of the 15 stories) this collection accumulated 63 stars (84%). But I am giving this five stars regardless, because I loved it so much. The stories in this collection meant more to me than I have words for. And I truly hope you all pick this up upon release.

Up until recently I've loved any books with Asian influences I could get my hands on but always felt like they were missing something. This anthology is amazing in that it doesn't only focus on East Asia but on other parts of Asia as well. I was ecstatic when I read stories from the Philippines and stories about darker skinned Asians. I keep saying this this month, but it feels surreal to see myself represented in fiction when I hadn't experienced it for most of my life. I wish I had something to read like this when I was younger and used to favor characters with brown hair because I thought they were closest to being like me.--1.  Forbidden Fruit by Roshani Chokshi - : 5 starsI am so happy that Filipino stories are in this anthology and that this was the first! Totally biased review here because I'm Filipino, and I want more Filipino stories. I will say that I was a little hesitant to read this because I recently DNF'd a book by this author, but I was pleasantly surprised. This was a beautiful retelling of Maria Makiling, a mountain spirit that is always depicted as breathtakingly beautiful with white hair. I thought this was the perfect choice for a Filipino retelling because it is set on and near a mountain near a small village which is something you see a lot in Filipino mythology (from what I've read and been told about anyways). I am also always for deities falling in love with human stories. I need more!2. Olivia's Table by Alyssa Wong - 5 starsI've seen a lot of shows with night parades that featured ghosts, but I didn't know they originated from Chinese mythos. This story is about a young girl who cooks for ghosts trying to cross over to the afterlife during the Hungry Ghost Festival. The way Alyssa Wong delicately deals with death and moving on is so tenderly done that I was left feeling warm and secure rather than dreadful. I read this at the perfect time because many people I know have loved ones who have passed on recently, so I've been feeling the need to hold on and show my parents how much I love and cherish them.3. Steel Skin by Lori M. Lee - 3 starsThis wasn't what I was expecting because it's sci-fi, and I thought there would be more fantastical elements. This take on the Hmong folktale The Woman and the Tiger features a young teenager, her father, and their strained relationship that was caused by the death of a loved one. I thought the ending was pretty good, but wasn't completely impressed with the story as a whole or with the mythology tie-in.4. Still Star-Crossed by Sona Charaipotra - 2 starsThis is a retelling of the Punjabi folktale Mirza and Sahiba. I would definitely be interested in reading a different retelling of this folktale because I've always had a thing for stories about soulmates. However, I was not feeling the main male character. The author purposely meant for him to be stalkerish in her rendition of the story, but it felt disturbing to read through.5. The Counting of Vermillion Beads by Aliette De Bodard - 5 starsThis is probably my favorite story in this anthology. I loved everything about it! It is about two sisters who have been taken from their home to live in the palace and work on the Census. One sister believes in magic and making a way for herself and one sister is more realistic and believes in working hard to get what you want. From what the author says, the tie-in is more uplifting than the original Vietname legend of Tam Cam, and though I went into this anthology looking for close-to-the-original retellings, I still found this a pleasurable read.  From its gorgeous, fantastical prose to its message about the power of choice and sibling love, this was complete perfection.6. The Land of the Morning Calm by E. C. Myers - 5 starsIf you've ever been a tiny bit obsessed with Korean MMORPG's you're going to love this one. This is another story about a young girl and her father overcoming the death of a loved one but with a heavy emphasis on Korean MMO's. I never thought I would ever read a story that delves so deeply into the MMORPG gaming experience and how gaming can become so much more than that. When I was younger my online gaming friends and I would question if you could really be friends or start a relationship with someone you haven't met in person and later on I decided that my answer to that was yes. I used to feel uncomfortable talking about my gaming friends or relationships because it's often looked down upon as weird. But if you think about it, you meet and play with the same people for multiple hours a day, and there's tons of talking that inevitably leads to getting to know each other because you can't communicate through real life actions when gaming. I found this story amazing because creating relationships through gaming is normal and not ever questioned.7. The Smile by Aisha Saeed- 4 starsThis is a feminist retelling of The Story of Anarkali from South Asia. In this story a courtesan learns that belonging doesn't mean affection and being free doesn't guarantee happiness. Slightly unpopular opinion, but my one complaint about this story is that I thought it was too short. Something happens and that's it. What happens next?? I want more!8. The Girls Who Twirl and Other Dangers by Preeti Chhibber - 4 starsI liked this one a lot more than I thought I would!  