What happens when some of the biggest names in YA come together? You get a book that feels like an expanded and interwoven short story collection. That’s the best way I can try to describe Blackout and the joy, love, and care in the pages. Keep reading this book review for my full thoughts.
Summary
A summer heatwave blankets New York City in darkness. But as the city is thrown into confusion, a different kind of electricity sparks…
A first meeting.
Long-time friends.
Bitter exes.
And maybe the beginning of something new.
When the lights go out, people reveal hidden truths. Love blossoms, friendship transforms, and new possibilities take flight.
Review
A darkness blankets NYC as Blackout hooks you from the beginning. How the universe shoves new friends, old flames, and set ups all together. Each of these powerhouse authors tells one piece of an interwoven story. There’s conversations that feel like reckonings, new and tentative beginnings, and love that struggles to burn amongst uncertainty. Blackout feels, in some ways, like a YA version of “Love Actually” featuring black teens falling in love. I loved seeing the different styles of writing coming together and while I may have had my favorites, each one of them pulls their weight.
Blackout is heartwearming and emotional, focusing on love and tenuous connections. All the ways a community is tied together through webs. It was a truly unique experience to see the stories and lives weaving together before our eyes as they face choices and possibilities. This is a perfect book for fans of these amazing authors, those who love the idea of (first)(new)(old)love, and the magic of a moment.
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Find Blackout on Goodreads, Amazon, Indiebound, Bookshop.org & The Book Depository.