Together, Apart by Many Authors Book Review

Title: Together, Apart
Authors: 

Erin A. Craig, 

Auriane Desombre,

 

Erin Hahn,

 Rachael Lippincott, 

Bill Konigsberg, B

rittney Morris,

 

Sajni Patel,

 

Natasha Preston,

 & Jennifer Yen

Publisher: Delacorte Press
Release Date: October 20, 2020
Pages: 288

Erin Craig "delivers" on a story about a new girl in town and the cute pizza delivery boy, Auriane Desombre captures our hearts with teens communicating through window signs, and Bill Konigsberg takes us along on daily walks with every step bringing us closer to love. There's flirting and romance from Rachael Lippincott, a tale of a determined girl with a mask-making business from Erin Hahn, and a music-inspired love connection from Sajni Patel. Brittney Morris turns enemies to lovers with the help of a balcony herb garden, Jennifer Yen writes an unconventional romance that starts outside a hospital, and Natasha Preston's teens discover each other--and their love story--in a storybook oak tree.

Romantic, realistic, sweet and uplifting, TOGETHER, APART is a collection of finding love in unexpected places during an unprecedented time . . . each with the one thing we all want: a guaranteed happy ending.

Buy it on Barnes & Noble or Amazon 

My Thoughts

**Thank you so much to NetGalley and Random House Children's for sending me an Advanced Reader's Copy in exchange for an honest review!**

I loved how the book was composed of short stories that were all related to quarantine and COVID-19. Instead of focusing on the bad side of the pandemic, the authors turned toward the bright sides and came up with these lovely stories. I'm sure they gave comfort to many people who may have been stressed out about the pandemic. 

There are nine stories total so I'm only going to review my favorite ones. All of these stories were good but my favs were "Love, Delivered" by Erin A. Craig, "Love with a Side of Fortune" by Jennifer Yen, and "Masked" by Erin Hahn. 

Love, Delivered by Erin A. Craig

"Love, Delivered" is one of my favs because I liked how Millie found a friendship with the pizza delivery boy, Luka. Having her parents at the hospital all the time with no wifi at her new house makes her bored real quick, but not when Luka is at her house delivering pizza. Talking 6 feet apart with masks on isn't easy but Millie and Luka develop a new friendship from it. 

Love with a Side of Fortune by Jennifer Yen

I loved this one because of the diversity in the characters and the family-friendly atmosphere in the restaurant. Michelle gets her fortune told to her on her birthday about a winter horse breaking her heart, but she doesn't think much about it. Her crush Evan, the star of her high school's swim team, shows up at her family's restaurant where Michelle works for dinner one night. After that, Evan is at the restaurant almost every night and Michelle's whole family gets along with him. Will her  birthday fortune ruin their relationship before long? 

Masked by Erin Hahn

COVID-19 stopped school and a lot of other things including prom. Gray's prom got cancelled so the dress she was going to wear wouldn't be used anymore. Because the fabric saved for her dress wasn't going to be used anymore, Gray thinks of a new way to use it. She ends up making many masks for the uncle of a guy, Jude, she met online. Not only that, but Jude also happens to look a lot like a contestant on TV that she has been fangirling about...

Star Rating: ★★★★★ (5)

I enjoyed reading all these short stories and I finished the book all in one sitting. The small stories brought a lighter and happier approach to the pandemic and I'm so glad that so many amazing authors came together to create this book. 

About the Authors

Erin A. Craig is the New York Times bestselling author of House of Salt and Sorrows. She has always loved telling stories. After getting her B.F.A. from the University of Michigan, in Theatre Design and Production, she stage managed tragic operas with hunchbacks, séances, and murderous clowns, then decided she wanted to write books that were just as spooky. An avid reader, decent embroiderer, rabid basketball fan, and collector of typewriters, Erin makes her home in West Michigan with her husband and daughter. 

Auriane is the author of I Think I Love You, and works as a middle school teacher and freelance editor. She holds an MA in English Literature and an MFA in Creative Writing for Children & Young Adults. She lives in Los Angeles with her dog, Sammy, who is a certified bad boy. 

Erin started writing her own books when her little sister gave her shade about a country music-themed Twilight fanfic. By day, she gets to share her favorite stories with her elementary students. By night, she writes swoons. Erin married her own YA love interest whom she met on her first day of college and has two kids who are much, much cooler than she ever was at their age. She lives in Michigan, aka the greenest place on earth and has a cat, Gus, who plays fetch. 

Rachael Lippincott is the #1 New York Times bestselling coauthor of Five Feet Apart. She holds a BA in English writing from the University of Pittsburgh. Originally from Bucks County, Pennsylvania, she currently resides in Pittsburgh with her wife and their dog, Hank. 

Bill Konigsberg is the award-winning author of six young adult novels, including The Bridge. In 2018, The National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE)’s Assembly on Literature for Adolescents (ALAN) established the Bill Konigsberg Award for Acts and Activism for Equity and Inclusion through Young Adult Literature. Prior to turning his attention to writing books for teens, Bill was a sports writer and editor for The Associated Press and ESPN.com. He lives in Phoenix, Arizona, with his husband, Chuck, and their Australian Labradoodles, Mabel and Buford. 

Brittney Morris is the author of SLAY. She holds a BA in Economics from Boston University because back then, she wanted to be a financial analyst. (She's now thankful that didn't happen). She spends her spare time reading, playing indie video games, and enjoying the Seattle rain from her apartment. She lives with her husband Steven who would rather enjoy the rain from a campsite in the woods because he hasn't played enough horror games. Brittney is the founder and former president of the Boston University Creative Writing Club, a four-time NaNoWriMo winner and a 2018 Pitch Wars mentor. 

Sajni Patel was born in vibrant India and raised in the heart of Texas, surrounded by a lot of delicious food and plenty of diversity. She draws on her personal experiences, cultural expectations, and southern flair to create worlds that center around strong Indian women. Once in MMA, she’s now all about puppies and rainbows and tortured love stories. She currently lives in Austin where she not-so-secretly watches Mathew McConaughey from afar during UT football games. Queso is her weakness and thanks to her family’s cooking, Indian/Tex-Mex cuisine is a real thing. She’s a die-hard Marvel Comics fan, a lover of chocolates from around the world, and is always wrapped up in a story. 

Natasha Preston is the #1 New York Times Bestselling Author of The Cellar, The Cabin, Awake, You Will Be Mine, The Lost, and her latest novel, The Twin. A UK native, she discovered her love of writing when she shared a story online- and she hasn't looked back. She enjoys writing romance, thrillers, gritty YA, and the occasional serial killer. 

Jennifer Yen is a Taiwanese American author who lives  with her adorable rescue dog in Houston, Texas. She spends her days healing the hearts of others and her nights writing about love, family, and the power of acceptance. Jennifer believes in the magic of one's imagination, and hopes her stories will bring joy and inspiration to readers. If you find her wandering around aimlessly, please return her to the nearest milk tea shop.