This story switches between modern day where a young girl and her friends celebrate Navaratri and Hindu mythology. Somehow, the author was able to pack a lot of her culture into such a short story. It made want to know even more about Hindu mythology.9. Nothing into All by Renée Ahdieh - 5 starsNothing into All is a retelling of the Korean folktale Goblin Treasure. In this story, a girl wants to use Goblin magic to get into music school, but her brother becomes angry because she doesn't want to use the magic to help their family. Renee Ahdieh is another hit or miss author for me, but I adored this story.10. Spear Carrier by Rahul Kanakia - 2 starsThis story details the authors thoughts on the South Asian Epic Poem Mahabharata. It is a story about a boy who is thrust into a war he knows nothing about and questions why everyone is fighting. I think the concept of someone waking up and finding themselves in a war among gods sounds interesting, but I don't think I was in the right mood for this story. There is a ton of harsh language, and because I had already read many mythical stories, I wasn't in the right mindset for this one.11. Code of Honor by Melissa de la Cruz - 2 starsI am so upset that I didn't like this one because though I knew others gave this a low rating, I hoped I would love it! This is about an aswang (Filipino witch/vampire) that disguises herself as a high school student to find others like herself. When I was little my friends and then cousins in the Philippines used to tell scary stories about an aswang called Manananggal. She was a vampire like creature whose upper body was separated from her lower body and whose long tongue was used to suck the lives out of animals, people, and children. I used to be terrified of Manananggal whenever I had to be in the dark, and when I visited the Philippines my cousins and I roamed the market place at night and freaked out because we thought Manananggal was chasing us (it was a goat...). I didn't feel scared at all while reading this, and I think it's because there was more telling than showing.12. Bullet, Butterfly by Elsie Chapman - 4 starsAh man, this one gave me so many kinds of feels. This is a retelling of the Chinese legend of the Butterfly lovers. In this, a boy disguises himself as a girl and falls in love with a healer who treats him. When he confesses to being a boy and loving her, the girl becomes angry but still admits to loving him, too. Unfortunately, they are unable to be with each other because of their duty to the war. The story along with the writing left me heartbroken.13. Daughter of the Sun by Shveta Thakrar - 5 starsThis story is a retelling of two stories from the Mahabharata. In this story, a lonely daughter of the sun finds the lonely son of the moon and decides to save him from drowning. The son of the moon is taken from her, but the daughter of the moon cleverly gets his capturer to allow him to come back to her. Like the author, I enjoyed how feminist the original stories sound, and I also enjoyed how Shveta Thakrar incorporates those feminist aspects into her retelling.14. The Crimson Cloak by Cindy Pon - 4 starsThis story is a retelling of the Chinese legend The Cowherd and the Weaver Girl. In this story, a goddess sets the records straight and tells her story of seeing the man she fell in love with first and how she got him to fall for her. This was a funny and adorable read with a playful and flirty narrator.15. Eyes like Candlelight by Julie Kagawa - 5 starsThis is the one story I think many people will already know something about because kitsunes come up a lot in popular cultures. This is a lovely yet creepy ending to the anthology that tells the story of a boy and then man who comes across the Japanese kitsune. In this story, a boy comes across a kitsune and lets her go while promising not to tell anyone he's spotted her. Years later, his village is unable to reach their rice quota and the kitsune decides it is the perfect time to help him.--Again, I loved this anthology and know I will be reading it and referencing it throughout my lifetime. If I ever have children, you bet I will be reading some of these stories to them because I want them and other children to grow up knowing that these cultures are beautiful and they shouldn't feel the need to push them aside because it doesn't seem "right" to most of society.I gave this anthology 5 stars even though I didn't give every story 5 stars because I am in awe of it as a whole, and I think it's important that others read it. I also encourage you to seek out own voice reviewers because their experience with some of these stories are most likely much different from my own.This ARC was provided to me by the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.

