Name: The Radical Element
ISBN: 9780763694258

Jessica Spotswood

An anthology of historical short stories features a diverse array of girls standing up for themselves and their beliefs, forging their own paths while resisting society's expectations.

12 Stories of Daredevils, Debutantes, and Other Dauntless Girls

The Radical Element

Lauren Tabor

What a fun anthology full of adventure and brave, leading ladies! I loved most of these stories, they were really fun and inspiring.

Ingrid 

** An ARC is generously provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review **

Daughter of the Book by Dahlia Adler - 3 stars.
This story is about a Jewish education. I really enjoyed our main character Rebekah Wolf, but didn't care for the love interest or the plot that much. 

You're a Stranger Here by Mackenzi Lee - 3.5 stars.
This story focuses on the Mormon history. I enjoyed the writing style but wasn't fully invested in the plot.

The Magician by Erin Bowman - 5 stars.
I really enjoyed this story. Ray is an amazing character, and I was very invested in her story. I felt that the author hinted that Ray might be gender fluid, but it was never fully discussed. I'm very interested in reading more of her work. 

Lady Firebrand by Megan Shepherd - 5 stars.
This was soooo good. The story is set in South Carolina and deals with racism. Our main characters consists of a white girl in a wheelchair and a free black girl. Both of them were amazing badass characters and I was super invested in their story. I'm very interested in picking up more from this author. 

Step Right Up by Jessica Spotswood - 4 stars.
This story is about a girl and her wish to join the circus. I enjoyed the descriptions of the circus, and the fact that the main character was a lesbian. Trigger warning for abuse.

Glamour by Anna-Marie McLemore - 3.5 stars.
I really enjoyed the writing of this one. The concept was very interesting, I would love to see this story as a whole novel. The ending was a big let down for me, it felt a bit rushed. This story has a lot of diversity including a Mexican-American main character and a transgender side character with a disability.

Better For All the World by Marieke Nijkamp - 5 stars.
I loved everything about this. Our main character Carrie was amazing, the story was great, the writing was good and I feel like I learned something after reading this. It definitely made me think.

When the Moonlight Isn’t Enough by Dhonielle Clayton - 3 stars.
I liked the main character, but I felt disconnected to the story. I liked the concept, but I wish things were explained a bit more. 

The Belle of the Ball by Sarvenaz Tash - 2 stars.
I finished this book a few days ago, and I struggled to remember what this story was about. There was a lot of references to Love Lucy, and I don't know what that is. I did like our main character, but I felt the story overall was forgettable. 

Land of the Sweet, Home of the Brave by Stacey Lee - 4.5 stars.
The main character in this story was amazing, I would have loved to be her friend. The writing was good and funny, I would love to read more from this author. I got to learn about the aftermath of Japanese internment and the history of Asian-Americans in Hawaii, which I really enjoyed. 

The Birth of Susi Go-Go by Meg Medina - 2.5 stars.
This just wasn't for me. It dragged on a bit, and everything felt predictable. 

Take Me With U by Sara Farizan - 3 stars. 
I liked the Iranian aspect of this story, but the music part just wasn't for me. I think a lot of people will like this one, but to me it was just ok. 

That brings my average rating to about 3.67, so I'm rounding it up to a 4.

Kate

Despite its somewhat shaky start, this was a brilliant sequel anthology to A Tyranny of Petticoats. 

Top three stories:
-Glamour by Anne-Marie McLemore
-The Belle of the Ball by Sarvenaz Tash
-Land of the Sweet, Home of the Brave by Stacey Lee

Daughter of the Book by Dahlia Alder - 3/5*

You’re a Stranger Here by Mackenzi Lee - 2/5*

The Magician by Erin Bowman - 3/5*

Lady Firebrand by Megan Shepard - 3.5/5*

Step Right Up by Jessica Spotswood - 4/5*

Glamour by Anne-Marie McLemore - 5/5* 
oh how I wish this had been a full length novel.

Better for all the World by Marieke Nijkamp - 4/5* 

When the Moonlight Isn’t Enough by Dhonielle Clayton - 4.5/5*

The Belle of the Ball by Sarvenaz Tash - 5/5* 
Once again, I want a full length novel of this story, pretty please. 

Land of the Sweet, Home of the Brave by Stacey Lee - 5/5* 
 Love, love LOVED this one. 

The Birth Of Susi Go-Go by Meg Medina - 3/5*

Take Me With U by Sara Farizan - 4/5*

The Radical Element 12 Stories of Daredevils, Debutantes, and Other Dauntless Girls