INITIAL RESPONSE
*cough*Marissa Meyer's story was the best.*cough*

I only read seven of the thirteen stories featured in this series. Some of them were too dark, while others had things I disapproved of. As for the seven I did read...

THE BLOOD OF IMURIV
Initial Response
I want to play that d'jaryek.

High Lights
- I liked how the author used contrasts in this story. Much like how a villain would think, going back and forth between caring and loathing. It was really interesting.
- Rhone is a cool name.
- But seriously, the best part was the awesome game room. Holographs on the walls, some type of laser tag, and d'jaryek, a strange sort of chess game that I need to play now. Pity it's not real.
- IT WAS SO TENSE. Shouting and then silence, laughing and then anger, all of the contrasts painted such a dramatic picture, until we reach the shocking climax.

How someone could die from hitting a wall, I don't know. But hey, it doesn't have to make sense, right? ...Right?

Low Lights
- It was really short, the shortest story (if you could call it a story) in the book. I guess it didn't really feel resolved.
- Altais seemed like a snoot to me, so I didn't really sympathize with her. Though, I didn't really sympathize with Rhone either. It was very detached.
- I wish the history had been explained just a tiny bit better. Nothing elaborate, maybe just how things came to be how they are.

Conclusion
A quick, intense few pages, but not particularly memorable. Still, it was a nice opener for the book.
3 stars

SHIRLEY & JIM
Initial Response
GAH. MY HEART.

High Lights
- This was one of the only stories that I really loved. I mean, Sherlock as a girl, in school, who meets a young Moriarty, and begins to fall for him? YES PLEASE.
- Just seeing Jim as a person was so cool. Like, wow, sociopaths do have emotions.

I'M STILL HOLDING OUT HOPE THAT HE ACTUALLY LIKES HER OKAY.

- I love how the entire story is Shirley sending an email to her friend Jean. That was fun.
- AND THAT ENDING. *sniffle*

SO SAD. But I would really love a full novel of this, honestly. LIKE. PLEASE.

- And A+ for aesthetic, because school and chess and fall = <3

Low Lights
- There was some swearing, and a bit of suggestive material.

Conclusion
This was a fun retelling of Sherlock Holmes. Although, I must warn you, the ending will break your heart.
4.5 stars

THE BLESSING OF LITTLE WANTS
Initial Response
Um. That. That was odd.

High Lights
- This was such a strange story, I'm not sure how to review it.
- Thomas is probably the only character I really, really liked.

BUT UNFORTUNATELY TURNS OUT HE'S NOT EVEN REAL. Literally just a figment of Sigrid's imagination. I'm out.

Low Lights
- It just had an all-around creepy feel to it. I mean,

would you really just up and go to this strange island, where people have died, and a literal demon sorcerer lives, and then KILL the figment of your imagination? WHAT THE HECK.

- I also didn't like how the lesser magic characters were portrayed. They were really flighty and totally oblivious, like Sigrid was so much better than them. Even though she wants to be like them.
-

I just really wanted Thomas to be real guys. Really.

Conclusion
Although this book did have a good character, the rest was too unsettling and dark for me.
2 stars

THE SEA WITCH
Initial Response
MY FAVORIIIIIIIIIITE. :D

High Lights
- Marissa Meyer writes the best retellings. Period.
- Just. My heart. It aches. SO BAD. HELP.

HOW COULD THOSE BUFFOONS BE SUCH JERKS. Lorindel is a wuss, Samuel is a GREEDY DUNCE, and I just can't with this. You deserved better, Nerit. You really did.

- As always, I was transported right into the story, feeling everything Nerit felt. The pain, the love, the heartbreak, the bitter resentment. It all cut me to the core. And I LOVED IT.
- Basically I couldn't with this story. Why is there not a kind soul on this earth to love Nerit? Why? WHY.

Low Lights
- There was a bit of a dark scene near the end.

Nerit gets payback on Samuel when she kills him in his sleep. O_O Look, I know you're bitter, but would you really kill someone over it? I don't know, seems a bit extreme, but you know, you do you, I guess. *shrugs*

Conclusion
As soon as I knew Marissa was involved, I just knew that I would love it. This story is no exception.
4.5 stars

MARIGOLD
Initial Response
Ooooookay. That is just flatout creepy.

High Lights
- So. Where to begin.
- I...I don't really know what to say?

Low Lights
- Everything screamed trouble to me. Never for a moment did I think, 'Well, that's cool.' Everything had a dark vibe, and I just couldn't like it.
- Men were portrayed in a very bad light, which I didn't like.

I mean, so maybe Marigold didn't like Isaac. Okay, that's understandable, but REALLY MARIGOLD. Running away to live with the Erl-folk? HOW IS THAT A GOOD IDEA.

- And the ending...Blech. It just didn't feel right.

Conclusion
So, not a favorite, but, I guess if you're into dark fantasy about Erl-folk, give this one a try?
2 stars

YOU, YOU, IT'S ALL ABOUT YOU
Initial Response
Huh. That was chilling.

High Lights
- This story was told from the second person POV, which was SUPER NEAT. If it had just...been a less disturbing story.
- I could see the world that it was set in being a really cool place to explore, but this story just didn't cut for me.

Low Lights
- You're selling all kinds of dangerous drugs to people. Nobody are themselves anymore, and it's because of you. And you're proud of the empire you've grown.
- If that doesn't sound terrifying, I don't know what does.
- Just.

Kidnapping the ONLY GUY WITH A CURE TO YOUR DRUGS and drugging him to make him forget who he is, that he's madly in love with you, and then dragging him out of that trance only to do it again. And again. And again. What the what.

Conclusion
Yeah, points for the cool POV, but this story was just unnerving. I would love to see something set in the world, but this story just didn't work.
2 stars

(I'd also like to say, I was very disappointed with the Booktuber aspect. I thought it was going to be an 'author writes a story, Booktuber writers a story to go with it' kind of deal, but I was TOTALLY WRONG. The Booktubers wrote little essay-type things after each story, just talking about villains. And while that's all well and good, I FEEL GYPPED. I just thought I'd say that.)

CONCLUSION
So, while there were many stories that were only so-so, some that I massively disliked, and some I didn't even read, there were still a couple that I'm glad I read. And I totally did not realize, but this is like in season, with Halloween coming up. I did not plan that, I swear. XD Anyway, if you're feeling adventurous, you might want to try this one. Even if you only end up liking two of the stories (me), that's still a win! I'm glad I stepped a bit out of my comfort zone. ^_^