Have you ever buried a body, summoned a demon, or dated a vampire? No? Us neither. But characters in Firsts and Lasts: 16 Stories From Beyond Our World… And Beyond! have! This book is an anthology, released on September 26th, written by multiple award-winning and best-selling authors, and edited by Laura Silverman.
To everyone who has a nostalgic heart and big feelings – LS
Firsts and Lasts: 16 Stories From Our World… And Beyond! edited by Laura Silverman
Book Overview
Content Warnings: Grief related to familial death, death, violence, attempted assault, depression, self-harm, sexual harassment, and drug addiction. The author includes the chapters’ specific warnings at the start of the book to avoid those particular chapters.
Summary: An exciting fiction YA anthology that celebrates the new experiences and final moments teenagers face on their journey into adulthood from editor Laura Silverman and a cast of spectacular contributors.
From first breakups and romantic vampire encounters to last band performances and the deadly end of a friendship, Firsts and Lasts is an anthology that is just as unpredictable as being a teenager. While each of these stories span different genres and styles, they all perfectly capture the big emotions–confusion, joy, uneasiness, and anticipation–that many teens experience as they grow up.
Whether you are hopelessly in love and not sure how to tell your crush, going through loss and can’t fully process it, or just trying to figure out where you belong in the world, this collection of sixteen stories has something for every reader.
Representation
Made up of 16 short stories, this book will have you laughing, crying, and screaming “What!?” at the pages. Either you’ll relate to these stories because you are currently going through these experiences, or because you have been through them. We know we felt extremely represented and validated while reading this book.
We could cry at the amount of representation throughout Firsts and Lasts: 16 Stories From Our World… And Beyond! Every character is either BIPOC and/or part of the LGBTQ+ 🏳️🌈 community. We love to see it. We also love to read stories of representation that are not traumatic and depressing. Each story has a happy or bittersweet ending and we appreciate it so much. Finally, some positive and happy representation other than Red, White, and Royal Blue, or Heartstopper.
Short Stories!
Are you the type of reader that has a hard time sticking to a story? This book is the one for you! Made up of short, amazing stories, this book will capture your attention the entire time. And this book works even if you binge-read every book you pick up. Just read all the short stories at once!
So, if you’re an avid reader or just getting into reading, this book is undoubtedly the one for you! It’s a super easy and fun book to get into. We personally binged it in one day.
Unique, Relatable, And Fun Stories
Unique in the sense that we get stories about the first time dating a vampire, the first time burying a body, the last time summoning a demon among others! And relatable in the sense of familiar storylines about a first kiss, first crush, first job, last goodbye, and more! Just the perfect book to represent teen experiences! And the relatable stories all feel a little special too – Just imagine your first job being in a haunted house as a bridal ghost after being dumped…
Well most days, being out of bed is like hiking with a thirty-pound pack strapped to my back. Some days, it’s a little lighter; others, a little heavier.
Firsts and Lasts: 16 Stories From Our World… And Beyond! (chapter 6) by Shaun David Hutchinson
Our teen selves felt so seen and heard, we cried.
Why shouldn’t I care, Keen? Just because we don’t know each other doesn’t mean you don’t matter.
Firsts and Lasts: 16 Stories From Our World… And Beyond! (chapter 6) by Shaun David Hutchinson
Our hearts. Such wholesome and right-in-the-feels stories.
Genres And Humor!
Did you know scattering lye on a body makes it dissolve and get destroyed faster? We didn’t either, but the more you know… (don’t worry, we’re kidding!) There were so many interesting things hidden in the pages of this book.
We loved getting so many different genres all in one book. Rom-com, dystopian, fantasy, and so many others! Additionally, the humor! Imagine telling a demon you summoned to f**k off? Iconic and hilarious.
Tonight isn’t just an ending … It could be a beginning, too.
Firsts and Lasts: `6 Stories From Our World… And Beyond! (chapter 15) by Rachel Lynn Solomon
Firsts and Lasts, edited by Laura Silverman, was released on September 26 and is available for order now!
What was your favorite story? What was your favorite quote? Let us know in the comments below or over on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter at @thehoneypop!
Wanna discover more books and extend your already abnormally long TBR? Check out our book recs and sweet reads for new monthly releases!
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT LAURA SILVERMAN:
GOODREADS | TWITTER | WEBSITE
