Reading Teen

When I started this book I had zero idea what it was about. I knew nothing about it, other than Laini Taylor wrote it, and Laini Taylor is a word-building genius, so I wanted to read it. I hadn't even read the summary, so I didn't know that this was actually a collection of three completely separate stories. I found out afterwards, that they are loosely based in folklore/fairytales/poems and other such things, but as I am not well-read in those things, I never realized it. I'm not usually a fan of short stories, in fact I have yet to get through an Anthology, but once again, Laini blew me away with her ability to craft worlds that I found myself lost in.The book's stories are named Goblin Fruit, Spicy Little Curses Such as These, and Hatchling. They are all set in different worlds, but have the commonality, as you can tell from the title, of being centered around a kiss. The first story, Goblin Fruit, was the shortest, and my least favorite of the three, but still delicious. It was about a girl who had learned her whole life about Goblins, knowing never to eat fruit offered to her out of season, but finding herself yearning to be seen so much, that she is tempted anyway. This story was bizarre, and mysterious, and sad, and beautiful. When it ended, it definitely left you wanting. “Kizzy wanted it all so bad her soul leaned half out of her body hungering after it, and that was what drove the goblins wild, her soul hanging out there like an untucked shirt.” The second story I enjoyed even more. Spicy Little Curses Such as These was an Indian folklore about a girl who was cursed from birth. If she even uttered a sound, anyone who heard it would be struck dead. She sacrifices speech her entire life, not even testing her voice to see if the curse is real, so that she would never hurt another person. Then she falls in love, and all she wants to do is tell this boy how much she loves him. This story was fascinating, and very much had the feel of a fairytale. I loved how quickly Laini was able to bring me into this world, and capture my imagination. The romance was just so sweet and simple and endearing, but the underlying theme was so dark and sinister. It was really a fantastic mix of tones. "[...] they thought the same thoughts as completely as if a butterfly traveled back and forth between their minds, bearing ideas on its legs like pollen." The last story, or maybe novella would be a better word, because it was also the longest, was by far my favorite, and the one most reminiscent of Daughter of Smoke and Bone. I would buy this book, just for this last story, Hatchling, and that would be good enough. I don't know how on earth Laini can so fully develop a story, and another completely unique world, filling it with characters that you know so completely, but have never heard of before, in such a short time, but she does it exquisitely!! I loved the lore, the mythology, the fae-like quality that this story had. It was dark and twisted and mysterious and surprising. It was unlike anything that I've ever read, and I'm so in awe of gorgeous use of language and world-building, that I don't even know how to describe it.I highly recommend it to anyone who has a taste for the dark and mysterious worlds of the paranormal!Book Doppelgangers: Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor, Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr, Chime by Frannie Billingsly, Everneath by Brodi Ashton AndyeReadingteen.net