Exact average of my different star ratings : 3.3 / 5However, I loved many stories in this anthology, I actually finished this anthology (a very first for me, I'm not really into short stories) AND I didn't hate any of them.. some were really just uninteresting in my opinion and one was actually not good (Or that's my opinion at east)TW/CW : 5 of those 15 stories include or are even about dead mothers. 4 of those 5 stories are among the first 6 of the anthology so it feels really like a lot from the very beginningForbidden fruit - Roshani Chokshi : 3 starsIt was nice and pretty but it was a myth told like a myth and it was very short so it wasn't anything specialOlivia's table - Alyssa Wong : 4 stars.FOOD. I love when there's descriptions of food in books, movies, etc. and I really liked the story theme, it was great and for the length it brought up a lot of thingsSteel skin - Lori M. Lee : 2 starsThat was very weird and I don't see how it's a retelling of the story of the tiger... I'm so confused right nowStill star-crossed - Sona Charaipotra : 4 starsI liked the story though there were many words I didn't understand... However I didn't really like the explanation of how it came to be, if that was the intend it didn't really work imo. ..? But by itself the story was niceThe counting of Vermillon beads - Aliette De Bodard : 4.5 starsI love the idea to take a folk tale about Omen's rivalry and jealousy and make it with women supporting each others!The land of the morning calm - E.C. Myers : 4 starsWell, I have a soft spot for Korean culture and folklore as I lived in Seoul for 2 years and a half so I really enjoyed this one (though I could have done without a 4th story about a dead mother)The smile - Aisha Saeed: 4 starsReally liked that one too! I like the reasons behind the change in the myth too, it's important.Girl who twirl and other dangers - Preeti Chhibber : 3 starsIt's funny how the two stories involving Indian Americans were so similar in some ways...Anyway, I liked the contemporary part of this story, I was however confused by the mythological parts and how they fit into the story.Cw: trans exclusionary languageNothing into all - Renée Ahdieh : 3.5 starsThis one maybe could have been a bit longer but it was okay!Spear carrier - Rahul Kanakia : 3.5 starsARJUNA! (this is where my nephew's name comes from :) ) Also the story was fun, it's an interesting way to look at a well known story.Code of honor - Melissa de la Cruz : 1 starThis was really not good. Well when you give eternal vampires that decide to go to high school you can be sure you're not going in the right direction. But overall very weak story and charactersBullet, butterfly - Elsie Chapman : 5 starsIt made me tear up so instant 5/5 from me. To do that in 20 pages is pretty badassThe crimson cloak - Cindy Pon : 2.5/5Nothing special... I like the concept and the reason behind the storyEyes like candlelight - Julie Kagawa : 5/5WHAT ? Also, I cried again.

I thought the best way to review this book was to write some notes on what I thought after I finished each story. In their raw form, here are my thoughts:Forbidden Fruit - Roshani ChokshiBeautiful story telling. I was invested in the story even though it was only short. Anger is not a thing you would wish a mountain to have.Olivia’s Table - Alyssa WongWell writing story about the hungry ghost festival. About the importance of family, struggles of moving on and letting go.Steel Skin - Lori M. LeeThe twist wasn’t what I expected and was a well executed story. An Android based story asks the questions of what causes emotions and what does it mean to be human.Still Star-Crossed - Sona CharaipotraA creepy take on an Indian folktale, taking it one step further as a “what happens after” type event.The Counting of Vermillion Beads - Aliet Te De BodardI liked the idea of the retelling and reshaping of the folktale, but I just wasn’t grabbed by the characters too much.The Land of the Morning Calm - E. C. MyersI enjoyed the interlinking of historical folklore and new technology in this story. It also tells the importance of closure when it comes to a loss.The Smile - Aisha Saeed“How can I love you when I am not free?”. I really enjoyed this story which played on the idea of can you really love freely if you do not live freely. We read romances about princes or kings falling in love with their courtesans, but is there really an equal consensual basis for that relationship if, at the end of the day, the prince/king can claim ownership over the courtesan.Girls who Twirl and Other Dangers - Preeti ChibberI really enjoyed the visuals and the story. The celebration of the feminine and the celebration of joy in the dancing. I thought it was nicely wrapped up at the end and I could see myself wanting to read the continued story.Nothing into All - Renee AhdiehRenee Ahdieh’s storytelling is such a joy to read. It was a lovely retelling and speaks to the unconditional love of family and that life isn’t black and white, but exists in several shades of grey.Spear Carrier - Rahul KanakiaI wasn’t a fan of this one. Unfortunately I just wasn’t gripped by the story or the way it was written.Code of Honor - Melissa De La CruzEasy to read, enjoyable and a new take on a Filipino folktale. I’d like to read more of this story.Bullet, Butterfly - Elsie ChapmanIt was a sweet retelling. I couldn’t see it gripping me for longer than it was, but it was an easy enough read.Daughter of the Sun - Shveta ThakrarA beautiful retelling of two strong women woven into one story. I loved the aspect of choice when it comes to love and the way the heroine also chose herself with the love.The Crimson Cloak - Cindy PonAbsolutely gorgeous. I’d say this is one of my favourite stories of this anthology. I’m now going to look into what other books Cindy has written.Eyes Like Candlelight - Julie KagawaAh Julie and her way with writing the kitsune. Such a pleasure. I love that she’s got a series on the Kitsune - Shadow of the Fox (one of my favourite reads of the year)